Conductive Spiral Connector for Reliable Wire Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors, such as crimp connectors and threaded wire connectors, often fail due to inadequate pressure during crimping or threading, leading to unreliable connections with small surface areas, which can be difficult to inspect and prone to seam opening, necessitating a secure and permanent connection method for wires or cables.
Innovation Solution
A conductive spiral connector that moves from a large diameter configuration to a smaller diameter upon twisting, creating a substantial force to grip wires or cables, ensuring a reliable electrical connection with a large contact surface area, and can connect multiple wires together or to terminal ends without the need for crimping or threading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional crimp connectors are used, then electrical connection is achieved, but the connection is unreliable due to inadequate pressure and small surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The connector uses a spiral configuration instead of a straight crimp structure. The spiral shape allows the connector to wrap around the wire multiple times, creating a large cumulative contact surface area while maintaining a compact form factor. This curved geometry enables reliable electrical connection through distributed contact points along the spiral path.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector transitions from a loose configuration to a tightened configuration through rotational motion. This dynamic transformation allows the spiral to progressively engage with the wire, increasing contact pressure and surface area engagement during the tightening process, resulting in a secure and reliable connection.
2Reliability
If conventional threaded wire connectors are used, then electrical connection is achieved, but the connection is prone to seam opening and difficult to inspect
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates visual indicators such as color-coded components or contrasting colors between different parts (spiral, housing, terminal). These color differences make it easy to visually inspect whether the connector is properly assembled, tightened, and engaged with the wire, eliminating inspection difficulties while maintaining connection permanence.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral connector design inherently provides visible engagement indicators through its structure. As the spiral tightens around the wire, the geometry naturally shows whether proper contact is achieved, allowing the connector to self-indicate its installation status without requiring additional inspection tools or complex mechanisms.
3Reliability
If crimping process is used, then electrical connection is achieved, but the process requires specialized tools and skill leading to variable quality
Solution Approach 1:
The connector replaces the complex crimping mechanical system with a simpler rotational tightening mechanism. Instead of requiring specialized crimping tools that apply controlled compression forces, the new design uses a manual or automated rotation process that is easier to perform and provides more consistent results, improving both ease of operation and connection quality reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector transforms the installation process from a force-based crimping operation to a rotation-based tightening operation. This parameter change in the installation method makes the process more controllable and less skill-dependent, as rotational motion is easier to standardize and apply consistently across different installation scenarios, leading to variable quality improvement.
4Area of moving object
If spiral connector tightens around wire, then large contact surface area is achieved, but the spiral length increases during tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral connector is designed to nest within a housing structure during tightening. As the spiral rotates and tightens around the wire, increasing in effective length, the housing provides containment and support, allowing the spiral to extend axially while maintaining a compact overall package. This nesting arrangement accommodates the length increase without compromising the large contact surface area achievement.
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 conductive spiral connector provides a secure, permanent, and easy-to-use electrical connection with a large contact surface area, ensuring reliable electrical contact and resistance to disconnection, suitable for various wire gauges and applications, including heavy-duty connections.
Implementation Method 1
A conductive spiral that moves from a large diameter configuration to a smaller diameter upon twisting, creating a substantial force to grip wires or cables
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector forms electrical contact by tightening of a movable, electrically-conductive spiral around un-insulated wire or wires. The spiral coils around the wire multiple times and tightens on the wire(s) when either one or the other end, or both ends, of the spiral is/are rotated relative to the other. Various housing portions may be provided for connection to different portions of the spiral, to facilitate the tightening of the spiral and to cooperate with a latch/lock system to retain the spiral in tightened condition. Multiple spirals may be provided in one connector, including spirals that tighten around separate wires at opposite ends/side of the connector and/or in spiral ports extending transversely from a main spiral(s). Terminal ends or additional spiral units/ports may be connected to a given spiral, either permanently, semi-permanently, or detachably, for producing a wide variety of configurations and modular connection devices.