Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-12
2003-08-12
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S422000, C439S426000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604958
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal with its contact section penetrating an insulated wire and an electrical connector having the terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of such a terminal and an electrical connector is disclosed in Japanese patent application Kokai No 11-345640. As shown in
FIG. 4
, this connector comprises a housing
51
made of an dielectric material so as to have a slot
51
A extending in parallel to the sheet and a terminal
52
made of a metal sheet without bending. A plurality of such slots are arranged at regular intervals in the third direction perpendicular to the sheet to receive terminals
52
one for each slot.
The terminal
52
has an upper fixing arm
53
and a lower flexible arm
54
. The fixing arm
53
is provided with a rotation support
53
A, and the flexible arm
54
are provided with two contact portions
54
A at its tip. As shown in
FIG. 5
, the contact portions
54
A are tapered to the upper edge.
Referring back to
FIG. 4
, a rotary pressure member
55
is rotatable between the open position indicated in broken line and the closed position indicated in solid line. It extends in the third direction to cover the entire range of the terminals. It has a depending pressure section
55
A in which a cable-receiving groove
55
B extends in alignment with the slot
51
A.
In use, bringing the pressure member
55
to the open position makes a space between the pressure member
55
and the contact section
54
A of the terminal, which is sufficiently large to receive a flat cable C or the like. Then, the pressure member
55
is rotated to the closed position so that the bottom of the cable-receiving groove
55
B presses the cable C against the contact section
54
A. When the cable C is pressed against the contact section
54
A, the contact section
54
A of each terminal penetrates the insulation of the cable to make contact with the core wire, making electrical connection.
However, this connector suffers poor contact between the terminal and the core wire.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, the contact section
54
A penetrates the insulation C
2
of the cable C to make contact with the core wires C
1
. However, many core wires C
1
are pushed aside by the contact section
54
A so that not only the contact pressure decreases but also some of the core wires do not come to contact with the contact section
54
A, reducing the contact area. This happens because the contact section
54
A extends in the same direction as the core wires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a terminal capable of keeping good contact with core wires and an electrical connector having such a terminal.
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a terminal comprising an elongated piece of metal sheet having a front portion and a contact section provided on an upper edge of the front portion. The contact section has a central crest portion for penetrating the insulation of a cable to come to contact with a plurality of core wires of the cable and a pressure faces extending outwardly from the crest portion for compressing the core wires, thus minimizing the electrical resistance.
When the cable is pressed against the terminal, the contact section penetrates the insulation of the cable to enter among the core wires. The pressure faces presses the core wires, providing high contact pressure and large contact area.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a housing for supporting such terminals as described above and a pressure member for pressing the cable against the terminal. The pressure member comprises a cable-receiving groove having side walls that restrict lateral expansion of the cable when the contact section penetrates the cable.
According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a terminal having a contact section for penetrating the insulation of a cable to come to contact with core wires of the cable and a pressure member having a cable-receiving groove for receiving and pressing the cable against the contact section. The cable-receiving groove has a primary receiving groove for receiving the cable before the contact section penetrates the insulation; a secondary receiving groove in which the cable is pushed by the contact section and having side walls for restricting lateral expansion of the cable when the contact section penetrates the cable; and a neck section for communicating the primary and secondary receiving grooves and having a width that is smaller than a diameter of the cable but sufficiently large to allow the cable to pass through by deformation under pressure.
When the cable in the primary receiving groove is pressed against the contact section of the terminal, the crest portion enters among the core wires and pushes the cable into the secondary receiving groove. The side walls of the secondary receiving groove prevents expansion of the cable so that the contact section makes contact with many core wires under high contact pressure, increasing the contact area.
The neck section has a width that gradually decreases toward the secondary receiving groove to not only facilitate insertion of the cable into the secondary receiving groove but also assure catch of the cable by the contact section.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4018499 (1977-04-01), Rickards
patent: 4565418 (1986-01-01), Graeser et al.
patent: 6386901 (2002-05-01), Caldwell
patent: 3526707 (1987-01-01), None
patent: 11-345640 (1999-12-01), None
Hirose Electric Co. Ltd.
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Ta Tho D.
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