U-Shaped Spring Steel Contact Element for Mast Luminaire Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mast lights mounted on non-conductive lamp poles require additional complex solutions for equipotential bonding to earth, as standard cable harnesses lack a separate wire for grounding, and existing solutions involve exchanging connection lines and creating a deposit point, which is cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped contact element made of spring steel with separate grounding conductor connections and sharp-edged tongues for forming electrical contact with the lamp housing, allowing for easy attachment and grounding without additional wires, ensuring secure connection through barbs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate grounding conductor is added to the cable harness for non-conductive lamp poles, then equipotential bonding to earth is achieved, but the device complexity and installation complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding function is segmented from the main cable harness and integrated directly into the contact element. The contact element is divided into functional sections: a U-shaped mounting portion for attachment to the lamp pole, a grounding conductor connection area, and contact areas for electrical connection. This segmentation allows grounding to be handled by a dedicated component rather than modifying the entire cable harness system.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical attachment to the lamp pole, creates electrical contact with the lamp housing, and establishes the grounding connection. By integrating these functions into a single component, the system becomes self-sufficient for grounding without requiring external modifications to the cable harness or additional separate grounding wires.
2Reliability
If the yellow/green protective conductor is used for earthing, then grounding is achieved, but safety standards are violated and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding function is extracted from the protective conductor (yellow/green wire) and assigned to a dedicated grounding conductor within the contact element. This separation ensures that the protective conductor maintains its safety-critical function for fault current protection, while the grounding conductor in the contact element handles the equipotential bonding function, eliminating the safety violation.
3Reliability
If standard connection lines are exchanged to accommodate grounding, then grounding is achieved, but ease of manufacture and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The contact element is designed as a universal component that works with standard cable harnesses and lamp housing configurations. It provides multi-functionality by simultaneously handling mechanical attachment, electrical contact, and grounding connection without requiring custom modifications to existing standard components, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture and assembly.
4Reliability
If a deposit point is created on the lamp for grounding, then grounding is achieved, but device complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding connection is merged with the existing contact element that is already part of the lamp assembly. Instead of creating a separate deposit point on the lamp housing, the grounding conductor is integrated into the contact element itself, which is already positioned at the interface between the lamp pole and lamp housing. This merging eliminates the need for additional grounding points and simplifies installation.
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
Facilitates a simple and secure electrical connection between the lamp housing and earth, enabling effective equipotential bonding without altering standard connection lines, ensuring safety and ease of installation.
Implementation Method 1
The contact element has a U-shaped section, which is formed from spring steel, so that it is suitable for different wall thicknesses of the lamp housing in order to be plugged onto it
Implementation Method 2
The second contact area has one, preferably two, sharp-edged tongues pointing outwards, which are set up to scratch the lamp housing that has been put on. The sharp-edged tongues can form an electrical contact to the metallic core of the housing through a paint or insulation layer of the luminaire housing
Implementation Method 3
a barb pointing towards the wall of the light pole is provided on the first and/or second leg, which barb prevents the contact element from moving away counter to the push-on direction
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a contact element for producing an earthing connection for a pole-mounted light, wherein the contact element can be arranged in an area on an edge of a light pole below a mounted light housing, wherein the contact element is formed from an elongated strip of spring steel sheet, which is bent in a U-shape and can be attached to a wall of a hollow light pole, such that a first leg of the U lies inside and a second leg of the U lies outside the hollow light pole, wherein the first leg has a first electrical contact area angled towards the interior of the light pole, to which a separate earthing conductor can be connected as a single wire, and on the second leg a second electrical contact area is provided, which projects outwards from the light pole and which is configured to make electrical contact with a light housing mounted on the light pole.