Angled Pusher Arm Actuation for Miniature Electrical Terminal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connection terminals face challenges in securely clamping electrical conductors while maintaining a simple structure, especially in miniaturized designs where space is limited and complex mechanisms are impractical.

Innovation Solution

The electrical connection terminal features a contact frame with a spring element clamping connection and an angled pusher arm integrated into the insulating housing, allowing for a long effective lever arm and easy actuation, along with a funnel-shaped conductor entry area for secure conductor routing, and includes overload protection mechanisms to prevent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional pusher design is used to actuate the contact frame, then the clamping force can be released, but the pusher requires a large and complex structure to achieve an effective lever arm

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepusher actuation effectivenessVSAvoidpusher structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pusher arm is integrated into the insulating housing, with the pusher nested within the housing structure. The pusher arm extends along the housing surfaces and is arranged in a housing recess, allowing the actuation mechanism to be compact while maintaining an effective lever arm for releasing the clamping force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Volume of moving object

If the terminal is miniaturized to reduce size, then the structure becomes more compact, but space for effective actuation mechanisms is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveterminal sizeVSAvoidactuation effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pusher arm utilizes the three-dimensional space within the housing by extending along surfaces arranged at angles to one another and being arranged in a recess. This spatial arrangement maximizes the lever arm length within the compact terminal volume, maintaining actuation effectiveness despite miniaturization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the contact base is inclined to improve conductor routing, then conductor clamping is secured, but the contact frame structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconductor clamping securityVSAvoidcontact frame structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inclined contact base is integrated directly into the contact frame as a single inclined section, merging the conductor routing function and clamping function into one continuous structure. This eliminates the need for separate routing elements and simplifies the overall contact frame structure while ensuring secure conductor clamping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If the housing inner wall is inclined to form a funnel-shaped entry area, then conductor routing is improved, but the housing structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconductor routingVSAvoidhousing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inclined area is integrated directly into the housing inner wall as a continuous funnel-shaped conductor entry area. This merging of the routing function into the housing structure itself eliminates the need for separate routing elements or channels, simplifying the overall design while improving conductor routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This design ensures secure clamping of electrical conductors with a simple and compact structure, suitable for miniaturized applications, while minimizing stress on components and preventing damage through effective overload protection.

Implementation Method 1

at least one spring element, the free end of which forms a clamping edge directed towards the electrical conductor and subjected to a clamping force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the pusher arm extending along at least a partial section of two surfaces of the insulating material housing which are arranged at an angle to one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Data Source

PatentEP3159974B2Electric connecting terminal
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 WAGO VERW GMBH
  • EP3159974B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3159974B2 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3159974B2 patent drawingFigure 5a~5b

AI summary

Actuating device for an electrical terminal (1), wherein the electrical terminal (1) comprises a contact frame (4) arranged in an insulating housing (2) with a conductor clamping connection for an electrical conductor (5), and the actuating device comprises an actuating element designed as a push button (21) which is integrally connected with the insulating housing (2), and wherein the conductor clamping connection on the contact frame (4) is formed by at least one spring element (9), the free end of which forms a clamping edge (10) directed towards the electrical conductor (5) and subjected to a clamping force, and the conductor clamping connection can be opened by the push button (21) acting on the at least one spring element (9) by applying a force to the spring element (9) by the push button (21) against the clamping force.According to the invention, the push button (21) consists of a push button arm (23), wherein the push button arm (23) is connected at one end to the insulating housing (2) and wherein the push button arm (23) extends along at least one partial section of two surfaces (18, 20) of the insulating housing (2) arranged at an angle to each other.