Resilient Conductive Fibers for High Voltage Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high voltage insulation testing methods are inefficient due to the need for customized ground planes, high manufacturing and maintenance costs, incompatibility with flexible devices, and low repeatability in production settings.
Innovation Solution
A test apparatus featuring two ground planes with resiliently compressible conductive fibers, connected to a reference voltage potential, which can compressively contact high voltage devices, allowing for flexible testing of various device geometries and materials, and an electrical connector within an insulative shroud for secure voltage attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If customized ground planes are used for each device configuration, then testing accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal ground planes with resiliently compressible conductive fibers that can adapt to multiple device configurations and geometries. These ground planes are designed to conform to different device shapes through compression, eliminating the need for custom-made ground planes for each device type while maintaining effective electrical contact and testing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The resiliently compressible conductive fibers allow the ground plane parameters (shape, contact pressure, surface area) to change dynamically based on the device being tested. By adjusting compression force, the same ground plane can adapt to various device geometries, resolving the contradiction between universal applicability and testing precision.
2Reliability
If rigid metal ball chains are used for flexible devices, then contact reliability is improved, but adaptability to flexible devices worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid metal ball chains with resiliently compressible conductive fibers that have flexible, conformable structures. These fibers can bend and adapt to flexible devices while maintaining reliable electrical contact, thus improving both contact reliability and adaptability to flexible device geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground planes utilize composite structures combining resilient compressible materials with conductive properties. This composite approach allows the ground planes to exhibit both mechanical flexibility for adapting to various devices and electrical conductivity for reliable contact, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
3Measurement precision
If vacuum chambers are used to increase arc distance, then insulation testing accuracy is improved, but device compatibility and cost worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex vacuum chambers with a simpler, atmospheric pressure testing environment. The resiliently compressible conductive fibers maintain adequate contact pressure and electrical contact without requiring vacuum conditions, eliminating the need for costly vacuum equipment while maintaining testing effectiveness for diverse devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the testing environment parameter from vacuum to atmospheric pressure, combined with adjusted compression force on the conductive fibers. This parameter change achieves adequate arc distance and testing accuracy without requiring vacuum chambers, improving device compatibility and reducing costs.
4Device complexity
If manual testing methods are used, then equipment simplicity is improved, but test repeatability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The resiliently compressible conductive fibers provide self-adjusting contact pressure through their elastic properties. When compressed, they automatically adapt to the device surface geometry and maintain consistent contact force, eliminating the need for manual adjustment while ensuring repeatable testing results across multiple tests and devices.
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 solution enables efficient, cost-effective, and repeatable high voltage insulation testing across diverse device configurations, reducing manufacturing costs and accommodating flexible devices without the need for sealed vacuum chambers or manual operation.
Implementation Method 1
resiliently compressible conductive fibers
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus (10) for testing insulated high voltage devices (2) includes a first ground plane (12) connected to a reference voltage potential having a first plurality of resiliently compressible conductive fibers (16) extending therefrom and a second ground plane (20) connected to the reference voltage potential having a second plurality of resiliently compressible conductive fibers (22) extending therefrom. The first and second ground planes (12, 20) are arranged to receive an insulated high voltage device (2) under test connected to a voltage potential greater or less than the reference voltage potential between them and configured such that at least a portion of the first and second pluralities of resiliently compressible conductive fibers (16, 22) are in compressive contact with the insulated high voltage device (2) under test. A method (100) of testing insulated high voltage devices (2) is also presented herein.