Integrated Bus Bar Socket Contact for Low Resistance Power Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power distribution systems in high current electrical systems, such as those in aircraft, require fastened joints for connecting bus bars to switches, which are cumbersome and require disassembly for maintenance, and lack efficient methods to minimize electrical resistance.
Innovation Solution
A bus bar design with a socket contact that directly connects to the distribution portion without intervening joints, featuring an L-shaped body with angled supply and distribution portions, and integrated standoffs for mounting to printed wiring boards, allowing for electrical communication without fasteners and reduced electrical resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fastened joints are used to connect bus bar to switches, then joint tightness can be controlled and monitored, but assembly and disassembly are required which reduces productivity and increases maintenance time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the fastener joint from the electrical connection path by integrating the socket contact directly into the bus bar body. This extraction eliminates the need for separate fastening operations while maintaining electrical connectivity, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing joint tightness control.
Solution Approach 2:
The socket contact is merged with the bus bar to form an integrated single piece. This combining eliminates the interface between separate components (bus bar and fastener), removing the need for assembly and disassembly operations while preserving the electrical connection's reliability and tightness.
2Reliability
If fastened joints are used to connect bus bar to switches, then joint resistance can be controlled through fastener tightness, but the complexity of assembly and disassembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener joint is extracted from the system, eliminating the complex assembly and disassembly procedures. The socket contact is directly integrated into the bus bar, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining the ability to control electrical connection quality through the direct metal-to-metal contact.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional bus bar design with separate socket contact is used, then manufacturing is straightforward, but electrical resistance between supply plug and distribution portion is higher due to intervening joint
Solution Approach 1:
The socket contact and bus bar are merged into a single integrated component. This eliminates the intervening joint portion that caused higher electrical resistance, creating a continuous conductive path from the supply plug through the bus bar to the distribution portion, thereby reducing electrical resistance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through monolithic fabrication.
4Strength
If fasteners are used for mounting bus bar to PWB, then secure mechanical connection is achieved, but additional weight and complexity are added
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting standoffs are integrated directly into the bus bar body, eliminating separate fastener components. This merging reduces the overall weight of the assembly while maintaining secure mechanical connection strength through the monolithic structure that combines electrical conduction and mechanical mounting functions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A bus bar (100) for a printed wiring board assembly has a distribution portion (104) and a supply portion (106). The supply portion (106) has a socket contact (102) that is in electrical communication with the distribution portion (104) without an intervening joint portion (110) to limit electrical resistance between a supply plug (310) seated in the socket contact (102) and the distribution portion (104) of the bus bar (100). Printed wiring board assemblies, power distribution assemblies, and methods of making printed distribution assemblies are also described.