Female Terminal Spring Structure for High Contact Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional female terminals for high-voltage applications, such as in hybrid or electric vehicles, require a large number of components and increased plate thickness to achieve high contact pressure, which complicates the manufacturing process and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A female terminal design featuring a pair of connecting portions with a spring member sandwiched between them, allowing for large contact pressure without the need for additional components like cases and coil springs, and incorporating stopper protrusions to stabilize the connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a pressing portion, coil spring, and case are added to achieve high contact pressure, then the contact pressure between male and female terminals is improved, but the number of components increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pressing portion, coil spring, and case into a unified structure where the case serves as the positioning and holding structure for the spring and pressing portion, eliminating the need for separate components. The pressing portion is directly formed on the case, merging multiple functions into fewer parts while maintaining high contact pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The case serves multiple functions: it positions the coil spring, holds the pressing portion, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated components, simplifying the overall structure while ensuring stable high contact pressure.
2Quantity of substance
If the plate thickness of the connecting portion is increased to conduct large current, then the current conduction capability is improved, but the processability of the connecting portion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting portion is divided into a pair of thinner plates instead of using a single thick plate. This segmentation allows each plate to be processed more easily while collectively providing sufficient current conduction capability through the combined cross-sectional area of both plates.
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 number of components, simplifies assembly, and improves processability while maintaining high contact pressure and stability, allowing for efficient current conduction with reduced plate thickness.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member held on the pair of connecting portions while sandwiching the pair of connecting portions, the spring member biasing the pair of connecting portions in mutually approaching directions
Data Source
AI summary
A female terminal is provided with a pair of connecting portions arranged to face each other across a male terminal insertion gap, a spring member held on the pair of connecting portions while sandwiching the pair of connecting portions and configured to bias the pair of connecting portions in mutually approaching directions along a facing direction, and a stopper protrusion projecting on at least one of the pair of connecting portions and configured to come into contact with the other of the pair of connecting portions to hold the male terminal insertion gap by restricting displacements of the pair of connecting portions in the approaching directions. Displacements in separating directions of the pair of connecting portions are allowed against a biasing force of the spring member, whereby a male terminal is press-fit into the male terminal insertion gap and disposed between the pair of connecting portions.