Cast Metal Transformer Terminal with Right-Angle Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional terminals in dry-type transformers are prone to breakage due to stress caused by bending, which compromises their structural integrity and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A terminal system for dry-type transformers is designed with a cast metal construction featuring a rigid, non-bendable base and connector configuration, where the connector is fixed at a right angle to the base, providing enhanced strength and resistance to breakage by preventing movement and distributing force evenly until significant force is applied.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the terminal connector is bent at the neck to form a right angle with the crimp, then the terminal can be properly installed and connected, but the stress from bending creates susceptibility to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into distinct segments: a cast metal base, a connector portion, and a crimp section. The connector is integrally formed with the base at a right angle, eliminating the need to bend a separate neck portion. This segmentation allows the terminal to be installed in the proper orientation without subjecting any part to bending stresses that would compromise structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal construction changes from a bendable wire-based design to a rigid cast metal design. This parameter change in material properties and structural form eliminates the bending operation entirely, as the connector is formed at the correct angle during casting rather than being bent into shape during installation.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional terminal design with a narrow neck is used, then the terminal can be assembled from separate components, but the narrow neck creates stress concentration that leads to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The base and connector are merged into a single integrally formed cast metal structure. The connector is formed directly from the base material at a right angle, eliminating the narrow neck joint that would create stress concentration. This unified construction maintains ease of manufacture through casting while dramatically improving reliability by removing the weak joint interface.
3Strength
If the terminal is made from rigid non-bendable material, then the terminal becomes resistant to breakage from bending, but the terminal cannot be bent into the required configuration for installation
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is pre-configured during the casting process with the connector formed at the correct right angle to the base. This preliminary action of forming the final configuration during manufacturing eliminates the need for field bending operations, allowing the rigid terminal to be installed directly in its final orientation without requiring any bending or reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a transformer having a ferromagnetic core with a coil disposed around the core. An insulation layer is disposed over the core and the coil and terminals are connected to the coil. Each of the terminals is formed from cast metal and has a base and a connector. The base is at least partially disposed under the insulation layer. A connector is joined to the base at about a right angle and is located toward the middle of the base.