Compact High-Current Connector With TPA-Stabilized Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors are large in size due to the number of pins and spacing requirements, limiting their current capacity to around 50 A/terminal, which is insufficient for high-current applications.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a housing with multiple terminal members, each with a planar portion and a tab, allowing for compact size and high current capacity up to 140 A/terminal, utilizing ultrasonic welding for cable attachment and TPA devices to restrain terminal movements, and a secure housing structure with dovetail grooves and buckles for easy disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrical connectors use multiple pins with spacing requirements, then the connector can transmit data signals and electrical power, but the connector becomes large in size and current capacity is limited to around 50 A/terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal member is segmented into distinct functional portions: a planar portion for mating engagement and a tab portion for cable attachment. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently, enabling compact overall dimensions while maintaining high current capacity through the planar portion's design
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal member extends in multiple dimensions with the planar portion providing a broad mating surface and the tab portion extending perpendicular to it for cable attachment. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows compact connector size while accommodating high-current pathways without requiring excessive spacing
2Volume of moving object
If the connector is designed for compact size, then the current capacity increases to 140 A/terminal, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to ultrasonic welding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The tab portion is designed to be ultrasonically welded to the cable conductor, replacing traditional mechanical crimping or twisting methods. This substitution enables reliable electrical connection in a compact configuration while the standardized ultrasonic welding process maintains manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal member's tab portion is specifically designed with geometry and material properties optimized for ultrasonic welding. By changing the connection method parameter from mechanical to ultrasonic, the design achieves compact dimensions with 140 A/terminal capacity while maintaining manufacturability through a well-established welding process
3Reliability
If TPA devices are added to restrain terminal movements, then the connector reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The TPA device utilizes the housing structure itself to restrain terminal movement. The terminal member's planar portion engages with features in the housing, allowing the housing to serve its own positioning function without requiring entirely separate restraint mechanisms, thus improving reliability while limiting complexity increase
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 solution enables a compact connector with enhanced current carrying capacity, supporting high-voltage applications and safety in ultra-high voltage environments while preventing short circuits and ensuring reliable cable connections.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing ultrasonic welding for cable attachment
Data Source
AI summary
Compact high-current connector. The connector includes a housing, and first and second terminals held by the housing. Each terminal includes multiple terminal members. Each terminal member includes a planar portion and a tab coupled to the planar portion. First and second cables are attached to respective terminal members of the first terminal. Third and fourth cables are attached to respective terminal members of the second terminal. The housing includes a first portion with a mating end having first and second slots, and a second portion attached to one or more sides of the first portion and configured to at least partially enclose cable attachments. Terminal position assurance (TPA) devices are disposed on the first portion and extend into the slots so as to restrain movements of terminal members of each terminal. Such a configuration enables a compact connector with terminals having a current carrying capacity up to 140 A/terminal.