Electrical contact

Details Electrical contact Electrical contact

2000-04-21

2001-09-04

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...

Spring actuated or resilient securing part

Reexamination Certificate

active

06283803

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical contact having a resilient contact piece for electrical connection to a mating contact.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-119390, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional electrical contact as shown in FIG. 12 is disclosed by Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 10-189102.
This electrical contact
80
includes an electrical contact portion
81
for receiving a mating contact (not shown) therein, and a wire connection portion
82
for clamping a wire (not shown).
The electrical contact portion
81
has a square tubular shape. More specifically, the electrical contact portion
81
includes an interconnecting wall
85
, extending from the other side wall (not shown) to one side wall
84
in contiguous relation to a lower surface of a top wall
83
, and a bifurcated-resilient contact piece
86
extending downwardly from a free end of the interconnecting wall
85
. The resilient contact piece
86
includes an upper resilient contact piece
87
, bent downwardly from the free end of the interconnecting portion
85
, a curved bent plate
88
folded back from a rear end of the upper resilient contact piece
87
, and a lower resilient contact piece
89
extending forwardly from the bent plate
88
.
Distal end portions
87
a
and
89
a
of the resilient contact piece
86
are curved (or bent) away from each other, thereby securing the amount of displacement of the resilient contact piece
86
at the time of insertion of the mating contact. Auxiliary walls
92
and
93
extend respectively from front ends of the top and bottom walls
83
and
90
into an insertion port
91
for the mating contact, and these auxiliary walls correct the posture of the mating contact at the time of insertion of the mating contact.
The distal end portions
87
a
and
89
a
of the resilient contact piece
86
are thus curved away from each other, but merely with construction, the distal end portions
87
a
and
89
a
are abutted respectively against the top wall
83
and the bottom wall
90
(or one of the two distal end portions is abutted against the corresponding wall), and therefore the amount of displacement of the resilient contact piece
86
(that is, the range in which the resilient contact piece can be displaced) has been inadequate. Further, the auxiliary walls and
93
are provided at the insertion port
91
, but merely with this construction, an insertion opening
94
for receiving the mating contact is merely narrowed, thus failing to provide the ability to easily receive the mating contact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above problems in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical contact in which at the time of insertion of a mating contact, a resilient contact piece can be displaced in a sufficient amount within an electrical contact portion, and also has the ability to easily receive the mating contact.
To achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical contact which comprises an electrical contact portion, into which a mating contact is insertable, having a square tubular shape, the electrical contact portion including a bottom wall, a pair of opposite side walls extending upright from the bottom wall, a top wall extending from one of the opposite side walls and disposed in opposed relation to the bottom wall, and a reinforcing wall formed integrally with the other one of the opposite side walls and partially covering the top wall; and a pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces electrically connectable to the mating contact, the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces being formed integrally with the top wall of the electrical contact portion, and located in the electrical contact portion, wherein the lower resilient contact piece extends from the top wall, the upper resilient contact piece opposes to the lower resilient contact piece, and distal end portions of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces are extended in different directions away from each other, and wherein holes for receiving the distal end portions of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces, are respectively formed through at least two of the walls of the electrical contact portion.
In the above construction, when the mating contact is inserted into the electrical contact portion, the resilient contact pieces are resiliently deformed in accordance with the insertion of the mating contact, and therefore, the respective distal end portions of the resilient contact pieces are displaced. At this time, the distal end portions of the resilient contact piece will not abut respectively against the walls disposed in the displacement directions thereof, but escape respectively into the holes respectively formed through the walls.
Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the top wall has a curved portion extending from an end portion of the top wall remote from a mating contact inserting-side, and wherein the lower resilient contact piece extends from the curved portion.
Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the curved portion serves as a vibration-absorbing plate which causes the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces follow the mating contact during the insertion and withdrawal of the mating contact.
Further, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the electrical contact further comprises contact points respectively formed on the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces to define the distal end portions of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces.
Further, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces gradually approaches each other toward the distal end portions thereof, and are bent at the respective contact points so that the distal end portions of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces are extended in the different directions away from each other.
Further, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the distal end portions of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces are extended in the different directions away from each other so that a whole shape of the distal end portions of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces is tapered toward the contact points of the pair of lower and upper resilient contact pieces.
Further, according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the electrical contact further comprises a pair of inward projections respectively formed on at least two of the walls of the electrical contact portion different from the at least two walls having the holes so as to narrow an insertion opening of the electrical contact portion for receiving the mating contact. In this construction, it is preferable that the distal end portions of the pair of first and second resilient contact pieces are respectively tapered toward their extended directions from the contact points. Accordingly, the distal end portions of the resilient contact pieces are pointed, and by doing so, there can be provided the pair of inward projections projecting respectively from the walls spaced from each other in the direction intersecting the displacing direction. With this construction, the insertion opening for receiving the mating contact can be narrowed. Even when the mating contact is inserted obliquely into the electrical contact portion, it abuts against at least one of the inward projections, and can not enter the electrical contact portion in such an inclined condition.
Further, according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the electrical contact further comprises excessive displacement prevention pieces formed respectively o

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Electrical 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 contact, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrical contact will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2470536