One-Piece Busbar Connector with Spring-Loaded Fork Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing busbar connectors require significant space and assembly effort, are complex to assemble, and prone to faults due to articulated connections and screw-based designs, which complicates production and increases susceptibility to failure.
Innovation Solution
A compact, one-piece busbar connector design with fork-shaped legs and a spring element for prestressing, allowing for easy assembly and high operational reliability, featuring a simple stamping and bending process from metal sheets, and optional adjustable geometry for secure clamping and reduced contact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If articulated connections with hinged clamping parts and tension springs are used, then the connector can clamp busbars securely, but the device complexity increases and susceptibility to failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (hinged clamping parts, tension springs, guide pressure pieces) into a single integrated connector body. The connector consists of one piece with two fork-shaped legs that are elastically flexible, eliminating the need for articulated connections and separate spring mechanisms while maintaining secure clamping capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex articulated connection mechanism and separate tension spring system from the design. By removing these components and replacing them with an elastically flexible single-piece structure, the device achieves both simplicity and reliability.
2Reliability
If screw connections are used to connect busbars, then secure electrical connection is achieved, but assembly effort and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the screw-based mechanical connection system with an elastic clamping mechanism. The fork-shaped legs are pre-tensioned by a spring element, allowing the busbar to be clamped securely without requiring screws or threaded connections, thereby simplifying both manufacturing and assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element pre-tensions the fork-shaped legs before the busbar is even inserted. This preliminary action ensures that the clamping force is already in place, eliminating the need for subsequent tightening operations required by screw connections.
3Reliability
If plug-in contacts are used for busbar connection, then electrical connection is established, but contact corrosion susceptibility and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical contact function and mechanical clamping function into a single integrated structure. The fork-shaped legs serve both to clamp the busbar mechanically and to establish electrical contact, eliminating separate plug-in contacts that are susceptible to corrosion.
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
The solution achieves a space-saving, reliable, and low-failure busbar connection with reduced assembly complexity, maintaining high conductivity and mechanical strength, even under high current and thermal loads, while minimizing contact corrosion and assembly force requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the legs are pre-tensioned by means of a spring element
Implementation Method 2
electrically conductive body element having at least two fork-shaped legs forming a recess for receiving a busbar
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The busbar connector (10) has an electrically conductive body unit (16) with two fork-like arranged axle stubs (18, 20) forming a recess (36, 38) for retaining a busbar, where the axle stubs are prestressed by using a spring element (22). The axle stubs are formed in single-piece with the body unit and are flexibly formed. The bus bar is clamped in a contacting position in the recess, and the axle stubs have a chamfer. The body unit has a mounting unit or a lug for the mounting unit. The recess is adjustable formed.