Electrical Connector Terminal Overlap for Current and Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors with a floating function face challenges in increasing current capacity while maintaining a sufficient moving amount of the movable housing and achieving miniaturization, as thickening the terminal reduces elastic deformation and lengthening it increases size, and forming slits in the elastic portion decreases current capacity.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design includes two terminal pieces with conductive plates, a fixed housing, and a movable housing, where the terminal pieces have a spring portion with slits that divide into elongated spring elements, allowing for easy elastic deformation and increased current capacity, while maintaining a compact size by overlapping spring portions via a gap, and providing independent movable housings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the terminal is thickened to increase current capacity, then the current carrying ability is improved, but the elastic deformation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple terminal pieces (first terminal piece and second terminal piece) arranged side by side. Each terminal piece has its own spring portion, allowing the current capacity to be increased through multiple parallel conductive paths while each individual piece maintains sufficient elasticity for deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring portions of adjacent terminal pieces are arranged to overlap in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the surface of the spring portion) while maintaining a gap between them. This three-dimensional arrangement increases current capacity by adding conductive paths without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint, and the gap allows each spring portion to deform independently.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the terminal is lengthened to increase elastic deformation, then the moving amount is improved, but the connector size is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The spring portions are arranged to overlap in the vertical direction rather than being arranged linearly in the horizontal plane. This utilizes the third dimension (vertical space) to accommodate the elastic deformation requirement without proportionally increasing the overall connector footprint in the horizontal directions.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple terminal pieces with overlapping spring portions are combined in a compact arrangement where the spring portions occupy overlapping vertical spaces. This merging of spatial volumes allows the connector to achieve sufficient elastic deformation capability while maintaining a reduced overall size compared to linear arrangements.
3Stability of the object's composition
If slits are formed in the elastic portion to increase elastic deformation, then the moving amount is improved, but the current capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming slits that reduce cross-sectional area, the solution segments the terminal into multiple separate terminal pieces. Each piece maintains its full cross-sectional area for current conduction while the collection of multiple pieces provides the necessary elastic deformation through independent spring portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring portions are configured to overlap in the vertical direction with a gap between them, allowing elastic deformation to occur through vertical displacement and bending in the gap region. This arrangement provides elastic functionality without requiring horizontal slits that would reduce the current-carrying cross-section of each terminal piece.
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 design enhances current capacity, secures a sufficient moving amount of the movable housing, and miniaturizes the connector, ensuring stable connection and absorption of positional deviations between connectors.
Implementation Method 1
the spring portion to be connected between the connection portion and the contact portion... the contact portion is movable with respect to the connection portion between the connection portion and the contact portion... the movable housing can move with respect to the fixed housing by an elastic deformation of the spring portion
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
An electrical connector is provided which includes a terminal that includes two terminal pieces, a fixed housing that is fixed to a machine or a substrate, and a movable housing that is movably supported to the fixed housing by the terminal. Each of the terminal pieces is formed of a conductive plate. A connection portion is formed on one end side of each of the terminal pieces in a length direction and connected to a circuit provided in the machine or the substrate. A contact portion is formed on another end side of each of the terminal pieces in the length direction and comes in contact with a terminal of a mating connector. A spring portion is formed in each of the terminal pieces and connects the connection portion and the contact portion such that the contact portion is movable with respect to the connection portion between the connection portion and the contact portion. The two terminal pieces are disposed such that at least parts of the spring portions of the two terminal pieces are overlapped via a gap in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the spring portion.