Electrical connectors – Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient... – Spring actuated or resilient securing part
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2001-03-06
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...
Spring actuated or resilient securing part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196884
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a female metal terminal.
One female metal terminal is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 58-87789. As shown in
FIG. 1
, this metal terminal comprises a terminal body
1
having a fitting portion
3
of a square tubular shape extending from a barrel portion
2
for compressively holding a wire (not shown), and a spring piece
4
which is separate from the terminal body
1
, and is mounted on the fitting portion
3
. A tab
5
of a male metal terminal advances along a lower surface (inner surface) of an upper wall
3
A of the fitting portion
3
, and is resiliently urged upwardly by the spring piece
4
, so that the tab
5
is held in surface-to-surface contact with the upper wall
3
A with a predetermined contact pressure.
In the above conventional female metal terminal, the spring piece
4
has a wavy or curved shape, and spaces are formed beneath the tab
5
at the front and rear sides of a peak portion
4
A of the spring piece
4
held in contact with the tab
5
(see FIG.
2
).
Therefore, when an external force acts on the tab
5
in an upward or a downward direction, the tab
5
is tilted about the peak portion
4
A in a seesaw-like manner, so that there is a possibility that the condition of contact between the tab
5
and the upper wall
3
A becomes unstable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an object of the invention is to provide a female metal terminal in which the reliability of contact between the female metal terminal and a tab of a male metal terminal is enhanced.
According to the present invention, there is provided a female metal terminal comprising a terminal body having a contact portion for contact with a tab of a male metal terminal, and a spring member for pressing the tab against the contact portion, the spring member being mounted on the terminal body, wherein the terminal body has a movement limitation portion for limiting the movement of the tab against the bias of the spring member. Therefore, even if the tab tries to move against the bias of the spring member, this movement is limited by the movement limitation portion. Therefore, the proper condition of contact between the tab and the contact portion is maintained.
Further, the movement limitation portion is provided at the tab-inserting side disposed forwardly of the spring member. Therefore, when the tab advances from an angle oblique to a longitudinal axis of the female metal terminal, the tab contacts the movement limitation portion before contacting the spring member, so that the tab is prevented from advancing. Namely, the deformation of the spring member due to the oblique striking of the tab against it is prevented.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5217382 (1993-06-01), Sparks
patent: 5281175 (1994-01-01), Chupak et al.
patent: 5593328 (1997-01-01), Okada et al.
patent: 5897405 (1999-04-01), Endo
patent: A-58-87789 (1983-05-01), None
Harness System Technologies Research Ltd.
Nguyen Khiem
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Webb Brian S.
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