Bus Bar Mounting Grooves for Rotary Connector Cable Connection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity and cost of the insulating part configuration in conventional rotary connector devices are increased due to the need for precise insertion holes for bus bars, leading to higher manufacturing costs and potential quality issues in the connection between bus bars and flat cables.

Innovation Solution

A cable connecting structure featuring bus bar mounting grooves instead of insertion holes, with protrusions on the bus bars for secure contact with the flat cable, and a bus bar fixing portion that crushes the insulating part for fixation, reducing the need for additional parts and simplifying the die configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If insertion holes are formed in the insulating part to fix bus bars, then the bus bars can be fixed to the insulating part, but the configuration of the insulating part becomes complicated and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation reliability of bus barsVSAvoidconfiguration complexity of insulating part
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of forming insertion holes in the insulating part to receive bus bars, the invention inverts the approach by forming grooves in the bus bars to receive the insulating part. This inversion simplifies the insulating part configuration while maintaining reliable fixation through the groove structure that provides precise positioning and mechanical interlocking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If insertion holes are formed in the insulating part, then bus bars can be fixed, but the die for molding the insulating part becomes complicated leading to increased manufacturing cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost of insulating part
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transfers the groove formation from the insulating part to the bus bars themselves. This allows the insulating part to be molded with a simple, cost-effective die, while the grooves in the bus bars provide the necessary connection functionality. The bus bar grooves are formed during bus bar manufacturing, eliminating the need for complex insulating part molding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Manufacturing precision

If insertion holes are used to fix bus bars, then the bus bars can be positioned, but high manufacturing precision is required for the insertion holes increasing cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracy of bus barsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By forming grooves in the bus bars instead of holes in the insulating part, the positioning function is integrated into the bus bar structure itself. The grooves provide inherent positioning features that guide the insulating part during assembly, reducing the need for high-precision hole formation in the insulating part and lowering manufacturing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 solution reduces manufacturing costs by simplifying the insulating part's shape and die configuration, ensures reliable contact between bus bars and the flat cable, and prevents position displacement of the bus bars, thereby enhancing the connection quality.

Implementation Method 1

a bus bar fixing portion (45) for fixing the bus bars, each of the bus bars having at least one protrusion (62) that protrudes toward one side in a depth direction of the bus bar mounting groove, the protrusion protruding toward a side where the flat cable (14) is mounted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP3276750B1Cable connection structure and manufacturing method therefor
Publication Date: 2020.06.03 FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP3276750B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3276750B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3276750B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problems] A cable connecting structure for connecting bus bars and an insulating part with a simple configuration is provided. [Means for solving the problems] The cable connecting structure includes a plurality of bus bars (60), a flexible flat cable (14), and an insulating part (40). The flexible flat cable (14) is connected to the bus bars (60). The insulating part (40) has bus bar mounting grooves (41) for arranging the bus bars (60) individually and a bus bar fixing portion (45) for fixing the bus bars (60) by overlapping the bus bars (60). A triangular protrusion (62) that protrudes toward a side where the flexible flat cable (14) is mounted is formed in each of the bus bars (60). The flexible flat cable (14) is connected to the triangular protrusion (62) in each of the bus bars (60).