Bus Bar Plug Contact Arrangement With Insulated Affixing Element
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact arrangements for bus bars pose a risk of electric shock due to faulty operation, lacking comprehensive anti-touch protection.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an insulation element that insulates the affixing element from the contact element, providing two-sided anti-touch protection by ensuring the affixing element is electrically isolated from both the contact element and the bus bar, with additional safety features like a support collar and actuation section insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the affixing element extends through the bar-contacting sleeve to secure the contact arrangement to the bus bar, then the mechanical stability and electrical conductivity are improved, but the risk of electric shock increases because the affixing element is exposed and conductive
Solution Approach 1:
An insulation element is introduced as an intermediary component between the conductive affixing element and the conductive contact element. This insulation element allows the affixing element to maintain its mechanical function of securing the contact arrangement while simultaneously providing electrical isolation to eliminate the shock hazard. The insulation element acts as a mediator that enables both electrical conductivity and mechanical stability without the harmful exposure of conductive parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The affixing element is segmented into distinct functional zones: a conductive portion that provides mechanical fastening and an insulated portion that provides electrical isolation. This segmentation allows different parts of the same component to serve different functions - the conductive part maintains electrical connectivity while the insulated part prevents shock exposure, resolving the contradiction between mechanical stability and safety.
2Reliability
If insulation material is added to insulate the affixing element from the contact element, then the safety against electric shock is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation element is merged with the affixing element as an integrated assembly where the insulation material is directly associated with the fastening component. This merging approach allows the insulation function to be added without requiring separate insulation components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the safety benefit. The combined structure simplifies assembly and reduces the number of discrete parts.
3Reliability
If the insulation element is pressed into the bar-contacting sleeve for stable attachment, then the reliability of attachment is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation element incorporates a support collar that changes the geometric parameters of the press-fit interface. The support collar provides a larger surface area and optimized dimensional parameters that facilitate easier press-fitting while maintaining reliable attachment. By adjusting the geometric parameters of the insulation element, the press-fit process becomes more tolerant and less demanding of manufacturing precision while achieving the desired attachment stability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A contact arrangement (1) is shown for a plug (35) for contacting a bus bar (2) with anti-touch protection (3), with an affixing element (22) for securing the contact arrangement (1) at the bus bar (2), and with a contact element (5), having a hole (21) through which the affixing element (22) extends, further comprising a bar-contacting sleeve (29) made of electrically conducting material for directly contacting the bus bar (2), wherein the affixing element (22) extends through the bar-contacting sleeve (29). Between the affixing element (22) and the contact element (5) there is arranged an insulation element (6) which insulates the affixing element (22) from the contact element (5) in order to make the contact arrangement (1) safer. A plug connection (600) according to the invention comprises a plug (35) and a mating plug (500).