Screw Terminal Elevations for Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screw terminals with elevations on the inside of their screw shafts face challenges in miniaturization due to deformation and material stress, especially when multiple screw shafts are stacked, leading to dimensional instability and potential misalignment in electrical connections.
Innovation Solution
A screw terminal design with elevations on the inside of the screw shafts, where the elevations are arranged exclusively outside or within the transition area, reducing the radial compressive force and allowing for a flatter profile, which minimizes deformation and maintains dimensional stability, and incorporating free housing spaces to absorb radial pressure forces, ensuring precise alignment and reduced manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elevations are arranged on the inside of screw shafts to secure screws against unintentional loosening, then screw securing is improved, but housing deformation and material stress increase
Solution Approach 1:
The screw shaft is segmented into a transition area and screw well areas, with elevations positioned only in the screw wells outside the transition area. This segmentation allows the elevations to provide screw securing while the transition area remains free to accommodate deformations without affecting housing stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Elevations are placed exclusively in specific locations (screw wells outside the transition area) rather than uniformly throughout the screw shaft. This local placement ensures that screw securing is provided where needed while avoiding areas where elevations would cause problematic stress concentration in the housing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple screw shafts are arranged next to one another, then connection functionality is improved, but compressive forces and deformations multiply
Solution Approach 1:
Each screw shaft is divided into a transition area and screw well areas, with elevations confined to the screw wells. This segmentation ensures that compressive forces from multiple screw shafts are localized to individual screw wells rather than accumulating in the transition areas, reducing overall housing stress.
3Stress or pressure
If screw shafts are extended with cylindrical insertion channels beyond the top of the base housing, then compressive force distribution is improved, but overall height increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the screw shaft upward with insertion channels beyond the housing top, the elevations are positioned at or below the level of the top of the transition area. This inverted approach achieves similar stress distribution benefits while maintaining a flatter, more compact housing profile.
4Reliability
If elevations are positioned above the level of the top of the transition area, then screw securing is improved, but housing dimensional stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Elevations are positioned exclusively in the screw well areas at or below the level of the top of the transition area, rather than uniformly throughout the screw shaft. This local positioning ensures that screw securing is maintained while the transition area remains free to accommodate deformations, preserving housing dimensional stability.
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
The design achieves a flatter profile suitable for miniaturization, reduces deformation and material stress, ensures reliable contact and solderability, and allows for precise installation and easy demolding, enhancing the stability and operational reliability of the screw terminal.
Implementation Method 1
the radial compressive forces exerted by the screw head result in more or less severe deformation of the housing areas surrounding the screw shaft
Implementation Method 2
the screw head is held in place with a force fit
Implementation Method 3
Various solutions are known which partially absorb the compressive forces and thus reduce the deformations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The subject matter of the invention is an electrical apparatus (1) having a screw terminal for connecting electrical conductors, comprising a housing (3) with an upper face and a lower face (5, 7) and at least two screw shafts (9) which are arranged next to one another in the housing (3), wherein the screw shafts (9) each have a screw feed opening (12) on the upper face (5) and extend in the direction of the lower face (7). A transition region (11) connects the screw shafts (9) to one another. Projections (17) are arranged on the inner face of the screw shafts (9). The invention is characterized in that the projections (17) end at or beneath the level of the upper face (5) of the transition region (11), as viewed from the lower face (7), and also the projections (17) are arranged only outside the transition region (11), or at least one first projection (17) is provided outside the transition region (11) and a second projection is provided inside the transition region (11), wherein the radial extent of the second projection is less than that of the first projection (17).