EP0008221B2 - Electrical terminal and connector incorporating the same - Google Patents

Electrical terminal and connector incorporating the same Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0008221B2
EP0008221B2 EP79301592A EP79301592A EP0008221B2 EP 0008221 B2 EP0008221 B2 EP 0008221B2 EP 79301592 A EP79301592 A EP 79301592A EP 79301592 A EP79301592 A EP 79301592A EP 0008221 B2 EP0008221 B2 EP 0008221B2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
terminal
beams
connector
housing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP79301592A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0008221B1 (en
EP0008221A1 (en
Inventor
Fred Christian Sitzler
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
EIDP Inc
Original Assignee
EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=25460909&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0008221(B2) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co filed Critical EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Publication of EP0008221A1 publication Critical patent/EP0008221A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0008221B1 publication Critical patent/EP0008221B1/en
Publication of EP0008221B2 publication Critical patent/EP0008221B2/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/02—Contact members
    • H01R13/193—Means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling part, e.g. zero insertion force or no friction
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/46—Bases; Cases
    • H01R13/516—Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing, hoods
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/58—Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip, for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/64—Means for preventing incorrect coupling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R4/00—Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or maintaining such contact; Electrically-conductive connections having two or more spaced connecting locations for conductors and using contact members penetrating insulation
    • H01R4/24—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands
    • H01R4/2416—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type
    • H01R4/2445—Connections using contact members penetrating or cutting insulation or cable strands the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type the contact members having additional means acting on the insulation or the wire, e.g. additional insulation penetrating means, strain relief means or wire cutting knives
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/16—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electrical terminals incorporating elongate dual beam contacts, and to connectors containing a plurality of such terminals for mating with pin contacts.
  • US-A 3464054 discloses a connector block having contact members pretensioned against a wall for reducing the force of inserting an insulative substrate into an elongated channel.
  • US-A 3671 917 discloses a connector housing in which flanges on each of the terminals are held apart by an overhanging lip portion so as to preload the terminals for receiving a male pin contact.
  • US-A 3646500 discloses a terminal in which elastic leg portions engage respective flanges of a housing and tabs extending from the leg portions make contact with a male pin.
  • US-A 3 944313 discloses a Y-shaped contact in which a pair of projections serve to bring the ends of a pair of arms into contact with one another.
  • US-A 027 534 discloses a dual beam terminal having central portions which constitute the contact surfaces and having mutually opposed convexly rounded abutment surfaces which engage one another to impart a degree of resilient pre-loading to the beams in the absence of the corresponding male pin.
  • the present invention provides an elongate electrical terminal having a contact at each end, at least one of said contacts comprising a pair of longitudinally disposed beams adapted for making contact with a male pin, wherein means are provided for holding the beams in a spring-loaded, preloaded spaced-apart condition so as to reduce the insertion force required to engage a male pin with said terminal, characterised in that the beams are held in said spaced-apart condition by means of stand-off tabs provided at the side edges of each beam, each tab being formed by being bent inwardly so as to lie at an angle of substantially 90° to the plane in which the respective beam lies and being arranged for abutment with the opposed tab on the other beam.
  • the invention further provides a connector which comprises a terminal housing having a plurality of terminal cavities with elongate electrical terminals contained therein, each said terminal having a contact at each end, one of said contacts of each terminal comprising a pair of longitudinally disposed beams for making contact with a male pin, each beam having stand-off tabs provided at the side edges of each beam, each tab being formed by being bent inwardly so as to lie at an angle of substantially 90° to the plane in which the respective beam lies and being arranged for abutment with the opposed tab on the other beam.
  • each terminal therein has an insulation piercing contact at the end opposite the dual beam contact end.
  • the insulation piercing contact portion of each terminal protrudes from its respective terminal cavity for electrical interconnection with an insulated wire.
  • a contact block mates with the terminal housing at the end of the housing from which the insulation piercing contacts protrude.
  • the contact block has parallel slots extending laterally across its mating surface adapted to hold insulated wires for interconnection with the protruding contacts.
  • a strain relief shroud fits over the contact block and latches to the terminal housing to complete the fully assembled connector.
  • In one end of the terminal housing are apertures for receiving pins which extend from a male pin field. Each aperture includes a lead-in area to one of the cavities inside for prepositioning a pin for interconnection with the terminal contained therein.
  • each terminal contains its tamination is also avoided because the pins have no plastic ledges to rub against. Thus, a more reliable contact is achieved, particularly in applications involving repeated withdrawals and insertions.
  • FIG. 1 One embodiment of the dual beam terminal of this invention is depicted in Figures 1 and 2.
  • two of the terminals 10 are shown attached to primary and secondar carrier strips 12 and 14.
  • the second carrier strip 14 is used for retention of rigidity during manufacturing and plating steps to avoid bending the terminals out of axial alignment.
  • Figure 2 depicts a side view of one of the terminals after detachment from the carrier strips. The terminal is detached at dotted lines 16 and 18 ( Figure 1) by blanking.
  • the terminal is elongate and has a dual beam contact 20 at one end and a contact 28 at the other end.
