High-Current Conductor Bar Connection with Segmented Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for connecting high-current electrical apparatuses, such as conductor bars, are inadequate in disrupting the oxide layer that forms during operation, leading to increased heating and losses, and fail to effectively address contact loosening due to thermal movement.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves increasing the contact surface area by implementing triangular cross-section circular flanges or flutes on the retention portion, which break up the oxide layer and provide a secure, frictional connection, with specific dimensions and angles optimizing the number of contact points to minimize resistance and heat losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional smooth contact surfaces are used, then the appliance structure is simple, but the oxide layer cannot be effectively disrupted leading to increased contact resistance and heat losses
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface is segmented into multiple small contact points through ribs and grooves instead of a single large smooth surface. This segmentation increases the number of contact points and disrupts the oxide layer more effectively, reducing contact resistance and energy losses while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact surface features local quality variations with ribs and grooves creating zones of different contact pressure and oxide disruption. The ribs provide protruding contact points while grooves create recessed areas, optimizing the local contact conditions to break up oxide layers and reduce energy losses.
2Reliability
If the contact surface area is increased by adding ribs and grooves, then the number of contact points increases reducing contact resistance, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs and grooves are pre-formed on the contact surfaces during the appliance manufacturing process. This preliminary action ensures that the oxide-disrupting features are already in place before assembly, improving connection reliability without requiring complex post-assembly operations or specialized manufacturing processes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If frictional connection is used to retain the body in the seat, then the appliance structure is simplified, but the connection may loosen under thermal movement
Solution Approach 1:
The frictional connection parameters are optimized by carefully selecting the cone angles of the body and seat, and the dimensions of the retention portion. These parameter changes ensure that the friction force is sufficient to prevent loosening under thermal movement while maintaining a simple retention mechanism without additional locking components.
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
This approach results in improved reliability and efficiency by reducing contact resistance and heat losses, ensuring a secure electric connection that withstands thermal movements and dynamic changes.
Implementation Method 1
the retention portion is retained in the seat by frictional connection
Implementation Method 2
the retention portion has increased contact surface, and there is an angle (α) between the contact surface of the retention portion and axis of the body, the contact surface is increased by indentations implemented as ribs arranged perpendicular to the axis of the body and/or as grooves extending in the direction of the generator of the body
Implementation Method 3
Appliance for connecting high-current electric apparatuses, primarily conductor bars, comprising an electrically conducting body and at least one connection piece
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2
Figure 3a~4
AI summary
Appliance for connecting high-current electric apparatuses, primarily conductor bars, comprising an electrically conducting body (31) and at least one connection piece (22), where the connection piece (22) has a seat arranged to encircle the body (31) in a concentric manner. A preferably frustum-shaped retention portion having monotonic decreasing cross-sectional size is disposed on the body, the retention portion being retained in the seat by frictional connection. The retention portion has increased contact surface, and in specific cases the body (31) is adapted for receiving a cable end. The invention is essentially characterised by that the increased contact surface is constituted by indentations implemented as ribs arranged perpendicular to the axis of the body (31) and/or as grooves extending in the direction of the generator of the body (31), where the indentations undergo different amounts of local deformation along the axis of the body (31) as the appliance is pressed together.