Wire-to-Wire Connector with Shunt for Rapid Insulation Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire-to-wire connectors are tedious and inefficient, posing safety hazards due to the need for manual stripping and twisting, and can lead to unexpected disconnections or shorts, especially in hazardous environments.
Innovation Solution
A wire-to-wire connector design featuring insulated housing with specific inlet and shunt openings, insulation displacement connectors, and a shunt mechanism that allows for quick and secure electrical and mechanical connections between wires, ensuring reliable and safe connections and disconnections with minimal human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual wire connection methods (stripping, twisting, securing) are used, then the connection process can be completed with simple tools, but the process is tedious, inefficient, and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation displacement connector automatically strips and connects the wire through a single insertion motion. The connector's blades self-sharpen by cutting through the insulation and contacting the conductor, eliminating the need for separate stripping and twisting operations. This self-service mechanism dramatically reduces connection time and increases productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into functional segments: insulation cutting blades, conductor contacting elements, and insulation gripping components. Each segment performs a specific function in sequence during insertion, allowing the complex wire connection process to be broken down into automated sub-steps that occur simultaneously during a single insertion motion.
2Reliability
If traditional manual wire connection methods are used, then the process can be performed without specialized equipment, but the connection may fall apart or short out unexpectedly
Solution Approach 1:
The connector merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: insulation displacement, conductor contact, and insulation gripping all occur within one connector body. This unified structure ensures that all connection functions are performed simultaneously and reliably, eliminating the risk of partial or improper connections that could lead to failures or shorts.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design includes built-in features that prevent connection failures before they occur. The insulation displacement blades are positioned and sized to ensure complete insulation removal, the contacting elements are spring-loaded to maintain constant contact pressure, and the insulation gripping portion prevents wire pullout. These preemptive measures ensure reliable connections without requiring complex external monitoring systems.
3Ease of operation
If insulation displacement connectors with shunts are used, then quick and reliable connections are achieved, but the connector structure becomes more complex with multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The shunt connector serves multiple functions: it provides an electrical shunt path for current diversion, acts as a mechanical connector for joining conductors, and includes insulation displacement capabilities. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate shunt devices and simplifies the overall connection process, as a single component performs what would traditionally require multiple separate operations.
4Reliability
If shunt openings are located on opposite sides of the housing, then proper electrical shunting is enabled, but the housing design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The shunt openings are positioned asymmetrically on opposite sides of the housing, optimized for the specific shunt connector geometry and insertion direction. This asymmetric placement allows the shunt to properly bridge conductors while maintaining a compact housing design. The opening sizes and positions are tailored to the shunt's contact points, ensuring reliable electrical connection without requiring symmetric or overly complex housing structures.
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 connector enables efficient, rapid, and reliable connections and disconnections of wires, reducing the risk of hazards and improving safety by providing a secure and efficient method for forming and breaking electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
The first and second electrical contacts may include juts that bite into the insulated housing and create a frictional force between the electrical contact and the insulated housing
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
This disclosure provides a method and apparatus for connecting and disconnecting a first wire to a second wire. More specifically, an apparatus that includes a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, an insulated housing, and a male contact prong (i.e., a shunt) is disclosed. In an embodiment, the first and second electrical contacts conductively connect with a first and second wire, respectively, via an insulation displacement connector. Furthermore, the male contact prong conductively connects (i.e., shunts) the first and second electrical contacts together. A wire-to-wire contact with shunt allows for two wires to be quickly and efficiently connected and disconnected.