Planar Spring Fork Contact Arrangement for High-Power Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrically conductive contact arrangements for high-power applications are either expensive due to precise manufacturing or require delicate spring contacts, failing to provide optimal electrical contacting and heat dissipation simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A cost-effective, planar spring fork contact arrangement is created by stringing and assembling spring fork contacts on a tubular carrier, allowing for adjustable geometry and enhanced heat dissipation, with connecting units and housing latching elements for efficient current transmission and reduced plug-in forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact units are manufactured with great geometric precision, then contact reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact arrangement is divided into multiple individual spring fork contacts (15) that can be manufactured separately using simple stamping processes, then assembled onto a carrier (16). This segmentation allows each component to be produced cost-effectively without requiring high geometric precision in the final assembled structure, while still achieving reliable electrical contact through the cumulative effect of multiple contact points.
2Ease of operation
If spring contacts are used to reduce contact force, then ease of operation is improved, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines spring fork contacts (15) with a tubular carrier (16) that has high thermal mass and conductivity. The carrier serves dual functions: mechanically supporting the spring contacts to enable easy plug-in operations, and thermally conducting heat away from the contact points. This merging of mechanical and thermal functions resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and heat dissipation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular carrier (16) acts as an intermediary between the spring fork contacts (15) and the housing. It receives the spring contacts, provides mechanical support for easy insertion, and simultaneously serves as a heat sink to conduct away thermal energy generated at the contact interfaces, thus mediating between operational ease and thermal management.
3Reliability
If multiple contact points are used to reduce transition resistance, then electrical conductivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact arrangement uses multiple simple spring fork contacts (15) instead of a single complex multi-contact structure. Each fork contact provides one or more contact points, and they can be independently manufactured and assembled onto the carrier (16). This segmentation achieves high electrical conductivity through multiple contact points while keeping individual components simple and the overall assembly process straightforward.
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 enables the production of affordable, high-power contact arrangements with low transition resistances and excellent heat dissipation, maintaining high packing density and compact design while reducing insertion forces and supporting shock hazard protection.
Implementation Method 1
Manufacturing methods using roller burnishing yield the massive composite, whereby the connecting points may be gas-tight and cold-welded so that the lowest transition resistances may be achieved.
Data Source
AI summary
A contact arrangement (10) comprising fork-shaped contacts (15) that engage opposite faces of a blade contact (18). For good heat dissipation together with low transition resistance, the contact arrangement is made up of multiple planar, i.e., plate-shaped, fork contacts (15), which are supported and connected to each other on a shaft-like carrier (16) that is joined to a perpendicular connecting unit (14).