Terminal Fitting Cantilevered Protecting Plate Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional terminal fittings with resilient contact pieces face challenges in reliably protecting the turned portion of the resilient contact piece due to exposure through cutouts, leading to potential interference and deformation issues.
Innovation Solution
The terminal fitting incorporates a design with first and second slits to form protecting plates that are cantilevered toward the turned portion, ensuring protection without deformation during curved portion formation, and are positioned to prevent external interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If protecting plates are provided to protect the turned portion, then the turned portion is protected from external interference, but the protecting plates are deformed with strain when curved portions are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting plate is divided into two separate parts: a front end portion that protects the turned portion, and a rear end portion that forms the curved portion. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently - the front end provides protection while the rear end forms the curved shape without strain deformation affecting the protecting structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The front end portion of the protecting plate is extracted as a separate functional element from the curved portion. By separating the protecting function from the curved portion formation, the patent ensures that the protecting plate maintains its shape stability while still providing effective protection for the turned portion.
2Reliability
If protecting plates are provided to protect the turned portion, then the turned portion is protected, but front end portions of the protecting plates may project out from the outer surface of the base plate
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting plate is designed with different functional zones: the front end portion extends to provide protection for the turned portion, while the rear end portion is positioned to form the curved portion without projecting from the base plate surface. This local differentiation of quality and position allows the protecting plate to fulfill its protective function while maintaining proper alignment with the base plate.
3Ease of operation
If parts of the side plates are cut out to expose the turned portion, then the turned portion can be accessed, but the turned portion is left partially exposed and difficult to protect reliably
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting plate is segmented into a front end portion that extends through the cutout area to protect the turned portion, and a rear end portion that forms the curved portion. This segmentation allows the protecting plate to provide reliable protection for the turned portion while still allowing necessary access through the cutouts in the side plates.
Data Source
AI summary
A rectangular tubular terminal connecting portion (11) includes two side plates (17) standing up from opposite sides of a base plate (15) via curved portions (16). A resilient contact piece (20) includes a substantially arcuate turned portion (21) extending forward from a front end (15F) of the base plate (15) and a main portion (22) extending back from an extending end of the turned portion (21). First slits (24) extend back from a front end (11F) of the terminal connecting portion (11) along lateral edges (21S) of the turned portion (21), second slits (25) extend from the rear ends of the first slits (24) along the front ends (15F, 16F) of the base plate (15) and the curved portions (16), and protecting plates (26) defined by the first and second slits (24, 25) are cantilevered toward the turned portion (21).