A multi-contact flexible arm connector

Abstract

This invention discloses a connector with a multi-contact elastic arm, relating to the field of connector technology. It includes a socket and a plug. The socket includes a socket housing, with a magnetic ring connected to one side and a guide seat at one end. This application achieves arbitrary connection between the plug and socket through the cooperation of a conductive contact ring mechanism and a signal conduction mechanism. The plug does not need to be aligned with the socket for insertion and connection, allowing connection to the socket regardless of the plug's rotation angle. This application uses the contact elastic arm on the signal contact ring to cooperate with the signal guide ring for connector connection. This ensures multi-point connection of the connector regardless of rotation angle. Furthermore, after the plug and socket are mated, the elastic arm is slightly compressed, continuously providing positive clamping force. Even under vibration, offset, or rotation conditions, there will be no loose connection, jumps, or poor contact, which helps ensure the connector's stability during operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of connector technology, specifically to a connector with a multi-contact elastic arm. Background Technology

[0002] Connectors are essential components in various electrical equipment, electronic devices, smart terminals, and industrial automation equipment, used to realize power transmission and signal communication. They mainly undertake the functions of power transmission, control signal and data signal exchange between internal modules of the equipment, between the equipment and external power sources, and between the equipment and control terminals.

[0003] Currently, all existing connectors on the market that can achieve automatic connection need to be connected in a fixed direction. This means that the connection between the plug and the socket must be precisely aligned at a specific angle before insertion, resulting in cumbersome operation and extremely low connection efficiency when connecting the connectors.

[0004] Furthermore, traditional plugs and sockets often have rigid contact when connected. When a device requires the plug to rotate 360° relative to the socket to supply power or transmit signals, traditional point contact and line contact structures are prone to problems such as momentary open circuits, signal interruptions, and unstable contact resistance. They cannot meet the reliable conduction requirements under continuous rotation conditions. They are also prone to momentary open circuits and loose connections when vibrating or shifting. In severe cases, they may even burn out the device, resulting in poor stability and safety performance of the connector during operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the above problems, this invention provides a connector with a multi-contact elastic arm, which solves the aforementioned issues.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a connector with a multi-contact elastic arm, comprising a socket and a plug, wherein the socket comprises a socket housing, a first magnet ring is connected to one side of the socket housing, a guide round seat is provided at one end of the socket housing, and a conductive contact ring mechanism is installed in the guide round seat; the plug comprises a plug housing, a multi-core cable is connected to the plug housing, a connecting seat is installed in the plug housing, a second magnet ring is installed in the connecting seat, and a signal conduction mechanism is installed in the connecting seat;

[0007] The conductive contact ring mechanism includes two power contact rings and several signal contact rings. One side of each of the two power contact rings and several signal contact rings is connected to a pin. The two power contact rings and several signal contact rings are provided with opening slots. The two power contact rings and several signal contact rings are connected with contact elastic arms, which are located on one side of the opening slots.

[0008] Preferably, the signal conduction mechanism includes a positive power ring, a negative power ring, and several signal conduction rings. One end of the positive power ring and the negative power ring is connected to a multi-core cable, and one end of each of the several signal conduction rings is connected to a signal pin. One side of each signal pin is connected to the multi-core cable.

[0009] Preferably, a guide blind hole is provided on one side of the connector. When the plug is connected to the socket, the guide round seat is inserted into the guide blind hole, the two power contact rings are in contact with the positive power ring and the negative power ring, and the signal contact ring is in contact with the signal guide ring.

[0010] Preferably, a temperature sensor is connected in the socket housing. The temperature sensor is installed between the two power contact rings and is used to monitor the temperature when the power contact rings are in contact with the positive power ring and the negative power ring for operation.

[0011] Preferably, an arc-extinguishing magnet is connected in the socket housing, and the arc-extinguishing magnet is disposed between two power contact rings. The arc-extinguishing magnet is used to change the direction of the electric arc to protect the contacts.

[0012] Preferably, a high permeability metal ring is installed on one side of the socket housing. The high permeability metal ring is disposed outside the guide round seat and between magnet ring one and magnet ring two.

[0013] Preferably, a locking block is provided on the inner wall of the plug housing, and a locking seat is provided on one side of the connector, with the locking block connected to the locking seat.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0015] This application achieves arbitrary connection between the plug and socket by combining the conductive contact ring mechanism and the signal conduction mechanism. The plug does not need to be aligned with the socket to be inserted and connected. This allows the plug to be connected to the socket even when rotated at any angle. This solves the problem that traditional connectors rely on orientation angle to connect the plug and socket. They must be precisely aligned to a specific angle to be inserted, which leads to cumbersome operation and extremely low docking efficiency when the connector is mated. This is beneficial to improving the practical performance of the connector and improving its docking efficiency.

