Modular Auxiliary Switch with Selectively Mounted Gold-Plated Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional contactor auxiliary switches on printed circuit boards face challenges in achieving the required gold over silver plating for current levels across the 10 mA to 5 A range, as existing electro-plating options are not available for this specific application.
Innovation Solution
A modular auxiliary switch design featuring a housing with a printed circuit board and a selectively mounted trifurcated electrical contactor with gold over silver plating, allowing for configuration as normally open, normally closed, or single pole double throw switches, utilizing a solenoid-driven actuator mechanism and pre-electroplated contacts to meet current requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electro-plating is used on printed circuit board contacts, then current handling capability can be improved, but manufacturing availability deteriorates because gold over silver plating is not currently available for PCB contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contact system is segmented into two separate components: the printed circuit board with contact pads and a separate electrical contactor with pre-applied gold over silver plating. This allows the contactor to be manufactured with the required plating in a controlled environment and then selectively mounted to the PCB, resolving the contradiction between needing reliable current handling and manufacturing availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gold over silver plating is applied to the electrical contactor in advance during its manufacturing process, before mounting to the printed circuit board. This preliminary action ensures the plating is properly applied in a suitable manufacturing setting while maintaining the ability to produce the final assembled product with standard PCB manufacturing processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If modular design with separate electrical contactor is used, then versatility and configuration flexibility are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional mounting and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contactor is designed to be selectively mounted and dismounted from the printed circuit board, providing dynamic reconfigurability. This allows the same base assembly to be configured as normally open, normally closed, or single pole double throw switches by simply changing which contacts are mounted, achieving versatility without permanently complexifying the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
A single printed circuit board assembly with selectively mountable electrical contactors can serve multiple switch configuration functions (normally open, normally closed, single pole double throw). This universal design allows one base structure to perform multiple functions through simple contactor selection and mounting, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.
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 modular design enables versatile configuration and compact implementation of auxiliary switches that meet 10 mA to 5 A current requirements, providing modularity for different switch configurations with a single PCB and a single solenoid-driven actuator, ensuring reliable operation across the specified current range.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a solenoid-driven actuator mechanism
Implementation Method 2
the contact surfaces require gold over silver plating
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular auxiliary switch 100 includes a housing 102 including a first housing part 104 and a separate second housing part 106 secured to the first housing part. A printed circuit board 150 is housed in one of the first and second housing parts, and has a first side 152 facing the first housing part and a second opposite side 154 facing the second housing part. An actuator mechanism 160 is housed in the first housing part and is coupled to the printed circuit board 150. A separate first electrical contactor 220 is selectively mounted to the printed circuit board 150 so that a first electrical contact surface of the first electrical contactor overlaps and is in direct contact with one of the first side 152 and the second side 154 to define a first electrical contact pad on the printed circuit board 150.