Latching Spring Contact Structure for Higher Retention Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact devices with latching springs suffer from inadequate strength, stiffness, and retention issues, as well as unnecessary size, which affect their performance in securing contact elements within contact housings.
Innovation Solution
A contact device design featuring a contact housing with a latching receptacle and a latching spring that has an obliquely inclined stop face and an embossed portion, which enhances retention by distributing force effectively and preventing removal of the contact element, while maintaining a compact size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional latching springs are used, then the contact element can be secured within the contact housing, but the retention strength and stiffness are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The latching spring features a stop with an oblique face that contacts the latching receptacle at a specific angle, creating localized force concentration that enhances retention strength. The embossed portion adds local structural reinforcement to specific areas of the spring, improving overall stiffness without increasing the entire spring's size.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop is designed with an oblique angle relative to the spring axis, changing the geometric parameter of the contact surface. This angular configuration transforms the force vector during engagement, improving retention strength by distributing mechanical stress more effectively between the latching spring and receptacle.
2Strength
If conventional latching springs are used, then the contact element can be held in place, but the stiffness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
An embossed portion is added to the latching spring at a specific location, creating local structural reinforcement. This localized feature increases the moment of inertia in critical areas, thereby improving overall stiffness and structural stability without significantly increasing the spring's mass or volume.
3Strength
If conventional latching springs are used, then the contact element can be retained, but the size is unnecessarily large
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly increasing the size of the entire latching spring, the invention applies localized features (oblique stop face and embossed portion) only where needed to improve retention strength. This targeted approach enhances performance while maintaining a compact overall dimensions.
4Strength
If the latching spring has increased retention strength, then the contact element is securely retained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces minimal structural modifications to the latching spring - specifically an oblique face on the stop and an embossed portion - rather than fundamentally redesigning the entire spring mechanism. These localized changes achieve improved retention strength while adding only simple geometric features that do not significantly increase manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A contact device includes a contact housing and a contact element. The contact housing defines a contact receptacle and a latching receptacle opening into the contact receptacle. The contact element includes a contact body arranged within the contact receptacle and extending in a longitudinal direction and adapted to contact a mating contact of a mating contact device, and a latching spring connected to the contact body on a first end and extending along a spring axis into the latching receptacle. The latching spring has a stop inclining obliquely with respect to the spring axis and abutting a face of the latching receptacle and a recess formed through the latching spring at first distance from the stop face.