Monolithic Cable Terminal Design Eliminating Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electrical cable terminals suffer from reduced electrical conductivity due to welding, which compromises their utility, and have high production costs due to complex fabrication processes involving pressing, bending, and welding.
Innovation Solution
The device consists of male and female terminals made from a single monolithic body of electrically conductive material, such as phosphorous bronze or brass, with distal and proximal portions shaped to form bending springs for locking cables, eliminating the need for welding and simplifying the manufacturing process by using shearing and bending techniques to create a more conductive and cost-effective interconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welding is used to connect the first portion with spring to the second portion with pin or bush, then the terminals can be assembled, but the electrical conductivity of the material is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the first portion and second portion into a single monolithic body made from one continuous piece of metal sheet. This eliminates the welding joint between parts, preserving the electrical conductivity of the material while still achieving the structural assembly needed for terminal functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the terminal into functional zones (first portion with spring, second portion with pin/bush) within a single monolithic structure. This allows different functional regions to be created through forming operations on one continuous piece of material, avoiding the need to join separate parts through welding.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional pressing, bending and welding stages are used to produce terminals, then the terminals can be manufactured, but the production costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple manufacturing operations (pressing, bending, forming) into a streamlined process that works with a single monolithic piece of material. By eliminating the welding stage and reducing the number of separate parts, the manufacturing process becomes simpler and more cost-effective while maintaining production capability.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The device (1) for the electrical interconnection of electrical cables (5, 9) comprises: - a first male terminal (2, 3), of electrically conductive material, having a first distal portion (2) shaped like a pin and a first proximal portion (3) shaped to define a first bending spring (4) for locking a first electrical cable (5); - a second female terminal (6, 7), of electrically conductive material, having a second distal portion (6) shaped like a bush and a second proximal portion (7) shaped to define a second bending spring (8) for locking a second electrical cable (9); wherein: - the first distal portion (2) being insertable in the second distal portion (6) for the electrical connection of the electrical cables (5, 9); - the first male terminal (2, 3) consists of a first plate element sheared and folded to define both the first distal portion (2) and the first proximal portion (3), which are made in a single monolithic body; - the second female terminal (6, 7) consists of a second plate element sheared and folded to define both the second distal portion (6) and the second proximal portion (7), which are made in a single monolithic body.