[0016] This application achieves connector connectivity by using the elastic arm of the contact point on the signal contact ring to cooperate with the signal guide ring. On the one hand, it ensures multi-point connectivity of the connector even when rotated at any angle. On the other hand, after the plug and socket are mated, the elastic arm is slightly compressed, continuously providing positive clamping force. Even under vibration, offset, and rotation conditions, there will be no loose connection, jump, or poor contact, significantly reducing contact resistance and heat generation. This solves the problem that traditional plug and socket connections are mostly rigid contacts, which are prone to momentary circuit breaks and loose connections under vibration, offset, and rotation, thus helping to ensure the connector remains stable during operation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall first-view structure of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall second-view structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall exploded structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the conductive contact ring mechanism of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a single signal contact ring and signal guide ring structure of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the plug housing of the present invention.

[0024] The diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Socket; 2. Socket housing; 3. Guide round seat; 4. Conductive contact ring mechanism; 5. Power contact ring; 6. Signal contact ring; 7. Pin; 8. Opening slot; 9. Contact elastic arm; 10. Magnet ring one; 11. Temperature sensor; 12. Arc extinguishing magnet; 13. High permeability metal ring; 14. Plug; 15. Plug housing; 16. Connector; 17. Magnet ring two; 18. Guide blind hole; 19. Signal conduction mechanism; 20. Positive power ring; 21. Negative power ring; 22. Signal guide ring; 23. Signal pin; 24. Card holder; 25. Card block; 26. Multi-core cable. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0026] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 A connector with a multi-contact elastic arm includes a socket 1 and a plug 14. The socket 1 includes a socket shell 2, a magnetic ring 1 connected to one side of the socket shell 2, a guide round seat 3 provided at one end of the socket shell 2, and a conductive contact ring mechanism 4 installed in the guide round seat 3. The plug 14 includes a plug shell 15, a multi-core cable 26 connected to the plug shell 15, a connector 16 installed in the plug shell 15, a magnetic ring 27 installed in the connector 16, and a signal conduction mechanism 19 installed in the connector 16.

[0027] When the connector is mated, the plug 14 mates with the socket 1. Specifically, the guide blind hole 18 on the connector seat 16 on one side of the plug 14 engages with the guide round seat 3 on the socket 1. More specifically, the plug 14 does not need to be mated with the socket 1 at a specific angle; the plug 14 can be precisely mated with the socket 1 at any angle.

[0028] It should be further explained that during the above docking process, the magnetic ring 10 inside the socket 1 will form an axial magnetic coupling with the magnetic ring 17 inside the plug 14. When the two are close, an axial attraction force is automatically generated, driving the plug and socket to quickly approach and complete the pre-dock. With the combined effect of the guide structure (guide round seat 3, guide blind hole 18) and the magnetic attraction, the plug 14 and the socket 1 can achieve blind insertion automatic attraction without angle restrictions, which greatly reduces the difficulty of docking operation.

[0029] Meanwhile, after the first magnet ring 10 and the second magnet ring 17 attract each other, they can provide a stable axial holding force, ensuring that the plug 14 and the socket 1 will not accidentally loosen or separate under normal use, slight vibration or cable pulling, thus ensuring the continuity of power and signal transmission. Furthermore, the first magnet ring 10 and the second magnet ring 17 are attracted evenly along the circumferential direction, so that the plug can obtain a uniform and stable magnetic holding force at any rotation angle of 360°, which does not affect the rotational conduction function and further improves the connection reliability and usage stability of the connector under dynamic working conditions.

[0030] By cooperating with the conductive contact ring mechanism 4 and the signal conduction mechanism 19, the connection between the plug 14 and the socket 1 can be arbitrary. The plug 14 does not need to be aligned with the socket 1 to be inserted and connected. This allows the plug 14 to be connected to the socket when rotated at any angle. This solves the problem that traditional connectors rely on orientation angle to connect the plug and socket. They must be precisely aligned to a specific angle to be inserted, which leads to cumbersome operation and extremely low docking efficiency when connecting the connectors.

