Relay Contact Piece Slot Geometry to Prevent Transport Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing magnetic holding relay contact piece structure is prone to deformation during transportation due to loose fitting slots, requiring disassembly before assembly, which reduces production efficiency and stability.
Innovation Solution
A contact piece structure with a slot design featuring protrusions and recesses on opposite sidewalls, where the first distance from the protrusion to the recess is less than the piece body thickness, preventing insertion and ensuring strength, thereby preventing deformation and improving assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the slot size is made greater than the thickness of the movable contact piece or pressure spring to ensure assembly fit, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the stability of the object's composition deteriorates because parts can insert into slots during transportation causing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the slot with non-parallel sidewalls where one sidewall is inclined relative to the other. This creates a tapered configuration that prevents bidirectional insertion while maintaining adequate slot dimensions for assembly. The asymmetric geometry ensures that parts cannot be inserted from either direction, eliminating deformation risks during transportation while preserving manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a simple rectangular slot to a three-dimensional tapered slot with inclined sidewalls. By introducing angular dimensions and non-uniform cross-sections, the slot gains the ability to prevent insertion in multiple directions while maintaining sufficient opening size for assembly operations. This dimensional complexity resolves the contradiction between assembly accessibility and structural stability.
2Ease of operation
If the slot size is increased to facilitate assembly, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates because parts may deform during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric tapered slot design allows large opening dimensions for easy assembly while preventing part insertion during transportation. The inclined sidewalls create a geometric lock that maintains dimensional precision by eliminating unintended part movement, thus resolving the contradiction between assembly ease and manufacturing precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If the slot is designed with parallel sidewalls and uniform width, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because parts can be inserted during transportation causing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces parallel sidewalls with inclined, non-parallel sidewalls that create a tapered slot. This asymmetric design maintains manufacturing simplicity while fundamentally improving reliability by preventing part insertion during transportation. The tapered geometry provides inherent protection against deformation without complicating the fabrication process.
Data Source
AI summary
A contact piece structure includes a piece body having a slot. The slot has opposite first and second sidewalls. The first sidewall has a first plane portion and a protrusion, the second sidewall has a second plane portion and a recess recessed into the second plane portion and corresponding to the protrusion. A first distance from a top end of the protrusion of the first sidewall to a plane where the second plane portion is positioned is less than a thickness of the piece body.