EP0274503B1 - Socket contact element, strip provided thereof and method of manufacturing - Google Patents

Socket contact element, strip provided thereof and method of manufacturing Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0274503B1
EP0274503B1 EP87904536A EP87904536A EP0274503B1 EP 0274503 B1 EP0274503 B1 EP 0274503B1 EP 87904536 A EP87904536 A EP 87904536A EP 87904536 A EP87904536 A EP 87904536A EP 0274503 B1 EP0274503 B1 EP 0274503B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
strip
cheek pieces
integral
female contact
bridge
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 - Lifetime
Application number
EP87904536A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0274503A1 (en
Inventor
Eugène Lecourtois
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Nicomatic
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Nicomatic
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nicomatic filed Critical Nicomatic
Priority to AT87904536T priority Critical patent/ATE80502T1/en
Publication of EP0274503A1 publication Critical patent/EP0274503A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0274503B1 publication Critical patent/EP0274503B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/50—Fixed connections
    • H01R12/59—Fixed connections for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures
    • H01R12/65—Fixed connections for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures characterised by the terminal
    • H01R12/67—Fixed connections for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures characterised by the terminal insulation penetrating terminals
    • 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
    • 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
    • H01R13/10—Sockets for co-operation with pins or blades
    • H01R13/11—Resilient sockets
    • H01R13/115—U-shaped sockets having inwardly bent legs, e.g. spade type
    • 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
    • H01R43/20—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the field of connectors and in particular female contact elements, strips comprising such juxtaposed elements and the method of manufacturing such a strip.
  • Contact elements are already known, of the male or female type, formed from blanks cut from metal sheets.
  • the elements are often formed by rolling or folding after cutting and they are often presented juxtaposed to each other, along a carrier strip which supports them and which generally comprises pilot holes.
  • Document US-A-3,047,832 describes a contact element having a plug-in part which comprises two elastic cheeks placed one opposite the other and delimiting a housing for a male contact element, the internal faces cheeks being intended to be in contact with a male contact element, an external bridge placed at the end of the plug-in part which is opposite to the connection part, and integral with the two cheeks on one side of the housing delimited by the two cheeks, an internal bridge placed at the end of the plug-in part which is close to the connection part and secured to the two cheeks on the same side of said housing as the external bridge, and an elastic tongue having a part secured to the external trigger guard and a free end facing the internal trigger guard, the tongue deviating from said housing from its end secured to the external trigger guard towards its free end.
  • the pitch of the connector contacts had to be reduced more and more.
  • One step now commonly used is 2.54 mm.
  • Current techniques for cutting and bending metal strips do not allow the formation of juxtaposed contacts with enough material for a secure connection to be established.
  • the contact elements of the connectors corresponding to such small pitches are either formed in a strip portion whose width is greater than the pitch, or from several strips.
  • the invention relates to contacts which can be entirely formed with the metal contained in the part of metal strip corresponding to the pitch of the connectors. More specifically, all of the members of a female contact element are produced with a strip portion whose width is equal to the pitch of the contacts of the connectors.
  • the invention therefore relates not only to female contact elements but also to continuous strips comprising such juxtaposed elements and supported by a carrier strip advantageously comprising pilot holes.
  • the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a strip.
  • the invention relates to a female contact element in one piece, for connector, of the type which comprises a plug-in part and a connection part, both formed from the same metal sheet;
  • the connection part is flat and comprises at least one puncture of rectangular shape, having two teeth placed at opposite edges of the puncture and delimited by complementary edges, each tooth being arranged transversely to the connection part.
  • the element has two punctures in the connection part.
  • the teeth of the punctures have complementary V-shaped edges, one of the teeth having a point and the other two.
  • the point of the V is close to the base of the tooth so that the two points move away from each other near the base.
  • the plug-in part comprises two elastic cheeks placed one opposite the other and delimiting a housing for a male element of contact, the internal faces of the cheeks being intended to be in contact with a male contact element, an external bridge placed at the end of the insertion part which is opposite to the connection part, and integral with the two cheeks d one side of the housing delimited by the two cheeks, an internal bridge placed at the end of the plug-in part which is close to the connection part and secured to the two cheeks on the same side of said housing as the external bridge, and a elastic tongue having a part secured to the external trigger guard and a free end facing the internal trigger guard, the tongue deviating from said housing from its end secured to the external trigger guard towards its free end.
  • the cheeks have a curved shape convex towards the housing of the male element.
  • the invention also relates to a strip of female contact elements as indicated in the preceding paragraphs, the strip being formed in one piece from a metal sheet; according to the invention, the strip comprises a carrying strip having pilot holes, the external bridges of the female contact elements being integral with the carrying strip, the sum of the widths of the external bridge and the cheeks of an element at the location where they are integral with the external trigger guard being equal to the pitch of the female contact elements along the carrier strip.