[0031] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 The conductive contact ring mechanism 4 includes two power contact rings 5 ​​and several signal contact rings 6. One side of each of the two power contact rings 5 ​​and several signal contact rings 6 is connected to a pin 7. The two power contact rings 5 ​​and several signal contact rings 6 are provided with an opening slot 8. The two power contact rings 5 ​​and several signal contact rings 6 are connected with a contact elastic arm 9. The contact elastic arm 9 is located on one side of the opening slot 8. It should be noted that after the plug 14 and the socket 1 are connected together, the signal guide ring 22 in the plug 14 will be connected to the signal contact ring 6 in the socket 1. The positive power ring 20 and the negative power ring 21 in the plug 14 will also be connected to the two power contact rings 5 ​​in the socket 1 respectively.

[0032] At this time, the contact elastic arms 9 on the power contact ring 5 and the signal contact ring 6 will be squeezed by the positive power ring 20, the negative power ring 21 and the signal guide ring 22. Specifically, the contact elastic arms 9 will be compressed into the opening groove 8. The force resisting compression of the contact elastic arms 9 will continuously provide positive clamping force to the positive power ring 20, the negative power ring 21 and the signal guide ring 22, thereby ensuring the stability of the signal connection.

[0033] The connector is connected by the contact elastic arm 9 cooperating with the signal guide ring 22. On the one hand, it ensures that the connector can be connected at multiple points even when rotated at any angle. On the other hand, after the plug 14 and socket 1 are mated, the contact elastic arm 9 is slightly compressed, continuously providing positive clamping force. Even under vibration, offset, and rotation conditions, there will be no loose connection, jump, or poor contact. It significantly reduces contact resistance and heat generation, and solves the problem that traditional plug and socket connections are mostly rigid contacts, which are prone to instantaneous circuit breakage and loose connection under vibration, offset, and rotation. This helps to ensure that the connector is always stable during operation.

[0034] It should be further noted that the contact elastic arm 9 is preferably made of a copper alloy material with high conductivity, high elasticity, and high fatigue strength. The advantages of using this type of material are that it has excellent conductivity, which can ensure low contact resistance and low heat generation during power and signal transmission, and stable and reliable conduction. At the same time, its elasticity is outstanding. During long-term repeated compression and rebound, the elasticity does not decay or permanently deform, and it always maintains stable contact pressure. It can also withstand tens of thousands or even more mating and deformation cycles, and is not easy to break or fail, which greatly improves the service life of the connector. In addition, it has good wear resistance and corrosion resistance. Under long-term friction contact and complex environment, the surface is not easy to oxidize, wear, or rust, ensuring the stability of electrical contact during long-term use.

[0035] The signal conduction mechanism 19 includes a positive power ring 20, a negative power ring 21, and several signal guide rings 22. One end of the positive power ring 20 and the negative power ring 21 is connected to a multi-core cable 26. One end of each of the several signal guide rings 22 is connected to a signal pin 23, and one side of the signal pin 23 is connected to the multi-core cable 26.

[0036] A guide blind hole 18 is provided on one side of the connector 16. When the plug 14 is connected to the socket 1, the guide round seat 3 is inserted into the guide blind hole 18. The two power contact rings 5 ​​are in contact with the positive power ring 20 and the negative power ring 21, and the signal contact ring 6 is in contact with the signal guide ring 22.

[0037] A temperature sensor 11 is connected in the socket housing 2. The temperature sensor 11 is installed between the two power contact rings 5. The temperature sensor 11 is used to monitor the temperature when the power contact rings 5 ​​are in contact with the positive power ring 20 and the negative power ring 21. The temperature sensor 11 can monitor the temperature change of the power conduction circuit in real time during operation. When the connector temperature rises due to poor contact, overload, high current operation, abnormal heating, etc., the temperature sensor 11 can collect the temperature rise signal in time and feed it back to the external control system to realize over-temperature warning and over-temperature protection, avoiding safety hazards such as contact erosion, insulation aging, short circuit, and fire caused by excessive temperature. At the same time, temperature monitoring can effectively ensure the safety and reliability of the connector under long-term, continuous, high-current conditions, prevent damage to the connector and downstream load equipment due to abnormal temperature rise, and significantly improve the safety performance and service life of the entire electrical connection system.

[0038] An arc-extinguishing magnet 12 is connected in the socket housing 2. The arc-extinguishing magnet 12 is located between the two power contact rings 5. The arc-extinguishing magnet 12 is used to change the direction of the electric arc to protect the contacts. By changing the direction of the electric arc, the arc is transferred to the insulation layer, thereby protecting the contacts and improving the safety and life of the connector.

