Metal Contact Protrusion Design for Corrosion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contacts used for electrical connection between dissimilar metals are prone to corrosion, especially in varying temperature environments, leading to increased resistance values, as seen in the engine compartment of automobiles.
Innovation Solution
A contact design featuring a metal thin plate with a base portion, a contact portion, and a spring portion, where the contact portion includes a protrusion that increases contact pressure and is positioned at least 0.9 mm away from the boundary with the spring portion, preventing excessive stress and corrosion, and the spring portion is elastically deformable to support the contact portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact portion makes contact with the second member using a large contact surface, then the contact pressure is insufficient, but corrosion can occur more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The contact portion is designed with a protrusion that creates a localized small contact area at the tip, concentrating the contact force to generate high contact pressure while maintaining sufficient overall contact stability through the integrated structure
2Force
If the protrusion is positioned close to the boundary between the contact portion and spring portion, then the contact pressure is high, but excessive stress concentrates on the spring portion
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion is positioned at a specific distance (0.2mm to 0.5mm) from the boundary between the contact portion and spring portion, creating an optimal balance point that distributes stress appropriately while maintaining high contact pressure at the tip
3Reliability
If the contact is made between dissimilar metals with large potential difference, then electrical connection is achieved, but galvanic corrosion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The small contact area at the protrusion tip concentrates the contact force to generate high contact pressure, which prevents oxygen and water from entering the contact point, thereby converting the potential harm of dissimilar metal contact into a beneficial protective effect against corrosion
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 effectively suppresses corrosion and resistance value increases by maintaining high contact pressure and reducing stress on the spring portion, ensuring long-term functionality even in vibrating environments.
Implementation Method 1
a spring portion (7) configured to be elastically deformable between both ends, where one end is a fixed end connected to the base portion (3) and another end is a free end connected to the contact portion (5), to displaceably support the contact portion (5)
Data Source
AI summary
A contact includes a base portion fixable to a first member, a contact portion configured to make contact with a second member, and a spring portion configured to displaceably support the contact portion. The base portion, the contact portion, and the spring portion are integrally formed with a thin plate made of metal. The contact portion includes a flat plate portion extending in a flat plate shape from one end of a bent portion, and a protrusion protruding toward the second member is provided on the flat plate portion. The protrusion is provided at a location separated from a boundary between the contact portion and the spring portion by greater than or equal to 0.9 mm toward the contact portion.