  • the sum of the widths of the internal trigger guard and the cheeks at the place where they are integral with this trigger guard is equal to the pitch of the female contact elements.
  • the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a strip of female contact elements as indicated in the preceding paragraphs, which comprises the execution, in a metallic strip, of the following operations: the separation of a part intended to form the carrier strip of parts intended to form cheeks, the separation of a part intended to form a tongue on all its sides except on the side of the external trigger guard, the separation of the female contact elements from each other by a shearing operation without loss of material, along the external edges of the cheeks, and, simultaneously with one of the preceding separations or independently of these, the formation of punctures in the connection part, the punctures being formed by shearing.
  • the use of shearing for the formation of the edges which delimit the width of each blank from which a female contact element is formed allows the optimal use of the material of the strip and the production of the contact elements with a not very small, for example 2.54 mm, without external material input.
  • Figures 1 and 2 show a female contact element according to the invention completely finished, apart from the separation of a carrier strip. More specifically, the carrier strip bears the reference 10 and it is connected to the female contact element which has a plug-in part 12 and a connection part 14.
  • the carrier strip 10 has pilot holes 16 allowing precise positioning, and a neck 18 to which the plug-in part 12 is connected.
  • the female contact element is completely separated by cutting at the level of the line 20.
  • the plug-in part 12 has two elastic cheeks 22. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the central part of each cheek is slightly curved, its convexity being turned towards the inside of the contact element, that is to say say towards the housing provided for a male contact element.
  • the external and internal parts of the cheeks are connected by an external bridge 24 and an internal bridge 28. Between the two bridges, the cheeks are free.
  • a tongue 26 extends the trigger guard 24 and departs from the housing provided for a male contact element.
  • the connecting part 14 extends the internal bridge 28 and has two punctures 32. Each puncture is formed by shearing the material and forming two teeth 34 and 36, having edges of complementary shape, the tooth 34 forming a point and the tooth 36 two points. Although two punctures have been shown, the connecting part 14 may include any number. It is however important to note that the teeth 34 and 36 of the punctures are oriented transversely to the length of the female contact element. This arrangement is important according to the invention because it allows folding or crimping the teeth 34 and 36, when they have penetrated through a flexible printed circuit, during an operation which allows the bending of all the teeth of several female contact elements placed side by side. If teeth 34 and 36 were placed on the other two sides of the punctures, they should be folded back separately for each contact element.
  • the two points tend to move away from one another.
  • the pointed bottom of the groove separating the two points is sufficiently close to the base of the tooth so that this spacing of the two points pushes their outer edge in contact with the flexible circuit and thus improves the quality of the electrical contact obtained.
  • FIG. 4 represents a metal strip having already undergone a few operations, during its manufacture according to the method of the invention.
  • the carrier strip 10 has already been produced, with the piloting holes 16. It is noted, however, that holes 38 have been formed, with removal of material, in the part between the adjacent parts for fixing adjacent female elements. There is also a cutout 40 which delimits the contour of the tongue 26 and on the other hand which releases an edge of the cheeks 22, over the appropriate distance. Finally, material has also been removed in the zone 42 between the connecting parts of the two neighboring elements.
  • the blanks of the elements according to the invention are separated along the line 44 by shearing, that is to say without removal of material, by simple separation.
  • This characteristic is important because it allows the female contact elements to be produced with a very reduced pitch, for example of 2.54 mm.
  • the cheeks In an embodiment corresponding to female contact elements having a pitch of 2.54 mm, the cheeks have a width of 0.7 mm and the connection parts have a width of 1.8 mm.
  • the material is a bronze or brass sheet, of a type well known in the art, for example having a thickness of 0.2 mm.
  • the material When the connection part has punctures, the material must be rigid enough for the tips to perforate the flexible circuit or other substrate which must be crossed. The angles of the tips must also be as sharp as possible.
  • Figure 5 is a perspective of the end of the molded element of a connector intended to accommodate female contact elements, one element per channel 46 of the molded element.
  • the pitch of the channels 46 is 2.54 mm.
  • the body 48 ends, on the side of the connection parts, by two continuous cheeks 50 which surround the connection parts 14, the points of which have passed through a flexible sheet of printed circuit. Note also the small openings 52 formed in front of each channel 46 and intended to block the tongue 26 of the corresponding contact.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Switches (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/FR87/00276 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 9, 1988 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 9, 1988 PCT Filed Jul. 9, 1987 PCT Pub. No. WO88/00762 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 28, 1988.Contact elements placed side by side along a carrier strip (10) and comprising a plugging part (12) provided with elastic flanges (22) intended to clamp a plug contact element. A backwards-projecting tongue (26) locks the contact element in a connector body. The junction part (14) is provided with plunged bosses (32) which form teeth (34, 36) intended to pass through flexible printed circuits. Application in the manufacturing of connectors for flexible printed circuits.

