Multi-Phase Conductor Connector Flat Plate Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-phase cable connectors face challenges in efficiently recombining and terminating conductors of the same phase while maintaining a compact and lightweight design, as gathering conductors into separate bundles leads to increased size and weight, and exposes them to skin and proximity effects.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring conductive plates with apertures for each phase, along with insulating plates and connecting members like busbars, prongs, or lugs, allows conductors to pass through and form selective electrical connections only with corresponding phase plates, maintaining the conductor arrangement and using insulating materials to prevent unwanted connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductors are separated into several bundles for each phase and connected with lugs, then the phases can be clearly separated and connected, but the connector size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all phase connections into a single flat conductor arrangement instead of separating them into multiple bundles. The flat conductor carries all phases in a planar configuration, eliminating the need for multiple lug connections and reducing overall connector weight while maintaining reliable phase separation through the conductor's geometry and insulation layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the phase separation function from the mechanical bundling structure and implements it through the flat conductor's inherent geometry and insulating layers. This removes the need for separate bundle formations and their associated lugs, reducing connector weight while preserving phase identification and connection reliability.
2Reliability
If conductors are separated into several bundles for each phase and connected with lugs, then the phases can be clearly separated and connected, but the connector volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all phase connections into a single flat conductor structure that maintains phase separation through its planar geometry and insulating layers. This merging approach reduces the connector volume by eliminating the need for multiple separate bundle formations and their associated spatial requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional bundled conductor arrangement to a two-dimensional flat conductor configuration. This dimensional change allows phase separation to be achieved through the conductor's planar geometry and layering rather than through spatial bundling, significantly reducing connector volume while maintaining connection reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If conductors are gathered into separate bundles, then phase connection is simplified, but skin and proximity effects increase causing ohmic losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all conductors into a single flat conductor structure where phases are distributed across the conductor's surface and layers. This configuration maintains phase connection simplicity through the conductor's inherent geometry while minimizing skin and proximity effects by eliminating the close spacing between separate bundles, thereby reducing ohmic losses.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector for multi-phase conductors. The connector includes conductors for conducting multi-phase currents, and at least one conductive plate corresponding to each phase. Each conductive plate defines apertures for the conductors to pass through, there being at least one aperture in each conductive plate for each respective conductor. Each conductive plate includes at least one connecting member for forming an external electrical connection. Each conductor passes through a respective aperture of each conductive plate. Each conductor is selectively coupled to form electrical connection only to a conductive plate corresponding to the respective phase of the conductor.