Socket Terminal Arc Management via Sacrificial Extending Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric arcs generated during the plugging and unplugging of power connectors can damage socket terminals and leave residues, affecting their performance and lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A socket connector design featuring an insulated housing with socket terminals that include a conductive clasp and contacting arms with elastic components, which redirect the electric arc to minimize damage and residue formation, using a configuration of extending and contacting portions to manage the arc during insertion and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the socket terminal uses a conventional design without arc protection, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the terminal is damaged by electric arc discharge during plugging and pulling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The contacting arm is divided into distinct functional segments: the elastic clasp portion that provides contact force, the port portion that forms the first contacting section, and the extending portion that serves as a sacrificial arc shield. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function while protecting the critical second contacting portion from arc damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The extending portion acts as an intermediary sacrificial element between the electric arc and the critical second contacting portion. It absorbs the arc's harmful effects through controlled erosion, preventing direct damage to the essential contacting surfaces while maintaining electrical functionality.
2Reliability
If the socket terminal is designed with arc protection structures, then the terminal is protected from electric arc damage, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The contacting arm's geometry is optimized by adjusting parameters such as the curvature radius of the elastic clasp, the length and position of the extending portion, and the angle of the contacting arms. These parameter changes enable the arc protection function to be achieved through shape optimization rather than adding separate protective components, simplifying the manufacturing process.
3Productivity
If the contacting arms are positioned close together, then the connector is compact and efficient, but electric arcs can easily bridge between terminals during plugging and pulling
Solution Approach 1:
The extending portion is intentionally designed to be erodible by electric arcs. Instead of trying to completely prevent arc formation, the design converts the harmful arc into a controlled erosion process that affects only the sacrificial extending portion, while the critical second contacting portion remains protected and functional.
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 effectively prevents damage to the socket terminals from electric arcs and reduces carbon deposits, thereby prolonging the lifespan of the connectors by ensuring the arc strikes non-critical areas, maintaining efficient conduction.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the contacting arms includes an elastic clasp, a port portion, and at least one extending portion. The elastic clasp extends forward from the fixing portion along the longitudinal direction.
Implementation Method 2
During plug-in or pull-off processes in power-on state, an electric arc may be generated by the electric current crossing from one terminal to another terminal through the air. A part of the elastic clasp is curved inward to form a second contacting portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A socket connector includes an insulated housing and at least one socket terminal. The insulated housing has at least one terminal passage for receiving the at least one socket terminal. The socket terminal has a fixing portion, a conductive clasp extending rearward from the fixing portion along a longitudinal direction, and a pair of contacting arms respectively extending from two opposite sides of the fixing portion. Each contacting arm has an elastic clasp extending from the fixing portion along the longitudinal direction, a port portion connecting to a front end of the elastic clasp, and at least one extending portion extending rearward from an inner side of the port portion. A part of the elastic clasp is bent inward to form a second contacting portion. A part of the port portion and the extending portion form a first contacting section.