Male contact having contact entangling prevention means

Details Male contact having contact entangling prevention means Male contact having contact entangling prevention means

2001-08-15

2002-06-04

Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

Contact terminal

C439S271000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06398599

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a male contact for an electrical connector.
BACKGROUND
Male contacts having a contact portion disposed at a front end, and a wire termination section at a rear end are known in the art. In such male contacts, a box shaped part having a top wall is formed by raising both sides of a flat plate and further bending both sides of this flat plate. An intermediate part is generally located between the contact portion and the wire termination section. A stabilizer extends from a portion of the contact to prevent it from rotating inside the housing, and an engaging hole receives a housing lance that is used to secure the male contact into the housing.
For example, Japanese Patent Application No. H9-82396 discloses connector which is equipped with such a male contact, capable of detecting partial-insertion of the contact, and having high retention strength when the contact is fully inserted.
A plurality of male contacts are generally manufactured, and are inserted into such a connector housing after electrical wires have been terminated to the respective termination sections. During this process, the contact portions of some male contacts may be inadvertantly inserted into the termination sections or box shaped parts of others before assembly into the connector housing. When such inadvertent insertion occurs, it is difficult to separate the contacts from each other. During separation, the contact portion is usually bent or otherwise damaged.
In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. H9-82396, a wall that prevents the entry of male contact parts is formed in the termination section. However, this wall that prevents the entry of male contact portions is formed only to cover a portion of the termination section that engages a retainer. Entry of the contact portions of other male contacts is therefore not completely prevented.
SUMMARY
In light of these problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a male contact in which contact sections are prevented from entering the termination sections of other male contacts. A male contact is therefore provided having a termination section extending rearward from a main body and a contact portion extending forward from a main body. The contact has a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a top wall forming the main body. The top wall further is formed of two plates which are superimposed over each other. Front and back walls that extend downward from the top plates to block forward and rearward openings in the main body.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4045868 (1977-09-01), Ammon et al.
patent: 4998896 (1991-03-01), Lundergan
patent: 5211589 (1993-05-01), McCardell
patent: 5462459 (1995-10-01), Childs
patent: 5681190 (1997-10-01), Childs

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