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Custom thermocouple connector #17
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Make a SolidWorks files and put in the enclosure repo. |
It looks like we'll need a custom connector. Let's find a solution after sending out for Electronics version 0.10 boards. See #92 |
Since you have tried the fuse clip from China market and reputable source like "Keystone". What is the key feature of custom thermocouple connector that made it become durable and will not deform by slightly larger thermocouple connectors? |
I don't know a key feature. We have to contact factories and see how they can help us. |
Probably use something like spring steel. It will keep it's original shape unless you really brute force it. There are plenty low pin-count, long durability and reasonably priced industrial connector available. When people really want to use the normal style of connector than just offer an adapter for it. |
I'm moving this to the next milestone. |
That looks great! I really like this concept :-) I have a few design Here’s some ideas I had. Just some brainstorming…
I don't think the horizontal tabs are a good idea. They limit how close the connectors can be to each other. They are small and may be difficult to manufacture. The male thermocouple connectors already have rounding on their blade tips that would give the same effect. Maybe we can make it such that a vertical wall extends the length of the connector. This could help prevent the male connector from moving side to side if twisted laterally. |
@MLXXXp I imagine the area I circled in green would flex a little, but it shouldn't flex any more than the area I have circled in blue. I think it wouldn't cause any problems, but I haven't done any FEA. The down side to having a split on the bottom is that we would lose surface area contact between the male and female thermocouple connectors. The goal is to have a strong thermal contact between the two. |
Looks good. I think we'll have to tweak the 0.776 mm gap for the connector @starno can you do FEA on this part? |
I've uploaded a Solidworks model from Tully's iges file (tc-connector-5-iges.sldprt). See tc-connector-5.sldprt (https://github.com/PaxInstruments/t400-electronics/blob/master/solidworks/tc-connector-5-iges.SLDPRT). |
I modified the design until it deflected the appropriate amount given the desired plugin and removing forces. The best performing shape looks like an e or a 9, thus E9. The material needs to be beryllium copper which has better yield strength properties and according to wikipedia is used for contacts when a spring like behavior is desired. Check out PaxInstruments/t400-enclosure@14bef7d on the enclosure branch |
Okay, we have a part that @starno and I think will work. The solidworks file can be downloaded directly from https://github.com/PaxInstruments/t400-enclosure/blob/master/Injection%20Molded/t400-thermo-clip2.SLDPRT?raw=true. I slightly modified the file to dimensionally constrain the flanges. @tully if you think this is good, we can send it to the factory. I'd like to make a drawing or whatever the factory needs directly from the solidworks file rather than recreating it in another program. What do you need from me? |
Here is the connector in the enclosure (PaxInstruments/t400-enclosure#95): Maybe we should make the tab a little longer or at a different angle, so the male contacts don't intersect with the edge of the tab. @starno what do you think? UPDATE: We can close that gap a bit and make this not a problem. See PaxInstruments/t400-enclosure#107. |
Good catch, I didn't even notice that possibility. I think making the hole smaller to avoid jamming on the upper tab is a good fix. |
I should have samples from the factory in two days. |
There has been some back and forth with the connector tooling. I had the factory make a few changes and received updated samples. They did a bad job with these samples and I'm working with them to improve. Here are the images I sent to the factor to correct the issues. On the day they are manufactured I will be sitting at the machine at the factory checking parts. We must get this right. I put three footprints in the Eagle library: a single contact, inside constraint, and outside constraint. The T400 will use the footprint constraining the male connector on the outside, the first image. |
Now I'm just sorting out manufacturing issues. Finally closing this issue. |
Create a custom thermocouple connector. The fuse connectors currently in the prototypes are not a long term solution. Something similar with a more flexible metal should work.
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