IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,341,310
Granted Patent B2
US 12,341,310 · App. 17/779,259 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Automatic insertion and removal device for connector, automatic insertion method, automatic removal method, and computer-readable storage medium

Inventors: Kun Niu (Shenzhen, CN); Zuolin Gao (Shenzhen, CN); Hongjun Zhu (Shenzhen, CN); Xiaogang Du (Shenzhen, CN); Chao Chen (Shenzhen, CN); Weiping Yi (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
H01R43/26G02B6/3898Y10T29/53209
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,341,310
App. No.
17/779,259
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector, an automatic plugging method, an automatic unplugging method, and a computer-readable storage medium are disclosed. The automatic plugging/unplugging device may include a clamping unit ( 201 ) and a force detection unit ( 202 ). The clamping unit ( 201 ) is configured to hold a connector ( 10 ), and may include at least one of a vibration sensor ( 2017 ) and a sound sensor ( 2014 ). The vibration sensor ( 2017 ) is configured to detect the vibration resulting from plugging or unplugging the connector ( 10 ), and the sound sensor ( 2014 ) is configured to detect the sound generated during plugging or unplugging the connector ( 10 ). The force detection unit ( 202 ) may include a detection base ( 2021 ) and a force sensor ( 2023 ). The force sensor ( 2023 ) is configured to detect the magnitude of a plugging or unplugging force generated during plugging or unplugging the connector ( 10 ).

Claims (36)

1. An automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector, comprising:

a clamping unit ( 201 ), configured to hold the connector ( 10 ) and comprising at least one of a vibration sensor ( 2017 ) and a sound sensor ( 2014 ), wherein the vibration sensor ( 2017 ) is configured to detect the vibration resulting from plugging or unplugging the connector ( 10 ), and the sound sensor ( 2014 ) is configured to detect the sound generated during plugging or unplugging the connector ( 10 ); and

a force detection unit ( 202 ), comprising a detection base ( 2021 ) and a force sensor ( 2023 ), wherein the force sensor ( 2023 ) comprises a locking end ( 2022 ) and a movable end ( 2024 ), the locking end ( 2022 ) is connected to the detection base ( 2021 ), and the movable end ( 2024 ) is connected to the clamping unit ( 201 ), and the force sensor ( 2023 ) is configured to detect the magnitude of a plugging or unplugging force generated during plugging or unplugging the connector ( 10 );

wherein the clamping unit ( 201 ) comprises:

a clamping base ( 2011 ), wherein the clamping base ( 2011 ) is provided with a fit groove ( 2015 ) in which the connector ( 10 ) is fitted in, and the vibration sensor ( 2017 ) is attached to an inner sidewall of the fit groove ( 2015 ); and

a clamping cover plate ( 2012 ), wherein the clamping cover plate ( 2012 ) is buckled at an open end of the fit groove ( 2015 ), both ends of the clamping cover plate ( 2012 ) are respectively located at both sides of the fit groove ( 2015 ), and one end of the clamping cover plate ( 2012 ) is rotatably connected to the clamping base ( 2011 ), and the other end of the clamping cover plate is connected to the clamping base ( 2011 ) by a clamping locking component ( 2019 ).

2. The automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 1 , wherein the inner sidewall of the fit groove ( 2015 ) is further provided with a limiting step ( 2016 ) configured to stop the connector ( 10 ).

3. The automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 1 , wherein the clamping unit ( 201 ) further comprises a guide rod ( 2013 ), wherein one end of the guide rod ( 2013 ) is connected to the detection base ( 2021 ), and the other end of the guide rod is slidably connected to the clamping base ( 2011 ).

4. The automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 1 , wherein the plugging/unplugging device for the connector ( 10 ) further comprises an automatic unlocking unit ( 203 ), wherein the clamping unit ( 201 ) is provided with a mounting groove, the automatic unlocking unit ( 203 ) is arranged in the mounting groove, one end of the automatic unlocking unit ( 203 ) extends out of the mounting groove, and the automatic unlocking unit ( 203 ) is configured to unlock a latch on the connector ( 10 ).

