Grounding Busbar with Resilient Latching Tongues

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing earth collectors lack a mechanism to securely hold a 1DA protective plug on a distribution strip without any latching means, leading to instability and potential disconnection.

Innovation Solution

The earth collector features a base with resilient plug-in tongues acting as fork contacts, equipped with latching means such as holes for nubs from the protective plug, and a design that allows mechanical fixation over domes on the distribution strip, ensuring secure attachment of the protective plug.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the distribution strip has no latching means, then the device complexity is reduced, but the protective plug cannot be securely held leading to instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidconnection stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of equipping the distribution strip with latching means to secure the protective plug, the invention inverts the approach by integrating latching means (holes for nubs) directly onto the common ground itself. This allows the common ground to actively latch the protective plug without requiring the distribution strip to have complex latching mechanisms, thus maintaining simplicity while ensuring secure connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If the common ground has latching means integrated, then the connection stability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the latching function with the common ground structure by integrating holes for receiving nubs directly into the common ground body. This combination allows the common ground to simultaneously perform its electrical grounding function and provide mechanical latching, eliminating the need for separate latching components and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This solution provides a stable and secure locking mechanism for the 1DA protective plug on the distribution strip, preventing disconnection and ensuring reliable electrical grounding.

Implementation Method 1

The insertion tongues are designed to be resilient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The base below each insertion tongue is designed with at least one latching means, which is designed in such a way that it creates a latching connection with a latching means of a protective plug

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Fastening: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentEP3087641B1Grounding busbar

Publication Date: 2021.03.10 COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC

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AI summary

The invention relates to a grounding busbar (1) for a switching strip or separating strip in telecommunications and data technology, comprising a base (2), on which insertion pins (13) corresponding to the number of twin wires to be connected are arranged, each insertion pin being insertable in an insertion channel of a safety plug (20), and at least one ground contact (7) via which the grounding busbar (1) can be connected to ground, the insertion pins (13) being resilient, and the base (2) having, below each insertion pin (13), at least one detent means.