Ribbon Cable Connection Box for Controlled Piercing Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connections using piercing contacts for ribbon cables are prone to premature interaction between conductive pins and insulation, leading to insulation damage, and can result in suboptimal contact or incorrect connections, especially when form-coded flat cables are involved.
Innovation Solution
A connector housing design with a first housing part having defined receptacles and spacers, and a second housing part with projections that guide and support the ribbon cable, ensuring controlled piercing contact by engaging projections between spacers to prevent accidental interaction and deformation, while allowing for secure orientation and connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electrically conductive pin is used to pierce the insulation of the ribbon cable, then electrical contact is established, but premature interaction can occur between the pin and insulation during insertion, damaging the insulation integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by guiding the ribbon cable through a defined receptacle path before the piercing contact occurs. The receptacle prepositions the cable at the correct location and orientation, ensuring that the insulation is only pierced at the intended moment and location, preventing premature contact between the pin and insulation during insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacle acts as an intermediary element between the ribbon cable and the electrically conductive pin. It provides a controlled interface that guides the cable and manages the piercing process, preventing direct and potentially harmful interactions between the pin and cable insulation before the intended connection point.
2Reliability
If pressure is applied to press in the mandrels to establish contact, then electrical connection is achieved, but the terminal housing may deform, resulting in suboptimal contact
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal housing is divided into two separate parts: the first housing part containing the receptacle and electrically conductive pin, and the second housing part that applies pressure. This segmentation allows the pressure application to be localized and controlled, preventing deformation of the overall housing structure while achieving the necessary contact force at the connection point.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the pressure application to specific localized areas where the mandrels need to be pressed in, rather than applying pressure uniformly across the entire housing. This ensures adequate contact force at the connection points without causing deformation of the housing structure.
3Reliability
If form-coded flat cables with orientation protrusions are used, then incorrect connections are prevented, but looping cables between adjacent terminal boxes is required to change orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the receptacle rotatable about its longitudinal axis. This allows the receptacle to be oriented in different directions to match the required cable orientation, eliminating the need to loop cables between adjacent terminal boxes. The form coding protrusions remain functional while accommodating various orientation requirements through rotational adjustment.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A terminal housing is provided, comprising a first housing part (100), wherein the first housing part (100) has at least one receptacle (110, 120) for a ribbon cable (130, 131), wherein the at least one receptacle (110, 120) has a connection area (111, 121) for establishing a piercing contact with the ribbon cable (130, 131) via electrically conductive prongs (101, 102), the base of which opposite the tip of the electrically conductive prongs (101, 102) is attached to the bottom of the connection area (111, 121), and a second housing part (200) for covering the at least one receptacle (110, 120), wherein the connection area (111, 121) is limited in and against the direction of travel by a spacer (112, 113, 122, 123), wherein the spacers (112, 113, 122, 123) each have a support surface (112a, 113a, 122a, 123a) for the flat ribbon cable (130, 131) and that the second housing part (200) at the locations,the second housing part (200) which, when placed on the first housing part (100), is opposite the connection areas (111, 121) of the first housing part (100), has projections (220) which project towards the first housing part (100) and which, when the connection between the first housing part (100) and the second housing part (200) is established, engage between the spacers delimiting the connection areas (111, 121), so that the piercing connection is made by pressing the mandrels (101, 102) through the insulation of the ribbon cable (130, 131), and a method for making a piercing contact between a ribbon cable and a device with such a terminal housing.