Clad Contact Button Connector for Smooth High-Voltage Mating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high voltage electrical connectors lack effective sliding contact interfaces, particularly in pluggable and automotive applications, where traditional ribbed contact surfaces are inadequate.

Innovation Solution

A high voltage electrical connector design featuring a contact button with a clad structure, comprising a first electrically conductive layer attached to a bus bar and a second clad layer, surrounded by a clamp assembly with a spring for providing contact force, and optionally featuring chamfered edges and protrusions for enhanced durability and contact points.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a ribbed contact surface is used in high voltage electrical connectors, then concentrated contact points are provided, but the contact surface abruptly rises into the path of the mating terminal causing poor mating performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidmating performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having the contact surface rise into the path of the mating terminal (traditional ribbed design), the invention inverts the approach by using a contact button that protrudes from the bus bar and is compressed by the mating terminal. The mating terminal's contact surface receives the contact button during insertion, eliminating the abrupt rise problem while maintaining concentrated contact points through the button geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a dynamic spring mechanism that compresses the contact button during mating. The spring force dynamically adjusts the contact pressure, allowing the contact button to be compressed into the mating terminal's contact surface during insertion and maintain optimal contact pressure throughout operation, thereby improving both mating performance and contact reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If traditional contact surfaces are used in pluggable connectors, then manufacturing is simple, but sliding contact interfaces are inadequate for high voltage applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh voltage connection reliabilityVSAvoidconnector structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contact button employs a composite structure with a copper core providing electrical conductivity and a silver-clad outer layer providing superior contact surface properties. This composite material approach enhances high voltage connection reliability by combining the advantages of both materials while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through the layered construction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Duration of action of stationary object

If contact buttons are used with spring compression, then durable high voltage connections are achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemating/unmating cycle durabilityVSAvoidclamp assembly structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the spring mechanism with the clamp assembly structure, where the spring is integrated into the clamp assembly that also provides mechanical retention. This combining of functions (compression and retention in one assembly) reduces overall device complexity compared to having separate components, while still achieving durable high voltage connections through the spring-compressed contact button

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 design provides reliable and durable high voltage connections with improved mating/unmating cycles and increased contact points, suitable for high current applications.

Implementation Method 1

having a spring configured to provide a contact force between the contact button and a second electrical bus bar

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a contact button having a first layer formed of a first electrically conductive material that is attached to a first electrical bus bar and having a second layer formed of a second electrically conductive material clad to the first layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS20260005450A1High voltage electrical connector with clad contact button

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

An electrical connector comprising a first bus bar formed by mechanically and electrically joined parallel first and second layers of electrically conductive material with separated ends defining a slot receiving a second bus bar between the first bus bar layers; a contact button having a first layer of a first electrically conductive material attached to one of the bus bars and a second layer of a second electrically conductive material clad to the first layer; and a clamp assembly including a retaining band surrounding both bus bars and a spring configured to provide a contact force between the contact button and the first or second bus bar when the second bus bar is disposed between the first bus bar layers.