Conical Shielding Spring Contact for Reliable Connector Grounding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plug-in connector systems with shielding systems face challenges in manufacturing complexity and ensuring safe electrical contact between the dome and shielding structure, requiring machining and complicated production processes.

Innovation Solution

A shielding spring contact with a sleeve-shaped main body and conical shielding portion, featuring apertures and a crimp connection for easy assembly and elastic deformability, allowing for effective contact with assembly housings of varying sizes and improved electromagnetic compatibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dome structure is used on the housing wall for shielding, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to die-casting and machining requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshielding effectivenessVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding function is extracted from the housing dome structure and transferred to a separate shielding spring contact component. This allows the housing to be manufactured without complex die-casting and machining operations, while the shielding function is provided by the independently manufactured spring contact with conical shielding portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The shielding system is segmented into separate components: the shielding spring contact with conical shielding portion is separated from the housing structure. This enables independent manufacturing of each component using simpler processes, while maintaining the overall shielding effectiveness through proper assembly and electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If machining is performed on the dome to ensure electrical contact, then contact reliability is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical contact reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding spring contact incorporates elastic deformability through its conical shielding portion with apertures, allowing it to dynamically adapt to variations in housing dimensions and insertion depth. This elastic compensation mechanism ensures reliable electrical contact without requiring precision machining of the housing dome, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The conical shielding portion is designed with variable thickness and apertures that change parameters of the structure to provide both mechanical engagement and electrical contact. The geometric parameters of the conical portion are optimized to ensure reliable contact with the housing opening across different manufacturing tolerances without requiring additional machining operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid shielding structure is used, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability to different housing sizes decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidadaptability to housing sizes
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding spring contact transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic, elastic structure with the conical shielding portion that can deform. This allows the same component design to adapt to different housing sizes and opening dimensions while maintaining structural integrity and shielding effectiveness through elastic deformation rather than rigid fitting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The conical shielding portion is designed as a flexible, elastically deformable structure with apertures that allow it to conform to different housing opening sizes. This flexible design maintains structural stability for shielding purposes while providing adaptability to various housing dimensions without requiring multiple component variants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If the shielding contact is made elastic, then adaptability to different insertion openings is improved, but contact force consistency becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to insertion openingsVSAvoidcontact force consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The conical shielding portion is designed with excessive elastic compliance, allowing it to deform beyond what is strictly necessary for contact. This ensures that even with variations in housing dimensions and insertion depth, the spring contact maintains sufficient contact force consistency through its elastic recovery, compensating for dimensional variations without requiring precise control of the contact force.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 simplifies manufacturing and assembly, ensures reliable electrical contact, and enhances electromagnetic compatibility by providing a flexible and stable connection that adapts to different housing sizes, improving vibration resistance and electrical conductivity.

Implementation Method 1

The elastic flexibility of the conical shielding portion enables optimized contacting with the assembly housing. Here, the flexibility enables contacting between the shielding portion and assembly housings that have insertion openings with cross-sections of different sizes. Here, the flexibility of the shielding portion ensures a constant contact force of the shielding portion against the edges of the insertion opening of the assembly housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The shielding spring contact can be connected to a braid of the cable of the electrical plug-in connector via the base portion by means of a crimp connection, wherein a current of the braid of the cable of the plug-in connector can be diverted to the assembly housing of the cable shield connection

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentEP4311041A1Shielding spring contact, plug-in connector comprising a shielding spring contact, cable shield connection and plug-in connector system comprising a shielding spring contact
Publication Date: 2024.01.24 TE CONNECTIVITY GERMANY GMBH
  • EP4311041A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4311041A1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1E
  • EP4311041A1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A shielding spring contact (100) for an electrical plug-in connector (200) for an electrical plug-in connector system (400) has a sleeve-shaped main body (101) with a cylindrical base portion (103) and a conical shielding portion (105), wherein the shielding spring contact (100) can be arranged on a cable (201) of the electrical plug-in connector (200) via passage openings (111, 113) of the sleeve-shaped main body (101), wherein the shielding spring contact (100) can be connected to a braid (203) of the cable (201) of the electrical plug-in connector (200) via the base portion (103) by means of a crimp connection, wherein the conical shielding portion (105) has apertures (107) running along a longitudinal direction (119) of the shielding spring contact (100) and is elastically deformable, wherein the shielding spring contact (100) can be brought into contact with an assembly housing (301) of a cable shield connection (300) of the plug-in connector system (400) via the conical shielding portion (105), and wherein a current of the braid (203) of the cable (201) of the plug-in connector (200) can be diverted to the assembly housing (301) of the cable shield connection (300) via the contact of the conical shielding portion (105) with the assembly housing (301) of the cable shield connection (300).