Electrical connectors – Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient... – Spring actuated or resilient securing part
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2001-10-23
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...
Spring actuated or resilient securing part
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305992
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an electrical connector having a housing and having at least one electrical contact, the housing having at least one chamber for the electrical contact and the electrical contact having a conductor connection region for connection to an electrical conductor wire and a contact-making region for making contact with a complementary contact pin, the contact-making region essentially being designed in the form of a box with two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, the top and bottom wall having a different width in the direction perpendicular to the plug-in direction, in such a way, that the side walls run in a manner inclined with respect to the bottom and top walls and with respect to one another.
Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrical contact having a conductor connection region for connection to an electrical conductor wire and having a contact-making region for making contact with a complementary contact pin, the contact-making region comprising the following features:
the contact-making region is essentially designed in the form of a box with two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall,
the contact-making region has at least one contact spring arm, which extends away from the conductor connection region;
the contact-making region has a supporting spring arm, which extends away from the conductor connection region and rests externally on the contact spring arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,175 discloses an electrical female contact having the above features. The document relates to an electrical female, box-shaped contact with a resilient contact arm in the top wall with a supporting spring and a raised portion on the bottom wall. The contact is designed to receive different thicknesses of mating male terminals. It has a vertically extending tab for guidance in a housing. It is designed as a one part contact, may have an insertion funnel and is essentially rectangular in cross-section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,947 also discloses a female electrical contact with a contact-making region with an essentially rectangular cross-section. One side of this region is in the form of a resilient leaf contact spring and a supporting spring overlying the contact spring.
DE 44 10 951 A1 concerns a flat spring contact, which has a contact-making region in the form of a box in which two contact springs are formed on one side wall, and a supporting spring, which rests on the said contact springs, is an independent part and is connected to the contact-making region by fixing aids. Inwardly embossed contact points are provided on the side opposite to the contact springs.
U.S. Pat. No. Re 27,463 discloses a connector block for receiving and removably holding an electrical contact in a cavity. The cavities are rectangular in cross-section. Female contacts having a conductor connection region and a contact-making region are inserted into the cavities. The contact-making region of the contacts is essentially box-shaped and has the form of a trapezium in its cross-section perpendicular to the plug-in direction. The contacts and the connector block do not seem to have any polarising possibilities.
The object of the invention is to specify an electrical connector which, given a predetermined width of contact pins or blades and minimum contact pin or blade spacings of a mating connector, nevertheless permits reliable construction of robust chamber walls. In addition, it is intended to specify an electrical contact which is suitable for such an electrical connector.
The object is achieved by means of a connector comprising a housing and at least one electrical contact, the housing having at least one chamber for accommodating the electrical contact, the electrical contact having a conductor connection region for connection to an electrical conductor wire and a contact-making region for making contact with a complementary contact pin or blade, the contact-making region essentially being designed in the form of a box with two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, the bottom wall and the top wall having a different width in the direction perpendicular to the plug-in direction, in such a way that the side walls run in a manner inclined with respect to the bottom and top walls and with respect to one another, at least one chamber being trapezoidal in its cross-section.
Furthermore, the object of the invention is to specify an electrical contact which permits contact to be made reliably with contact pins or blades whose thickness can be varied within specific tolerances.
The object is achieved by means of an electrical contact having a conductor connection region for connection to an electrical conductor wire and having a contact-making region for making contact with a complementary contact pin, the contact-making region having the following features:
the contact-making region is essentially designed in the form of a box with two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall,
the contact-making region has at least one contact spring arm, which extends away from the conductor connection region;
the contact-making region has a supporting spring arm, which extends away from the conductor connection region and rests externally on the contact spring arm,
a compensating leaf spring being provided in the contact-making region, on the side opposite to the contact spring arm, and the bottom wall and the top wall) having a different width in the direction perpendicular to the plug-in direction, in such a way that the side wall run in a manner inclined with respect to the bottom and top walls and with respect to one another.
Advantageous developments are specified in each of the subclaims.
As a result of the special design of the electrical contact, namely the trapezoidal cross-section, it is possible to provide, between individual chambers which are designed to accommodate such a contact, chamber walls which are cross-sectionally wider on one side than on the other side. As a result, it is possible to achieve, on the thin side, a minimal wall thickness which acquires the necessary robustness only by virtue of the fact that it is joined to a side wall and merges with a wider chamber wall on the other side.
It is particularly advantageous that the trapezoidal form at the same time may be used as a polarising possibility. The advantage is achieved by providing in cross-section, trapezoidal contacts and chambers.
It is particularly advantageous that the electrical contact has a contact spring arm with a supporting spring, the spring properties of the contact spring being optimised thereby. Because of the trapezoidal form of the contact and the fact that the contact spring arm is arranged in the broader top wall, the spring arm may be broad to achieve high contact forces.
It is furthermore advantageous that a compensating leaf spring is situated on the side opposite to the contact spring. The spring properties of the contact spring arm and compensating leaf spring are coordinated with one another in such a way that when a contact pin or contact blade is introduced, initially it is mainly the contact spring arm that is deflected. Only when the thickness of the contact pin or contact blade exceeds a specific thickness the compensating leaf spring is also deflected to a greater extent. The possible deflection of the compensating leaf spring is advantageously limited by stops. The compensating leaf spring essentially serves to compensate for tolerances in the thickness of the contact pin or contact blade. The compensating leaf spring is substantially more rigid than the contact spring, which has a large elastic region, but less rigid than simple embossed areas or raised portions which are known from the prior art.
It is furthermore advantageous that an insertion funnel is formed at the front end of the contact, which funnel serves to simplify the insertion of the contact pin or contact blade. This insertion funnel is formed by means of a lug which is bent back from the upper wall of the contact-making region into the interior of the contact-making region. This upper lug can also serve as a stop if th
Bouda Harald
Gehrke Horst
Mumper Günther
Bradley Paula
Hammond Briggitte R.
The Whitaker Corporation
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