[0039] Because when plug 14 and socket 1 are separated (or come into contact) while energized, the voltage between the positive and negative poles breaks down the air, forming a high-temperature, conductive plasma channel, which is an electric arc. The temperature of the electric arc is extremely high (up to several thousand degrees Celsius), which will severely burn the contact surface, leading to increased contact resistance, intensified heating, and even fire or equipment damage.

[0040] The arc-extinguishing magnet 12 uses the Lorentz force of the magnetic field on charged particles to forcibly change the direction and path of the arc. The magnetic field pulls the arc apart between the contacts, causing its length to increase rapidly. The longer the arc, the higher the voltage required to maintain it. When the power supply voltage is insufficient to maintain the arc, the arc will cool down and extinguish quickly, no longer burning the contacts.

[0041] At the same time, the electric arc is guided to move away from the contact surface, avoiding direct erosion of the contact surface of the conductive ring and the power pin by the high-temperature plasma, thereby greatly extending the service life of the electrical contact and effectively suppressing the arc erosion at the moment of plug 14 and socket 1 insertion and removal, ensuring the long-term reliability of the power contact ring 5, and thus protecting the contacts and connector.

[0042] A high-permeability metal ring 13 is installed on one side of the socket housing 2. The high-permeability metal ring 13 is located outside the guide round seat 3 and between the first magnet ring 10 and the second magnet ring 17. The high-permeability metal ring 13 can converge, guide and enhance the magnetic field generated by the first magnet ring 10 and the second magnet ring 17, optimizing the overall magnetic circuit distribution. On the one hand, it increases the axial attraction force between the plug 14 and the socket 1, making the connection more secure and less likely to accidentally fall off due to vibration or pulling. On the other hand, it reduces the outward diffusion and leakage of the magnetic field, avoiding magnetic interference to surrounding conductive parts, signal transmission circuits and external electronic components, and ensuring stable power and signal transmission. At the same time, the high-permeability metal ring 13 can reduce magnetic resistance and improve magnetic energy utilization. Under the condition of magnets of the same volume and magnetic force, it further enhances the connection holding force and structural reliability, thereby improving the overall safety and stability of the connector.

[0043] Please see Figure 7 A locking block 25 is provided on the inner wall of the plug housing 15, and a locking seat 24 is provided on one side of the connector 16. The locking block 25 is connected to the locking seat 24. The connection between the connector 16 and the plug housing 15 is completed by the cooperation of the locking block 25 and the locking seat 24, so that the connector 16 can be stably installed inside the plug housing 15.

[0044] When using this invention:

[0045] First, when the connector is mated, the plug 14 mates with the socket 1. Specifically, the guide blind hole 18 on the connector seat 16 on one side of the plug 14 mates with the guide round seat 3 on the socket 1. More specifically, the plug 14 does not need to mate with the socket 1 at a specific angle; the plug 14 can mate with the socket 1 at any angle.

[0046] Secondly, during the docking process, the magnetic ring 10 inside the socket 1 and the magnetic ring 17 inside the plug 14 form an axial magnetic coupling. When the two come close, an axial attraction force is automatically generated, driving the plug and socket to quickly approach and complete the pre-dock. With the combined action of the guide structure (guide round seat 3, guide blind hole 18) and the magnetic attraction, the plug 14 and the socket 1 can achieve blind insertion automatic attraction without angle restrictions, which greatly reduces the difficulty of docking operation.

[0047] Then, after the plug 14 is connected to the socket 1, the signal ring 22 in the plug 14 will connect with the signal contact ring 6 in the socket 1, and the positive power ring 20 and negative power ring 21 in the plug 14 will also connect with the two power contact rings 5 ​​in the socket 1 respectively. At this time, the contact elastic arms 9 on the power contact rings 5 ​​and signal contact rings 6 will be squeezed by the positive power ring 20, negative power ring 21, and signal ring 22. Specifically, the contact elastic arms 9 will be compressed into the opening groove 8, and the force resisting compression of the contact elastic arms 9 will continuously provide a positive clamping force to the positive power ring 20, negative power ring 21, and signal ring 22, thereby... To ensure stable signal connectivity, the connector is connected through the contact elastic arm 9 and the signal guide ring 22. On the one hand, this ensures multi-point connectivity of the connector even when rotated at any angle. On the other hand, after the plug 14 and socket 1 are mated, the contact elastic arm 9 is slightly compressed, continuously providing positive clamping force. Even under vibration, offset, and rotation conditions, there will be no loose connection, jump, or poor contact. This significantly reduces contact resistance and heat generation, solving the problem that traditional plug and socket connections are mostly rigid contacts, which are prone to momentary circuit breaks and loose connections under vibration, offset, and rotation. This helps to ensure the stability of the connector during operation.

