Dielectric Insert Retaining Electrical Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electrical connectors with metal retention clips are complex, costly, and difficult to assemble due to the need for separate loading of dielectric inserts, metal retention clips, and electrical contacts, which increases the complexity and time required for assembly.

Innovation Solution

The use of a dielectric insert with a contact channel and resilient fingers that engage the terminating segment of the electrical contact to retain it within the housing, eliminating the need for a metal retention clip by using the dielectric insert to hold the contact in place.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a metal retention clip is used to retain the electrical contact, then the electrical contact is securely held within the housing, but the device complexity and number of components increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretention of electrical contactVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the dielectric insert and metal retention clip into a single integrated component. The metal retention clip is formed with integral fingers that extend into contact channels within the dielectric insert body, eliminating the need for separate retention clip and dielectric insert pieces. This merging reduces component count while maintaining secure electrical contact retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated retention clip structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical retention of electrical contacts, offers structural support within the housing, and maintains proper positioning of multiple contacts through its multi-finger design. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If a metal retention clip is used to retain the electrical contact, then the electrical contact is securely held within the housing, but the cost of the electrical connector increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretention of electrical contactVSAvoidcost of connector

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the dielectric insert and metal retention clip into a single integrated component that can be manufactured as one piece through stamping or molding processes. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing of retention clips and dielectric inserts, reducing material costs, manufacturing steps, and assembly operations while maintaining secure electrical contact retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If separate loading of dielectric insert, metal retention clip, and electrical contact is performed, then each component can be optimized independently, but the assembly time and difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent optimizationVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the dielectric insert and metal retention clip into a single pre-assembled unit where the retention clip fingers are formed as integral parts of the dielectric insert structure. This allows the combined component to be loaded into the housing in one operation, eliminating the need for separate loading steps for the dielectric insert and retention clip, thereby reducing assembly time and difficulty while still allowing independent optimization of the electrical contact and housing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This solution simplifies the assembly process, reduces the number of components, and lowers the cost of the electrical connector while maintaining effective retention of the electrical contact, making it less expensive and easier to assemble.

Implementation Method 1

The resilient finger is engaged with the terminating segment of the electrical contact to retain the electrical contact within the interior chamber of the housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7887368B1Electrical connector having a dielectric insert for retaining an electrical contact

Publication Date: 2011.02.15 TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GMBH

AI summary

An electrical connector includes a housing having a mating interface and an interior chamber, an electrical contact having a terminating segment and a mating segment, and a dielectric insert held within the interior chamber of the housing. The dielectric insert includes a contact channel and a resilient finger extending into the contact channel. The terminating segment of the electrical contact extends within the contact channel of the dielectric insert. The resilient finger is engaged with the terminating segment of the electrical contact to retain the electrical contact within the interior chamber of the housing such that the mating segment of the electrical contact extends along the mating interface of the housing.