Conductive Rubber Connector with Groove for Tilted Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing connector structures for devices like motors and inverters in hybrid or electric cars experience unreliable electrical connections due to non-uniform contact between terminals and conductive rubber, especially when assembly is slightly tilted, leading to impaired contact reliability.
Innovation Solution
A connector structure that incorporates conductive rubber with a resilient part featuring a groove on its outer circumference, a support part, and a seal part with a lip, which ensures uniform contact and sealing even during slight inclination, by being sandwiched between terminals and compressing to maintain stable posture and electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductive rubber is used to electrically connect terminals, then electrical connection is achieved, but contact reliability deteriorates when assembly is tilted due to non-uniform contact
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive rubber is designed with a resilient part that can dynamically deform and adapt to misalignment during assembly. The groove part in the resilient section allows the conductive rubber to flex and self-adjust, maintaining uniform contact between terminals even when assembly inclination occurs, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive rubber structure incorporates a groove part that changes the physical parameters of the material distribution. This groove design allows the conductive rubber to deform in a controlled manner, adjusting its contact parameters to maintain reliable electrical connection despite variations in assembly alignment
2Reliability
If conductive rubber is compressed between terminals, then electrical connection is established, but sealing performance deteriorates due to deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive rubber is segmented into distinct functional parts: a resilient part with a groove for electrical connection, and a separate seal part with a lip for sealing. This segmentation allows the electrical connection function and sealing function to be optimized independently, preventing moisture ingress while maintaining reliable electrical contact
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the conductive rubber have different local qualities: the resilient part has elasticity for compression and electrical contact, while the seal part has sealing properties with a lip structure. This local quality differentiation enables the same component to simultaneously achieve electrical connection and sealing without compromising either function
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
The connector structure enhances the reliability of electrical connections by ensuring uniform contact and sealing between terminals, maintaining connection stability and reliability even during slight misalignment during assembly, and providing effective sealing to prevent moisture ingress.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient part including a groove part formed on an outer circumference between the contact points so as to extend in a circumferential direction orthogonal to an axial direction connecting the end surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A connector structure includes a conductive rubber. The consecutive rubber is accommodated in an accommodating recess part of a first connector, and is configured to be sandwiched between a first terminal and a second terminal to electrically connect them when a first casing and a second casing are assembled so as to abut the first connector to a second connector. The conductive rubber includes both end surfaces which are contact points abutting against the first terminal and the second terminal, and a resilient part including a groove part formed on an outer circumference between the contact points so as to extend in a circumferential direction orthogonal to an axial direction connecting the end surfaces.