Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-19
2001-01-23
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S407000, C029S866000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176731
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and to a pressure contact method for attaching an electric wire thereto.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
FIGS. 5 and 6
of this specification show a connector which permits the electrical connection of a terminal fitting
41
and an electric wire
42
. The electric wire
42
is inserted from above by means of a jig
44
into the terminal fitting
41
which is installed within a connector housing
40
. The terminal fitting
41
employed in this type of connector has pressure contact blades
43
facing inwards from both sides of the central portion, the insulated electric wire
42
being pressed onto the blades
43
from above. When this pressing-in occurs, the core of the electric wire
42
and a portion of the pressure contact blades
43
come into contact since the blades
43
cut into the insulated covering.
However, when the electric wire
42
is pressed into the terminal fitting
41
from above, the pressure contact blades
43
are pushed in an outward direction (the directions shown by F in the diagram). As a result the pressure contact blades
43
change shape so as to widen, preventing an effective pressure contact state from being achieved.
The present invention has been developed after taking the above problem into consideration, and aims to provide a connector and a pressure contact method for attaching an electric wire to a terminal fitting in which the widening of the terminal fitting is controlled at the time when the electric wire is pressed in.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a housing having a cavity therein, and an electrical terminal within said cavity, the terminal having blade members defining a slot to receive an electrical wire by pressure contact wherein said terminal is adapted for direct engagement with an assembly jig in the vicinity of said blade members whereby as said jig pushes a wire into said slot, said blade members are held against mutual outward movement tending to widen said slot.
Such a connector has the advantage that the wire receiving slot is not widened on entry of the wire. Accordingly, the electrical connection is improved, and the terminal may be made of a thinner metal gauge.
Preferably the blade members protrude from the housing so as to permit direct engagement with an assembly jig. The side walls of a connector housing may be cut away to facilitate this protrusion.
In a preferred embodiment, the assembly jig includes depending limbs to both engage the blade members, and to push a wire into the slot. Where multiple terminals are provided, one limb may support blade members of adjacent terminals. These support limbs are preferably spring loaded and having a form locking engagement with the connector housing.
The invention also provides a method of inserting a wire into a slot of a blade connector, the method comprising the steps of placing a wire over the slot, engaging the terminal in the vicinity of the blade members so as to prevent widening of the slot and pushing a wire into said slot.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2656469 (1991-06-01), France
patent: 2703520 (1994-10-01), France
patent: 3959868 (1976-06-01), Mathe
patent: 4296988 (1998-07-01), Warner
patent: 4344665 (1982-08-01), Racilla et al.
patent: 5018269 (1991-05-01), Ishida et al.
patent: 5575061 (1996-11-01), Tsuji et al.
patent: 5581879 (1996-12-01), Tsuji et al.
patent: 5782650 (1998-07-01), Okabe
patent: 5794332 (1998-08-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 6-111909 (1994-04-01), None
Aoyama Masahiko
Atsumi Keigo
Furutani Mitsugu
Okumura Hitoshi
Banner & Witcoff , Ltd.
Sircus Brian
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
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