Hyperbolic Contact Socket Geometry for Misalignment and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical sockets suffer from reduced performance and service life due to deformation of socket contacts, misalignment of mating pins, and skiving of pin surfaces, leading to suboptimal high current applications.
Innovation Solution
The design features a radially resilient electrical socket with hyperbolic geometry contact beams, made from copper or copper alloys, that are twisted to form a cylindrical body with contoured teardrop-shaped contact beams, providing increased radial resilience, low electrical resistance, and tolerance for misalignment and wear, allowing for high current applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional electrical socket designs are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the socket contacts deform and service life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming contact beams with a contoured middle section that curves inward to define a contact area. This curved geometry allows the contact beam to flex and conform to the mating pin, distributing contact forces and preventing deformation. The cylindrical body with curved contact surfaces replaces conventional flat or angular contact structures, enabling elastic deformation that extends service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by specifying that contact beams have a contoured middle section with specific geometric properties (curved inward to define contact area). The material properties are also optimized by using conductive materials with appropriate elasticity. These parameter changes enable the contact beam to deform elastically under load and return to its original shape, preventing permanent deformation and extending service life.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional electrical socket designs are used, then manufacturing is simple, but misalignment of mating pins occurs during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing contact beams that are resilient and capable of elastic deformation. When a mating pin is inserted with misalignment, the contact beam flexes dynamically to accommodate the offset, maintaining electrical contact without causing damage. This dynamic response allows the socket to adapt to various insertion conditions, providing tolerance for misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the contact beam by creating a contoured middle section that is thinner than the end sections. This parameter change creates a flexible region that can deform elastically to accommodate misalignment. The contoured geometry with reduced thickness in the middle section allows greater flexibility compared to uniform cross-section designs.
3Reliability
If conventional electrical socket designs are used, then the structure is straightforward, but skiving of the mating pin surface occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by designing the middle section of contact beams to curve inward, creating a rounded contact surface. This curved geometry distributes contact forces across a larger area of the mating pin surface, preventing concentrated stresses that cause skiving. The smooth curved profile reduces friction and wear during insertion and removal cycles, extending contact cycle life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the contoured shape of the contact beam middle section during manufacturing. This preliminary contouring creates the optimal contact geometry before use, ensuring that the contact beam will properly distribute forces and prevent skiving from the first insertion. The pre-formed curved surface is prepared in advance to mitigate wear issues.
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 enhances the contact cycle life, reduces electrical resistance, and extends the service life of the socket by distributing contact forces over a large surface area, preventing deformation and skiving, while maintaining high performance in high current applications.
Implementation Method 1
contact beams (110) extending between the first and second end rings (122, 124), each contact beam (110) comprising a middle section (130) and two end sections (132, 134), the middle section (130) being between the two end sections (132, 134)
Implementation Method 2
The design features a radially resilient electrical socket with hyperbolic geometry contact beams, made from copper or copper alloys, that are twisted to form a cylindrical body with contoured teardrop-shaped contact beams, providing increased radial resilience, low electrical resistance, and tolerance for misalignment and wear
Implementation Method 3
made from copper or copper alloys
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
An electrical socket and method of making an electrical socket. The socket has a cylindrical body defining a longitudinal axis and having opposite first and second end rings, a spaced contact beams, and an inner receiving area for accepting a mating pin. The first and second end rings being rotatably offset from one another with respect to the longitudinal axis, thereby twisting the contact beams into a hyperbolic geometry. Each beam has a middle section between first and second end sections and each contact beam has a generally teardrop shape. The middle section of each contact beam has a contour that defines an inner contact area such that the middle section extends further into the inner receiving area than the first and second end sections and such that the inner contact areas are positioned for contact with the mating pin when inserted into the inner receiving area.