Helical Spring Contact Element for High-Current Connector Vibration Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-current connectors used in motor vehicles and hybrid drives face challenges in maintaining reliable electrical contact and preventing wear under mechanical vibrations, especially when transmitting high electrical currents.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates helical springs as contact elements, aligned parallel to each other, which provide a large contact area and radial contact pressure, along with a holding element to secure the springs in place, ensuring stable electrical and mechanical connection without significant wear, even under high vibration loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional contact elements are used in high-current connectors, then the structure is simple, but the electrical contact reliability deteriorates under mechanical vibrations and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The contact element is designed as a helical spring that can dynamically adapt its shape and contact pressure in response to vibrations and wear. The spring's elastic deformation allows it to maintain reliable electrical contact despite mechanical stresses, transforming a static contact structure into a dynamic one that self-adjusts to maintain connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the contact element by using a helical spring geometry instead of a rigid structure. This enables the contact element to vary its contact pressure and deformation characteristics, allowing it to accommodate vibrations and wear while maintaining electrical conductivity and contact reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple contact points are increased to improve current transmission, then the total contact area increases, but the device complexity and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The helical spring contact element is segmented into multiple turns, where each turn acts as an individual contact point. This segmentation allows the spring to distribute electrical current across multiple contact points along its length, increasing the total contact area and current transmission capability while maintaining a compact structure that does not significantly increase installation space.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing contact area in a planar direction, the invention utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the helical spring. The multiple turns of the spring create contact points distributed along its length, effectively using the third dimension to increase total contact area without proportionally increasing the device's footprint or installation space requirements.
3Reliability
If rigid contact elements are used, then the manufacturing is simple, but the contact pressure cannot be maintained under vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the mechanical parameters of the contact element from rigid to elastic by using a helical spring design. This allows the contact element to maintain stable contact pressure under vibrations through elastic deformation, while the spring geometry can be manufactured using standard spring-making processes, keeping manufacturing complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact element combines electrical conductivity with elastic properties by using conductive spring material. This composite functionality integrates both the electrical conduction required for current transmission and the mechanical elasticity needed to maintain contact pressure under vibrations, achieving dual functionality in a single manufacturable component.
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 configuration ensures reliable transmission of high electrical currents with minimal wear, effective vibration damping, and a simple assembly process, maintaining contact integrity even under mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
a helical spring, which is elastically deformable in the radial direction or in the direction perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the helical spring and thus provides a corresponding contact pressure in the radial direction
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a high-current plug-in connector for transmitting electrical currents, comprising a housing (10) made of electrically conducting material, wherein said housing is designed to mechanically and electrically connect to a cable, has at least one open side (14) for inserting a mating plug-in connector (12) made of an electrically conducting material, and forms a chamber for accommodating the mating plug-in connector (12), and at least one contact element (18), which is arranged on the housing (10) and designed in such a way that the contact element establishes an electrical contact having a contact area and a contact pressure between the housing (10) and a mating plug-in connector (12) inserted into the housing (10), wherein the contact element (18) is designed as a coil spring.