Circuit Box Wire Receptacles Strain Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical surge protection devices implemented on printed circuit boards (PCBs) face issues such as strain damage to wires, limited current carrying capability, inconsistent connections, and susceptibility to damage from environmental factors like moisture and impact.
Innovation Solution
A circuit box design featuring a dielectric housing with wire receptacles and contacts that mechanically mate with wire terminals, providing strain relief and improved electrical isolation, and incorporating a holder to stabilize circuit elements within the housing, eliminating the need for a PCB.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical wires are mounted to the PCB, then electrical connections are established, but the wires suffer from strain damage where they are mounted to the PCB
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the connection system into separate components: wire receptacles mounted on the PCB and wire terminals at the wire ends. This segmentation allows the wire terminals to be inserted into the receptacles, creating a mechanical connection that relieves strain from both the wire and the PCB mounting points, thereby resolving the strain damage issue while maintaining reliable electrical connections
Solution Approach 2:
The wire receptacle acts as an intermediary component between the wire terminal and the PCB. This intermediary structure provides a dedicated interface that absorbs and distributes mechanical strain, preventing direct stress transmission to the wire mounting points on the PCB and eliminating the strain damage problem
2Power
If a PCB is used to implement surge protection devices, then circuit functionality is achieved, but the PCB has limited current carrying capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wire connection and termination functionality from the PCB structure itself, placing it into separate wire receptacles and terminals. This extraction allows the use of heavier gauge wires and more robust connection methods that can handle higher currents, overcoming the PCB's inherent current carrying limitations while maintaining circuit functionality
3Reliability
If a PCB is used for circuit implementation, then electrical connections are established, but electrical isolation is limited by conductive tracking on the PCB
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the connection functionality from the PCB's conductive traces and replaces it with discrete wire connections through receptacles and terminals. This extraction eliminates the conductive tracking issue inherent in PCBs, providing superior electrical isolation between different circuit paths while maintaining the necessary electrical connections through the wire-based system
4Manufacturing precision
If electrical connections are made on a PCB, then circuit connectivity is achieved, but connection consistency varies due to human and machine error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection system into standardized wire receptacles and matching wire terminals. This standardization creates a plug-and-play interface that significantly reduces assembly errors and improves connection consistency, as the modular components are designed to fit together precisely without requiring complex manual soldering or connection procedures that are prone to human and machine error
5Reliability
If a PCB is used in surge protection devices, then circuit functionality is provided, but the PCB is susceptible to damage from moisture, dirt, debris, impact, and other contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical wire connection and termination functions from the vulnerable PCB environment and places them into separate wire receptacles and terminals that can be positioned and protected independently. This extraction allows the wire connections to be made in more protected locations or with better environmental sealing, reducing susceptibility to moisture, dirt, debris, and impact damage while maintaining circuit functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit box includes a housing having an internal compartment. The housing includes first and second entrances for receiving first and second electrical wires, respectively, into the internal compartment. The housing includes first and second wire receptacles that include first and second dielectric shells, respectively, and first and second contacts, respectively, that are held by the first and second dielectric shells, respectively. The first and second contacts are electrically connected together. The first and second dielectric shells include first and second cavities that include pluggable interfaces that are configured to mechanically receive first and second wire terminals, respectively, that terminate the first and second electrical wires, respectively, such that the first and second contacts mechanically mate with the first and second wire terminals, respectively. A circuit element is held within the internal compartment of the housing. The circuit element is electrically connected to the first and second electrical wires.