Terminal-Thermistor Assembly with Cantilevered Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional terminal-thermistor assemblies experience inaccurate temperature readings and delayed response times due to the thermistor device's design, which can lead to system damage and poor performance.
Innovation Solution
A terminal-thermistor assembly design featuring a thermistor body with a temperature-sensing element encased in a housing that includes cantilevered spring elements and a protrusion, allowing for resilient contact and secure retention within a cavity, ensuring accurate temperature detection and rapid response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional components are used to hold the thermistor device and terminal together, then the assembly is secure, but the temperature reading accuracy and response time deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the thermistor device directly into the terminal structure by receiving the thermistor body within a cavity formed in the terminal housing. This merging eliminates the need for separate holding components and reduces thermal resistance interfaces, thereby improving temperature measurement accuracy while maintaining secure assembly through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes additional holding components from the assembly, extracting only the essential elements (terminal and thermistor) needed for both mechanical support and thermal conduction. This simplification eliminates unnecessary thermal barriers and improves response time while the terminal housing itself provides the structural support function.
2Reliability
If additional components are used to hold the thermistor device and terminal together, then the assembly is secure, but the response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The thermistor device is integrated directly into the terminal housing with the sensing element positioned to contact the terminal body. This merging creates a direct thermal pathway that eliminates intermediate components, significantly reducing thermal resistance and response time while the integrated cavity structure maintains secure assembly.
3Ease of manufacture
If the thermistor device is held by additional components, then assembly is easier to manufacture, but temperature measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal housing incorporates an integrated cavity that directly receives the thermistor body, merging the holding function into the terminal structure itself. This integration maintains ease of manufacture through modular assembly while eliminating additional components that would create thermal barriers, thereby improving measurement accuracy.
4Reliability
If additional components are used to secure the thermistor, then the assembly is more reliable, but the thermal contact between thermistor and terminal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal housing integrates a cavity that directly receives and secures the thermistor body, merging the mechanical support function into the thermal conduction pathway. This eliminates intermediate components that would impede heat flow, ensuring optimal thermal contact while maintaining assembly reliability through the integrated structure.
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 assembly provides improved accuracy and response time for temperature readings, enhancing the reliability and performance of systems where it is installed by maintaining intimate contact between the thermistor and terminal.
Implementation Method 1
The spring element may be resiliently flexible between a first position in which a space between the spring element and the protrusion is less than a thickness of the body of the thermistor and a second position in which the space between the spring element and the protrusion is equal to the thickness of the body
Implementation Method 2
the thermistor measures temperature from the terminal
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal-thermistor assembly may include a thermistor and a terminal. The thermistor may include a body encasing a temperature-sensing element. The terminal may include a shaft and a housing disposed on an end of the shaft. The housing may include a cavity, a protrusion extending into the cavity and a cantilevered spring element. The spring element may be resiliently flexible between a first position in which a space between the spring element and the protrusion is less than a thickness of the body of the thermistor and a second position in which the space between the spring element and the protrusion is equal to the thickness of the body. A first surface of the thermistor body may contact the spring element and a second surface of the thermistor body opposite the first surface may contact the protrusion when the body is received within the cavity.