Electrical Connector With Inclined Terminal Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connectors with compression springs suffer from instability in signal transmission due to varying current, larger terminal holes leading to loose contact, and uncertain elastic retraction, resulting in increased contact resistance and poor stability.

Innovation Solution

An electrical connector design featuring an insulating body with terminal receiving holes and accommodation spaces, conductive terminals with inclined contact surfaces, and elastic members that apply a lateral pushing force to ensure stable contact between terminals, reducing contact resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If compression spring is used to connect terminals, then elastic retraction is provided, but current varies causing instability in signal transmission

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of signal transmissionVSAvoidcurrent variation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the compression spring from the terminal connection structure. Instead of using a spring to provide elastic retraction, the invention uses a rigid terminal with an inclined contact surface that directly contacts the mating terminal, eliminating the spring's current variation issue while maintaining reliable electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Rather than using an elastic element (spring) to provide the connection force, the patent inverts the approach by using a rigid inclined surface geometry to guide and maintain terminal contact. The elastic retraction function is transferred to the housing structure rather than the terminal itself, stabilizing the electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of manufacture

If receiving holes are made larger to accommodate terminals and spring, then assembly is easier, but contact between terminals is not tight increasing contact resistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidcontact tightness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a localized tight contact zone at the inclined contact surface between terminals, while the overall receiving hole remains adequately sized for assembly. The precision is concentrated exactly where electrical contact occurs, not throughout the entire hole structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an inclined contact surface that utilizes the depth dimension of the terminal insertion. Instead of relying solely on horizontal hole size, the terminal progresses through the hole and achieves tight contact at the angled surface, effectively using the third dimension to ensure contact quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Force

If elastic member applies force to terminal, then contact pressure is provided, but retraction direction is uncertain affecting contact position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact pressureVSAvoidcontact position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs an asymmetric inclined contact surface with a specific angle (e.g., 45 degrees) that guides the terminal into a unique, stable contact position. This asymmetric geometry ensures that the contact force is directed along a predetermined path, eliminating uncertainty in retraction direction and ensuring consistent contact position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The inclined contact surface is pre-configured in the housing to guide the terminal into proper alignment and contact position before the elastic member engages. This preliminary geometric guidance ensures that when force is applied, the terminal is already positioned correctly, preventing position instability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary 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 design achieves stable communication performance by maintaining good contact between conductive terminals, reducing contact resistance, and ensuring predictable movement and contact area maximization, thus ensuring smooth current transfer and clear communication.

Implementation Method 1

Each elastic member is correspondingly received in one of the accommodation spaces for elastically supporting one of the first conductive terminals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7645164B1Electrical connector

Publication Date: 2010.01.12 LOTES

AI summary

An electrical connector is revealed. The electrical connector includes an insulating body with at least one terminal receiving hole and an accommodation space disposed on one side of the terminal receiving hole, at least one conductive terminal set that is received in the terminal receiving hole and having a first conductive terminal and a second conducive terminal, and at least one elastic member. The first conductive terminal is connected with the second conductive terminal slidingly and slantingly and the sliding stroke of the first conductive terminal is between the terminal receiving hole and the accommodation space. Each elastic member is correspondingly mounted in one of the accommodation spaces for elastically supporting the first conductive terminal. That means each elastic member gives the first conductive terminal a horizontal lateral force so that the first conductive terminal always applies a normal pressure to the second conductive terminal. Thus the good contact between the two conductive terminals is ensured.