Coil Fixturing for Microscale Wire Termination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Making connections between wires and anchor points, particularly at the microscale, is challenging due to the small size and fragility of components, requiring high skill, expensive custom fixturing, and time-consuming processes, with standard techniques like soldering being impractical due to biocompatibility issues.

Innovation Solution

A coil-based fixturing element that slides over a pin to temporarily hold a wire in place, allowing for a permanent connection through welding, soldering, or brazing, which becomes part of the assembly, reducing the need for precise fixturing and enabling connections without elaborate tooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standard soldering techniques are used to connect wires to anchor points, then electrical connection is achieved, but biocompatibility issues arise and the process becomes impractical

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebiocompatibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing feasibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic soldering process entirely from the manufacturing workflow. Instead of attempting to adapt standard soldering for biocompatible materials, the invention removes this step by using mechanical insertion of pre-formed wire assemblies into molded cavities, achieving both electrical connection and biocompatibility without the harmful soldering process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical soldering system with a purely mechanical insertion system. Wire assemblies are mechanically inserted into molded cavities and secured through physical anchoring rather than thermal bonding, eliminating the biocompatibility issues associated with traditional soldering materials and processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If custom fixturing is used to hold small components during assembly, then positioning precision is improved, but fabrication costs and process time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming wire assemblies with insulation stripped and wires positioned before insertion. The molding process itself creates the positioning fixtures as integral parts of the assembly tooling, eliminating the need for separate custom fixturing during final assembly and reducing both cost and time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the fixturing function into the molded assembly tooling itself. The positioning features are integrated directly into the mold cavities and inserts, combining the structural support, positioning, and assembly guidance functions into a single integrated system rather than requiring separate custom fixturing devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Volume of moving object

If microscale connections are made with very small wires and anchor points, then device miniaturization is achieved, but components become easily damaged requiring discarding of subassemblies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidcomponent durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing the molded assembly to include built-in mechanical support and stress distribution features. The molded cavities and inserts provide cushioning support during the insertion process, preventing damage to fragile microscale components while maintaining device miniaturization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the assembly process by using controlled insertion forces and compliant molded features rather than rigid positioning. This allows microscale components to be handled with appropriate force levels that prevent damage while achieving precise positioning in the miniaturized device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Manufacturing precision

If expensive application-specific fixturing is used for microscale connections, then connection precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing molded assembly tooling that serves multiple functions: structural support, precise positioning, electrical insulation, and assembly guidance. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for expensive application-specific fixturing while maintaining connection precision through the integrated design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11011857B2Wire termination using fixturing elements

Publication Date: 2021.05.18 ADVANCED BIONICS AG

AI summary

A method for forming a connection between a wire and a pin includes placing a fixturing element over the pin, capturing the wire between an upper surface and a lower surface of the fixturing element, compressing the fixturing element to hold the wire around the pin and forming a fixed connection between the wire and the pin. A system for forming an electrical connection includes a pin, a fixturing element disposed around the pin, and a wire placed around pin and sandwiched between an upper surface and a lower surface of the fixturing element.