Plug Terminal with Multi-Protrusion Spring Arms for Stable Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing USB Type-C electrical plug connectors experience unstable electrical signal transmission due to dust or particles interfering with the point-contact mechanism of conventional clamp-type plug terminals, leading to insufficient contact and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A plug terminal design featuring a clamping structure with multiple spring arms and contact protrusions that form a stable contact area, allowing for increased contact reliability and sweeping away dust or particles, while being manufactured integrally using stamping and blanking techniques for improved structural strength and reduced manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a point-contact mechanism is used in conventional clamp-type plug terminals, then the device complexity is reduced, but the contact stability deteriorates due to dust or particles interfering with the contact
Solution Approach 1:
The contact portion is divided into multiple spring arms (first spring arm and second spring arm), each with multiple contact protrusions (first, second, third, and fourth contact protrusions). This segmentation transforms the single point-contact into multiple distributed contact points, improving reliability by ensuring that not all contacts are blocked by dust simultaneously while maintaining relatively simple device complexity through the modular spring arm structure.
2Reliability
If multiple contact protrusions are added to increase contact area, then the contact stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plug terminal is formed as an integral structure through stamping and blanking techniques, combining the main body, contact portion with multiple spring arms, and connecting portion into a single piece. This merging approach increases contact stability through multiple protrusions while avoiding the manufacturing complexity of assembling multiple separate components, as the entire structure with all its contact features is produced in one manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional stamping and blanking techniques are used for manufacturing, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arms are designed with specific geometric parameters including inclination angles and gradually reducing distances between adjacent spring arms from root portions to end portions. These parameter optimizations allow the integral stamped structure to achieve adequate structural strength while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of stamping and blanking techniques, balancing structural requirements with cost-effective production.
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 design enhances the stability of electrical contact, supports large current transmission, and maintains signal integrity by increasing the contact area and structural integrity, while simplifying and reducing the cost of manufacturing the terminal.
Implementation Method 1
The contact portion comprises a first spring arm, a second spring arm... An inner side of the first spring arm comprises a first contact protrusion and a second contact protrusion... An inner side of the second spring arm comprises a third contact protrusion and a fourth contact protrusion
Data Source
AI summary
A plug terminal includes a main body, a contact portion, and a connecting portion. The contact portion is extending outwardly from the main body, so that the contact portion and the main body form a clamping structure. The contact portion includes a first spring arm and a second spring arm. An inner side of the first spring arm includes adjacent first and second contact protrusions. The second spring arm faces the first spring arm. An inner side of the second spring arm includes adjacent third and fourth contact protrusions. The third contact protrusion faces the first contact protrusion, and the fourth contact protrusion faces the second contact protrusion. Accordingly, when a plug connector is mated with a receptacle connector, the contact area between the connectors can be increased by the plural contact protrusions to guarantee the stability of the electrical contact between plug terminals and receptacle terminals.