Electrical Connector Cantilever Support for Thin High-Current Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors face challenges in providing reliable supporting force to conductive terminals due to limitations in auxiliary supporting member structures, which can result in reduced space for the connector and increased thickness, compromising contact resistance and current carrying capacity.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring a supporting member with a cantilever beam and a supporting arm that applies elastic force to the conductive terminal, providing a two-step load-bearing structure to ensure reliable contact and reduce thickness, thereby saving space and improving current carrying capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional auxiliary supporting members are used to provide supporting force to conductive terminals, then contact reliability is improved, but the thickness of the supporting member increases and occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is divided into two functional segments: a cantilever beam portion that directly contacts and supports the conductive terminal, and a supporting arm portion that provides structural backing. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently, reducing overall thickness while maintaining support effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting member transitions from a conventional planar structure to a three-dimensional configuration with the cantilever beam extending perpendicular to the supporting arm. This dimensional change enables the supporting force to be applied more efficiently in the direction needed for terminal contact, reducing the thickness required in the original plane.
2Stability of the object's composition
If thicker supporting members are used to provide sufficient supporting force, then supporting stability is improved, but the space available for conductive terminal and other connector structures is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the supporting member into a thin cantilever beam and a structured supporting arm, the design achieves stable support with reduced overall thickness, thereby increasing the available space for conductive terminals and other connector components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cantilever beam is designed as a thin, flexible structure that can elastically deform to provide supporting force. This thin-film approach maintains supporting stability through elastic recovery while minimizing the space occupied, allowing more room for conductive terminals.
3Force
If conventional supporting members with larger thickness are used, then supporting force is sufficient, but the current carrying capacity of the connector is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cantilever beam is designed as a thin, flexible structure that can elastically deform to provide sufficient supporting force. This thin-film approach minimizes the space occupied by the supporting member, allowing larger conductive terminals with greater current carrying capacity to be installed in the connector.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting member utilizes elastic deformation parameters to provide supporting force. By changing the material properties and geometric parameters of the cantilever beam, sufficient supporting force is achieved without increasing thickness, thereby preserving space for high current-carrying conductive terminals.
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 proposed design effectively reduces contact resistance and increases the current carrying capacity by providing sufficient supporting force while minimizing the thickness of the supporting member, allowing for more space for the conductive terminal and other connector structures.
Implementation Method 1
The cantilever beam at least partially abuts a first surface of the contact end facing an inner wall of the housing and applies an elastic force to the contact end
Implementation Method 2
The supporting arm elastically supports the cantilever beam and the contact end when pressed against the inner wall
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a housing defining a slot in which a mating component can be at least partially inserted, a conductive terminal installed in the housing and having a contact end capable of electrically contacting the mating component, and a supporting member elastically supporting the contact end. The supporting member has a cantilever beam and a supporting arm extending from the cantilever beam. The cantilever beam at least partially abuts a first surface of the contact end facing an inner wall of the housing and applies an elastic force to the contact end. The supporting arm is positioned at least partially between the cantilever beam and the inner wall. The supporting arm elastically supports the cantilever beam and the contact end when pressed against the inner wall.