Heater Connector Spring Contact Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceramic heaters with reduced substrate thickness face challenges in maintaining satisfactory contact pressure between spring contacts and electrodes, leading to unreliable electrical connections.
Innovation Solution
The design of an electrical connector with spring contacts positioned differently on each side of the substrate, allowing for resilient bending and maintaining contact pressure without interference, even with thinner heaters, ensuring reliable electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the ceramic substrate thickness is reduced to decrease thermal capacity, then the heater size is reduced, but the contact pressure between spring contacts and electrodes becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the first and second spring contacts at different locations in the widthwise direction (lateral dimension) rather than stacking them vertically. This dimensional rearrangement allows both contacts to engage electrodes on opposite surfaces of the thin substrate simultaneously, maintaining adequate contact pressure despite reduced substrate thickness. The spring contacts are disposed at positions different as seen in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, enabling independent engagement without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring contacts are designed with elastic properties to provide resilient bending force. This dynamic characteristic allows the spring contacts to maintain constant contact pressure with the electrodes even when the substrate thickness varies, compensating for the reduced thermal mass of thinner substrates through continuous elastic deformation.
2Reliability
If spring contacts are positioned on both sides of the substrate, then electrical connection is achieved, but contact pressure becomes insufficient with thin substrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contact pressure issue by distributing spring contacts laterally across the substrate width rather than concentrating them vertically. The first spring contact engages the first electrode on one surface while the second spring contact engages the second electrode on the opposite surface, with both contacts positioned at different lateral locations. This spatial distribution maintains sufficient contact pressure for each individual connection despite the thin substrate providing less mechanical leverage.
Solution Approach 2:
Each spring contact is independently positioned and configured to apply localized contact pressure to its respective electrode. The first spring contact is optimized for engaging the first electrode while the second spring contact is optimized for the second electrode, allowing each contact to maintain adequate force independently rather than sharing a single contact point.
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 ensures consistent and reliable electrical connections by maintaining a preset amount of contact pressure between the spring contacts and electrodes, preventing contact failure and allowing for reduced heater size without compromising performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode
Data Source
AI summary
An image fixing apparatus includes a heater including a substrate, a first electrode provided on one side of the substrate and a second electrode provided on the other side of the substrate; and a connector, connected with the heater, for receiving electric power, the connector including an electrically insulative housing, and a contact terminal provided inside the housing and having first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode, wherein the first spring contact and the second spring contact are disposed at positions different as seen in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate.