Spring-Force Clamp Coating for High Clamping Force Triggering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring-force clamps face challenges in achieving higher clamping forces without impairing the triggering mechanism, as increasing the spring constant through thermal treatment leads to increased coefficients of friction, making it difficult to trigger the clamping mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A lubricant-containing coating, preferably perfluoropolyether (PFPE), is applied to the contact surface between the clamping spring and the retaining spring to reduce friction, allowing for increased spring constants while maintaining easy triggering, and a separate locking device is used to prevent wear on the clamping edge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the spring constant is increased through thermal treatment to achieve higher clamping forces, then the clamping force is improved, but the coefficient of friction increases making it difficult to trigger the clamping mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a lubricant-containing coating specifically to the contact surface between the clamping spring and retaining spring, creating a localized low-friction zone. This allows the spring constant to be increased for higher clamping force while the lubricated contact surface maintains easy triggering by reducing friction only where the springs interact during actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubricant-containing coating acts as an intermediary substance between the clamping spring and retaining spring. This coating layer mediates the interaction between the two springs, reducing direct metal-to-metal friction and enabling smooth triggering even when the spring constant is increased through thermal treatment.
2Ease of operation
If a lubricant-containing coating is applied to the contact surface to reduce friction, then the triggering is improved, but the electrical contact between conductor and spring clamp may be hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant-containing coating is applied selectively only to the contact surface between the clamping spring and retaining spring, not to the electrical contact surfaces. This localized application ensures that friction is reduced where needed for triggering while the electrical contact areas remain free of lubricant to maintain reliable electrical conductivity.
3Ease of operation
If the clamping spring is locked in open position using an actuating device to enable conductor introduction, then the conductor insertion is improved, but the actuating device requires manual release adding operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the separate actuating device from the design and instead uses the retaining spring itself to provide the locking function. The retaining spring directly locks the clamping spring in the open position through its elastic deformation, eliminating the need for additional actuating mechanisms and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining spring serves multiple functions: it locks the clamping spring in the open position to enable conductor introduction, and simultaneously provides the triggering mechanism through its interaction with the lubricated contact surface. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate actuating devices.
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 lubricant coating reduces friction in the locking mechanism, enabling secure clamping without premature triggering, and the separate locking device protects the clamping edge from wear, ensuring reliable operation even after thermal treatment.
Implementation Method 1
the contact surface has a lubricant-containing coating. through the lubricant-containing coating, a reduction of the coefficient of friction in the region of the locking mechanism is achieved
Implementation Method 2
there is a need to adapt the spring constant of the aforementioned clamping spring in favor of a stronger clamping force for particular applications. an increase in the spring constant through thermal treatment
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for contacting an electrical conductor includes a clamping spring which acts as a pressure spring for fixing an electrical conductor in a spring-force clamp and a retaining spring for locking the clamping spring in an open position such that the conductor can be introduced into a contact region in a shifting direction. The clamping spring touches the retaining spring along a contact surface in a locked state and during movement from the locking state into a unlocking state. A lubricant-containing coating is arranged on at least the contact surface,