Plug Connector Contact Element Reinforced Region Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contact elements in plug type connectors often suffer from low resistance to external forces, leading to unreliable retention and potential damage to the housing or sealing elements during insertion or removal, resulting in increased maintenance and material costs.
Innovation Solution
A contact element with reinforced regions formed by dual-layered material layers, featuring guiding faces and a reinforcement lip that secure the element within the connector, preventing damage and ensuring secure retention without harming the seal or housing, along with additional features like a resilient contact arm and fixing teeth for enhanced stability and correct insertion prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If contact elements are produced from thin-walled material by bending/punching technologies, then manufacturing cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but resistance to external forces and reliability of retention are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies layering in the transverse dimension by overlapping contact material layers to form reinforced regions. This dimensional approach allows the thin-walled material to gain strength through multi-layer configuration without changing the base material or manufacturing process, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving resistance to external forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite structures by overlapping multiple layers of contact material to form reinforced regions. These reinforced regions act as composite structures where the layered configuration provides enhanced mechanical properties compared to single-layer thin-walled material, improving strength while maintaining compatibility with standard bending/punching manufacturing technologies.
2Ease of manufacture
If contact elements are produced from thin-walled material, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but secure retention in plug type connector is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces layering in the transverse dimension to create reinforced regions that provide secure retention. The overlapping layers form a structurally stronger configuration that can reliably engage with the plug type connector's retention mechanism, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving reliable retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local reinforcement by creating reinforced regions at specific locations where retention is needed, rather than uniformly thickening the entire contact element. This localized approach maintains manufacturing simplicity for the overall thin-walled structure while providing enhanced retention capability at critical engagement points.
3Ease of operation
If conventional contact elements are inserted into or removed from plug type connector, then ease of operation is maintained, but damage to housing and sealing elements occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guiding faces as intermediary surfaces that mediate between the contact element and the plug type connector's seal and housing. These guiding faces provide a controlled interface that directs the contact element during insertion and removal, preventing direct damaging contact with the seal and housing while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding faces extend in the insertion direction from the catch opening, creating a dimensional feature that guides the contact element through the seal and housing. This extended structure in the insertion direction provides protective guidance during operation, preventing damage while maintaining ease of insertion and removal.
4Quantity of substance
If contact elements lack reinforced regions, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but resistance against release forces and structural integrity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates reinforced regions by overlapping contact material layers in the transverse dimension, forming a multi-layer structure that provides enhanced structural integrity. This layering approach increases stability and resistance to release forces without requiring additional material expenditure in the longitudinal dimension, maintaining cost efficiency while improving structural properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent forms composite structures through overlapping layers of contact material to create reinforced regions. These composite regions provide enhanced structural integrity and resistance to release forces while using the same base material, avoiding additional material expenditure and maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a contact element comprised of an electrically conductive contact material (3), the contact element (1) being constructed so as to be able to be inserted in an insertion direction (E) into a plug type connector and being constructed so as to be able to be fixed in the plug type connector by means of a positive-locking connection (60). In order to provide a contact element (1) which is secured against undesirable removal from the plug type connector and which at the same time can be guided in a non-destructive manner through a housing and/or a seal of the plug type connector, there is provided according to the invention a contact element, wherein the positive-locking connection (60) comprises a catch opening (9) at an upper side (7) of the contact element (1), which opening is delimited in the insertion direction (E) by two guiding faces (21, 21'), and wherein the guiding faces (21, 21') are formed by a reinforced region (Va, Vb), in which the contact material (3) at least partially overlaps itself in at least two layers transversely relative to the insertion direction (E).