Wedge Bulb Socket Vibration Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wedge bulb sockets experience unstable electrical connections and vibration-induced arcing due to inadequate grounding and support, especially in mechanical devices like vehicles, where the center of gravity of the bulb causes instability during vibration.
Innovation Solution
The socket design features elastic supporting terminals with a increased supporting area, embossing ridges, and an inclined stepped support portion to securely hold and reduce vibration of the wedge bulb, ensuring stable electrical connections and minimizing gaps for improved grounding performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If elastic terminals press the lower end of the connector distant from the center of gravity, then the connector can be fixed in the socket, but the electrical connection becomes unstable during vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from single-point pressing at the lower end to multi-point pressing distributed across different dimensions of the connector. The elastic terminals press at the lower end while additional press pieces press at the upper end, creating a distributed pressing system that spans the length of the connector, thereby improving both fixation and electrical connection stability during vibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple pressing functions into a unified system. The elastic terminals and press pieces work together as an integrated pressing mechanism, where the elastic terminals provide continuous pressure at the lower end and the press pieces provide support at the upper end, creating a comprehensive fixation system that maintains reliable electrical connection throughout vibration.
2Illumination intensity
If the wedge bulb is made of heavy glass with large volume light emitting element, then the bulb can provide sufficient light output, but the center of gravity shifts causing easy vibration relative to the socket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing press pieces at the upper end of the connector that engage with the light emitting element before vibration occurs. These press pieces pre-compress the connector and light emitting element assembly, creating initial mechanical constraint that prevents excessive movement during subsequent vibration, thereby maintaining stable electrical connection despite the high center of gravity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different pressing mechanisms at different locations of the connector. The elastic terminals at the lower end provide continuous elastic pressure, while the press pieces at the upper end provide rigid support. This localized differentiation of pressing characteristics addresses the specific stability needs at each location, particularly stabilizing the high center of gravity region.
3Force
If elastic terminals are arranged to press positions distant from the center of gravity, then the connector can be held, but sufficient coupling is not maintained during vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the pressing action from a single dimension (lower end only) to multiple dimensions along the length of the connector. By adding press pieces at the upper end that directly contact or closely approach the center of gravity region, the system creates pressing force distribution across the entire length of the connector, maintaining coupling at both ends and throughout the intermediate regions during vibration.
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 enhanced socket design effectively reduces vibration and maintains excellent grounding performance by increasing the supporting area and minimizing gaps, preventing arcing and ensuring stable electrical connections even during mechanical vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
both elastic supporting terminals may elastically press opposite cis-positions of the wedge bulb
Implementation Method 2
opposite lateral sides of the wedge bulb with the embossing ridges, thereby reducing vibration of the wedge bulb in directions perpendicular to the pressing direction
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed is a socket for a wedge bulb to maintain excellent grounding performance despite vibration encountered in use. The wedge bulb includes a light emitting element and a connector protruding from a lower end of the light emitting element and provided at each of a front surface and a rear surface thereof with a pair of parallel elastic terminals. The socket includes an elastic supporting terminal unit provided at an inner wall surface of a coupling recess defined in the socket and serving to elastically support the connector inserted into the coupling recess while achieving electrical connection with the electric terminals. Any one of each pair of the electric terminals is pressed and supported by the elastic supporting terminal unit at a different height from the neighboring electric terminal provided at the same surface of the connector and the other electric terminals provided at the opposite surface of the connector.