Segmented Contact Sleeve Structure for Low Insertion Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical contact sleeves experience high insertion forces due to increased friction caused by high contact normal forces, which can lead to plastic deformation and incorrect insertion.
Innovation Solution
An electrical contact sleeve design featuring contact springs with recesses and a ring composed of segments that allow for reduced insertion forces through elasticity and tolerance compensation, while maintaining robust contact normal force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high contact normal forces are used to ensure robust electrical contact, then contact reliability is improved, but insertion force increases due to increased friction
Solution Approach 1:
The contact sleeve is divided into multiple spring fingers that can independently deflect during insertion. This segmentation allows each finger to accommodate misalignment and reduce friction individually, enabling robust contact force while maintaining low insertion force through distributed elastic deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring fingers provide dynamic adaptability during the insertion process. They can deflect and adjust their position in real-time to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and misalignment, transforming the static friction problem into a dynamic adaptation process that reduces insertion force while maintaining contact reliability.
2Reliability
If the contact sleeve structure is made more robust to prevent incorrect insertion, then contact reliability is improved, but insertion force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring constant and geometry of the spring fingers are optimized to provide sufficient contact force while maintaining low insertion force. By carefully selecting material properties and dimensional parameters, the design achieves robust contact reliability without requiring excessive insertion force, resolving the contradiction between robustness and ease of operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If manufacturing tolerances are reduced to improve precision, then contact reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring fingers are pre-designed with built-in compliance to accommodate manufacturing tolerances. This beforehand cushioning through elastic deformation allows the contact sleeve to function reliably even with standard manufacturing tolerances, eliminating the need for tight tolerance specifications and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining contact precision.
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 reduces insertion forces and prevents incorrect insertion, ensuring high contact normal force and mechanical robustness with tolerance compensation.
Implementation Method 1
the recess at the at least one contact spring increases the elasticity of the contact spring
Implementation Method 2
the ring segments can deflect away from one another, which reduces the insertion force even with a robust contact sleeve
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an electrical contact sleeve (1) having at least one contact spring (4) which extends along a longitudinal direction (L) from a base (6) to an end (8) of the contact sleeve (1) on the connector side, where the at least one contact spring (4) has a recess (10) and spring legs (12) which adjoin the recess (10) in the circumferential direction (U) and which unite to form a free end (14), and/or an electrical contact sleeve (1) having a ring (16) which is arranged at an end (8) on the connector side and which extends around a receptacle (18), where the ring (16) is composed of at least two ring segments (20) which, in a non-contacting relaxed initial state (22), jointly close the ring (16) at at least one point (26) and, in a deflected contacting state (24), are spaced from one another at at least two points in the circumferential direction (U).