Insulation Displacement Contact Housing for Heavy Component Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical devices with insulation displacement contacts face challenges in securely mounting and reliably connecting large and heavy electrical components, especially under mechanical stress from vibrations or accelerations, leading to potential detachment or electrical disconnection.

Innovation Solution

The housing features a receiving chamber that encloses the lateral surface of the component, with a radially pivotable locking clip and insulation displacement contacts aligned with press-in contacts, allowing for secure mechanical and electrical connection, including resilient projections for vibration damping and a latching mechanism for axial stability, and double insulation displacement areas for enhanced electrical contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If plastic tabs are used to hold electrical components, then the components can be mechanically mounted, but heavy components can become detached or shift under mechanical loads such as vibrations or accelerations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical holding strengthVSAvoidcomponent stability under vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple receiving chambers, each capable of independently holding a component. This segmentation allows for distributed mechanical support and reduces the load on any single mounting point, improving overall reliability under vibration and acceleration forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The insulation displacement contact is nested within the receiving chamber structure, with the contact element positioned to engage with the component while being supported by the housing structure. This nested arrangement provides both mechanical holding and electrical connection through a single integrated structure, enhancing both strength and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of manufacture

If insulation displacement contacts are pushed into retaining pockets, then electrical connection can be made, but the connection is mechanically stressed under heavy component loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of electrical connectionVSAvoidelectrical connection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical holding function and electrical connection function are merged into a single integrated structure. The insulation displacement contact is positioned within the receiving chamber such that it provides both electrical connection to the component and mechanical support through its integration with the housing structure, eliminating the separate retaining pocket structure and reducing mechanical stress on the electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulation displacement contact acts as an intermediary element between the component and the housing structure. It provides electrical connection while its integration with the receiving chamber structure distributes mechanical loads, preventing direct stress on the electrical connection points and improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the component is pushed axially into the receiving chamber, then the component can be inserted, but tolerance-related distances cause instability under vibration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of component insertionVSAvoidpositional accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The insulation displacement contact incorporates resilient or flexible elements that can dynamically adapt to tolerance variations in component positioning. This dynamic capability allows the contact to maintain reliable electrical connection and mechanical support despite axial tolerance-related distances, while still enabling easy insertion of the component into the receiving chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 secure mechanical mounting and reliable electrical connection of heavy components, maintaining contact integrity under mechanical loads and providing a single-step connection to the printed circuit board with low contact resistance.

Implementation Method 1

these resilient projections act as vibration dampers for the component

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

the latching clip springs back and thus secures the component axially in the receiving chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

the insulation displacement contact at least has an insulation displacement area whose opening direction is aligned in the extension direction of the press-in contacts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical fastening: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentEP2356891B1Electrical appliance
Publication Date: 2012.09.05 KOSTAL KONTAKT SYSTEME GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2356891B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2356891B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2356891B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electrical appliance is described having a housing and having a printed circuit board which is held mechanically on the housing by means of insulation-displacement terminal contents which are joined in the housing, and having at least one electrical or electronic component which is held mechanically on the housing, and at least one of whose connections is electrically connected via an insulation-displacement terminal contact to the printed circuit board, wherein the housing has at least one integrally formed insert for holding the insulation-displacement terminal contact, wherein the housing forms a holding chamber for mechanically holding the component, which holding chamber completely surrounds the envelope surface of the component, at least in places, and wherein a latching clip which can pivot radially fixes the component, which has been inserted into the holding chamber, in the axial direction.