Connector with Branched Terminals for High Current Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for managing large electric currents and high temperature resistance in electric vehicles and hybrid cars poses challenges for wire harnesses, leading to space constraints and potential weight increases due to complex electrical components.
Innovation Solution
A connector with a housing and multiple terminals that split electric current in parallel, using branched pieces to connect substrate and contact portions, reducing resistance and heat generation while maintaining a compact size through a floating mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire harnesses are used to manage large electric currents, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but the vehicle weight increases and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple branched pieces (first branched piece, second branched piece, third branched piece) that connect different portions of the connection object. This segmentation allows the electric current to be distributed across multiple parallel conductive paths, reducing the current load on any single piece and enabling the use of thinner, lighter materials while maintaining current management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal extends in multiple directions (first direction, second direction, third direction) to connect to different portions of the connection object. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows for compact integration of multiple connection points within a small volume, reducing the overall space requirement and enabling lighter vehicle installation.
2Reliability
If wire harnesses are used to manage large electric currents, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but the vehicle space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple branched pieces that connect different portions of the connection object. This segmentation allows for compact integration of multiple connection points within a small volume, reducing the overall space requirement while maintaining electrical connectivity for large currents.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple branched pieces are arranged in a nested or compact configuration where the first, second, and third branched pieces are positioned in different directions from a common substrate connection portion, allowing them to fit within a compact volume while maintaining their individual connection functions.
3Reliability
If terminals are designed to handle large electric currents, then current management capability is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple branched pieces that provide parallel conductive paths for electric current. By distributing the current across multiple paths, the current density in each individual piece is reduced, which directly reduces Joule heating (I²R losses) and prevents excessive heat generation while maintaining the ability to manage large total currents.
4Volume of moving object
If the cross-sectional area of terminal portions is reduced, then connector size is minimized, but resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple branched pieces that provide parallel conductive paths. Even though each individual branched piece has a small cross-sectional area, the equivalent resistance of multiple parallel paths is reduced, allowing the use of thin pieces that minimize connector size while maintaining low overall resistance and high current management capability.
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
Enables efficient management of large electric currents while minimizing size and weight, with equalized current and heat distribution across terminals, enhancing connection reliability and facilitating heat release.
Implementation Method 1
a connection piece portion formed of a plurality of branched pieces connecting, in a parallel manner, each substrate connection portion and the corresponding contact portion
Implementation Method 2
heat generation from the connection piece portion can be suppressed
Data Source
AI summary
A socket connector includes a housing mounted on a substrate, a plurality of socket terminals that is held by the housing. The plurality of socket terminals is, on one end side thereof, conductively connected to a single connection pad provided in a circuit pattern of the substrate, and is, on the other end side thereof, conductively connected to a plug terminal that is to be a connection mate. Each of the socket terminals includes a substrate connection portion that is fixed to a connection pad, a contact portion that comes into conductive contact with the substrate, and a connection piece portion that connects the contact portion and the substrate connection portion to each other. The connection piece portion including a plurality of branched pieces forming conductive paths that connect, in a parallel manner, the contact portion and the substrate connection portion splits an electric current in a parallel manner.