Protected Plug Socket Insertion Aid for Telecommunications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing protective plugs for distribution devices in telecommunications and data technology are expensive to manufacture and difficult to assemble or disassemble, especially when they have contact legs, which can be damaged during individual contact and are prone to incorrect insertions.

Innovation Solution

A protective plug with an insertion aid made of non-conductive material that mechanically fixes contact legs, ensuring all legs are contacted simultaneously and preventing damage, with a design that includes fork contacts, a U-shaped part, and webs for insulation and stabilization, allowing for easy installation and removal without damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If protective elements are soldered in designs with printed circuit boards, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the protective elements cannot be replaced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidreplaceability of protective elements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The protective plug is divided into a housing, an insertion aid, and replaceable protective elements (surge arresters and current fuses). This segmentation allows the protective elements to be independently replaced while maintaining a permanent housing structure, resolving the contradiction between fixed PCB mounting and replaceability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The insertion aid serves as an intermediary component that facilitates the insertion and removal of protective elements. It provides a standardized interface between the protective elements and the housing, enabling easy replacement without soldering while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If protective elements have contact legs, then they can be mechanically fixed, but the contact legs can be damaged during individual contact and are prone to incorrect insertions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical fixation of contact legsVSAvoidrisk of damage and incorrect insertion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple contact legs are combined into a single integrated insertion aid assembly. This allows all contact legs to be inserted and contacted simultaneously as one unit, eliminating the risk of individual leg damage and preventing incorrect insertions through standardized geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The insertion aid acts as an intermediary that protects the contact legs during insertion and removal. It provides a standardized interface that guides proper insertion and prevents damage to the delicate contact legs, resolving the contradiction between mechanical fixation and operational safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If protective elements are contacted one after another, then individual contact is possible, but the contact legs can be damaged and incorrect insertions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindividual contact capabilityVSAvoiddamage and incorrect insertion risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion aid combines multiple contact legs into a single integrated component that is inserted and contacted simultaneously. This eliminates the sequential contact process that risks damage, while maintaining the ability to individually replace protective elements through the standardized interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If protective plugs use resilient elements for contact, then contact pressure is ensured, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact pressureVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The resilient elements are extracted from the main housing structure and integrated into the removable insertion aid. This allows contact pressure to be maintained through the resilient elements while reducing overall manufacturing cost by simplifying the housing design and enabling modular production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP1894281B1Protected plug socket for distribution devices in telecommunications and data technology
Publication Date: 2011.09.14 ADC GMBH
  • EP1894281B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1894281B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP1894281B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a protected plug socket (20) for distribution devices in telecommunications and data technology, comprising at least one housing (21) and at least one protective element (12), said protective element (12) comprising at least two contact posts (9-11), at least two contact elements (24a-c) being embedded in the housing (21), the contact elements (24a-c) each comprising a line contact (22a, b) and a clamping contact (24 a-c), wherein the line contact (22a, b) is arranged in a plugging-in region and the clamping contact is arranged in a housing region of the protected plug socket (20). The contact posts (9-11) of the protective element (12) are in contact with the clamping contacts (24a-c), the protective element (12) is connected to a plugging-in aid (1), made from an electrically non-conducting material and the plugging-in aid (1) comprises at least one housing for the contact posts (9-11) in which the contact posts (9-11) are mechanically fixed, the plugging in aid (1) being arranged between the clamping contacts (24a-c) and/or elements of the housing (21).