High-Voltage Connector Housing That Eliminates Triple Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-voltage applications, the formation of triple points between conductors, solid dielectrics, and gaseous dielectrics leads to connection failures due to discharge events, which existing connector devices fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A connector device design that eliminates triple points by ensuring a gas-free environment between conductive and dielectric components, using a housing with a dielectric cover and base that mate to create a closed, air-free space, and optionally employing grease reservoirs to fill potential air cavities during closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional connector designs are used with open or partially enclosed housings, then ease of manufacture and assembly is improved, but triple points form between conductors, dielectrics, and air leading to discharge events and connection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the inert environment principle by creating a gas-free enclosed housing that excludes air from the connector interface. The housing is designed with a closed structure where the cover and base mate to form a sealed environment, eliminating the gaseous dielectric (air) that would otherwise form triple points with conductors and solid dielectrics. This prevents discharge events and improves connection reliability in high-voltage applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing air from the connector housing environment. The closed housing structure actively excludes atmospheric air from the internal cavity, thereby eliminating the harmful gaseous component that would participate in triple point formation. This extraction of the harmful element (air) directly prevents discharge events while maintaining structural feasibility.
2Reliability
If a closed gas-free housing is implemented to eliminate triple points, then discharge events are prevented and connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the preliminary action principle by pre-configuring the housing with integrated sealing elements and alignment features during manufacturing. The cover and base are designed with built-in sealing structures that ensure gas-free enclosure upon assembly, eliminating the need for post-assembly sealing operations. This preliminary incorporation of sealing functionality reduces the precision demands during final assembly while maintaining the gas-free environment necessary for reliability.
3Reliability
If grease reservoirs are added to fill air cavities during closure, then triple points are eliminated and discharge events are prevented, but device complexity and manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the self-service principle by incorporating grease reservoirs that automatically dispense grease during the housing closure process. The reservoirs are positioned and designed to release grease that fills air cavities and excludes gas from the connector interface without requiring external intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for separate manual greasing steps, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while ensuring reliable gas-free enclosure.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector device for connecting a cable includes a housing and a contacting element. The housing has a cover formed of a dielectric cover wall material and a base formed of a dielectric base wall material. The cover and the base are mated in a closed state of the housing and receive an end portion of the cable that has an electrically conductive portion. The contacting element electrically contacts the electrically conductive portion of the cable in the closed state of the housing. The housing is substantially gas-free in the closed state between the electrically conductive portion of the cable and the dielectric cover wall material, the electrically conductive portion of the cable and the dielectric base wall material, the contacting element and the dielectric cover wall material, and the contacting element and the dielectric base wall material.