High-Current Contact Assembly With Elastic Tongues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact assemblies are not suitable for high current applications, particularly in electrically driven turbo-chargers for combustion engines, as they fail to provide a reliable and low-cost connection between a circuit board and a conductor rod, especially under high currents and voltages.
Innovation Solution
A contact assembly using elastically deformable tongues to establish a well-defined contact area with a conductor rod, where the receiving member is a one-piece sheet metal part with a base ring and tongues, connected to the circuit board via soldering, and a conductor rod with a constant cross-section, optimized for high current transmission and mechanical support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a solid square block with press-fitted legs is used to connect the conductor rod to the circuit board, then the mechanical connection is simple, but the contact area is insufficient for high current applications
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving member is segmented into multiple elastically deformable tongues (at least three) that protrude from the base ring. Each tongue provides an independent contact surface with the conductor rod, collectively creating a sufficient total contact area for high current transmission while maintaining mechanical reliability through distributed contact points.
2Reliability
If existing contact designs are used, then the manufacturing cost is low, but the connection is not reliable for high current applications
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving member merges multiple functions into a single one-piece sheet metal component: mechanical support through the base ring, electrical contact through multiple tongues, and circuit board attachment through contact tabs. This integration maintains manufacturing simplicity and low cost while achieving reliable high-current connection through the combined functionality of all elements.
3Reliability
If multiple contact points are used to increase contact area, then the current transmission capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple contact points are achieved by forming multiple tongues from a single one-piece sheet metal receiving member. The tongues are integrally formed with the base ring, eliminating the need for separate components or complex assembly procedures. This maintains structural simplicity while providing sufficient contact area for high current transmission.
4Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece sheet metal receiving member is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the contact area may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The one-piece sheet metal receiving member is designed with multiple elastically deformable tongues that segment the contact interface. Each tongue provides an independent contact surface with the conductor rod, and the cumulative contact area of all tongues satisfies high current transmission requirements while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of a single-formed 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
The solution enables reliable and efficient high current transmission with low resistance, mechanical support, and resistance to thermal stress, suitable for applications like electrically driven turbo-chargers, with a reduced assembly height and minimized power loss, while maintaining a low cost and high reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of tongues (5) are elastically deformable and abut against the conductor rod (1) with an elastic force
Implementation Method 2
a contact assembly for high current applications... reliable and efficient high current transmission with low resistance
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Contact assembly for high-current applications, comprising an electric circuit board (3); a non-flexible conductor rod (1) protruding in a longitudinal direction, the conductor rod (1) transmitting an electric current of more than 30 Ampere, in particular more than 50 Ampere, between the circuit board (3) and an electric device; and a receiving member (2), the receiving member (2) being fixed to the circuit board (3); wherein the receiving member (2) holds the conductor rod (1) and transmits the current between the conductor rod (1) and the circuit board (3); wherein the receiving member (2) comprises a plurality of elastically deformable tongues (5), the tongues (5) being arranged circumferentially about the conductor rod (1) and providing for a mechanical support as well as an electric contact between the conductor rod (1) and the receiving member (2).