Description

La présente invention concerne de façon générale le domaine de la connectique et en particulier des éléments femelles de contact, des bandes comprenant de tels éléments juxtaposés et le procédé de fabrication d'une telle bande.The present invention relates generally to the field of connectors and in particular female contact elements, strips comprising such juxtaposed elements and the method of manufacturing such a strip.

On connaît déjà des éléments de contact, de type mâle ou femelle, formés à partir de flans découpés dans des feuilles métalliques. Les éléments sont souvent formés par roulage ou pliage après découpe et ils sont souvent présentés juxtaposés les uns aux autres, le long d'une bande porteuse qui les supporte et qui comporte en général des trous de pilotage.Contact elements are already known, of the male or female type, formed from blanks cut from metal sheets. The elements are often formed by rolling or folding after cutting and they are often presented juxtaposed to each other, along a carrier strip which supports them and which generally comprises pilot holes.

Le document US-A-3 047 832 décrit un élément de contact ayant une partie d'enfichage qui comporte deux joues élastiques placées l'une en face de l'autre et délimitant un logement d'un élément mâle de contact, les faces internes des joues étant destinées à être au contact d'un élément mâle de contact, un pontet externe placé à l'extrémité de la partie d'enfichage qui est opposée à la partie de raccordement, et solidaire des deux joues d'un côté du logement délimité par les deux joues, un pontet interne placé à l'extrémité de la partie d'enfichage qui est proche de la partie de raccordement et solidaire des deux joues du même côté dudit logement que le pontet externe, et une languette élastique ayant une partie solidaire du pontet externe et une extrémité libre tournée vers le pontet interne, la languette s'écartant dudit logement de son extrémité solidaire du pontet externe vers son extrémité libre.Document US-A-3,047,832 describes a contact element having a plug-in part which comprises two elastic cheeks placed one opposite the other and delimiting a housing for a male contact element, the internal faces cheeks being intended to be in contact with a male contact element, an external bridge placed at the end of the plug-in part which is opposite to the connection part, and integral with the two cheeks on one side of the housing delimited by the two cheeks, an internal bridge placed at the end of the plug-in part which is close to the connection part and secured to the two cheeks on the same side of said housing as the external bridge, and an elastic tongue having a part secured to the external trigger guard and a free end facing the internal trigger guard, the tongue deviating from said housing from its end secured to the external trigger guard towards its free end.

Etant donné les tendances constantes à la miniaturisation, les pas des contacts des connecteurs ont dû être réduits de plus en plus. Un pas maintenant couramment utilisé est égal à 2,54 mm. Les techniques actuelles de découpe et de pliage de bandes métalliques ne permettent pas la formation de contacts juxtaposés avec suffisamment de matière pour qu'une connexion sûre soit établie. En conséquence, les éléments de contact des connecteurs correspondant à des pas aussi petits sont soit formés dans une partie de bande dont la largeur est supérieure au pas, soit à partir de plusieurs bandes.Given the constant trends in miniaturization, the pitch of the connector contacts had to be reduced more and more. One step now commonly used is 2.54 mm. Current techniques for cutting and bending metal strips do not allow the formation of juxtaposed contacts with enough material for a secure connection to be established. In Consequently, the contact elements of the connectors corresponding to such small pitches are either formed in a strip portion whose width is greater than the pitch, or from several strips.

