Electrical connector having contact orientation features

Details Electrical connector having contact orientation features Electrical connector having contact orientation features

2000-12-11

2001-11-27

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation

C439S752500

Reexamination Certificate

active

06322401

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and more specifically to an electrical connector having housing and contact features for assuring the proper contact position in the housing.
BACKGROUND
Contacts fixed in a housing and having expandable contact receiving openings for receiving mating contacts are generally known. One such example is shown in Japanese Design Registration No. 248017
The housing described in Japanese Design Registration No. 248017 has contact receiving openings and contact receiving cavities; however, when the contacts are accommodated in the contact receiving cavities, the contacts are guided only by the side walls of the cavities. The interiors of the contact receiving cavities of this housing must be formed so that they are slightly larger than the size of the contact sections in order to allow the expansion of the diameter of the contact sections.
A problem arises in that the contacts inserted into the contact receiving openings of the housing may rotate during insertion, so that the angular position of the contacts varies. As a result, it is difficult to guide the contacts into the interiors of the contact receiving cavities in a specifically desired angular orientation. If these contacts are not properly positioned in the housing they will not be aligned with complementary contacts of a mating connector and will result in poor or failed electrical connections.
Japanese Utility Model Application No. S62-195984 shows an electrical connector having contact guiding features wherein each of the contacts has a contact section that contacts a mating contact, and a wire termination section that is equipped with a pair of stabilizers. The housing has contact receiving openings, and a pair of grooves formed in each of these contact receiving openings. When the contacts are inserted into this housing, the contacts are guided into the contact receiving cavities by engagement of the pair of stabilizers with grooves formed in the contact receiving openings of the housing. However, since the pair of stabilizers are disposed on the termination section at the rear end of each contact it is possible to insert these contacts up side down.
The electrical connector described in Japanese Patent Application No. S60-750 also provides contact guiding features. This publication teaches a contact having a contact section consisting of a pair of arms that engage the mating contact. Furthermore, the housing has contact receiving openings and contact receiving cavities with ribs formed on the innermost sides of the contact receiving cavities. During the insertion of the contacts into this housing, the contacts are guided into the contact receiving cavities as a result of the ribs of the housing being engaged between the pair arms of the contact section. However, since the ribs of the housing are formed on the innermost side of the housing, upside down insertion of the contacts may not be prevented.
In light of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which can prevent upside down insertion of the contacts in the initial stage of contact insertion, and which has a housing that guides the insertion of the contacts.
SUMMARY
The electrical connector of the present invention addresses these issues and is equipped with contacts that are secured in a housing. The contacts are formed to have a pair of spring members surrounding a contact receiving opening. The housing has contact receiving cavities for accommodating each contact. Each contact receiving cavity is contoured to have a base wall, a mating contact receiving opening passing through the base wall and a rail projecting from the base wall, the rail extending along the base wall on opposite sides of the mating contact receiving opening. During contact insertion the spring members grip the rail to angularly orient the contact within the contact receiving cavity.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 31142 (1983-02-01), Simmons
patent: 4220388 (1980-09-01), Dechelette
patent: 4415221 (1983-11-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5730629 (1998-03-01), Samejima et al.
patent: 5941740 (1999-08-01), Neuer et al.
patent: 248017 (1968-11-01), None
patent: S62-195984 (1987-12-01), None
patent: S60-750 (1985-01-01), None

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