Insulation Displacement Contact Support Against Blade Spread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulation displacement contacts in electrical connectors face issues such as poor electrical connections due to blade spread when a cable is plugged in, and difficulty in assembling terminals into the connector housing due to increased width.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a terminal with an insulation displacement contact featuring first and second contact elements with blades that pierce the cable insulation, and a contact support that holds these elements together, resisting widening of the cable slot and ensuring reliable assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the blades are spread apart to receive the cable, then the cable can be plugged in, but the electrical connection becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The contact support applies preliminary counteracting force to prevent the blades from spreading apart when the cable is inserted. The support structure is designed to resist the outward force on the blades, maintaining their original position and ensuring reliable electrical connection while still allowing cable insertion.
2Ease of operation
If the blades are spread apart to receive the cable, then the cable can be plugged in, but the terminal width increases causing assembly difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The contact support provides preliminary resistance to blade spreading, preventing the terminal width from increasing during cable insertion. This allows the terminal to maintain its original compact dimensions suitable for housing assembly while still accommodating cable insertion through the controlled movement of the support structure.
3Reliability
If the contact support holds the blades together, then electrical connection is maintained, but the cable slot widening is resisted
Solution Approach 1:
The contact support is designed to apply preliminary counteracting force to prevent both blade spreading and cable slot widening simultaneously. The support structure resists the outward forces that would cause both issues, maintaining proper electrical connection and preventing harmful widening of the cable slot during cable insertion.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal includes a terminal body extending between a mating end and a terminating end. The mating end has a mating interface. The terminating end has an insulation displacement contact. The insulation displacement contact includes a first contact element having a first blade and a second contact element having a second blade. The first blade faces the second blade across a cable slot configured to receive a cable. The terminal includes a contact support extending along the insulation displacement contact. The contact support holds the first contact element relative to the second contact element.