L'invention concerne des contacts qui peuvent être entièrement formés avec le métal contenu dans la partie de bande métallique correspondant au pas des connecteurs. Plus précisément, la totalité des organes d'un élément femelle de contact est réalisée avec une partie de bande dont la largeur est égale au pas des contacts des connecteurs.The invention relates to contacts which can be entirely formed with the metal contained in the part of metal strip corresponding to the pitch of the connectors. More specifically, all of the members of a female contact element are produced with a strip portion whose width is equal to the pitch of the contacts of the connectors.

L'invention concerne donc non seulement des éléments femelles de contact mais encore des bandes continues comprenant de tels éléments juxtaposés et supportés par une bande porteuse comprenant avantageusement des trous de pilotage. L'invention concerne aussi un procédé de fabrication d'une telle bande.The invention therefore relates not only to female contact elements but also to continuous strips comprising such juxtaposed elements and supported by a carrier strip advantageously comprising pilot holes. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a strip.

Plus précisément, l'invention concerne un élément femelle de contact en une seule pièce, pour connecteur, du type qui comprend une partie d'enfichage et une partie de raccordement, toutes deux formées à partir d'une même feuille métallique ; selon l'invention, la partie de raccordement est plate et comporte au moins un crevé de forme rectangulaire, ayant deux dents placées à des bords opposés du crevé et délimitées par des bords complémentaires, chaque dent étant disposée transversalement à la partie de raccordement.More specifically, the invention relates to a female contact element in one piece, for connector, of the type which comprises a plug-in part and a connection part, both formed from the same metal sheet; according to the invention, the connection part is flat and comprises at least one puncture of rectangular shape, having two teeth placed at opposite edges of the puncture and delimited by complementary edges, each tooth being arranged transversely to the connection part.

De préférence, l'élément comporte deux crevés dans la partie de raccordement.Preferably, the element has two punctures in the connection part.

Dans un mode de réalisation avantageux, les dents des crevés ont des bords complémentaires en V, l'une des dents ayant une pointe et l'autre deux. De préférence, la pointe du V est proche de la base de la dent afin que les deux pointes s'écartent l'une de l'autre à proximité de la base.In an advantageous embodiment, the teeth of the punctures have complementary V-shaped edges, one of the teeth having a point and the other two. Preferably, the point of the V is close to the base of the tooth so that the two points move away from each other near the base.

Dans un mode de réalisation, la partie d'enfichage comporte deux joues élastiques placées l'une en face de l'autre et délimitant un logement d'un élément mâle de contact, les faces internes des joues étant destinées à être au contact d'un élément mâle de contact, un pontet externe placé à l'extrémité de la partie d'enfichage qui est opposée à la partie de raccordement, et solidaire des deux joues d'un côté du logement délimité par les deux joues, un pontet interne placé à l'extrémité de la partie d'enfichage qui est proche de la partie de raccordement et solidaire des deux joues du même côté dudit logement que le pontet externe, et une languette élastique ayant une partie solidaire du pontet externe et une extrémité libre tournée vers le pontet interne, la languette s'écartant dudit logement de son extrémité solidaire du pontet externe vers son extrémité libre.In one embodiment, the plug-in part comprises two elastic cheeks placed one opposite the other and delimiting a housing for a male element of contact, the internal faces of the cheeks being intended to be in contact with a male contact element, an external bridge placed at the end of the insertion part which is opposite to the connection part, and integral with the two cheeks d one side of the housing delimited by the two cheeks, an internal bridge placed at the end of the plug-in part which is close to the connection part and secured to the two cheeks on the same side of said housing as the external bridge, and a elastic tongue having a part secured to the external trigger guard and a free end facing the internal trigger guard, the tongue deviating from said housing from its end secured to the external trigger guard towards its free end.

De préférence, les joues ont une forme incurvée convexe vers le logement de l'élément mâle.Preferably, the cheeks have a curved shape convex towards the housing of the male element.

L'invention concerne aussi une bande d'éléments femelles de contact tels qu'indiqués dans les paragraphes précédents, la bande étant formée en une seule pièce à partir d'une feuille métallique ; selon l'invention, la bande comporte une bande porteuse ayant des trous de pilotage, les pontets externes des éléments femelles de contact étant solidaires de la bande porteuse, la somme des largeurs du pontet externe et des joues d'un élément à l'endroit où elles sont solidaires du pontet externe étant égale au pas des éléments femelles de contact le long de la bande porteuse.The invention also relates to a strip of female contact elements as indicated in the preceding paragraphs, the strip being formed in one piece from a metal sheet; according to the invention, the strip comprises a carrying strip having pilot holes, the external bridges of the female contact elements being integral with the carrying strip, the sum of the widths of the external bridge and the cheeks of an element at the location where they are integral with the external trigger guard being equal to the pitch of the female contact elements along the carrier strip.

