Contact Spring Connector Structure for Vibration-Stable Pin Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with fork-shaped spring arms are prone to contact failures due to vibrations, particularly in mechanically shock-prone applications.
Innovation Solution
The spring arms are connected in a bent region of the contact spring body, with support regions on the channel walls and contact regions between the bent region and support regions, ensuring secure electrical contact even under vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If spring arms are designed as fork-shaped protrusions freely toward the insertion opening, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but contact interruptions occur during vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arm is divided into functionally distinct segments: a support region that contacts the channel wall for positioning, a contact region for electrical contact with the contact pin, and a bent region for connection. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally, with the support region preventing unwanted movement during vibrations while the contact region maintains reliable electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring arm transitions from a simple linear fork-shaped protrusion to a three-dimensionally structured component with regions arranged along the longitudinal axis. The support region, contact region, and bent region are positioned at different locations, creating a spatial arrangement that provides both mechanical stability through wall support and reliable electrical contact, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and vibration resistance.
2Reliability
If spring arms are connected in a bent region with support regions on channel walls, then contact stability during vibrations is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arm integrates multiple functions into a single continuous component: mechanical support through the support region contacting the channel wall, electrical contact through the contact region, and structural connection through the bent region. This merging of support, contact, and connection functions into one element achieves reliable vibration resistance without requiring multiple separate components, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring arm serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support by contacting the channel wall, establishes electrical contact with the contact pin, and maintains structural integrity through the bent region connection. This multi-functionality allows a single component to achieve both improved reliability during vibrations and avoidance of excessive complexity that would result from using multiple separate elements.
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
Prevents contact pin detachment during vibrations, maintaining a permanent electrically conductive connection between the contact spring body and the contact pin.
Implementation Method 1
the spring arms are connected to one another in a bent region of the contact spring body and that each spring arm has at least one support region for supporting the respective spring arm on one of the channel walls
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~9
Figure 10
AI summary
Connector (1) for making an electrical plug connection (2) with a mating connector (3), wherein the connector (1) has a connector housing (4) with at least one contact receiving channel (5) and at least one electrically conductive contact spring body (6) arranged in the contact receiving channel (5) with at least two spring arms (9, 10) which are elastically deflectable relative to each other and together define an insertion channel (11) for receiving an electrically conductive contact pin (12) of the mating connector (3), wherein the spring arms (9, 10) are connected to each other in a bent area (13) of the contact spring body (6) and each spring arm (9, 10) has at least one support area (14, 15) for supporting the respective spring arm (9, 10) on a channel wall (7, 8) of the contact receiving channel (5) and a contact area (16, 17) for contacting the contact pin (12), wherein the Contact area (16, 17) of the respective spring arm (9,10) is arranged between the support area (14, 15) of the respective spring arm (9, 10) and the bent area (13) of the contact spring body (6). (Fig. 4)