High Power Contact Socket Capturing Geometries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high current terminal socket production is complex and costly due to the need for precise matching of geometrical dimensions and tolerances between sleeves and contact cages, leading to assembly and application issues.
Innovation Solution
A sheet metal part with capturing geometries in the form of protrusions and recesses guides the formation of a cylindrically shaped contact cage into a flush alignment, reducing the number of components and achieving desired manufacturing accuracy by forcing the contact cage into a precise final shape during forming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If precise matching of geometrical dimensions and tolerances between sleeves and contact cages is implemented, then assembly accuracy is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet metal part is pre-formed with capturing geometries (protrusions and recesses) that guide the contact blades into the correct cylindrical configuration during the forming process. This preliminary shaping ensures that when the contact cage is assembled, the blades are already positioned with the required precision, eliminating the need for complex post-assembly adjustments or highly precise sleeve manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The capturing geometries on the contact cage itself perform the alignment function that would otherwise require a precisely manufactured sleeve. The protrusions and recesses on the contact cage blades automatically guide and constrain the relative positions of adjacent blades during assembly, making the contact cage self-aligning and reducing dependency on sleeve precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple components (sleeve and contact cage) are used with precise matching, then assembly stability is improved, but the number of components and production effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates the alignment and stabilization functions that were previously distributed between separate sleeve and contact cage components into a single self-contained contact cage structure. The capturing geometries combine the guidance, positioning, and stabilization functions, reducing the number of separate components while maintaining assembly stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact cage is segmented into multiple contact blades with capturing geometries at their ends. This segmentation allows each blade to be independently formed with precise geometry, yet they work together as a unified structure where the capturing geometries provide the necessary inter-blade constraints for stable assembly.
3Strength
If dovetail connections are used for connecting elements, then mechanical strength is improved, but manufacturing difficulty and cost increase due to tolerance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the connecting features from complex dovetail shapes to simpler protrusion-recess configurations. These capturing geometries maintain the mechanical strength and alignment functions but with relaxed tolerance requirements, making them easier and more cost-effective to manufacture using standard sheet metal forming processes.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a flat sheet metal part for forming a cylindrically shaped contact cage with a receiving space for plugging in a contact in a plug-in direction Z, said sheet metal part comprising:a. a base shape with four edges and four corner sections, of which two of the edges extend parallel to one another and each form a collar crosspiece extending in each case between two corner section;b. a multitude of contact blades which connect the one collar crosspiece with the other collar crosspiece,c. wherein each collar crosspiece comprises a protrusion which lengthens the collar crosspiece in the region of one respective corner section, andd. wherein each collar crosspiece has a recess in the region of the respective other corner section.