Flat Connector Terminal Design for High Current Manufacturing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for female terminals, which involves forming a rectangular tube shape by press-working, becomes impractical as the plate thickness of the metal material increases with higher currents, making it difficult to produce such terminals effectively.
Innovation Solution
A connector design that allows for a plate-like mating terminal to be inserted into a housing with a spring portion, eliminating the need for a tubular shape, and featuring a spring portion with pressing portions to ensure high contact pressure and electrical connection, even with increased plate thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the plate thickness of the terminal is increased to handle larger currents, then the current carrying capacity is improved, but the terminal cannot be manufactured by conventional press-working processes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming a thick plate into a tubular shape through press-working (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by using a plate-like terminal that maintains its flat shape and achieves connection through sandwiching between pressing portions. This eliminates the manufacturing difficulty while preserving current carrying capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the terminal from a tubular form to a plate-like form, and modifies the connection mechanism from internal sandwiching within a tube to external sandwiching by pressing portions. This parameter change enables manufacturing of thick terminals that cannot be formed by conventional press-working.
2Strength
If a tubular shape is used for the terminal, then the structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional design by abandoning the tubular shape and using a plate-like terminal. The structural integrity is maintained through the spring portion's pressing action rather than through tubular geometry, thereby simplifying manufacturing while preserving strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential function of the tubular shape (providing structural support) and separates it from the terminal body. The spring portion provides the necessary structural support and pressing force, allowing the terminal to be a simple plate-like form without complex forming processes.
3Reliability
If the terminal is formed into a rectangular tube shape, then the connection structure is improved, but the manufacturing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming a complex tubular structure to achieve reliable connection, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple plate-like terminal with a spring portion that provides reliable connection through pressing. This reduces manufacturing steps and time while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring portion serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, applies pressing force for electrical connection, and compensates for dimensional variations. This self-service capability simplifies the overall structure and reduces manufacturing complexity while ensuring reliable connection.
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
Enables easy manufacturing of terminals without the need for a tubular shape, maintains consistent contact area and pressure, and suppresses sudden increases in contact resistance and heat generation, ensuring reliable electrical connection.
Implementation Method 1
a spring portion (80) to be held in the housing (40), the mating terminal inserted into the insertion opening and the connection terminal being sandwiched by the spring portion
Data Source
AI summary
A connector 10 disclosed by this specification is a connector 10 into which a plate-like mating terminal 100 is insertable and is provided with a plate-like connection terminal 20, a spring portion 80, and a housing 40 including an insertion opening into which the mating terminal 100 is inserted, the spring portion 80 being held in the housing 40. The mating terminal 100 inserted into the insertion opening and the connection terminal 20 are sandwiched by the spring portion 80.