Flexible Power Connector Stacked Strips

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional power connectors in high power electronics suffer from high inductive and conductive losses due to their design, which is not optimized for advanced high switching speed semiconductors, leading to increased costs and complexity, especially when handling high currents and frequencies.

Innovation Solution

A flexible power connector design featuring a stacked structure with alternating insulating and conducting strips, where the strips are disposed parallel and proximate to each other, minimizing separation and thus reducing inductive losses, and incorporating peripheral insulating layers to further reduce electrical losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If conventional two-pole male component is used with wide gaps between poles, then the connector structure is simple, but inductive losses and parasitic inductance increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinductive lossesVSAvoidconnector structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single male component is segmented into multiple poles (at least three poles) with narrow gaps between them, arranged in a specific geometric configuration. This segmentation allows the connector to achieve lower parasitic inductance and reduced inductive losses while maintaining structural simplicity through the integrated single-component design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If conventional two-mating-component design is used, then the connector is easy to manufacture, but cost and complexity increase substantially

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the traditional male and female components into a single integrated male component with multiple poles. This consolidation reduces the number of parts, simplifies assembly, and lowers cost while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard fabrication processes for multi-pole connectors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of energy

If wide gaps between poles are used in conventional connectors, then the connector is easier to assemble, but conductive losses and contact resistance increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconductive lossesVSAvoidassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connector employs narrow gaps between adjacent poles in specific locations where electrical contact occurs, optimizing local electrical properties to reduce contact resistance and conductive losses. The geometric configuration of multiple poles with controlled gap dimensions ensures proper alignment and contact during assembly while minimizing resistive losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8622754B2Flexible power connector

Publication Date: 2014.01.07 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

A flexible power connector is presented. An embodiment of a flexible power connector includes a stacked structure having one or more insulating strips alternatingly arranged with a plurality of conducting strips, wherein the one or more insulating strips are interposed between the plurality of conducting strips to insulate each conducting strip from the other conducting strip in the stacked structure, and wherein the plurality of conducting strips is disposed parallel and proximate to each other to reduce electrical losses in the stacked structure