Terminal Strip with Alternating Fork Blade Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting rail arrangements for measurement and control electronics in production engineering are not optimized for efficient adaptation and heat dissipation, leading to suboptimal performance and space utilization.
Innovation Solution
A modular electrical assembly with a U-shaped mounting rail, featuring fork and blade contacts, heat pipes, and a thermally conductive plate for enhanced heat dissipation, allowing for quick adaptation and high-density signal/data transmission, and featuring a terminal strip with alternating fork and blade contacts for increased contact density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional mounting rail arrangements are used for measurement and control electronics, then the electronics can be protected in control cabinets, but the adaptation efficiency and heat dissipation performance are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical assembly is divided into modular components including a housing with terminal strip, mounting rail integration, and heat dissipation elements. This segmentation allows for quick adaptation and replacement of individual modules while maintaining overall system functionality, directly improving productivity in control cabinet installations
Solution Approach 2:
Heat pipes are introduced as intermediary thermal conduction elements between the electrical components and the mounting rail. The heat pipes transfer heat efficiently from hot spots to the mounting rail which acts as a heat sink, improving heat dissipation performance without compromising adaptation efficiency
2Adaptability or versatility
If fork and blade contacts are used as bus contacts to forward energy and data, then module-to-module connection is enabled, but the contact density and space utilization are not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal strip integrates multiple fork contacts and blade contacts in a compact alternating pattern within a single housing structure. This merging of contact types into one integrated component enables high-density module-to-module connections while optimizing space utilization in the control cabinet, maintaining adaptability for various connection configurations
3Temperature
If heat pipes are passed through the housing to dissipate heat, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting rail serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the electrical assembly, acts as a heat sink for heat dissipation, and enables quick adaptation and replacement of modules. By integrating these functions into a single component, the need for separate heat dissipation structures is reduced, thereby improving heat dissipation efficiency without significantly increasing overall device complexity
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 enables efficient adaptation, high-density signal/data transmission, and effective heat dissipation, improving the performance and space utilization of measurement and control electronics in production engineering.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of heat pipes 5 can be passed through through-openings 28 in the first housing part 22 until they partially rest on the underside 23 of the housing facing the mounting rail 4
Implementation Method 2
A thermally conductive plate 6 can optionally be arranged between the mounting rail 4 and the parts of the heat pipes 5 that are in contact with the underside 23 of the housing
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c~1d
AI summary
The component (2) has electrical connections (32) and a connection, measuring and/or control electronics attached on support rail (4). The electronics includes bus contacts in an adding direction for forwarding energy, signal and/or data from the component to another component. The bus contacts are arranged in a row, and include fork and blade contacts, which are alternatingly arranged adjacent to each other in a row. The fork and blade contacts are alternatingly inserted in chambers of a strip-like housing, and form a connection strip (31) together with the housing. An independent claim is also included for a connection device arrangement.