Electrical connectors – Self aligning contact – Tubular socket
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-24
2001-11-13
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Self aligning contact
Tubular socket
C439S246000, C439S382000, C439S654000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315591
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to a female contact which is constructed to receive respective mating contacts at both ends.
BACKGROUND
A female contact is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Kokoku No. H3-13987 and is shown in FIG.
3
. In this female contact
100
, a contact receiving cavity
102
which accommodates the tab terminal A of a blade type fuse
120
is disposed in one end of a base part
101
. A contact receiving cavity
103
which accommodates the tab terminal B of a bus bar is disposed in the other end of the base part
101
. A housing
110
supports the female contact
100
.
The contact receiving cavity
102
located at one end and the contact receiving cavity
103
located at the other end have the same structure. Each of these contact receiving cavities has an cantilever arm
106
which is folded back to the inside from a top wall
104
via a bent section
105
, and a contact section
107
which is stamped out from the base part
101
. Here, the tip of each cantilever arm
106
is protected by an antioverstress member
108
. The tab terminal A of the blade type fuse
120
is clamped between the cantilever arm
106
and contact section
107
of the contact receiving cavity
102
located at one end, while the tab terminal B of the bus bar is clamped between the cantilever arm
106
and contact section
107
of the contact receiving cavity
103
located at the other end, so that the respective tab terminals are electrically connected to each other.
Here, the tab terminal B of the bus bar located at the second end of the female contact is generally a terminal that is not pulled out again once it has been accommodated in the contact receiving cavity
103
. However, the tab terminal A of the blade type fuse
120
located at the first end of the female contact is inserted into and removed from the contact receiving cavity
102
repeatedly.
A problem exists in that the female contact
100
accommodated in the housing
110
is fastened in place so that it does not move with respect to the cavity of the housing
110
. As a result, when the tab terminal A of the blade type fuse
120
is inserted into or removed from the female contact
100
,it may stub against either the cantilever arm
106
, or the anti-overstress member
108
resulting in poor electrical connection.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, the present invention was devised in order to address these problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a female contact that can accommodate mating contacts from both ends. The connector can accommodate a male contact improperly inserted in a misaligned orientation.
The electrical connector of the invention has female contacts each disposed in a housing for receiving mating contacts. A plurality of cavities are formed in the housing each for receiving a respective one of the female contacts. A pair of lances are disposed on and extend outward from each female contact. The pair of lances resiliently engage opposing side walls of a respective one of the cavities such that either lance is compressible to cause a shift of the female contact within the respective cavity upon mating with a misaligned mating contact.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1735731 (1929-11-01), Cunningham
patent: 4666227 (1987-05-01), Galizia et al.
patent: 4865558 (1989-09-01), Stoner
patent: 4938720 (1990-07-01), Romak
patent: 5951314 (1999-09-01), Durand-Cochet et al.
patent: 6116942 (2000-09-01), Chen et al.
Oda Kenzo
Sagawa Tetsuya
Ta Tho D.
Tyco Electronics
LandOfFree
Electrical connector having an improved female contact does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electrical connector having an improved female contact, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrical connector having an improved female contact will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2598159