Communication Plug Bridge Support for Tine Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication plugs with insulation piercing contacts (IPCs) face issues such as tine stiffness leading to conductor twisting and deformation, and extended tine designs weakening the IPCs, resulting in unreliable connections and potential dislodging during termination.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a communication plug design featuring a plug housing with bridge elements between the tines of the IPCs, which acts as a support to reduce stiffness, prevent tine collapse, and enhance retention within the housing, along with manufacturing methods like shear cutting to maintain tine strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the piercing tine length is increased to reduce stiffness, then the flexibility and ease of termination is improved, but the structural strength and retention capability of the IPC is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing tine is divided into multiple segments or sections along its length, with varying thicknesses. The proximal portion has greater thickness for strength, while the distal portion has reduced thickness for flexibility. This segmentation allows the single tine to simultaneously achieve both structural strength and ease of termination.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the piercing tine have different cross-sectional thicknesses tailored to their specific functional requirements. The proximal portion near the body has increased thickness for structural support and retention, while the distal tip has reduced thickness for flexibility during insertion and conductor engagement. This local variation in quality optimizes both strength and operability.
2Reliability
If the piercing tine length is extended to improve conductor contact, then the reliability of IPC to conductor contact is improved, but the tine becomes more prone to deformation and collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The extended piercing tine is segmented into proximal and distal portions with different thicknesses. The longer distal portion has reduced thickness to maintain flexibility and prevent collapse, while the proximal portion has increased thickness to provide structural support. This segmentation enables the tine to achieve extended length for reliable contact without sacrificing overall structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tine exhibits local quality variations along its length, with the distal portion having optimized reduced thickness for flexibility and contact reliability, and the proximal portion having increased thickness for structural stability. This localized differentiation allows the tine to simultaneously achieve extended length for reliable conductor contact and sufficient structural stability to prevent deformation.
3Reliability
If the IPC is retained in the plug housing using interference fit, then the retention is improved, but the insertion complexity and difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing tine is pre-formed with a tapered geometry during manufacturing, with the smaller cross-sectional dimension oriented toward the insertion direction. This preliminary shaping of the tine creates a self-guiding feature that automatically aligns and facilitates insertion into the plug housing, reducing insertion complexity while maintaining interference fit retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional dimensions of the piercing tine are varied along its length, with the proximal portion having larger dimensions for retention and the distal portion having smaller dimensions for ease of insertion. This parameter change in the tine's geometry allows it to be easily inserted into the housing while still achieving reliable interference fit retention once positioned.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, the present invention is a communication plug that includes a plug housing with a plurality of plug contact slots and at least one plug contact with at least two tines. The at least one plug contact is positioned in one of the plug contact slots, the one of the plug contact slots having a bridge positioned between the at least two tines.