Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-16
2002-12-17
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494748
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a butt type contact terminal employed in a power supplying connector or a power receiving connector in an electric car, for example, and having a structure in which the terminal is adapted to slide by way of a coil spring when the connector is engaged or disengaged.
2. Field of Invention
FIG. 5
shows a structure of a conventional butt type contact terminal.
This structure of the butt type contact terminal is applied to the power supplying connector of the electric car, for example, and includes a front end portion
62
and a rear end portion
63
made of conductive metal, a braided wire
64
for connecting the front end portion
62
to the rear end portion
63
, and a coil spring
65
resiliently provided between the front end portion
62
and the rear end portion
63
for expanding the braided wire
64
.
The braided wire
64
is press-fitted and connected to the front end portion
62
and the rear end portion
63
. An electric wire
66
for power supply is connected to the rear end portion
63
. When the power supplying connector (not shown) having the structure of the butt type contact terminal is connected to the power receiving connector (not shown) in a vehicle, the front end portion
62
is abutted against a terminal of the power receiving connector to retreat against a force of the coil spring
65
, and at the same time, the braided wire
64
is contracted. Electric current flows from the electric wire
66
to a contact
62
a
at a forward end of the front end portion
62
by way of the braided wire
64
, and from the contact
62
a
through the power receiving connector to be charged into a battery in the vehicle.
However, in the above described conventional structure of the butt type contact terminal, the braided wire
64
is passed inside the coil spring
65
, and the front end portion
62
and the rear end portion
63
must be press-fitted and connected to the braided wire
64
in a state where the coil spring
65
is contracted. Therefore, there have been such problems that the structure is complicated, and takes an annoying assembling work, thus, incurring a high cost.
In addition, because on each occasion of battery charging, (each time when the power supplying connector and the power receiving connector are engaged with and disengaged from each other), the braided wire
64
is expanded and contracted, it has been a problem that the braided wire
64
is apt to be cut, and electric resistance is increased resulting in a deterioration of electrical efficiency.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In view of the above described problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a structure of a butt type contact terminal which has a simple structure, can be easily assembled and manufactured at a low cost, and will not be damaged after repeated contacts with a mating connector, enabling the electrical efficiency to be always maintained at a high level.
In order to attain the above described object, the invention employs a structure of a butt type contact terminal characterized in that it comprises a butt type contact terminal having a plate-like tab portion, one face of the tab portion being defined as a contact face, and a resilient member pressed into contact with the other face of the tab portion, wherein the tab portion moves in a direction of its thickness against a biasing force of the resilient member when a mating terminal is pressed into contact with the contact face.
It is also effective that the tab portion is provided with a thrusting projection having the contact face. Moreover, it is also possible that the butt type contact terminal includes an electric wire press-fitting portion.
Further, it is also effective that the tab portion is provided with positioning holes, and positioning pins to be inserted in the positioning holes are provided on a first wall member, the tab portion being adapted to be pressed into contact with the first wall member by means of the biasing force of the resilient member. Still further, it is also effective that engaging portions with which forward ends of the positioning pins are engaged are provided on a second wall member, and the resilient member is supported by the second wall member.
Furthermore, it is also effective that the first wall member is provided with an insertion hole for receiving the mating terminal, and the one face of the tab portion faces with the insertion hole. Still further, it is also effective that the thrusting projection is positioned in the insertion hole. Still further, it is also effective that a tapered portion of the mating terminal is abutted against an end edge of the insertion hole.
Furthermore, it is also effective that the tab portion is folded, and an electric wire extending from the electric wire press-fitting portion is guided out in a folded direction of the tab portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3771110 (1973-11-01), Reed
patent: 4176905 (1979-12-01), Marechal et al.
patent: 4553192 (1985-11-01), Babuka et al.
patent: 4591222 (1986-05-01), Shaffer
patent: 4655526 (1987-04-01), Shaffer
patent: 4904213 (1990-02-01), Hock et al.
patent: 5133680 (1992-07-01), Watson et al.
patent: 5151040 (1992-09-01), Tanaka
patent: 5417595 (1995-05-01), Cullen et al.
patent: 5641315 (1997-06-01), Swart et al.
patent: 5807123 (1998-09-01), Shiegelaar et al.
patent: 5823832 (1998-10-01), Das
patent: 5879198 (1999-03-01), Sekimori et al.
patent: 6075318 (2000-06-01), Noll et al.
patent: 6159055 (2000-12-01), Satitpunwaycha et al.
patent: 839 216 (1952-05-01), None
patent: 195 27 425 (1997-01-01), None
patent: 863 389 (1961-03-01), None
patent: 6-267699 (1994-09-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan abstracting JP 09-027369 published Jan. 28, 1997.
Ishizaki Kazuhisa
Mori Shigeo
Le Thanh-Tam
Sircus Brian
Yazaki -Corporation
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