Monolithic Line-Load Power Contact for Light Sensor Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light sensor assemblies for outdoor lighting face challenges in manufacturing a cost-effective and reliable electrical shorting mechanism, with current solutions being time-consuming and prone to failure due to welding issues and the need for larger components for spacing and isolation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a sensor connector with integral monolithic line-load power contacts, eliminating the need for a separate shorting bar by forming a unitary contact body that electrically connects line and load power contacts, reducing the risk of welding failures and allowing for more compact and efficient assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate shorting bar is used to electrically connect line and load power contacts, then electrical shorting is achieved, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and reliability decreases due to welding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the line power contact, load power contact, and shorting bar into a single integral monolithic contact body. This eliminates the need for separate welding operations to attach the shorting bar, thereby reducing assembly time and eliminating welding-related failure points while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic contact body is divided into functionally distinct segments (line contact portion, load contact portion, and shorting bar portion) that are formed as one integral piece. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function while being manufactured as a single unit, avoiding assembly complexity.
2Reliability
If additional spacing is provided between power contacts and other components, then electrical isolation is improved, but the sensor connector size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the third dimension (vertical spacing from the circuit board) to achieve electrical isolation rather than increasing horizontal spacing. The monolithic contact body extends vertically to provide adequate clearance from the circuit board while maintaining a compact footprint, thus isolating high voltage components without enlarging the connector's planar dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A light sensor assembly includes a sensor connector having a housing including a top and a bottom with power contact channels in the bottom of the housing. The sensor connector includes a circuit board supported by the housing at the top having a sensor component electrically connected to the circuit board sensing an environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor connector. The sensor connector includes power contacts received in corresponding contact channels and extending from the bottom for electrical connection with receptacle power contacts of the receptacle connector. The power contacts include a neutral power contact, a line power contact and a load power contact, where the line power contact and the load power contact are integral as a unitary contact body forming a monolithic line-load power contact.