Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Patent
1986-12-10
1988-06-07
McGlynn, Joseph H.
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
H01R 424
Patent
active
047493666
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a heavy current electrical terminal comprising a metal plate having a wire receiving slot, to an electrical connector comprising the terminal and to an electrical connection between such a terminal and an insulated wire.
In order to make such a connection, the wire is forced into the wire receiving slot, transversely of the longitudinal axis of the wire, so that the edges of the slot pierce the insulation of the wire and the wire is firmly gripped between opposed side walls of the slot so that permanent electrical connection is produced between the wire and the terminal.
Such terminals are usually used where the current to be drawn amounts only to a few amperes and indeed, for this purpose, they have proved to be entirely satisfactory. It has been found, however, that where the current to be drawn is heavy, amounting for example to some 25 amperes, these known terminals provide insufficient electrical contact between the slot walls and the wire.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,499 an electrical terminal which comprises a metal plate having formed therein an elongate wire receiving slot having at one end thereof a flared mouth opening into an edge of the plate and having insulation severing edges, an insulation piercing member projecting from the other end of the slot towards said mouth.
According to the present invention, said member is in the form of a wire support anvil having a wire supporting free end, the slot having an elongate constricted portion extending between the mouth and the free end of the anvil and the anvil cooperating with side wall portions of the slot, on each side of the anvil to define a pair of insulation sinks, each communicating with the constricted portion of the slot.
As the wire is forced into the slot, the insulation severing edges of the mouth cut through the insulation of the wire laterally and the wire enters the constricted portion of the slot, the side walls which are thereby forced slightly apart, the insulation severing free end of the anvil then cutting through the insulation of the wire from beneath and the remaining part of the insulation beneath the wire, being forced into the wire sinks on either side of the anvil which also engages the wire, so that the wire is electrically connected to the terminal on three sides. The anvil prevents further insertion of the wire into the slot and the position of the wire in the slot is thereby closely controlled. The wire sinks enhance the ability of the side walls of the constricted portion to move apart from each other, and are therefore, preferably elongate in the direction of the slot.
The constricted portion of the slot preferably has substantially parallel rectilinear side walls which are flat, so as to provide the maximum contact area between the wires and the side walls of said constricted portion.
Since the anvil supports, rather than enters, the wire, the tensile strength of the connection between the terminal and the wire is not impaired.
The free end of the anvil is preferably arcuately relieved, being concave so as better to support the wire.
The mouth, the constricted portion of the slot, and at least a portion of each insulation sink are preferably defined by a pair of arm portions of the plate, which project from the remainder thereof.
The flared mouth of the slot preferably has arcuate side walls which are oppositely bowed, inwardly of the mouth, so as progressively to cut through the insulation of the wire, said arcuate side walls being chamfered to provide the insulation severing edges of the mouth.
The terminal may be mounted in a housing having a cover provided with a wire stuffer bar for forcing the wire into the slot. Where, for example, the current to be drawn, amounts to some 50 amps, a second and identical terminal may be mounted in the housing so that the terminal-wire contact area is thereby doubled, the stuffer bar serving to insert both wires simultaneously into the slots of the terminals. Since the force needed to insert the wire into the slots of the two terminals
REFERENCES:
patent: 4018499 (1977-04-01), Rickards
patent: 4527852 (1985-07-01), Dechelette
AMP Incorporated
McGlynn Joseph H.
Terrell Thomas G.
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