Wall-Mount Connector Rib Structure for Tolerance-Free Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional connectors experience looseness and dimensional inaccuracies due to high dimensional tolerance in the opening of the case, leading to instability and potential scratching, necessitating a solution for stable attachment without looseness, size reduction, simplified structure, reduced components, and lower costs.

Innovation Solution

The connector features a housing with elastic members and terminals, including ribs on the side walls that contact the inner surface of the opening, providing a secure fit and locking mechanism to prevent looseness, while maintaining a simplified structure and reduced component count.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional connector is used with a case opening having high dimensional tolerance, then the connector can be easily installed, but the connector experiences looseness and instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of installationVSAvoidattachment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic members are designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters (thickness, length, rib configurations) that enable them to adapt to dimensional variations in the opening while maintaining stable attachment. The elastic modulus and cross-sectional dimensions are optimized to provide appropriate flexibility and locking force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic members provide dynamic adaptation to the opening dimensions through their deformable nature. They can elastically deform during insertion to accommodate tolerance variations, then maintain a stable locked state, transitioning from a flexible insertion phase to a rigid attached state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If elastic members with ribs are added to the connector, then attachment stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment stabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic members integrate multiple functions into a single component: they provide attachment force through their elastic properties, positioning through their geometric shape, and locking through the ribs that engage with the opening inner surface. This merging eliminates the need for separate locking mechanisms or adjustment components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic members are positioned at multiple locations (front, rear, left, right sides) of the connector housing, creating segmented attachment points that distribute the locking force and provide stable attachment through coordinated action of multiple identical simple structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If multiple elastic members are used to prevent looseness, then attachment reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system uses multiple identical elastic members positioned at different locations (front, rear, left, right sides) of the connector. Each member has the same simple structure with ribs, allowing for standardized mass production and reducing per-unit cost through economies of scale.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

All elastic members are designed with identical geometry, material properties, and rib configurations. This homogeneity simplifies the manufacturing process by requiring only one tooling set and one quality control specification, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost despite using multiple members.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables stable and reliable attachment of the connector to the wall member without looseness, reduces size, simplifies the structure, decreases component count, lowers manufacturing costs, and enhances reliability.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of elastic members combined with the housing; the side wall exposed surface includes a rib extending in the mating direction that is able to come into contact with an inner surface of the opening

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4277042A1connector
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 MOLEX INC
  • EP4277042A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4277042A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4277042A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

To enable mounting to a wall member without looseness, stably and reliably maintaining an attached state, size reduction, and a simplified structure with a low number of components, simplified manufacturing, reduced cost, and high reliability, a connector is provided, comprising: a housing; a plurality of elastic members combined with the housing; and a plurality of terminals mounted in the housing, wherein the housing can be inserted into an opening formed in a wall member, the elastic members include a mating exposed surface exposed on a mating surface of the housing and a side wall exposed surface exposed on a side wall surface of the housing and constitute at least one left and right symmetric pair positioned respectively on both left and right sides in the width direction of the housing, and the side wall exposed surface includes a rib extending in the mating direction that is able to come into contact with an inner surface of the opening.