Female electrical contact member

Details Female electrical contact member Female electrical contact member

1999-08-20

2001-02-13

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Self aligning contact

Tubular socket

Reexamination Certificate

active

06186810

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a female electrical contact member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention relates to a female electrical contact member comprising a body with means at one end for fixing an electrical conductor and a member at the other end for receiving a complementary male electrical contact member, wherein the body is extended by a bush open at its free end for insertion of the male member, the male-member-receiving member comprises a ring extended toward the electrical conductor fixing means by elastic tongues adapted to grip the male member, the ring is mounted to slide and float in the bush and is connected to the body by a flexible electrical connection, and means are provided to restrict sliding of the ring in the bush.
Because of this arrangement, the body of the female electrical contact member can be subject to vibrations, which are weakly transmitted to the ring; however, the ring vibrates without moving relative to the male member, which prevents corrosion between the contact members.
For the ring to be able to move freely inside the bush, a braid is used as the electrical connection and the part between the ring and the end of the body provided with the electrical conductor fixing means forms undulations.
An arrangement of the above kind is entirely satisfactory from the point of view of its operation but it has been found that fabrication is difficult and that the small radii with which the flexible braid is bent leads to relatively high stiffness in the parts joined to the body and to the ring.
One aim of the invention is to remedy this drawback.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a female electrical contact member comprises a body with means at one end for fixing an electrical conductor and a member at the other end for receiving a complementary male electrical contact member, wherein the body is extended by a bush open at its free end for insertion of the male member, the male-member-receiving member comprises a ring extended toward the electrical conductor fixing means by elastic tongues adapted to grip the male member, the ring is mounted to slide and float in the bush and is connected to the body by a flexible electrical connection, means are provided to restrict sliding of the ring in the bush, and the flexible electrical connection is bent at a point part way along its length to form a loop.
With an arrangement of the above kind, the electrical connection is more flexible and the mechanical stresses in the connecting parts are reduced, the radius of bending the electrical connection being increased.
The flexible electrical connection is preferably a metal braid.
The flexible electrical connection is partially covered with a sheath to protect the flexible electrical connection when inserting the male member and to prevent wear of the male member caused by the vibrations.
The sheath is preferably made of tetrafluoroethylene.
In accordance with one constructional detail, the bush is attached to the body, which has at the end opposite that provided with the means for fixing it to an electrical conductor a rectangular section portion into the bottom of which is cut and bent a bearing surface for the electrical conductor fixed to the ring, and lugs are cut into the rectangular section portion and bent toward the corresponding end of the flexible electrical connection to crimp it with the corresponding end of its sheath.
Finally, in accordance with a final feature of the invention, the ring is extended by two strips, one of which terminates in lugs for crimping the corresponding end of the electrical conductor and binding the corresponding end of the sheath, and the strips have an elbow whose convex parts face toward each other to form a contact area complementary to the male member.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a particular embodiment shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5951314 (1999-09-01), Durand-Cochet et al.
patent: 678 936 (1995-10-01), None
patent: 97 00109 (1998-07-01), None
patent: 2 231 454 (1990-11-01), None

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