Contact Socket Caulking Connection Vibration Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connection means are sensitive to vibrations, leading to unpredictable failure of spot welds during ultrasonic welding, which compromises both mechanical and electrical properties and fails to meet quality standards in cable assembly.

Innovation Solution

A two-piece electrical connection means featuring a female part with projections that are deformed to fit into openings of a male part, creating a caulking connection that enhances mechanical and electrical stability without the need for welding, using stamped and bent parts made of conductive materials, allowing for increased current flow and reduced production costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If spot welding is used to join male and female parts, then electrical and mechanical connection is improved, but vibration resistance deteriorates due to unpredictable crack propagation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical and mechanical connection strengthVSAvoidvibration resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the welding process (thermal/mechanical system) with a cold-forming deformation process. The projections are mechanically deformed into the openings to create a form-fit connection, eliminating the spot welding process entirely. This substitution resolves the contradiction by providing both strong mechanical/electrical connection and vibration resistance without the unpredictable crack propagation associated with welding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If ultrasonic welding is used to improve connection quality, then electrical connection is enhanced, but spot weld cracks propagate to the lanyard due to vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection qualityVSAvoidcrack propagation to lanyard
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the welding process entirely from the manufacturing sequence. Instead of performing ultrasonic welding and then dealing with the harmful crack propagation effect, the invention uses only cold-forming deformation to create the connection. This extraction of the problematic welding step prevents crack propagation to the lanyard while still achieving high connection quality through the form-fit connection of projections into openings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If welding processes are used for assembly, then connection strength is improved, but production cost increases due to specialized equipment requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a cold-forming deformation process that can be implemented using standard stamping and bending equipment already present in production lines, eliminating the need for expensive specialized welding equipment. The process uses simple mechanical deformation rather than complex thermal or ultrasonic welding systems, significantly reducing capital investment and production costs while maintaining strong connection strength through the interlocking projection-opening mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 solution provides a vibration-resistant electrical connection with improved mechanical and thermal coupling, supporting higher current flow and reduced economic effort in production, eliminating the need for welding devices and ensuring reliability and efficiency in cable assembly.

Implementation Method 1

deformation of the projections. The material of the projections can be deformed in such a way that the material thickness, at least on the stamping surfaces, essentially corresponds to the material thickness of the male part.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlasticity: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2866306B1Contact socket for an electric plug
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LTD
  • EP2866306B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2866306B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2866306B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Electrical connector (1) comprising a female part (10) having a socket section (14) designed to receive a male part (12) into the socket section (14), wherein the male part (12) has openings (44) in the area of ​​the base (40) and the socket section (14) has projections (36) that extend into the openings (44) wherein the projections (36) are positively connected to the male part in the openings (44).