Female electrical terminal with a low insertion force...

Details Female electrical terminal with a low insertion force... Female electrical terminal with a low insertion force...

1999-04-13

2001-01-09

Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...

Spring actuated or resilient securing part

C439S845000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171155

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a female electrical terminal which requires a low insertion force for a mating male terminal to be fitted therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional female electrical terminal
80
, as shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7
, has a box-shaped electrical contact section
82
for insertion therein of a male terminal
81
and a cable connection section
83
at which a cable (not shown) is solderlessly attached, the electrical contact section
82
being internally provided with a resilient contact member
84
for electrical connection with the male terminal
81
.
The resilient contact member
84
is, at its front and rear ends
84
a
and
84
b
(FIG.
7
), lockedly engaged on a bottom wall
85
of the electrical contact section
82
to provide between the front and rear ends
84
a
,
84
b
a raised central contact portion
84
c
for the male terminal
81
. When inserted into the electrical contact section
82
, the male terminal
81
is squeezed between a ceiling wall of the electrical contact section
82
and the resilient contact member
84
to be electrically connected with the electrical contact section
82
.
In order to enable the male terminal
81
to be inserted into the female terminal
80
with a low insertion force, if the deflection A (
FIG. 7
) within which the resilient contact member
84
is deflectable is made small, it requires accurate dimensions inside the electrical contact section
82
, resulting in difficult designing. If the wall thickness B of the entire resilient contact member
84
is thinned (FIGS.
7
and
8
), it also requires accurate dimensions for preventing lowering of the contact pressure between the male terminal
81
and the contact portion
84
c
, resulting in difficult designing. Likewise, if the wall width C of the resilient contact member
84
and thus of the contact portion
84
c
is made small (FIG.
9
), it causes an unstable contact between the male terminal
81
and the contact portion
84
c
. Further, if the structure of the resilient contact member
84
itself is changed, it requires a renewed designing from the beginning, resulting in a cost increase. Generally, the more the reduction is made in the force required for inserting the male terminal
81
, the more the contact between the male terminal
81
and the resilient contact member
84
becomes unstable, and the more the contact is made stable, the less the reduction can be made in the insertion force of the male terminal
81
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention has been accomplished to overcome the above drawbacks and an object of this invention is to provide a female electrical terminal which is easily changeable in design and which provides a stable contact with a male terminal.
In order to attain the object, according to this invention, there is provided a female electrical terminal which comprises: a box-like electrical contact section; a resilient contact member contained in the electrical contact section for electrical connection with a male electrical terminal; and a low force insertion enabling means provided on the resilient contact member, which enables a reduction in an insertion force with which to insert the male electrical terminal into the electrical contact section and into electrical connection with the resilient contact member.
Preferably, the resilient contact member is at its front and rear ends locked in position on an inner wall of the electrical contact section such that its longitudinally central contact portion is located elevated from the inner wall.
Preferably, the low force insertion enabling means comprises a cutout formed between the central contact portion and at least one of the front and rear ends of the resilient contact member.
Preferably, the low force insertion enabling means comprises a pair of cutouts formed at laterally opposite sides of the resilient contact member between the central contact portion and at least one of the front and rear ends of the resilient contact member.
Preferably, the pair of cutouts are of rectangular shape.
Preferably, the pair of cutouts are of curved shape.
Preferably, the low force insertion enabling means comprises a thin wall portion at which the resilient contact member is reduced in thickness, the thin wall portion being located between the central contact portion and at least one of the front and rear ends of the resilient contact member.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4540233 (1985-09-01), Saijo et al.
patent: 4717356 (1988-01-01), Rahrig et al.
patent: 4880401 (1989-11-01), Shima et al.
patent: 5226842 (1993-07-01), Endo et al.
patent: 5271741 (1993-12-01), Saito et al.
patent: 5443592 (1995-08-01), Ittah et al.

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