Arc discharge suppressive connector

Details Arc discharge suppressive connector Arc discharge suppressive connector

2002-01-31

2003-03-25

Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Including arc suppressing or extinguishing means

C439S088000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06537092

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector for use in a wire harness in an automotive vehicle, and a terminal for use in such a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a general practice to detach connectors used in an automotive vehicle or the like therefrom every several months or every several years for maintenance and checkup thereof. It is highly likely that arc discharge may occur at a detachment of terminals of the connectors when the terminal of one of the connectors is about to be withdrawn from the corresponding terminal of the opposite one of the connectors. Particularly, it is conceivable that a considerably large amount of arc is discharged in view of the recent development of technology in which a higher source voltage is supplied for a battery of an automotive vehicle. Thus, it is highly likely that the terminals may be damaged due to occurrence of such large amount of arc discharge.
Generally, a male terminal has a bar-like or a plate-like shape with a lead end thereof tapered in order to facilitate insertion into a female terminal. Every time the male terminal is disengaged from and engaged into the female terminal, arc discharge occurs. The repeated engagement and disengagement causes to melt the tapered lead end of the male terminal due to repeated arc discharges. The melted part of the male terminal is cooled to solidify, accompanied with shifting of the melted part slightly toward a base end thereof. As a result, the tapered lead end of the male terminal disappears accompanied by increase of a diameter thereof. In other words, the terminal is likely to be deformed due to melting by repeated arc discharges, which may result in contact failure with the female terminal or, in a worse case, difficulty or inability of insertion into the female terminal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a connector which is free from the problems residing in the prior art.
According to an aspect of the invention, a connector comprises a terminal electrically connectable with a counterpart terminal, a housing for accommodating the terminal therein, and an arc suppressive member which is electrically connected with the terminal and is provided at such a position as to come into contact with the counterpart terminal for a predetermined time after the counterpart terminal is disengaged from the terminal, the arc suppressive member having such a construction as to assure a smaller discharge arc amount when the counterpart terminal becomes detached from the arc suppressive member than a discharge arc amount when the counterpart terminal becomes detached from the terminal.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawing.


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