Plug-In Terminal Layout With Aligned Pivot Axes for Compact Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug-in terminals and connectors have a less compact structure due to misalignment of the axes of rotation between the pivoted lever and the contact spring, leading to inefficient use of installation space and requiring mirror-symmetric designs for different housing halves.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a pivoted lever and contact spring with aligned axes of rotation, using a sliding element and a V-shaped contact spring pivotably mounted on a housing pin, allowing for a compact structure and symmetrical housing halves with optimized clearances and creepage distances, enabling flexible assembly and toolless conductor connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the pivoted lever and contact spring are arranged with misaligned axes of rotation, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but the installation space requirement increases and the structure becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by deliberately aligning the axes of rotation of the pivoted lever and contact spring in a non-conventional manner. Instead of using separate mounting points that would be easier to manufacture, the design positions both elements to rotate about the same axis, creating a compact asymmetric arrangement that reduces installation space while maintaining manufacturability through precise positioning features.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivoted lever and contact spring are nested in space by sharing the same axis of rotation. The contact spring is positioned within the spatial envelope of the pivoted lever's rotation, allowing both components to occupy overlapping or adjacent spatial zones rather than requiring separate volumes, thereby achieving a compact structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If mirror-symmetric designs are used for different housing halves, then manufacturing consistency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional design constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetry by designing the housing halves without requiring mirror symmetry. Each housing half can have independent feature placements optimized for its specific function, eliminating the design constraints imposed by symmetry requirements while maintaining manufacturing consistency through standardized components and processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing design incorporates universal features that can be applied to both housing halves without requiring symmetric mirroring. Standardized mounting locations, fastening mechanisms, and structural elements are designed to be interchangeable or adaptable across different halves, achieving manufacturing consistency through universality rather than symmetry.
Data Source
AI summary
A plug-in terminal for the connection of one or more conductor ends has a housing made of an electrically non-conductive material. The housing includes at least one insertion opening for a respective conductor end. Each insertion opening extends to a respective housing chamber containing a connection device to which an actuation device is assigned. Each actuation device actuates a contact limb of a contact spring of the connection device. The actuation device includes a pivoted lever configured to act on a sliding element with which the contact limb of the contact spring can be moved directly or indirectly. The pivoted lever and the contact limb rotate about the same or substantially the same axis of rotation.