Stacked Spring Beam Power Connector for EV Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power connector systems for high power applications, such as electric vehicles, are complex and costly to manufacture due to numerous contact points, and they often fail to be compact and touch-safe, posing safety risks in automotive applications.
Innovation Solution
A power connector system featuring a header connector with stacked contact members and spring beams, aligned to form sockets, and a plug connector with touch guards, allowing for compact, high-power connections while ensuring safety through finger-proof design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If many contact points are used to increase current capacity, then power connection capability is improved, but connector complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual contact members are merged into a single integrated header terminal assembly with stacked spring beams. The spring beams are arranged in stacks where multiple beams share common insulation and structural support, combining multiple contact functions into one unified component that maintains high current capacity while reducing overall connector complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The contact members are arranged in a stacked vertical arrangement rather than a horizontal spread-out configuration. Multiple spring beams are stacked one above another in the vertical dimension, allowing multiple contact points to be consolidated into a compact vertical structure that reduces the horizontal footprint and simplifies the connector overall layout
2Power
If many contact points are used to increase current capacity, then power connection capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple spring beams share common insulation pieces and structural support elements, reducing the total number of separate components that need to be manufactured and assembled. The stacked arrangement allows for more efficient use of materials and simplifies the tooling requirements compared to having numerous separate contact points
Solution Approach 2:
The header terminal is segmented into modular stacked spring beam assemblies that can be manufactured and tested as units before final assembly. This modular approach allows for more efficient manufacturing processes and reduces tooling capital requirements compared to creating entirely custom complex multi-contact connectors
3Volume of moving object
If connector size is reduced to achieve compact design, then space efficiency is improved, but touch-safety becomes more difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The spring beams are nested within a housing structure that provides inherent protection. The insulation pieces and housing walls create protective barriers around the contact members, allowing the connector to maintain a compact size while ensuring that exposed surfaces are too small to pose a finger-proofing hazard
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation pieces act as protective shells around the spring beams. These insulating structures provide a protective layer that prevents direct access to conductive surfaces, enabling the connector to be compact while maintaining touch-safety through the protective barrier rather than requiring large spacing
4Power
If many contact points are arranged horizontally, then current capacity is improved, but connector size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact members transition from a horizontal planar arrangement to a vertical stacked configuration. Multiple spring beams are arranged in stacks along the vertical axis, allowing the same number of contact points to fit within a much smaller horizontal footprint while maintaining the required current capacity
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 system achieves a compact, high-power connection that is simpler to manufacture and safer by providing multiple contact points for increased current capacity while maintaining a touch-safe interface, reducing manufacturing costs and enhancing safety.
Implementation Method 1
Each contact member has a pair of spring beams defining a socket at a mating end of the contact member
Data Source
AI summary
A power connector system includes a header connector having a header housing mounted to a chassis. The header housing holds a header terminal comprising a plurality of contact members arranged side-by-side in a stacked arrangement. Each contact member has a pair of spring beams defining sockets at a mating end of the contact member. The sockets of the contact members are aligned to define a tab socket of the header terminal. The power connector system includes a plug connector having a plug housing holding a tab terminal. The tab terminal has a mating end and a cable end. The mating end is received in a mating direction into the tab socket of the header terminal during mating to electrically connect the tab terminal with the header terminal.