Rail-Type Grounding Terminal Two-Piece Spring Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rail-type grounding terminals face difficulties in easily detaching from the rail due to the rigid connection between the metal grounding member and insulating housing, and they struggle to maintain a large contact face while minimizing waste material and resistance, especially under high-load conditions.
Innovation Solution
The grounding terminal is designed with a metal grounding member divided into two parts: metal insertion legs and bow sections, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, with features like inclined grooves and bight sections to facilitate movement and increased contact area, and a gap between the member and housing for operation space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the grounding member is rigidly fixed to the insulating housing, then the terminal structure is stable, but the terminal cannot be easily detached from the rail
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding member is divided into two separate parts: a metal insertion leg that connects to the leaf spring mount, and a bow section with latching ends that contacts the rail. This segmentation allows the grounding member to be flexibly connected to the housing while maintaining stable electrical contact with the rail, enabling easy detachment when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The bow section is designed with elastic deformation capability, allowing it to dynamically adjust during attachment and detachment operations. When force is applied to the foot section, the bow section deforms to release the latching ends from the rail, providing controlled movement while maintaining stability during normal operation.
2Power
If the contact face of the grounding member is increased to handle high load, then the current capacity increases, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple grounding terminals are arranged side by side within a single insulating housing, merging their functions into one integrated assembly. This approach increases the total contact face and current capacity while simplifying manufacturing compared to producing individual complex high-current terminals, and reduces the number of separate components to be installed and maintained.
3Power
If multiple grounding terminals are arranged side by side to increase contact face, then the current capacity increases, but the resistance increases due to multiple contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The bow section is designed with a curved arc shape that allows the latching ends to make continuous line contact or large-area contact with the rail, rather than discrete point contacts. This curvature distributes the electrical current across a larger continuous surface area, reducing resistance while maintaining the increased current capacity provided by the multiple terminals arranged side by side.
4Ease of manufacture
If the grounding member is made as a single piece, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the amount of waste material is large
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding member is divided into separate components (metal insertion leg and bow section) that can be manufactured using less material for each part compared to a single large-piece construction. This segmentation reduces waste material while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized production processes for each component.
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
This design allows for easy and secure latching and unlatching of the terminal from the rail, reduces waste material in manufacturing, and increases the contact area to enhance current capacity while maintaining low resistance, improving operational flexibility and manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the bow section connected with the metal insertion leg. The bow section has a first end and a second end. The first and second ends outward extend and are latched on the grounding rail
Implementation Method 2
The grounding device serves to conduct and remove the voltage or static remaining in the machines
Implementation Method 3
A conventional metal grounding terminal is enclosed in an insulating housing (generally made of plastic material)
Data Source
AI summary
A rail-type grounding terminal structure composed of a metal grounding member and an insulating housing. The amount of waste material produced in manufacturing of the grounding member is reduced. In addition, the grounding member has larger contact face to increase current value. Also, the grounding member can be easily tightly connected with a grounding rail. The grounding member is divided into two parts with predetermined configurations respectively. The grounding member includes a metal insertion leg mounted on a leaf spring mount and a bow section connected with the metal insertion leg. The bow section has a first end and a second end. The first and second ends outward extend and are latched on the grounding rail. The metal insertion leg has a head end, a slope and a shoulder section. The slope and the shoulder section are formed under the head end. The grounding terminal is operable to separate from or connect with the rail.