De préférence, la somme des largeurs du pontet interne et des joues à l'endroit où elles sont solidaires de ce pontet, est égale au pas des éléments femelles de contact.Preferably, the sum of the widths of the internal trigger guard and the cheeks at the place where they are integral with this trigger guard, is equal to the pitch of the female contact elements.

L'invention concerne aussi un procédé de fabrication d'une bande d'éléments femelles de contact telle qu'indiquée dans les paragraphes précédents, qui comprend l'exécution, dans une bande métallique, des opérations suivantes : la séparation d'une partie destinée à former la bande porteuse de parties destinées à former des joues, la séparation d'une partie destinée à former une languette sur tous ses côtés sauf du côté du pontet externe, la séparation des éléments femelles de contact les uns des autres par une opération de cisaillage sans perte de matière, le long des bords externes des joues, et, simultanément à l'une des séparations précédentes ou indépendamment de celles-ci, la formation de crevés dans la partie de raccordement, les crevés étant formés par cisaillage.The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a strip of female contact elements as indicated in the preceding paragraphs, which comprises the execution, in a metallic strip, of the following operations: the separation of a part intended to form the carrier strip of parts intended to form cheeks, the separation of a part intended to form a tongue on all its sides except on the side of the external trigger guard, the separation of the female contact elements from each other by a shearing operation without loss of material, along the external edges of the cheeks, and, simultaneously with one of the preceding separations or independently of these, the formation of punctures in the connection part, the punctures being formed by shearing.

Ainsi, l'utilisation du cisaillage pour la formation des bords qui délimitent la largeur de chaque flan à partir duquel est formé un élément femelle de contact, permet l'utilisation optimale de la matière de la bande et la réalisation des éléments de contact avec un pas très réduit, par exemple de 2,54 mm, sans apport externe de matière.Thus, the use of shearing for the formation of the edges which delimit the width of each blank from which a female contact element is formed, allows the optimal use of the material of the strip and the production of the contact elements with a not very small, for example 2.54 mm, without external material input.

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de l'invention ressortiront mieux de la description qui va suivre, faite en référence au dessin annexé sur lequel :

  • la figure 1 est une vue en plan d'un élément femelle de contact selon l'invention, terminé, mis à part sa séparation d'une bande porteuse ;
  • la figure 2 est une élévation latérale en coupe partielle suivant la ligne 2-2 de la figure 1 ;
  • la figure 3 est une perspective partielle représentant un crevé formé dans une partie de raccordement d'un élément femelle de contact selon l'invention ;
  • la figure 4 représente une bande métallique au cours de la fabrication des éléments de contact représentés sur les figures 1 à 3 ; et
  • la figure 5 est une perspective d'un bloc d'un connecteur destiné à contenir les éléments femelles de contact des figures 1 à 3.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawing in which:
  • Figure 1 is a plan view of a female contact element according to the invention, completed, apart from its separation from a carrier strip;
  • Figure 2 is a side elevation in partial section along line 2-2 of Figure 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing a puncture formed in a connection part of a female contact element according to the invention;
  • 4 shows a metal strip during the manufacture of the contact elements shown in Figures 1 to 3; and
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective of a block of a connector intended to contain the female contact elements of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Les figures 1 et 2 représentent un élément femelle de contact selon l'invention entièrement terminé, mis à part la séparation d'une bande porteuse. Plus précisément, la bande porteuse porte la référence 10 et elle est reliée à l'élément femelle de contact qui comporte une partie 12 d'enfichage et une partie 14 de raccordement. La bande porteuse 10 a des trous 16 de pilotage permettant le positionnement précis, et un col 18 auquel est reliée la partie d'enfichage 12. L'élément femelle de contact est totalement séparé par découpe au niveau du trait 20.Figures 1 and 2 show a female contact element according to the invention completely finished, apart from the separation of a carrier strip. More specifically, the carrier strip bears the reference 10 and it is connected to the female contact element which has a plug-in part 12 and a connection part 14. The carrier strip 10 has pilot holes 16 allowing precise positioning, and a neck 18 to which the plug-in part 12 is connected. The female contact element is completely separated by cutting at the level of the line 20.

