Low cost, high reliability sliding power connectror
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sliding power connectors in electronic systems face challenges in cost reduction, reliability improvement, and flexibility enhancement, particularly in maintaining power supply during drawer operation in equipment racks.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a conductive base with integral contact fingers and tracks, along with optional tails and tabs, to form a cost-effective sliding power connector that maintains power supply across various positions, including when the drawer is opened or closed, by using a sheet of metal for manufacturing and eliminating the need for a connector housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sliding power connectors are used, then power supply is maintained during drawer operation, but manufacturing cost increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the connector housing, contact fingers, and mounting structure into a single integrated component. The connector body serves multiple functions: it houses the contact fingers, provides structural support, and eliminates the need for separate housing and mounting brackets, thereby reducing part count and improving reliability while lowering manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design incorporates universal features that allow it to function in multiple positions (drawer closed, open, and intermediate positions). The spring-loaded contact fingers and track geometry are designed to maintain electrical contact across the full range of motion, making the connector universally applicable throughout the drawer's operational cycle.
2Ease of manufacture
If connector housing is eliminated to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contact fingers are pre-formed with built-in spring tension and pre-positioned alignment features during the stamping process. The spring fingers are pre-curved to the correct arc radius, and the mounting tabs are pre-formed with precise geometry, ensuring that alignment is achieved through the forming process itself rather than requiring post-assembly adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated connector design uses self-aligning features where the track geometry and contact finger mounting points are designed to automatically position components correctly during assembly. The spring-loaded contact fingers self-adjust to maintain optimal contact pressure and alignment with the bus bar, eliminating the need for precision adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If contact fingers are made more resilient to maintain contact pressure, then power connection stability improves, but wear on bus bar surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact fingers are designed with non-uniform cross-sections that concentrate the contact force on specific localized areas of the bus bar surface. The finger geometry varies along its length, with thicker sections providing structural support and thinner sections at the contact point to concentrate force, thereby stabilizing the electrical connection while limiting wear to small, manageable areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring finger design allows the contact pressure to dynamically adjust based on the drawer position and bus bar alignment. As the drawer moves, the spring fingers flex to maintain optimal contact force, automatically compensating for variations in positioning and ensuring stable power connection throughout the operational range without excessive wear.
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 solution reduces wear on bus bar surfaces, extends the operational cycles of the drawer, and maintains a stable power connection over a longer sliding range, enhancing reliability and flexibility while minimizing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient power connection... spring fingers that mate with bus bars carrying power
Implementation Method 2
contact surfaces of the plurality of contact fingers... in contact with the bus bar sliding in the track
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic assembly with a first substrate and electrical connector terminals mounted on the first substrate. The electrical connector terminals have contact fingers and tracks. A bus bar may be aligned by the tracks such that contact surfaces on the contact fingers press against contact surfaces on the bus bar. The bus bar may slide in the tracks such that, when the bus bar is mounted in an electronic system including the electronic assembly, the electrical connector terminals enable the electronic assembly to slide relative to the bus bar. The electronic system may be implemented as a rack, and the electronic assembly may be or include a printed circuit board on which the electrical connector terminals are mounted. The printed circuit board may be slid in and out of the rack while power is supplied from the bus bar to components on the printed circuit board.