[0048] Finally, the arc-extinguishing magnet 12 is positioned between the two power contact rings 5. By changing the direction of the electric arc, it transfers the arc to the insulating layer, thereby protecting the contacts and improving the safety and lifespan of the connector. This is because when the plug 14 and socket 1 separate (or come into contact) while energized, the voltage between the positive and negative poles breaks down the air, forming a high-temperature, conductive plasma channel—this is the electric arc. The arc temperature is extremely high (up to several thousand degrees Celsius), which can severely erode the contact surface, leading to increased contact resistance, intensified heating, and even fire or equipment damage. The arc-extinguishing magnet 12 utilizes the Lorentz force of the magnetic field on charged particles to forcibly change the direction of the electric arc. The direction and path of the arc's movement; the magnetic field pulls the arc apart between the contacts, causing its length to increase rapidly. The longer the arc, the higher the voltage required to maintain it. When the power supply voltage is insufficient to maintain the arc, the arc will cool down and extinguish quickly. The temperature sensor 11 can monitor the temperature change of the power conduction circuit in real time during operation. When the connector temperature rises due to poor contact, overload, high current operation, abnormal heating, etc., the temperature sensor 11 can promptly collect the temperature rise signal and feed it back to the external control system to realize over-temperature warning and over-temperature protection, avoiding safety hazards such as contact erosion, insulation aging, short circuit, and fire caused by excessive temperature.

[0049] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A connector with a multi-contact resilient arm, comprising a socket (1) and a plug (14), characterized in that: The socket (1) includes a socket shell (2), a first magnet ring is connected to one side of the socket shell (2), a guide round seat (3) is provided at one end of the socket shell (2), a conductive contact ring mechanism (4) is installed in the guide round seat (3), the plug (14) includes a plug shell (15), a multi-core cable (26) is connected to the plug shell (15), a connector (16) is installed in the plug shell (15), a second magnet ring (17) is installed in the connector (16), and a signal conduction mechanism (19) is installed in the connector (16). The conductive contact ring mechanism (4) includes two power contact rings (5) and several signal contact rings (6). One side of each of the two power contact rings (5) and several signal contact rings (6) is connected to a pin (7). The two power contact rings (5) and several signal contact rings (6) are provided with an opening slot (8). The two power contact rings (5) and several signal contact rings (6) are connected with a contact elastic arm (9). The contact elastic arm (9) is located on one side of the opening slot (8).

2. The connector with a multi-contact elastic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal conduction mechanism (19) includes a positive power ring (20), a negative power ring (21), and several signal guide rings (22). One end of the positive power ring (20) and the negative power ring (21) are connected to a multi-core cable (26). One end of each of the several signal guide rings (22) is connected to a signal pin (23), and one side of the signal pin (23) is connected to the multi-core cable (26).

3. The connector with a multi-contact elastic arm according to claim 2, characterized in that: A guide blind hole (18) is provided on one side of the connector (16). When the plug (14) is connected to the socket (1), the guide round seat (3) is inserted into the guide blind hole (18), the two power contact rings (5) are in contact with the positive power ring (20) and the negative power ring (21), and the signal contact ring (6) is in contact with the signal guide ring (22).

4. The connector with a multi-contact elastic arm according to claim 1, characterized in that: A temperature sensor (11) is connected in the socket housing (2). The temperature sensor (11) is installed between the two power contact rings (5). The temperature sensor (11) is used to monitor the temperature when the power contact ring (5) is in contact with the positive power ring (20) and the negative power ring (21) for operation.

5. A connector with a multi-contact elastic arm according to claim 4, characterized in that: An arc-extinguishing magnet (12) is connected in the socket housing (2). The arc-extinguishing magnet (12) is located between two power contact rings (5). The arc-extinguishing magnet (12) is used to change the direction of the electric arc to protect the contact.

6. A connector with a multi-contact elastic arm according to claim 5, characterized in that: A high permeability metal ring (13) is installed on one side of the socket housing (2). The high permeability metal ring (13) is located outside the guide round seat (3) and is located between magnet ring one (10) and magnet ring two (17).

7. A connector with a multi-contact elastic arm according to claim 6, characterized in that: A locking block (25) is provided on the inner wall of the plug housing (15), and a locking seat (24) is provided on one side of the connector (16). The locking block (25) is connected to the locking seat (24).

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