Spring-Centered Plug-In Connector for Flexible Conductor Film Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for flexible conductive films with foil-insulated conductors fail to ensure that all cutting edges consistently cut through the conductors without cutting into the insulating material, due to misalignment and tolerances in the conductor foil positioning.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a receiving area with spring elements orthogonal to the insertion direction, ensuring precise positioning of the conductor film, and a housing part with integrated spring elements that apply even pressure to center the film, allowing cutting edges to cut through the conductors accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the connector housing receives flexible conductive films with high tolerances, then the connector can accommodate varying film widths, but the cutting edges may cut into the insulating material instead of cleanly cutting through the conductors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by positioning the flexible conductive film between two housing parts before the cutting operation. The housing parts are designed with receiving areas that pre-position the film and its conductors, ensuring that when the housing parts are pushed together, the cutting edges align precisely with the conductor centers. This preliminary positioning prevents cutting into insulating material while accommodating film width variations.
2Ease of operation
If the conductor foil is inserted through a receiving opening, then the connector can accept the flexible conductive film, but the high tolerances of the conductor foil cause misalignment and inconsistent cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by designing the receiving areas with specific dimensional parameters that accommodate the tolerance range of the flexible conductive films. The receiving areas are dimensioned to ensure that regardless of the exact film width within the tolerance range, the film will be positioned such that the cutting edges align with the conductor centers when the housing parts are assembled.
3Reliability
If the cutting edges are designed to penetrate and secure the foil-insulated conductors, then electrical contact is established, but misalignment causes some cutting edges to extend only through insulating material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by having the flexible conductive film nested between two housing parts. The first housing part contains cutting edges that penetrate the conductors, while the second housing part provides a receiving area with a stop that limits the insertion depth. This nested arrangement ensures precise alignment and consistent cutting through the conductors, establishing reliable electrical contact.
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
Ensures that all cutting edges of the connector consistently cut through the conductors, maintaining reliable electrical contact and preventing damage to the insulating material, while accommodating films of varying widths and tolerances.
Implementation Method 1
Spring elements or resilient elements are arranged in the receiving area such that they spring orthogonally to the receiving direction. This causes a conductor film that is inserted into the receiving area along the receiving direction to be subjected to a spring force acting orthogonally to the receiving direction.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2~3b
AI summary
A plug-in connector for a flexible conductor film (20) with film-insulated conductors (21) has a receiving region for the conductor film (20), the receiving region having a receiving direction (R). Furthermore, the plug-in connector (10) has a first housing part (30), which has at least one plug-in contact element to which a plurality of blades are electrically conductively connected, and a second housing part (40), which has the receiving region. The first housing part (30) and the second housing part (40) are pushed one into the other. The second housing part (40) has two spring elements (42, 43), which are arranged with a spring action on a left-hand side of the receiving direction (R) in the receiving region (41), and two spring elements (44, 45), which are arranged with a spring action on a right-hand side of the receiving direction (R) in the receiving region. In a plug-in connector arrangement, the conductor film (20) is arranged in the receiving region such that at least one spring element (42, 43) presses against a first side of the conductor film (20) and at least one spring element (44, 45) presses against a second side of the conductor film (20), the second side being situated opposite the first side.