Socket Contact With Segmented Spring Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of conventional socket contacts is complex and expensive, leading to high wear and mechanical instability, which affects their reliability and consistency in maintaining contact force after multiple plugging cycles.
Innovation Solution
A socket contact design featuring a hollow cylinder with axial slots forming multiple spring arms, each with two defined touch contacts, allowing for shared contact force and reduced wear, and a manufacturing method that maintains greater wall thickness in the contact area for enhanced stability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional socket contacts are produced with multiple spring arms to achieve reliable electrical contact, then contact reliability is improved, but production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The socket contact is divided into multiple spring arms (typically three) that are axially spaced and radially offset from one another. Each spring arm is formed by axial slotting of a hollow cylinder, creating segmented contact elements that independently engage with the pin contact. This segmentation provides reliable electrical contact through multiple parallel contact paths while maintaining a relatively simple monolithic structure that can be produced as a single piece.
Solution Approach 2:
Each spring arm is equipped with contact areas that have two defined touch contacts, creating localized high-quality contact zones. The spring arms have greater wall thickness in the contact area than outside the contact area, providing enhanced local stiffness and contact stability where needed, while keeping other areas lighter and more flexible. This local quality enhancement ensures reliable contact without requiring excessive complexity throughout the entire structure.
2Force
If the number of spring arms is increased to maintain contact force, then contact force stability is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The socket contact uses a specific number of spring arms (typically three) that are axially spaced and radially offset, creating a balanced segmented structure. This segmentation distributes the contact force across multiple independent elements, maintaining stable contact force without requiring an excessive number of spring arms that would compromise mechanical stability. The radial offset arrangement ensures even load distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring arms have variable wall thickness, with greater thickness in the contact area and thinner walls in non-contact areas. This parameter change optimizes the stiffness and mechanical stability of each spring arm, allowing them to maintain contact force stability while resisting excessive deformation during insertion and transport. The hollow cylinder structure with controlled wall thickness provides the right balance between flexibility and rigidity.
3Ease of manufacture
If spring arms are made thinner to reduce material, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but contact area durability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arms feature variable wall thickness with localized thickening in the contact areas where durability is critical. The contact areas have two defined touch contacts with enhanced wall thickness, providing wear resistance and structural integrity where contact occurs. Non-contact areas have reduced wall thickness to minimize material usage and manufacturing cost. This local quality differentiation ensures durability at contact points while maintaining cost efficiency overall.
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 provides reliable electrical contact with reduced wear and mechanical stability, maintaining consistent contact force and insertion resistance across multiple cycles, while simplifying and cost-reducing the production process.
Implementation Method 1
The spring arms deform slightly when the pin contact is inserted and multiple insertion with the same contact force, constant transition resistance, constant insertion force, etc. is not possible
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a socket contact for making electrical contact with a pin contact, wherein the socket contact (1) is formed substantially from a hollow cylinder in which at least one axial slot (3) is made, as a result of which at least two spring arms (4) are formed, wherein the ends of the spring arms (4) have contact regions (4b), wherein in each case two points of contact (7) with the pin contact can be established by means of the contact regions (4b), wherein the contact regions (4b) have a curved covering area (4c), wherein the curved covering area (4c) forms two points of contact (7) with the pin contact.