Spring Member Base Portion Extension for Electrical Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
In miniaturized and standardized electrical switching systems, the limited space poses challenges in designing spring members that meet requirements for elasticity and conductivity while maintaining low production costs.
Innovation Solution
The base portion of the spring member is formed by folding sheet material along a 180° edge, creating an extension that protrudes from the base, allowing for a smaller base size and increased effective length of the contact spring portion, with at least two layers of sheet material improving stability and conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the base portion is made smaller to fit limited space, then the space requirement is reduced, but the stability and conductivity of the spring member deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The extension protrudes away from the remaining base portion in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheet material, utilizing the third dimension (depth/height) to provide additional functional length without increasing the footprint area of the base portion. This allows the base portion to maintain small area while the extension provides the necessary stability and conductivity in the perpendicular dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The extension is formed by folding the sheet material around a folding edge, creating a nested structure where the extension is essentially a folded portion of the base portion itself. This nested configuration allows the extension to be compact when not in use while still providing adequate functional length, and the multi-layer folded structure enhances both stability and conductivity within a confined space.
2Length of moving object
If the effective length of the contact spring portion is increased, then the elasticity and contact performance are improved, but the total length of the spring member exceeds the maximum allowed length
Solution Approach 1:
The extension protrudes perpendicular to the plane of the sheet material, allowing the functional length to be extended in the depth dimension rather than the planar dimensions. This enables the contact spring portion to achieve adequate effective length for proper contact performance while keeping the overall planar footprint and total length within maximum constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded extension structure provides dynamic flexibility, allowing the extension to bend and adapt to different positions while maintaining electrical connectivity. This dynamic capability enables the contact spring portion to achieve its full effective length for optimal contact performance without requiring the entire structure to be linearly extended, thus staying within maximum length constraints.
3Reliability
If the base portion is extended to provide sufficient stability and conductivity, then the reliability is improved, but the cross-sectional area increases reducing miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the cross-sectional area of the base portion in the plane of the sheet material, the extension protrudes perpendicular to this plane. This dimensional transition allows the structure to gain additional stability and conductivity length without increasing the planar cross-sectional area, enabling miniaturization in the planar dimensions while maintaining reliability through vertical extension.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is related to a spring member (5) for an electrical switching element, such as a relay, comprising at least one contact spring portion (7) with at least one contacting spot (9), and a base portion (13), from which the contact spring portion (7) extends, said base portion (13) comprising a terminal portion (15). In order to provide a spring member (5) for an electrical switching element and the same which can be used in small spaces, carry high currents and which can easily be adapted to different technical requirements, it is intended according to the invention that said base portion (13) comprises an extension (17) extending from said contact spring portion (7) to said terminal portion (15) said extension (17) protruding away from the remaining base portion (13).