Flanged Insulating Sleeve Electrical Bridge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electrical connection bridges are costly to manufacture and prone to loss due to their independent storage, requiring complex machining and handling operations, and lack integrated safety features to prevent electrical shock.
Innovation Solution
A connection bridge with two insulating sleeves, one flanged and one unflanged, where the flanged sleeve is locked within a connection block to prevent exit and allows rotation for bridging, while the unflanged sleeve can exit for standard socket compatibility, ensuring the bridge is always available and securely housed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional cylindrical connection pins are used, then the connection bridge can be manufactured, but complex machining operations are required increasing manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The connection bridge is divided into separate components: connection pins and insulating sleeves. The pins are stamped from conductive material rather than machined from solid bar, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining electrical conductivity function.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection bridge combines conductive material (stamped pins) with insulating material (cylindrical sleeves) into a composite structure. This allows the conductive elements to be manufactured by cost-effective stamping while the insulating sleeves provide necessary electrical isolation, eliminating the need for expensive machining operations.
2Reliability
If connection bridges are stored independently, then they are available for use, but there is a risk they get lost
Solution Approach 1:
The connection bridge components (pins and insulating sleeves) are integrated into the connection block housing. The insulating sleeves are retained within the connection block by retaining means, ensuring the bridges remain with the equipment and cannot be lost while still being accessible for operation.
3Device complexity
If no insulating body is provided, then the connection bridge structure is simpler, but there is risk of electrical shock
Solution Approach 1:
Cylindrical insulating sleeves are provided for each connection pin. These sleeves are made of insulating material and are retained within the connection block, providing electrical isolation between the conductive pins and the user's hand, thereby preventing electrical shock while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
4Reliability
If the flanged sleeve cannot exit the housing, then the bridge is securely stored, but it cannot be rotated to establish connection
Solution Approach 1:
The flanged insulating sleeve is designed with a flange that engages with the housing to prevent complete removal, yet allows rotational movement within the housing. This dynamic design enables the sleeve to rotate and bring the connection pins into contact with adjacent connection blocks while remaining securely retained in the housing.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(c)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
Electrical connection bridge (10) comprising two interconnected pins (16) and two insulating sleeves (11, 13) which respectively surround the two pins (16), such that one of said sleeves (11) is provided at its front end with at least one flange portion (12) to prevent the exit of said sleeve from its housing in a connection block (20). When said connection bridge (10) is mounted in a connection block (20), then, once the flanged sleeve (11) has been introduced in its housing, the flange (12) allows the flanged sleeve to rotate and slide but prevents it to be extracted from said housing. The connection bridge provides a bridging with another adjacent connection block, whereby the connection bridge is usually transversal and is incorporated in the first connection block.