  • contact 28 is an insulation displacement contact.
  • the contacts are separated by a neck portion 25 which allows for flexure of the dual beam end relative to the other end of the terminal 10 when used in a connector of this invention.
  • the dual beam contact is defined by two opposing spring arms (alternately called beams) 22 which are spaced apart for receiving a male pin contact. Laterally opposed stand-off tabs 24 extend symmetrically from the edges of each beam 22, one of the two tabs on one beam butting against one of the tabs on the opposing beam.
  • the two beams 22 are spring loaded toward each other, as so held by the tabs, to present a preloaded contact for low insertion force mating with a pin contact.
  • the tabs must spread the beams less than the width of the pin contact to be inserted.
  • the terminal may be stamped from flat metal sheets of copper nickel alloy, phosphor-bronze, or other suitable electrical conductive material, formed into final shape by successive die steps, then plated with nickel and/or gold (or other desired plating metals). Preferably, the terminal remains attached to the primary and secondary carrier strips throughout both forming and plating steps.
  • Pre-loading of the beams 22 is achieved during manufacture.
  • the beams extend from segment 26 of the terminal 10. After the stamping but prior to forming, all elements of the terminal 10, including the segment 26, the beams 22 and tabs 24 lie flat in the same plane.
  • the tabs 24 are then bent inwardly 90°, and the beams 22 are bent inwardly 5 to 15° along dotted line 27 toward segment 26.
  • Segment 26 is then formed into a "U", during which the tabs 24 of respective opposing beams come into contact and the beams 22 become elastically deformed, or, as described in the art, pre-loaded.
  • the contact 28 of terminal 10 may be either a second dual beam contact, a crimp contact, or a wire wrap tail as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, respectively.
  • a redundant insulation displacement contact 28 is provided for use in one form of connector of this invention.
  • the insulation displacement contact (IDC) contains bifurcated tines 30 designed to pierce through insulation to make electrical contact with an insulated wire.
  • the tines 30 extend from a second U-shaped segment 32 of the terminal. The latter segment is conveniently formed into a U at the same time that segment 26 is so formed. Locking detends 34 protrude from segment 32 for securing the terminal in a connector housing cavity as explained hereinafter.
  • the center line of the IDC contact 28 is slightly offset from that of the dual beam contact 20. This configuration provides advantages which relate to the use of the terminal 10 in one form of connector of this invention, as also explained hereinafter.
  • a connector of this invention is depicted in Figure 6.
  • the connector 40 is shown in an exploded perspective view and includes a plurality of terminals 10 of this invention.
  • the principal connector parts are a terminal housing 50, a contact block 70 (formed in two halves 74), and a strain relief shroud 90.
  • the terminals 10 are supported in terminal cavities 52 of the terminal housing 50.
  • the housing 50 contains a two-row array of apertures 54 which provide access for male pin contacts (not shown) to mate with the terminals 10 housed in each cavity 52.
  • the apertures have beveled lead-ins 55 which afford easier entry of male pin contacts.
  • the terminals are inserted in the latching end 56 of the housing 50.
  • the center line of the IDC contact 28 is slightly offset from that of the dual beam contact 20 in the terminal plane of Figure 1. This configuration provides an offset edge 33 of segment 32 which abuts housing wall projection 53.
  • the dual beam end of the terminal may be inserted into a cavity 52 without interference with projection 53, the off- set edge 33 abuts the projection 53, and thus restrains the terminal from further forward movement. Further securement of the terminal in the cavity is afforded by integral locking detents 34 which extend outwardly from segment 32 to provide an interference fit within the cavity by friction contact with the walls thereof.
  • the latching end 56 of the terminal housing 50 contains extensions 58 with integral latching nubs 60, polarity nub 62 and polarity notch 64.
  • the latching nubs 60 cooperate with corresponding latching cavities 92 in the strain relief shroud 90 to hold the connector assembly mated.
  • the polarity nub 62 cooperates with polarity notch 94 in the strain relief shroud 90 to ensure that the connector will assemble in only one way, for achievement of proper electrical polarity.
  • the polarity notch 64 on the housing 50 cooperates with the polarity nub 72 shown in the IDC half block 74 for the same purpose.
  • the block 70 is formed of two identical half blocks 74. These half blocks fit together in hermaphroditic fashion via nubs 78 and cavities 80 contained thereon.
  • insulated wire 100 Prior to fitting the halves together, insulated wire 100 is inserted into wire slots 82 in block halves 74.
  • the wire slots extend laterally over the inner faces 84 of both halves 74 and continue around over the contact faces 86 of both halves.
  • the portions of each wire slot 82 which extend over the contact faces 86 are intersected by longitudinally disposed IDC receiving slots 88 which provide spaces which receive the bifurcated tines 30 of terminals 10 upon the mating of the block 70 with the terminal housing 50.
  • the act of mating the latter connector parts involves the severing of insulation on wires 100 by the bifurcated tines 30. Upon the severing of insulation, physical contact of the metal wire is made with the metal tines 30 for electrical interconnection.
  • the wires 100 extend from the cable 120.
  • a strain relief shroud 90 is used to provide cable-to-housing securement for avoiding wire strain otherwise created by tensile forces on the cable 120.
  • the shroud 90 fits over the block 70 and latches to the terminal housing 50 by the means described, after the block has been mated with the housing.
  • a cable tie 122 (preferably made of nylon) is then used to band the shroud to the cable.
  • the shroud 90 includes an integral tab 96 which extends over a portion of the ca ble periphery. The tie 122 is positioned over the tab 96 and is tightened around the cable.
  • the dual beam terminal of the invention and the connector which utilizes the terminal can both be used in a myriad of micro-circuit applications.
  • the terminal may include either a crimp contact, a pin tail, a wire wrap tail, etc. It is amenable to use where pin contacts are used in achievement of electrical terminations, such as circuit boards and pin connectors.
  • the illustrated connector is useful in various applications involving IDC contacts which terminate to pin fields. One example of the latter would be in telephonic signal systems.

