Flexible Lever Arm Contact Structure for Compact Electrical Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face challenges in achieving a sufficient normal force for electrical connections between contacts without consuming excessive space, leading to larger device sizes or reduced functionality.
Innovation Solution
The development of contact structures featuring movable conductive contacts supported by flexible lever arms and nonconductive housings, which provide a minimal volume and surface area footprint while ensuring adequate normal force through mechanisms like riveting, soldering, and spring-biased designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contacts have substantial depth to provide sufficient normal force, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure employs flexible lever arms that can dynamically deflect and return to their original position. This dynamic flexibility allows the contacts to provide sufficient normal force through elastic deformation rather than requiring substantial static depth, thereby maintaining electrical connection reliability while reducing device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the contact structure by using materials with specific elastic properties and designing lever arms with optimized dimensions. The flexible lever arms are made from materials that provide adequate elasticity to generate sufficient normal force during contact, allowing the structure to be more compact while maintaining connection reliability.
2Force
If contacts have substantial depth to ensure good electrical connection, then contact force is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure is segmented into distinct functional components: flexible lever arms for force application, contacting portions for electrical connection, and barbs for securing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and manufactured using simpler processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining sufficient contact force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin, flexible lever arms made from compliant materials to generate the necessary contact force. These flexible components can be manufactured using simpler processes such as stamping or injection molding, avoiding the need for complex deep-drawing or multi-step forming operations required for substantial-depth contacts.
3Reliability
If contacts are made of material providing low resistance and low corrosion, then electrical conductivity is improved, but manufacturing flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact structure uses composite material construction where contacting portions are made from materials optimized for electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance (such as copper alloys or plated materials), while flexible lever arms are made from materials optimized for mechanical flexibility and fatigue resistance. This composite approach allows each component to be manufactured using processes suitable for its specific material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the contact structure into contacting portions and flexible lever arms that can be made from different materials, the patent enables independent optimization of electrical properties and mechanical properties. The contacting portions can be plated or treated for conductivity, while the lever arms can be chosen for flexibility, and both can be manufactured using appropriate processes for their respective material requirements.
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
These contact structures enable efficient electrical connections with minimal space consumption, supporting various electronic devices and interfaces such as USB, HDMI, and others, while maintaining reliability and durability.
Implementation Method 1
Each contact may be a spring-biased contact
Implementation Method 2
Force may be applied to the narrowed tail causing it to expand outward, for example in a riveting process
Data Source
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AI summary
Contact structures that are readily manufactured, where contacts in the contact structures provide a sufficient normal force while consuming a minimal amount of surface area, depth, and volume in an electronic device.