Contact element with shape memory material

Contact assembly comprising:

• a contact element and a mating contact mated with the contact element, the contact element comprising:
• at least one elastically deflectable spring element which has at least one contact point for contacting the mating contact and is designed to generate a contact force acting on the mating contact during operation,
• at least one section made of a shape memory material being integrated into the at least one contact element and being transformable from a first shape into a second shape depending on a temperature of the shape memory material,
• wherein the at least one contact point in the force-free state of the contact element is located in the first shape of the section made of the shape memory material at a first contact position and in the second shape of the section made of the shape memory material at a second contact position,
• wherein a contact force exerted by the contact element on the mating contact is smaller in the first shape than in the second shape.

Set comprising:

• a plurality of contact elements, each contact element comprising:
• a contact element and a mating contact mated with the contact element, the contact element comprising:
• at least one elastically deflectable spring element which has at least one contact point for contacting the mating contact and is designed to generate a contact force acting on the mating contact during operation,
• at least one section made of a shape memory material being integrated into the at least one contact element and being transformable from a first shape into a second shape depending on a temperature of the shape memory material,
• wherein the at least one contact point in the force-free state of the contact element is located in the first shape of the section made of the shape memory material at a first contact position and in the second shape of the section made of the shape memory material at a second contact position,
• wherein the set comprises first contact elements of the contact elements having a section made of shape memory material in a first configuration and second contact elements of the contact elements having a section made of shape memory material in a second configuration different from the first configuration,
• wherein the first contact elements and the second contact elements are of identical design except for the section of shape memory material.