Low-Profile Bussing Connector with Alignment Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for interconnecting electrical circuits in building components require time-consuming wiring and soldering, leading to visibility issues, fragility, and inadequate current conduction, making installation, replacement, and repair complex and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile electrical connector with bussing interconnection featuring receptacles and alignment mechanisms that allow for easy connection and disconnection of circuits without soldering or extensive wiring, using arms to apply contact force for reliable electrical contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wiring and soldering are used to interconnect electrical circuits, then reliable electrical contact is achieved, but installation time increases and circuit replacement becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connector divides the electrical interconnection system into separate modular components: a connector body with receptacles and a separate plug. This segmentation allows circuits to be connected by simply plugging components together rather than performing time-consuming wiring and soldering operations, while maintaining reliable electrical contact through the receptacle-blade interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector body acts as an intermediary component that receives plugs from multiple circuits and provides electrical interconnection through its internal bussing structure. This intermediary device eliminates the need for direct wiring between circuits, enabling quick connection and disconnection while ensuring reliable electrical contact through the receptacle-blade contact mechanism.
2Reliability
If wiring is used to connect circuits, then electrical conduction is achieved, but wiring becomes visible and obstructs building components
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs a low-profile design with thin connector bodies and receptacles that minimize visibility and obstruction within building components. The streamlined shape allows the connector to be embedded or positioned without interfering with the aesthetic or structural integrity of surrounding components, while internal bussing structures provide robust electrical conduction pathways.
3Shape
If reduced thickness wiring is used, then visibility and obstruction are reduced, but fragility and susceptibility to damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector separates the thin-profile external housing from the internal electrical conduction paths. The connector body and receptacles can be made thin to reduce visibility, while the internal bussing structures and contact elements are designed with sufficient mechanical strength and rigidity to withstand installation and operational stresses without being fragile.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector utilizes composite construction combining materials with different properties: the outer housing may use lightweight, thin materials for low profile, while internal contact elements and bussing structures employ stronger, more rigid materials to ensure mechanical durability and electrical conductivity, resolving the contradiction between thinness and strength.
4Shape
If reduced thickness wiring is used, then visibility is reduced, but current conduction capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector transitions from linear wiring to a planar bussing structure within the receptacle. Multiple electrical contacts are arranged in a two-dimensional configuration on the receptacle body, allowing sufficient current conduction capacity without requiring thick wiring. The bussing interconnection provides multiple parallel current paths, maintaining high current capability while keeping the overall connector profile thin.
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 interconnection of circuits with reduced visibility and thickness, minimizing installation and replacement time, while ensuring robust and reliable electrical contact without obstructing adjacent components.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of arms configured to apply a contact force in the direction of an opposing plate
Data Source
AI summary
A low-profile electrical connector having a connector body with a bussing interconnection. The bussing interconnection includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle. The first receptacle is in electrical communication with the second receptacle. The connector body also includes an alignment mechanism configured to align and retain a corresponding plug. At least one of the first receptacle or the second receptacle includes a receptacle body having a plurality of arms configured to apply a contact force in the direction of an opposing plate.