Terminal

Details Terminal Terminal

1999-02-17

2001-03-27

Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...

Spring actuated or resilient securing part

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206738

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a box-type terminal whose contact portion which is brought into contact with a mating terminal is in a square cylindrical shape.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5
shows a conventional terminal
1
described in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 54-133392. In this case, a blanking press is used to form the terminal
1
out of a conductive metal sheet. The terminal
1
has a clamping portion
2
which clamp s an electric wire (not shown), a connecting portion
3
which clamps the conductor of the electric wire so as to conduct itself relative to the electric wire, and a contact portion
4
into which a mating terminal (not shown) is inserted, these portions being integrally form ed.
In the contact portion
4
, side plate portions
6
,
6
are extended upward from both sides of a base plate portion
5
and the upper portions of the side plate portions
6
,
6
are coupled together by an upper plate portion
7
to form a square cylindrical shape. Moreover, a coupling portion
8
for coupling the upper portions of the side plate portions
6
,
6
is provided on the side of the connecting portion
3
. The coupling portion
8
is formed with an elastic contact leaf
9
having elasticity as it is sloped downward, and the elastic contact leaf
9
is extended downward under the upper plate portion
7
whereby to creep into the interior of the contact portion
4
.
A contact surface
10
is formed by striking out the base plate portion
5
in a portion corresponding to the elastic contact portion
9
in the base plate portion
5
. The contact surface
10
is stamped to a rectangular shape having a length of L1 with the whole length having a uniform width of W.
As shown in FIG.
6
(
a
), a mating terminal
11
is inserted from the leading end of the contact portion
4
of the terminal
1
and when the elastic contact portion
9
presses the mating terminal
11
thus inserted against the contact surface
10
, the contact surface
10
becomes conducted relative to the mating terminal
11
.
When the mating terminal
11
or a jig (not shown) bumps against the contact surface
10
in the above-described terminal as shown in FIG.
6
(
a
), the contact surface
10
is deformed as shown in FIG.
6
(
b
) and this is problematical in that the conduction performance is impaired because of the deformation. As shown in FIG.
6
(
c
), moreover, the contact surface
10
tends to bend even at the time of normal contact and consequently the conduction performance is also impaired because the bending causes the contact surface
10
not to be brought into stable contact with the mating terminal
11
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a terminal which has properties making its contact surface free from deformation as well as bending and is able to secure superior conduction performance.
In order to accomplish the above object, the invention provides a terminal comprising: a square cylindrical contact portion into which a mating terminal is inserted; an elastic contact leaf provided inside the contact portion; and a contact surface expanding in a direction of the elastic contact leaf and formed in a wall portion opposite to the elastic contact leaf in the contact portion, wherein the contact surface is formed into a plane shape where a length of a central portion is set to be greater than that of both sides in a direction of inserting the mating terminal.
According to the invention, the contact surface with which the mating terminal inserted into the square cylindrical contact portion is brought into contact is arranged so that the length of its central portion is set to be greater than the length of its both sides in the direction of inserting the mating terminal. Consequently, the strength of the contact surface in the direction of inserting the mating terminal is increased. Therefore, the contact surface is never deformed. Since the whole contact surface is set to be longer in the direction of inserting the mating terminal, moreover, a contact area with respect to the mating terminal can be secured, whereby the mating terminal is brought into stable contact with the contact surface.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5281175 (1994-01-01), Chupak et al.
patent: 54-133392 (1979-09-01), None
patent: 64-16074 (1989-01-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Terminal does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

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

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2537319