Spring-Loaded Contact Piston Assembly for Compact Reliable Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring-loaded connectors face reliability issues due to damage during assembly and require increased wall thickness for press fit resistance, leading to increased pitch in multi-connector plugs, which complicates the assembly process and affects the connector's reliability and compactness.
Innovation Solution
A piston assembly with a separate piston body and clip, where the clip is inserted through a through hole in the piston body, preventing damage during assembly and ensuring a reliable contact, and featuring a design that reduces the overall length and height of the spring-loaded contact, with a cap or seal to prevent water or dust ingress and a coil spring groove for enhanced current transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the clip is inserted into the tubular housing by pushing the beams of the clip, then the assembly process is simplified, but the beams are damaged and the reliability of the connector is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the piston assembly into separate components: a piston body and a clip. The clip is inserted into the piston body through a through hole, allowing the beams of the clip to be pushed from the base end rather than directly into the tubular housing. This segmentation protects the beams from damage during assembly while maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Strength
If the wall thickness is increased to achieve the required press fit resistance, then the press fit resistance is improved, but the pitch in a plug having several spring-loaded connectors is increased
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the piston body and clip into distinct components, the invention allows the clip to be inserted through a through hole in the piston body. This design enables the press fit resistance to be achieved through the interaction between the clip and piston body without requiring increased wall thickness, thereby maintaining a compact pitch in multi-connector plugs.
3Reliability
If the clip is inserted through a through hole in the piston body, then the clip is protected from damage during assembly, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piston assembly is segmented into a piston body and a clip, with the clip inserted through a through hole in the piston body. This segmentation protects the clip beams from damage during assembly while keeping the manufacturing process straightforward, as the through hole provides a clear insertion path for the clip.
4Length of moving object
If the piston body length is reduced to 65%-100% of the piston assembly length, then the overall length or height of the spring-loaded contact is reduced, but the space for accommodating the clip is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the through hole dimension in the piston body to accommodate the clip. By inserting the clip through the through hole from the base end, the design efficiently utilizes the available space within the reduced piston body length, ensuring adequate clip accommodation while maintaining a compact overall length.
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 solution provides a reliable, compact, and easy-to-assemble spring-loaded contact with reduced disconnections during shocks and vibrations, while maintaining efficient electrical conduction and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
a coil spring groove configured to receive a coil spring
Data Source
AI summary
A piston assembly for a spring-loaded contact, including:a piston body to be received into a housing of the spring loaded contact and having a first end to be connected directly or indirectly with an external part,a clip to mate with a conductive portion of the spring-loaded contact, wherein the piston body has a through hole, the clip being in the through hole.