Covered Electrical Busbar with Conductive Bristles for Avionics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft avionics systems face challenges with weight, complexity, and safety due to dedicated cable harnesses and exposed metal busbars, which limit flexibility and pose safety hazards during equipment module installation and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A covered electrical busbar with protruding electrically conductive bristles and a mating connector with similar bristles allows for connections at random locations, protected by a nonconductive fabric cover to prevent accidental contact and enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If exposed metal busbars are used to provide flexible installation locations, then adaptability is improved, but safety deteriorates due to accidental contact hazards
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible fabric cover made of non-conductive material is used to shield the metal busbar. The fabric cover can be penetrated by conductive bristles at any location along the busbar, allowing flexible installation while maintaining safety. The fabric acts as a protective barrier that prevents accidental contact while still permitting electrical connection when needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If rigid covers are used to protect against accidental contact, then safety is improved, but adaptability deteriorates due to limited installation positions
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is made flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to be dynamically penetrated at any position along the busbar. The fabric cover can accommodate connections at random locations while maintaining continuous protection, eliminating the need for discrete access points required by rigid covers.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible fabric cover replaces rigid protective enclosures, enabling penetration at any location along the busbar length. This allows equipment modules to be installed at flexible positions while maintaining safety, as the fabric can be pushed through by conductive bristles without requiring pre-defined access points.
3Reliability
If dedicated cable harnesses are used for each module, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cable connections are replaced by a single continuous busbar that provides power and signals to multiple equipment modules simultaneously. The busbar with conductive bristles consolidates what would otherwise require separate cable harnesses for each module, reducing overall system complexity and weight while maintaining reliable electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The busbar serves as a universal connection interface that can accommodate multiple different equipment modules at various positions along its length. Instead of requiring dedicated cable harnesses tailored to each specific module location, the busbar provides a single multi-functional connection system that works with any module installed at any position.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and systems described herein provide for a randomly-accessible electrical busbar with a protective cover and an associated mating connector. Both the busbar and the associated mating connector have multiple, electrically conductive bristles protruding from a surface. The busbar is protected by a nonconductive fabric cover to reduce the risk of a person from accidentally contacting the electrically conductive bristles. A connection is made between the mating connector and the busbar by the bristles of the mating connector penetrating the protective fabric cover and interdigitating with the bristles of the busbar.