Touch-Protected Socket Lever Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug-in connections lack simplicity in operator control and effective touch protection, particularly in assembly and operation.
Innovation Solution
A touch-protected socket with a housing made of electrically insulating material, featuring a contact spring and lever mechanism that minimizes insertion force while ensuring high contact force, and prevents accidental disconnection by tensioning and relaxing the contact spring through a pivoting lever, ensuring electrical insulation and secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional clamping spring with trigger is used to prevent conductor pull-out, then the electrical conductors can be secured, but the device complexity increases and operator control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex trigger mechanism from the system and replaces it with a simple lever that directly acts on the contact spring. The lever can be operated without triggering complex mechanisms, directly tensioning or relieving the contact spring to secure or release the plug.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact spring is designed to automatically tension when the lever is opened, securing the plug without requiring additional locking mechanisms. The spring's elastic properties provide self-securing functionality, eliminating the need for complex triggers.
2Force
If high contact force is ensured through strong spring tension, then good electrical contact is achieved, but the insertion force required by the operator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact spring's tension is dynamically controlled by the lever position. During insertion, the spring is relaxed requiring minimal operator force. After insertion, the lever is closed to tension the spring, providing high contact force. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between insertion ease and contact quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever mechanism is designed so that the contact spring is pre-positioned to be relaxed during insertion, reducing required operator force. After insertion completes, the lever closes to tension the spring, providing the necessary contact force only when needed.
3Reliability
If the contact spring is always under tension to ensure good contact, then electrical connection is maintained, but touch protection is compromised when the plug is not connected
Solution Approach 1:
The contact spring's tension state is dynamically changed based on lever position. When the lever is open (plug not connected), the spring is relaxed, eliminating exposed tensioned elements and maintaining touch protection. When the lever is closed (plug connected), the spring is tensioned to ensure good electrical contact.
4Reliability
If the lever completely prevents plug pull-out by extending into the inlet opening, then connection security is improved, but the plug insertion process becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lever is designed to be in the open position during insertion, clearing the inlet opening to facilitate easy plug insertion. After insertion is complete, the lever is closed to extend into the inlet opening and prevent pull-out, providing security only when needed.
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 provides a simple and safe plug-in connection that requires minimal operator force for connection, maintains touch protection in both connected and disconnected states, and ensures secure engagement of the plug, thereby enhancing user safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a contact spring arranged in the plug-receiving region, wherein a lever in its open position, tensions the contact spring, so that a dimension of the contact spring transverse to the longitudinal direction of the plug-receiving region is reduced, and in its closed position, relieves the contact spring of tension relative to the tensioned state
Data Source
AI summary
A socket has a housing, which is composed of an electrically insulating material and an elongate plug-receiving region. A contact spring is arranged in the plug-receiving region. A lever loads the contact spring in the open position of the lever such that a dimension of the contact spring transverse to the longitudinal direction of the plug-receiving region is reduced and relaxes the contact spring in the closed position of the lever. A plug is provided for such a socket.