Slidable Connector for Thermal Expansion Misalignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Connectors used in hostile environments with large temperature variations and significant positional variations between mating components often fail to provide reliable electrical connections due to misalignment and differential expansion.

Innovation Solution

A connector arrangement featuring a rigid inner conductor, a dielectric sleeve, and a rigid outer conductor with tapered surfaces, allowing for longitudinal slidable and transverse adjustment to accommodate misalignment, and including resilient connector elements for secure coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional rigid connectors are used in hostile environments, then structural stability is maintained, but reliable electrical connection is lost due to misalignment and differential expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidaccommodation of misalignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The connector arrangement incorporates an inner conductor that is slidable within the outer conductor, transforming the rigid static structure into a dynamic system. This allows the inner conductor to move longitudinally to accommodate misalignment while maintaining electrical connection, directly resolving the contradiction between structural stability and adaptability to misalignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connector utilizes differential thermal expansion by allowing the inner and outer conductors to expand at different rates due to their different materials. The slidable inner conductor adjusts its position in response to temperature changes, maintaining reliable electrical connection despite thermal expansion differences, thus resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and environmental adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the inner conductor is fixed rigidly within the outer conductor, then structural stability is maintained, but longitudinal and transverse misalignment cannot be accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of misalignmentVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The inner conductor is designed to slide within the outer conductor rather than being rigidly fixed, creating a dynamic interface that can adapt to misalignment. This sliding mechanism allows longitudinal adjustment while the dielectric sleeve maintains transverse positioning, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connector is divided into distinct functional zones: the dielectric sleeve provides transverse stability and insulation, while the slidable inner conductor provides longitudinal adaptability. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function, maintaining overall structural stability while enabling misalignment accommodation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the connector components are made rigid, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to temperature variations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoidthermal expansion accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution enables reliable electrical connections in hostile environments by accommodating both longitudinal and transverse misalignment and differential expansion, ensuring stable connections across varying temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

a surface of at least one of the inner conductor, the sleeve and the outer conductor is provided with a taper, such that the sleeve fixes the relative transverse positions of the inner and outer conductors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical constraint through taper: Geometry

Implementation Method 2

The inner conductor is longitudinally slidable relative to the outer conductor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

The inner conductor is provided at the second end of the arrangement with a plurality of longitudinal connector elements having resilience in a transverse direction. These connector elements provide for electrical and mechanical coupling of the inner conductor with the mating connector

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7766705B2Connector arrangement

Publication Date: 2010.08.03 ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

A connector arrangement comprises a rigid inner conductor (107), a dielectric sleeve (111) arranged around the inner conductor and a rigid outer conductor (109) arranged around the sleeve. A surface of at least one of the inner conductor, the sleeve and the outer conductor is provided with a taper, such that the sleeve fixes the relative transverse positions of the inner and outer conductors at a first end of the arrangement and not at a second end of the arrangement. The inner conductor is longitudinally slidable relative to the outer conductor. Such an arrangement is suitable for use in hostile environments, such as in high temperature pipelines, in which there are large temperature variations and in which the positional variation of mating connectors is high.