Nested Lever Contact Carrier for Compact Installation Sockets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing contact carrier arrangements for electrical/electronic installation devices are either complex in design, expensive to produce, or require a large structural volume, and often lack ease of use due to intricate lever arrangements and multiple parts.

Innovation Solution

A compact contact carrier arrangement with all operating levers positioned on the underside of the base part, featuring a housing with insulation displacement elements and actuating levers that press electrical lines into insulation displacement areas, allowing for a nested lever design and simplified operation, suitable for safety sockets in standard installation sockets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a complex lever arrangement is used with bearing area and lever area of the same width, then the contact carrier arrangement can accommodate multiple insulation displacement elements, but the device complexity increases and the ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of insulation displacement elementsVSAvoidlever arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies nesting by positioning the lever areas of the actuating levers such that they overlap and nest within the bearing areas. The first actuating levers are arranged to be nested between the second actuating lever and the housing, allowing multiple levers to occupy reduced space. This nesting arrangement enables accommodation of multiple insulation displacement elements while reducing overall device complexity and improving operability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple individual parts are used to create the contact carrier arrangement, then the functional requirements can be met, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional requirementsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functional components into an integrated housing structure. The housing contains both the bearing areas for mounting actuating levers and the insulation displacement elements in a unified assembly. The actuating levers themselves are designed as integrated components with both bearing areas and lever areas formed as single pieces. This merging of parts reduces the total number of individual components, simplifying manufacturing and reducing production costs while maintaining all required functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If the bearing area and lever area are of the same width, then the lever arrangement can be compact, but the structural volume required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelever arrangement compactnessVSAvoidstructural volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the volume issue by transitioning from a two-dimensional planar arrangement to a three-dimensional nested configuration. The lever areas are positioned to overlap in the vertical dimension, with first actuating levers nested between the second actuating lever and the housing. This dimensional approach allows the bearing areas and lever areas to have the same width without increasing overall structural volume, as the lever areas occupy overlapping spatial zones rather than adjacent areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 solution results in a cost-effective, compact, and user-friendly contact carrier arrangement that facilitates a secure electrical connection, suitable for installation in standard sockets with a reduced number of parts and improved ease of use.

Implementation Method 1

at least one actuating lever (12, 14) interacting with at least one electrical line (L) being pivotably mounted on the housing (1, 2), which presses the at least one associated electrical line (L) for contacting in the insulation displacement area (5a) of the associated insulation displacement element (5) by manual pressing down

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP2846405B1Contact support assembly
Publication Date: 2016.08.24 ALBRECHT JUNG GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2846405B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2846405B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2846405B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A contact carrier arrangement for electrical/electronic installation devices, specifically designed for installation in standard junction boxes used in building installation technology, is proposed. To create a contact carrier arrangement for electrical/electronic installation devices that is cost-effective to manufacture and has a particularly compact design, a lever arrangement consisting of two primary actuating levers and a secondary actuating lever that moves in the opposite direction to the two primary actuating levers is mounted on the underside of the base, adjacent to the insulation displacement connectors.