Female Terminal Assembly Spring Contact Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current female terminal assemblies for electric car batteries require high insertion forces due to the design of spring stoppers, which hinders miniaturization and multipolarization of connectors.

Innovation Solution

A female terminal assembly design where the lock portion of the spring contact is fixed to the female terminal body, allowing the spring contact to extend rearward during insertion, aligning the spring extension direction with the insertion direction, thereby reducing the insertion force without the need for a low insertion force lever.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a spring stopper is used to prevent the spring contact from moving rearward, then the spring contact is securely retained, but the insertion force becomes excessively high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespring contact retentionVSAvoidinsertion force

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of preventing the spring contact from moving rearward (opposing the spring force direction), the invention allows the spring contact to extend rearward during insertion by fixing the lock portion to the female terminal body. This inverts the conventional approach: the spring stopper is replaced with a lock portion that is fixed to the terminal body, allowing the spring to expand in the insertion direction rather than being compressed against a stopper.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the operational parameter of the spring contact from compression (in conventional designs where the spring is compressed between the male terminal and spring stopper) to extension (where the spring extends rearward during insertion). This parameter change from compressive to tensile operation fundamentally alters the force characteristics during insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a low insertion force lever is added to reduce insertion force, then terminal insertion becomes easier, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal insertion easeVSAvoidconnector structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the unnecessary low insertion force lever from the connector structure. By fundamentally redesigning the spring contact retention mechanism to use a lock portion fixed to the female terminal body, the patent removes the need for separate insertion force reduction mechanisms, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Force

If the spring contact is allowed to extend rearward during insertion, then insertion force is reduced, but the spring contact may slip out of the terminal body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsertion forceVSAvoidspring contact retention

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lock portion is preliminarily fixed to the female terminal body before the spring contact is inserted. This preliminary fixation creates a secure anchor point that prevents the spring contact from slipping out during insertion and operation, while still allowing the spring to extend rearward to reduce insertion force.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spring contact is nested within the male terminal receiving space of the female terminal body, with the lock portion fixed to the terminal body providing internal retention. This nested structure allows the spring contact to move freely within the receiving space during insertion while being securely retained by the lock portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 reduces the insertion force, enabling miniaturization and multipolarization of connectors, improving connection reliability and ease of terminal insertion/removal.

Implementation Method 1

a cylindrical spring contact which is received in the male terminal receiving space from a male terminal insertion side of the female terminal body (11), wherein lock portions formed at male terminal insertion-side end portions of the spring contact (13) are fixed to male terminal insertion-side end portions of the female terminal body (11)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9515403B2Female terminal assembly

Publication Date: 2016.12.06 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

A female terminal assembly includes: a female terminal body in which a male terminal receiving space is formed internally; and a cylindrical spring contact which is received in the male terminal receiving space from a male terminal insertion side of the female terminal body. A lock portion formed at a male terminal insertion-side end portion of the spring contact is fixed to a male terminal insertion-side end portion of the female terminal body.