La partie d'enfichage 12 comporte deux joues élastiques 22. On note sur la figure 1 que la partie centrale de chaque joue est légèrement bombée, sa convexité étant tournée vers l'intérieur de l'élément de contact, c'est-à-dire vers le logement prévu pour un élément mâle de contact. Les parties externes et internes des joues sont reliées par un pontet externe 24 et un pontet interne 28. Entre les deux pontets, les joues sont libres. Une languette 26 prolonge le pontet 24 et s'écarte du logement prévu pour un élément mâle de contact.The plug-in part 12 has two elastic cheeks 22. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the central part of each cheek is slightly curved, its convexity being turned towards the inside of the contact element, that is to say say towards the housing provided for a male contact element. The external and internal parts of the cheeks are connected by an external bridge 24 and an internal bridge 28. Between the two bridges, the cheeks are free. A tongue 26 extends the trigger guard 24 and departs from the housing provided for a male contact element.

La partie 14 de raccordement prolonge le pontet interne 28 et a deux crevés 32. Chaque crevé est formé par cisaillage de la matière et formation de deux dents 34 et 36, ayant des bords de forme complémentaire, la dent 34 formant une pointe et la dent 36 deux pointes. Bien qu'on ait représenté deux crevés , la partie 14 de raccordement peut en comporter un nombre quelconque. Il est cependant important de noter que les dents 34 et 36 des crevés sont orientées transversalement à la longueur de l'élément femelle de contact. Cette disposition est importante selon l'invention car elle permet le pliage ou sertissage des dents 34 et 36, lorsqu'elles ont pénétré à travers un circuit imprimé souple, au cours d'une opération qui permet le pliage de toutes les dents de plusieurs éléments femelles de contact placés côte à côte. Si les dents 34 et 36 étaient placées sur les deux autres côtés des crevés, elles devraient être repliées séparément pour chaque élément de contact.The connecting part 14 extends the internal bridge 28 and has two punctures 32. Each puncture is formed by shearing the material and forming two teeth 34 and 36, having edges of complementary shape, the tooth 34 forming a point and the tooth 36 two points. Although two punctures have been shown, the connecting part 14 may include any number. It is however important to note that the teeth 34 and 36 of the punctures are oriented transversely to the length of the female contact element. This arrangement is important according to the invention because it allows folding or crimping the teeth 34 and 36, when they have penetrated through a flexible printed circuit, during an operation which allows the bending of all the teeth of several female contact elements placed side by side. If teeth 34 and 36 were placed on the other two sides of the punctures, they should be folded back separately for each contact element.

Lorsque la dent 36 traverse un circuit souple, les deux pointes ont tendance à s'écarter l'une de l'autre. Selon une caractéristique avantageuse de l'invention, le fond pointu de la gorge séparant les deux pointes est suffisamment proche de la base de la dent pour que cet écartement des deux pointes repousse leur bord externe au contact du circuit souple et améliore ainsi la qualité du contact électrique obtenu.When the tooth 36 crosses a flexible circuit, the two points tend to move away from one another. According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the pointed bottom of the groove separating the two points is sufficiently close to the base of the tooth so that this spacing of the two points pushes their outer edge in contact with the flexible circuit and thus improves the quality of the electrical contact obtained.

La figure 4 représente une bande métallique ayant déjà subi quelques opérations, au cours de sa fabrication selon le procédé de l'invention. On note que la bande porteuse 10 a déjà été réalisée, avec les trous 16 de pilotage. On note cependant que des trous 38 ont été formés, avec enlèvement de matière, dans la partie comprise entre les parties adjacentes de fixation d'éléments femelles adjacents. On note aussi une découpe 40 qui délimite le contour de la languette 26 et d'autre part qui dégage un bord des joues 22, sur la distance convenable. Enfin, de la matière a aussi été enlevée dans la zone 42 comprise entre les parties de raccordement des deux éléments voisins.FIG. 4 represents a metal strip having already undergone a few operations, during its manufacture according to the method of the invention. Note that the carrier strip 10 has already been produced, with the piloting holes 16. It is noted, however, that holes 38 have been formed, with removal of material, in the part between the adjacent parts for fixing adjacent female elements. There is also a cutout 40 which delimits the contour of the tongue 26 and on the other hand which releases an edge of the cheeks 22, over the appropriate distance. Finally, material has also been removed in the zone 42 between the connecting parts of the two neighboring elements.

