L-Shaped Plug Contact for Low-Height Reversible PCB Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug contacts and electrical connection terminals for circuit boards have a high overall height and are not easily reversible, requiring additional work steps and tools for connection and disconnection, which limits their flexibility and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
The design features angled contact legs with a first area parallel to the circuit board plane and a second area perpendicular to it, forming an L-shape, allowing for reduced overall height and enhanced elasticity, along with a wave-shaped or rounded outer contour for easy insertion and removal, and a spring-loaded clamping mechanism for easy conductor connection and disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If traditional straight contact legs are used, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the overall height of the plug contact becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The contact legs are bent into an L-shape with a first area extending parallel to the circuit board plane and a second area extending perpendicular to it, transitioning from a one-dimensional straight structure to a two-dimensional angled structure. This dimensional change allows the contact legs to engage with contact holes from an angled direction, significantly reducing the overall height of the plug contact while maintaining structural integrity and electrical functionality.
2Ease of operation
If soldering or press-fitting techniques are used, then permanent electrical contact is ensured, but the connection becomes irreversible and requires additional work steps and tools
Solution Approach 1:
The plug contact employs resilient contact legs with elastic properties that enable dynamic engagement and disengagement. The contact legs can be elastically deformed during insertion into contact holes and return to their original position, creating a reversible mechanical connection. This dynamic characteristic allows the connection to be made and broken easily by hand without requiring soldering tools or complex press-fitting equipment, while still ensuring reliable electrical contact during use.
3Ease of operation
If the contact legs are made resilient, then ease of insertion and removal is improved, but the structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The contact leg is divided into distinct functional areas: a first area extending parallel to the circuit board plane providing structural support and stability, and a second area extending perpendicular to the plane providing resilient engagement capability. This segmentation allows different portions of the same component to fulfill conflicting requirements - the first area maintains structural integrity while the second area provides elastic deformation for easy insertion and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the contact leg are designed with different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The first area is designed for structural stability and rigidity, while the second area is designed for elasticity and resilience. This local differentiation of material properties or geometric characteristics allows the contact leg to simultaneously achieve both structural stability and ease of operation.
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 reduces the overall height of the plug contact and terminal, facilitates easy assembly and disassembly by hand, and ensures a secure, reversible electrical connection with minimal damage to the circuit board, while maintaining low contact resistance.
Implementation Method 1
two contact legs (4, 5) that are resilient relative to one another
Implementation Method 2
a clamping spring (12) with a clamping leg (13) and a contact leg (14)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a plug contact (1) for electrically contacting a circuit board (2) by means of insertion of the plug contact (1) into a contact hole (3) of the circuit board (2), having two contact arms (4, 5) which are sprung relative to one another, a terminal region (6), and a connection region (7) connecting the two contact arms (4, 5) to one another and to the terminal region (6), wherein the plug contact (1) is stamped out in one piece from a metallic flat material. As a result, the plug contact (1) according to the invention only has a small overall height, and the two contact arms (4, 5) each have a first region (4a, 5a) and a second region (4b, 5b) which are arranged at an angle α relative to one another, such that the two contact arms (4, 5) are bent approximately in an L shape, wherein the two first regions (4a, 5a) adjoin the connection zone (7) and the ends of the two second regions (4b, 5b) form the free ends (4c, 5c) of the contact arms (4, 5).