Electrical Plug Assembly with Flexible Inserts for Drop Damage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical plug assemblies with rigidly mounted prongs are prone to deformation or sheath breakage when subjected to impact from drops, leading to potential damage and loss of functionality.
Innovation Solution
The electrical plug assembly incorporates a rigid housing with flexible inserts and sleeves, where electrically-conductive prongs are mounted, and flexible conductor assemblies with spring clip assemblies and wires are used to absorb impact forces, allowing the prongs to flex and reduce damage from drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If electrical prongs are rigidly mounted into the plug assembly, then structural strength and stability are improved, but vulnerability to deformation and sheath breakage during drops increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the prong assembly movable within the plug housing rather than rigidly fixed. The prongs can move independently within their sleeves, allowing the assembly to dynamically absorb impact forces during drops. This dynamic configuration resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural strength while significantly improving resistance to drop damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the prong assembly by introducing flexibility through movable mounting mechanisms. The transition from rigid to movable mounting allows the prongs to flex and absorb impact energy, changing the mechanical parameters of the assembly to simultaneously maintain strength and reduce drop damage vulnerability.
2Ease of manufacture
If electrical prongs are rigidly mounted, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device reliability under impact conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the prong assembly into separate movable components that can be independently manufactured and then assembled into the plug housing. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of individual parts while creating a more reliable overall structure that can absorb impact forces, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and impact resistance.
3Reliability
If flexible mounting is used for prongs, then resistance to drop damage is improved, but structural stability and electrical connectivity may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary components such as sleeves and mounting mechanisms that mediate between the flexible prong assembly and the rigid housing. These intermediaries allow the prongs to move freely for impact absorption while maintaining stable electrical connectivity through controlled movement paths and contact points, resolving the contradiction between drop damage resistance and connectivity stability.
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
This design effectively reduces or prevents damage to the prongs by absorbing impact forces, maintaining electrical connectivity and extending the lifespan of the plug assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an electrically-conductive spring clip assembly configured to frictionally engage an associated one of the pair of electrically-conductive prongs
Implementation Method 2
flexible electrical conductor assemblies with spring clip assemblies and wires are used to absorb impact forces, allowing the prongs to flex and reduce damage from drops
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 2B
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments include electrical plug assemblies for reducing drop damage to prongs, electrical devices with an electrical plug assembly for reducing drop damage to prongs, and methods of fabricating an electrical plug assembly for reducing drop damage to prongs. In a nonlimiting, illustrative embodiment, an electrical plug assembly (100) includes a rigid housing (102). A pair of flexible inserts (104) is fixedly disposed in the rigid housing (102). Each of a pair of rigid sleeves (106) is fixedly disposed in an associated one of the pair of flexible inserts (104). Each of a pair of electrically-conductive prongs (108) is fixedly disposed in an associated one of the pair of rigid sleeves (106). Each of a pair of flexible electrical conductor assemblies (110) is movably attached to an associated one of the pair of electrically-conductive prongs (108).