Electrical Connector Contact Arms Equal Normal Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contacts with multiple contact points experience uneven wear and electrical characteristics due to varying normal forces, leading to poor performance and uneven current flow, and are typically designed for unidirectional mating, which limits their application in multi-directional insertion scenarios.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector with a mating section featuring multiple contact arms of different lengths, spaced by slots of varying lengths, ensuring equal normal forces across all contact points, and a tab receiving slot allowing for multi-directional insertion, which maintains consistent wear and current distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple contact points are provided to ensure redundant contact and high current transfer, then reliability and current capacity are improved, but uneven normal forces cause varying wear and different electrical characteristics at each contact point, leading to poor performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making each contact arm unique in length and positioning while ensuring they all exert equal normal force. The contact arms are locally differentiated (different lengths, different positions) but locally optimized (equal force) to resolve the contradiction between providing redundant contact points and maintaining uniform electrical characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of contact arm length to achieve equal normal force distribution. By carefully selecting different lengths for each contact arm, the design ensures that despite varying positions and orientations, all contact points exert equivalent force on the mating tab, thereby maintaining uniform wear and electrical characteristics.
2Ease of manufacture
If contacts are configured to mate in one direction, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but applications requiring insertion from different directions are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing contact arms with lead-in surfaces that can receive the mating tab from multiple directions (top, bottom, left, right). This multi-directional capability allows the same contact structure to function in various insertion scenarios, enhancing adaptability while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from unidirectional to multi-directional mating by utilizing lead-in surfaces on contact arms that are oriented at different angles. This dimensional approach allows the mating tab to be inserted from any cardinal direction, effectively adding directional versatility to the contact design.
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 ensures even current flow and reduced temperature rise by maintaining identical normal forces across all contact points, preventing overheating and ensuring consistent electrical performance over multiple cycles, while allowing for flexible directional mating.
Implementation Method 1
The first contact arm has a first length which is different than a second length of the second contact arm. A first normal force exerted by the first contact arm on the mating tab is equal to a second normal force exerted by the second contact arm.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a mating section for receiving the mating tab therein. The mating section has a first contact arm and a second contact arm. The first contact arm is spaced from the second contact arm by a first slot. The first contact arm has a first length which is different than a second length of the second contact arm. A first normal force exerted by the first contact arm on the mating tab is equal to a second normal force exerted by the second contact arm.