Plug Connector Clamping Structure for Vibration-Stable Terminal Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing connectors for motor-driven garden and forestry tools fail to provide a secure and reliable electrical connection, especially under vibrations and accelerations, due to tolerances in plug lug thickness and width, leading to potential detachment and poor contact.

Innovation Solution

A connector design featuring a plug lug receptacle with surface clamping legs and edge guide wings that elastically and plastically adjust to accommodate plug lug dimensions, ensuring secure and redundant electrical contact through clamping forces and contact springs, while allowing for easy assembly and disassembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional rigid connectors are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability under vibration deteriorates due to inability to accommodate tolerance variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnector rigidityVSAvoidconnection stability under vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connector employs elastic clamping legs that can dynamically adjust their position and clamping force. The clamping legs are designed with elastic deformation capability, allowing them to flex and accommodate variations in plug lug dimensions while maintaining reliable electrical contact. This dynamic adaptation ensures stable connection under vibration without requiring high manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connector changes the physical state of the clamping legs from rigid to elastic. By introducing elasticity to the clamping legs, the system can absorb dimensional variations and mechanical stresses, transforming the connector from a rigid structure vulnerable to tolerance variations into a flexible structure that adapts to dimensional changes while maintaining reliable contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If elastic clamping mechanism is introduced, then reliability under vibration is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stability under vibrationVSAvoidconnector structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connector merges the clamping function and electrical contact function into a single integrated component. The clamping legs serve dual purposes: providing mechanical retention through elastic clamping and establishing electrical contact simultaneously. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high reliability under vibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping legs are designed as multi-functional elements that perform both mechanical clamping and electrical conduction. This universal design allows a single component to fulfill multiple roles, eliminating the need for separate clamping mechanisms and contact elements, thus reducing structural complexity while enhancing connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If multiple contact points are provided, then electrical contact reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical contact reliabilityVSAvoidconnector structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connector combines multiple contact functions into the clamping legs themselves. Rather than adding separate contact elements, the clamping legs are designed to provide electrical contact through their elastic deformation when clamping the plug lug. This integration achieves redundant electrical contact paths without increasing the number of discrete components, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving contact reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 connector provides a play-free, reliable electrical connection that withstands vibrations and accelerations up to 1000 m/s², ensuring repeated insertions and secure attachment of the plug lug, with minimal force required for assembly and disassembly.

Implementation Method 1

The plug lug receptacle (2) is designed or configured for elastically increasing the leg spacing (DS) between the surface clamping legs (3, 4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The plug lug receptacle (2) is designed or configured for plastically increasing the wing spacing (DF) between the edge guide wings (5, 6)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlasticity: Plasticity

Implementation Method 3

contacting and applying a clamping force to opposing surfaces of the received plug-in flag by means of the surface clamping legs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Force

Data Source

PatentEP3832810B1Motor-driven gardening and / or forestry machine comprising a plug connector for electrically connecting a terminal to an electrical line of a motor-driven garden and / or forestry machine
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO KG
  • EP3832810B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3832810B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3832810B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a connector (1) for electrically connecting a plug-in lug (51) to an electrical cable (52) of a motor-driven garden and/or forestry work tool (50), wherein the connector (1) comprises: - a plug-in lug receiving section (2), - wherein the plug-in lug receiving section (2) comprises a first surface clamping leg (3), a second surface clamping leg (4), a first edge guide wing (5) and a second edge guide wing (6), - wherein the surface clamping legs (3, 4) are arranged opposite each other, - wherein the edge guide wings (5, 6) are arranged opposite each other, and - wherein the plug-in lug receiving section (2) is designed to elastically increase a leg spacing (DS) between the surface clamping legs (3, 4) and to plastically increase a wing spacing (DF) between the edge guide wings (5, 6) by means of the interaction of the edge guide wings (5, 6).6) with the plug-in tab (51) for receiving the plug-in tab (51) between the surface clamping legs (3, 4) and the edge guide wings (5, 6) and for contacting and applying a clamping force (FK) to opposite surfaces (51a, 51b) of the received plug-in tab (51) by means of the surface clamping legs (3, 4) and for contacting opposite edges (51c, 51d) of the received plug-in tab (51) by means of the edge guide wings (5, 6) to secure the received plug-in tab (51) against detachment from the plug-in tab receiving section (2) and for electrical contact, and - a conductor receiving section (40), - wherein the conductor receiving section (40) is electrically connected to the plug-in tab receiving section (2), and - wherein the conductor receiving section (40) is designed to receive the electrical conductor (52) and to secure the received conductor (52) against Release from the conductor receiving section (40) and is designed for electrical contact.