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
EP79301592A 1978-08-07 1979-08-06 Electrical terminal and connector incorporating the same Expired EP0008221B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US93152178A 1978-08-07 1978-08-07
US931521 1978-08-07

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0008221A1 EP0008221A1 (en) 1980-02-20
EP0008221B1 EP0008221B1 (en) 1982-04-07
EP0008221B2 true EP0008221B2 (en) 1988-08-24

Family

ID=25460909

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP79301592A Expired EP0008221B2 (en) 1978-08-07 1979-08-06 Electrical terminal and connector incorporating the same

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0008221B2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
JP (2) JPS5524398A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
BR (1) BR7907748A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
CA (1) CA1113166A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
DE (1) DE2962447D1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
HK (1) HK35384A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
MX (1) MX147195A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
SG (1) SG47083G (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
MX153258A (es) * 1982-02-24 1986-09-02 Amp Inc Mejoras en miembro de contacto electrico
DE8208576U1 (de) * 1982-03-25 1982-09-09 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Vorrichtung zum Anschluß von draht- oder litzenförmigen elektrischen Leitern an Kontaktorgane
US4480386A (en) * 1982-07-08 1984-11-06 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Process for producing dual beam electrical contact
KR20050099352A (ko) 2004-04-09 2005-10-13 엘지전자 주식회사 전면 흡토출 방식의 공기조화기용 실외기

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1790199A1 (de) * 1968-09-26 1972-01-20 Siemens Ag Kontaktfeder zum Einbau in ein Federgehaeuse
US3594699A (en) * 1969-12-15 1971-07-20 Sylvania Electric Prod Articulated printed circuit edge connector
US3671917A (en) * 1970-05-20 1972-06-20 Ammon & Champion Co Inc Printed circuit board connector
US3944313A (en) * 1974-07-31 1976-03-16 The Bendix Corporation Bifurcated electrical contact
GB1492101A (en) * 1975-04-18 1977-11-16 Amp Inc Electrical contacts
JPS5412260Y2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) * 1975-10-24 1979-05-30
GB1592353A (en) * 1976-11-02 1981-07-08 Amp Inc Electrical connector and modular harness
NL7614398A (nl) * 1976-12-24 1978-06-27 Du Pont Contactinrichting voor een vlakke kabel.
FR2395676A1 (fr) * 1977-06-23 1979-01-19 Doloise Metallurgique Connecteur pour carte imprimee

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS57204679U (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1982-12-27
HK35384A (en) 1984-05-04
BR7907748A (pt) 1981-06-02
JPS5524398A (en) 1980-02-21
JPS6331494Y2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1988-08-23
CA1113166A (en) 1981-11-24
DE2962447D1 (en) 1982-05-19
EP0008221B1 (en) 1982-04-07
EP0008221A1 (en) 1980-02-20
SG47083G (en) 1984-07-27
MX147195A (es) 1982-10-20

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