Selon une caractéristique essentielle du procédé de l'invention, les flans des éléments selon l'invention sont séparés le long de la ligne 44 par cisaillage, c'est-à-dire sans enlèvement de matière, par simple séparation. Cette caractéristique est importante car elle permet la réalisation des éléments femelles de contact avec un pas trés réduit, par exemple de 2,54 mm. Dans un mode de réalisation correspondant à des éléments femelles de contact ayant un pas de 2,54 mm, les joues ont une largeur de 0,7 mm et les parties de raccordement ont une largeur de 1,8 mm. Le matériau est une feuille de bronze ou de laiton, d'un type bien connu dans la technique, ayant par exemple une épaisseur de 0,2 mm.According to an essential characteristic of the process of the invention, the blanks of the elements according to the invention are separated along the line 44 by shearing, that is to say without removal of material, by simple separation. This characteristic is important because it allows the female contact elements to be produced with a very reduced pitch, for example of 2.54 mm. In an embodiment corresponding to female contact elements having a pitch of 2.54 mm, the cheeks have a width of 0.7 mm and the connection parts have a width of 1.8 mm. The material is a bronze or brass sheet, of a type well known in the art, for example having a thickness of 0.2 mm.

Lorsque la partie de raccordement comporte des crevés, le matériau doit être suffisamment rigide pour que les pointes perforent le circuit souple ou autre substrat qui doit être traversé. Il faut aussi que les angles des pointes soient vifs dans la mesure du possible.When the connection part has punctures, the material must be rigid enough for the tips to perforate the flexible circuit or other substrate which must be crossed. The angles of the tips must also be as sharp as possible.

La figure 5 est une perspective de l'extrémité de l'élément moulé d'un connecteur destiné à loger des éléments femelles de contact, à raison d'un élément par canal 46 de l'élément moulé. Le pas des canaux 46 est de 2,54 mm. Le corps 48 se termine, du côté des parties de raccordement, par deux joues continues 50 qui entourent les parties de raccordement 14 dont les pointes ont traversé une feuille souple de circuit imprimé. On note en outre les petites ouvertures 52 formées en face de chaque canal 46 et destinées à bloquer la languette 26 du contact correspondant.Figure 5 is a perspective of the end of the molded element of a connector intended to accommodate female contact elements, one element per channel 46 of the molded element. The pitch of the channels 46 is 2.54 mm. The body 48 ends, on the side of the connection parts, by two continuous cheeks 50 which surround the connection parts 14, the points of which have passed through a flexible sheet of printed circuit. Note also the small openings 52 formed in front of each channel 46 and intended to block the tongue 26 of the corresponding contact.

Claims (9)

