Connector With Plate-Shaped Flat Contact For Compact Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with insulating material housings and spring clamp connections lack a simple and compact design for reliable electrical conductor connections, often requiring increased space for adequate spring elasticity and secure conductor routing.
Innovation Solution
The connector features a plate-shaped flat contact with a spring arm section and a rigid conductor contact section, where the conductor entry channels extend to the clamping contact section, ensuring reliable conductor routing and alignment within a narrow contact-receiving channel, and the spring arm section's design enhances elasticity with uniform stress distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring clamp connection is designed with adequate space for spring elasticity and secure conductor routing, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but the connector occupies increased installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arm section is designed with a bent configuration including a support arm, spring arch, and contact arm arranged in different spatial dimensions. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the spring mechanism to achieve adequate elasticity and conductor routing within a compact footprint, resolving the contradiction between reliable connection and installation space by utilizing spatial dimensionality rather than linear extension
Solution Approach 2:
The contact-receiving channel is designed to be narrow and intersect the conductor entry channels, with the flat contact nested within this channel. The conductor entry channels extend to the clamping contact section, allowing conductors to be routed through and clamped securely within the compact structure. This nesting arrangement achieves reliable conductor connection while minimizing the overall connector volume
2Adaptability or versatility
If the spring arm section is designed with uniform stress distribution for high elasticity, then larger conductor cross-section range can be clamped, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arm section is segmented into three distinct functional parts: a support arm extending from the root section, a spring arch connecting to the support arm, and a contact arm adjoining the spring arch. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while collectively achieving uniform stress distribution and high elasticity, enabling the clamping of larger conductor cross-sections without excessive overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the spring arm have different geometric properties optimized for their local function: the support arm provides structural support, the spring arch provides elasticity through its curved geometry, and the contact arm provides the clamping interface. This local optimization of quality in each segment achieves the desired adaptability for various conductor cross-sections while keeping the overall structure manageable
3Manufacturing precision
If conductor entry channels extend to the clamping contact section for reliable routing, then conductor alignment is improved, but the insulating housing volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact-receiving channel is designed to intersect the conductor entry channels in a three-dimensional arrangement rather than extending them linearly. This dimensional approach allows the conductor entry channels to extend to the clamping contact section for reliable routing and alignment, while the intersecting contact-receiving channel provides a compact pathway for the flat contact, minimizing the overall insulating housing volume
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 configuration allows for secure and efficient electrical conductor connections with increased spring elasticity in a compact design, supporting a larger conductor cross-section range without significant space increase, and reduces contact resistance through concentrated clamping force on contact tips.
Implementation Method 1
The spring arm section has a central root area (root section), an adjoining support arm, which extends in the opposite direction to the conductor insertion direction of an electrical conductor to be clamped to the clamping contact section, a spring arch that is adjoined to the support arm, and a contact arm that is adjoining the spring arch and extends at an angle to the conductor insertion direction aligned and movable relative to the support arm
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a connector (1) with an insulating housing (2) and a spring-loaded clamping connection (3) in the insulating housing (2) for clamping an electrical conductor (23, 26), wherein the spring-loaded clamping connection (3) is designed as a plane-spanning, plate-shaped flat contact with a root section (9) from which, in two diametrically opposite directions, a pair of opposing clamping contact sections (10a, 10b) project for clamping an electrical conductor (23, 26) or contact pin between a pair of such clamping contact sections (10a, 10b), and wherein the insulating housing (2) has opposing conductor entry channels (4, 6) for inserting the electrical conductors (23, 26) or contact pins to be clamped, wherein the conductor entry channels (4, 6) of the insulating housing (2) extend from the outside to at least the associated clamping contact section. (10a,10b) extend such that the insulating housing (2) has a slot-shaped contact channel (8) that intersects the conductor entry channels (4, 6) and the plate-shaped flat contact is designed for insertion into the contact channel (8) and for fixing to the insulating housing (2).