Spring-Clamp Contact Assembly for Miniaturized Terminal Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact assemblies for electrical conductors are not optimized for miniaturization and smooth outer contours, which is crucial for use as contact inserts in conductor connection terminals, particularly in housing recesses.
Innovation Solution
The contact assembly design integrates a busbar component and a spring component, where the third wall of the conductor insertion channel is formed partly from both materials, allowing for a mechanically connected and miniaturized structure with a smooth outer contour, using highly conductive busbar material and resilient spring material, and featuring a one-sided leaf spring for clamping, enabling efficient and reliable electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the contact assembly is miniaturized, then the size is reduced, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the busbar component and spring component into a single integrated assembly where the third wall is formed by both components working together. This integration reduces the overall number of separate parts while maintaining the necessary structural complexity for miniaturization, directly resolving the contradiction between reduced size and increased structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring component is nested within the busbar component structure, with the third wall formed by the combination of both components. This nesting approach allows the contact assembly to be miniaturized by efficiently utilizing internal space, while the integrated design of the nested components prevents excessive structural complexity.
2Reliability
If additional fastening measures are added, then the connection reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring component provides self-clamping force through its elastic properties, automatically securing the electrical conductor without requiring additional fastening measures. This self-service mechanism ensures reliable electrical connection while maintaining simplicity, as the spring's inherent elasticity provides both the connection force and the necessary reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring component utilizes changes in elastic parameters to provide clamping force. By designing the spring with appropriate material properties and geometric parameters, the contact assembly achieves reliable connection through controlled elastic deformation, eliminating the need for complex fastening mechanisms while maintaining high connection reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the outer contour is made smooth, then the ease of assembly improves, but the structural design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The busbar component and spring component are merged to form a unified structure with a smooth outer contour. This integration allows the assembly to be inserted as a single unit into the housing recess, improving ease of assembly. The smooth contour is achieved through the coordinated design of both components working together as one integrated unit.
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
This design allows for a miniaturized, efficient, and reliable electrical connection with a smooth outer contour, facilitating easy assembly and disassembly without additional fastening measures, suitable for use in conductor connection terminals and plug connectors.
Implementation Method 1
a spring component (4) made of a spring material, which is mechanically connected to the busbar component (3) and is designed to clamp an electrical conductor by means of a clamping spring at a clamping point on the busbar component (3)
Implementation Method 2
a busbar component (3) made of a busbar material, wherein the busbar component is designed as a profile component
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a contact assembly for connecting an electrical conductor by means of spring clamping, with the following features: a) the contact assembly has a busbar component made of a busbar material, wherein the busbar component is designed as a profile component angled at least partially parallel to the conductor insertion direction of an electrical conductor into the contact assembly, b) the contact assembly has a spring component with a clamping spring, wherein the spring component is made of a spring material, is mechanically connected to the busbar component and is configured to clamp an electrical conductor at a clamping point on the busbar component by means of the clamping spring, c) the contact assembly has a conductor insertion opening and a conductor insertion channel adjoining the conductor insertion opening, through which an electrical conductor inserted at the conductor insertion opening can be guided to the clamping point.d) The conductor entry channel is formed by at least a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall, wherein the first wall is arranged substantially parallel to the second wall and the third wall extends at least from the first wall to the second wall, wherein the electrical conductor can be inserted into the contact assembly in the space formed between the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall. The invention also relates to a conductor terminal with at least one such contact assembly.