  1. A one-piece female contact element for a connector, the element being of the type comprising a pluggable portion (12) and a connection portion (14), both made from a single metal sheet, the element being characterized in that the connection portion (14) is flat and includes at least one rectangular-shaped punching (32) having two teeth (34, 36) placed at opposite edges of the punching and delimited by complementary edges, each tooth being disposed transversely to the connection portion.
  2. An element according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes two punchings in its connection portion.
  3. An element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the teeth (34, 36) of the punchings have complementary V-shaped edges, one of the teeth having one tip and the other having two.
  4. An element according to claim 3, characterized in that the V-shaped tip is close to the base of the tooth (36) so that the two tips splay apart from each other close to the base.
  5. An element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pluggable portion (12) comprises:
       two resilient cheek pieces (22) placed facing each other and delimiting a housing for a male contact element, the inside faces of the cheek pieces being designed to be in contact with a male contact element;
       an outer bridge (24) placed at the end of the pluggable portion which is furthest from the connection portion and which is integral with both of the cheek pieces on one side of the housing delimited by the two cheek pieces;
       an inner bridge (28) placed at the end of the pluggable portion which is close to the connection portion and integral with the two cheek pieces on the same side of said housing as the outer bridge; and
       a resilient tongue (26) having a portion integral with the outer bridge and a free end directed towards the inner bridge, the tongue sloping away from said housing from its end integral with the outer bridge going towards its free end.
  6. An element according to claim 5, characterized in that the cheek pieces (22) have a curved shape that is convex towards the housing for the male element.
  7. A strip of female contact elements according to claim 5 or 6, the strip being formed as a single piece from a metal sheet, the strip being characterized in that it comprises a carrier strip (10) having guide holes (16), with the outer bridges (24) of the female contact elements being integral with the carrier strip, the sum of the width of the outer bridge (24) and the widths of the cheek pieces of an element where they are integral with the outer bridge being equal to the pitch of the female contact elements along the carrier strip.
  8. A strip according to claim 7, characterized in that the sum of the width of the inner bridge (28) and the widths of the cheek pieces (22) where they are integral with the inner bridge is equal to the pitch of the female contact elements.
  9. A method of manufacturing a strip of female contact elements according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the method includes, in a metal strip:
       separating a portion for forming the carrier strip from the portions for forming the cheek pieces (22);
       separating a portion for forming a tongue (26) around all of the sides thereof except for the sides adjacent to the outer bridge (24);
       separating the female contact elements from one another by a shear operation without loosing metal along the outer edges (44) of the cheek pieces; and
       simultaneously with one of the above separation operations, or independently thereof, forming the punchings (32) in the connection portion, the punchings being formed by shearing.
EP87904536A 1986-07-11 1987-07-09 Socket contact element, strip provided thereof and method of manufacturing Expired - Lifetime EP0274503B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT87904536T ATE80502T1 (en) 1986-07-11 1987-07-09 FEMALE CONTACT ELEMENT, SUPPORTING STRIP AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8610183A FR2601517B1 (en) 1986-07-11 1986-07-11 FEMALE CONTACT ELEMENT, STRIP FORMED FROM SUCH ELEMENTS, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF
FR8610183 1986-07-11

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0274503A1 EP0274503A1 (en) 1988-07-20
EP0274503B1 true EP0274503B1 (en) 1992-09-09

Family

ID=9337378

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87904536A Expired - Lifetime EP0274503B1 (en) 1986-07-11 1987-07-09 Socket contact element, strip provided thereof and method of manufacturing

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US4806121A (en)
EP (1) EP0274503B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH01500311A (en)
AT (1) ATE80502T1 (en)
DE (1) DE3781661T2 (en)
FR (1) FR2601517B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1988000762A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5389549A (en) * 1987-05-29 1995-02-14 Toa Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. Method for classifying leukocytes and a reagent used therefor
NL9000918A (en) * 1990-04-18 1991-11-18 Du Pont Nederland CONNECTING ELEMENT.
FR2777707B1 (en) * 1998-04-17 2000-06-16 Nicomatic FRAMED CONTACT ELEMENT STRIP, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF AND APPLICATION TO CONTACT ASSEMBLIES

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB938402A (en) * 1959-09-11 1963-10-02 Sealectro Corp Improvements in or relating to electrical socket contacts
NO126056B (en) * 1969-04-29 1972-12-11 Amp Inc
US3806859A (en) * 1973-01-30 1974-04-23 Sealectro Corp Contacts for pin terminals
JPS5349502Y2 (en) * 1973-04-05 1978-11-28
AU6777474A (en) * 1973-04-16 1975-10-16 Utilux Pty Ltd Femal receptacle connector
JPS5119582A (en) * 1974-08-08 1976-02-16 Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co UZUDENRYUGATATANSHOSOCHI
DE2644612C3 (en) * 1976-10-02 1986-05-07 Harting Elektronik Gmbh, 4992 Espelkamp Contact element bent from sheet metal for a multi-pole electrical connector
US4106836A (en) * 1977-04-14 1978-08-15 Amp Incorporated Crimp barrel for thick, flat, flexible cable
US4211466A (en) * 1978-11-21 1980-07-08 Amp Incorporated Crimped electrical connections for conductors on thin substrates
US4263474A (en) * 1979-05-30 1981-04-21 Amp Incorporated Under carpet cable connector
JPS5766885U (en) * 1980-10-06 1982-04-21

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US4806121A (en) 1989-02-21
WO1988000762A1 (en) 1988-01-28
EP0274503A1 (en) 1988-07-20
JPH01500311A (en) 1989-02-02
FR2601517A1 (en) 1988-01-15
DE3781661D1 (en) 1992-10-15
ATE80502T1 (en) 1992-09-15
DE3781661T2 (en) 1993-04-22
FR2601517B1 (en) 1990-02-09

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