5. The automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 4 , wherein the automatic unlocking unit ( 203 ) comprises:

an actuator ( 2031 ), wherein the actuator ( 2031 ) is connected to the clamping unit ( 201 ) and located in the mounting groove;

a slider ( 2032 ), wherein the slider ( 2032 ) is connected to the actuator ( 2031 ), and the actuator ( 2031 ) is capable of driving the slider ( 2032 ) to slide along the mounting groove;

a pulley ( 2033 ), wherein the pulley ( 2033 ) is rotatably connected to the slider ( 2032 ); and

an unlocking spring leaf ( 2034 ), wherein the unlocking spring leaf ( 2034 ) is arranged on the inner sidewall of the mounting groove, and the slider ( 2032 ) is configured to press the unlocking spring leaf ( 2034 ) to contact the latch on the connector ( 10 ) in response to the actuator ( 2031 ) driving the slider ( 2032 ) to slide.

6. An automatic plugging method for the automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 1 , comprising following steps:

driving the automatic plugging/unplugging device ( 20 ) for a connector to move close to a socket or an adapter by an external driving device; and

judging whether the connector ( 10 ) is plugged in place according to a detection result from one of the force sensor ( 2023 ), the sound sensor ( 2014 ) and the vibration sensor ( 2017 ).

7. The automatic plugging method of claim 6 , wherein in response to the detected value of the force sensor ( 2023 ) reaching a first preset value, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is plugged in place; or

in response to the number of times that the vibration magnitude detected by the vibration sensor ( 2017 ) is greater than a first preset magnitude exceeding a first vibration number, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is plugged in place; or

in response to the number of times that the sound intensity detected by the sound sensor ( 2014 ) is greater than a first preset intensity exceeding a first sound number, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is plugged in place.

8. The automatic plugging method of claim 6 , wherein when the automatic plugging/unplugging device ( 20 ) for a connector is driven to move close to a socket or an adapter by an external driving device, the detected value of the force sensor ( 2023 ) is kept less than a second preset value.

9. The automatic plugging method of claim 6 , wherein verifying whether the connector is locked normally by means of a reverse unplugging method after judging that the connector ( 10 ) is plugged in place comprises:

driving the automatic plugging/unplugging device ( 20 ) for a connector to move away from a socket or an adapter by an external driving device, and keeping the detected value of the force sensor ( 2023 ) always less than a third preset value; and

judging whether the connector ( 10 ) is locked normally according to a detection result from one of the force sensor ( 2023 ), the sound sensor ( 2014 ) and the vibration sensor ( 2017 ).

10. The automatic plugging method of claim 9 , wherein when the automatic plugging/unplugging device ( 20 ) for a connector is driven to move away from a socket or an adapter by an external driving device, in response to the detected value of the force sensor ( 2023 ) changing to zero, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is not locked normally; or

in response to the number of times that the vibration magnitude detected by the vibration sensor ( 2017 ) is greater than the preset magnitude exceeding a first preset number of times, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is not locked normally; or

in response to the number of times that the sound intensity detected by the sound sensor ( 2014 ) is greater than the preset intensity exceeding a second preset number of times, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is not locked normally.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out the automatic plugging method for the automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 7 .

12. An automatic unplugging method for the automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 1 , comprising following steps:

judging whether a latch on the connector ( 10 ) needs to be unlocked, if yes, unlocking the latch; otherwise, executing the next step;

driving the automatic plugging/unplugging device ( 20 ) for a connector to move away from a socket or an adapter by an external driving device, and keeping the detected value of the force sensor ( 2023 ) greater than a fourth preset value; and

judging whether the connector ( 10 ) is unplugged successfully according to a detection result from one of the force sensor ( 2023 ), the sound sensor ( 2014 ) and the vibration sensor ( 2017 ).

13. The automatic unplugging method of claim 12 , wherein when the automatic plugging/unplugging device ( 20 ) for a connector is driven to move away from the socket or adapter by the external driving device, in response to the detected value of the force sensor ( 2023 ) changing to zero, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is unplugged successfully; or

in response to the number of times that the vibration magnitude detected by the vibration sensor ( 2017 ) is greater than a third preset magnitude exceeding a third vibration number, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is unplugged successfully; or

in response to the number of times that the sound intensity detected by the sound sensor ( 2014 ) is greater than a third preset intensity exceeding a third sound number, it is judged that the connector ( 10 ) is unplugged successfully.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out the automatic unplugging method for the automatic plugging/unplugging device for a connector of claim 12 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2022
From: NIU, KUN; GAO, ZUOLIN; ZHU, HONGJUN; DU, XIAOGANG; CHEN, CHAO; YI, WEIPING
To: ZTE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059998/0203 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201911274481.4 · Dec 12, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220407278A1 · Dec 22, 2022
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