Female Terminal Fitting With Segmented Contacts For Miniaturized Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing female terminal fittings face instability in conductive connections when miniaturized, leading to unreliable connections due to reduced contact points, especially when inclined relative to male terminal fittings.
Innovation Solution
A female terminal fitting design featuring a rectangular cylindrical electric connection portion with a bottom plate, side plates, and a top plate, incorporating an elastic contact piece with a central arc-shaped contact and recessed curved contacts between edge contacts, ensuring contact at three points even when inclined, while allowing miniaturization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the female terminal fitting is miniaturized to reduce connector size, then the connector size is reduced, but the contact stability deteriorates due to reduced contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure is segmented into multiple independent contact points: a central contact point and a pair of lateral contact points. This segmentation ensures that even when the terminal fitting is miniaturized, multiple discrete contact points are maintained, preventing connection instability that would occur with fewer contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The top plate or bottom plate features localized protrusions at specific positions (central and lateral edges) that create concentrated contact points. This local quality enhancement ensures that critical contact points are maintained even as the overall fitting size is reduced, preserving connection reliability while enabling miniaturization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the female terminal fitting and male terminal fitting are connected in an inclined state, then connection flexibility is improved, but contact stability deteriorates as reception portions may separate from the tab
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure is divided into a central contact point and lateral contact points positioned at edge portions. This segmentation allows the contact points to be distributed across different locations, ensuring that during inclined connection, at least three contact points remain engaged with the tab, maintaining stability while accommodating angular misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic contact piece is designed with predetermined elasticity to compensate for inclined connection states. The elastic deformation capability allows the contact points to maintain engagement with the tab even when the fitting is connected at an angle, preventing separation that would occur with rigid contact structures.
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 design secures a stable conductive connection by maintaining contact at three points, including a central and pair of contacts, and a curved contact, ensuring reliability and balance, even when the terminal fittings are inclined, while enabling miniaturization of the connector.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic contact piece opposed to the top plate or the bottom plate is provided inside the electric connection portion
Data Source
AI summary
A female terminal fitting includes an electric connection portion having a bottom plate, side plates, and a top plate. An elastic contact piece opposed to the top plate or the bottom plate is provided inside the electric connection portion. The elastic contact piece includes a central contact which protrudes toward the top plate or the bottom plate. The top plate or the bottom plate includes a pair of contacts and a curved contact portion. The pair of contacts is provided respectively in widthwise edge portions of an inner surface of the top plate or the bottom plate. The curved contact portion is provided between the pair of contacts so as to be recessed like an arc.