EP0549908B1 - Electrical terminal assembly with terminal lock - Google Patents

Electrical terminal assembly with terminal lock Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0549908B1
EP0549908B1 EP92120545A EP92120545A EP0549908B1 EP 0549908 B1 EP0549908 B1 EP 0549908B1 EP 92120545 A EP92120545 A EP 92120545A EP 92120545 A EP92120545 A EP 92120545A EP 0549908 B1 EP0549908 B1 EP 0549908B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
terminal
side wall
section
passage
locking
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
EP92120545A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0549908A3 (xx
EP0549908A2 (en
Inventor
Ruppert J. Fry
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.)
Molex LLC
Original Assignee
Molex LLC
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
Application filed by Molex LLC filed Critical Molex LLC
Publication of EP0549908A2 publication Critical patent/EP0549908A2/en
Publication of EP0549908A3 publication Critical patent/EP0549908A3/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0549908B1 publication Critical patent/EP0549908B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/428—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members
    • H01R13/432—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members by stamped-out resilient tongue snapping behind shoulder in base or case
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R25/00—Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an electrical power connector for connecting a plurality of wires to another connector according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • connector assemblies There are a wide variety of electrical connector assemblies available of the type which are designed to removably connect with complementary mating electrical connectors, electronic components, conductors and the like.
  • the connectors conventionally are provided in the form of male and female connectors having interengaging terminals such as a rigid pin or male terminal interengageable within a flexible socket or female terminal.
  • a common type of terminal for use in electrical connector assemblies of the type described above, is provided as a stamped and formed sheet metal component which is elongated and has a front mating section, an intermediate section and a rear terminating section.
  • the front mating section includes one or more spring contact arms;
  • the intermediate section may be generally U-shaped with upwardly extending side walls integral with the spring contact arms; and
  • the rear terminating section may have crimping means for clamping onto a conductor, for instance.
  • the housing often is integrally molded of dielectric material, such as plastic or the like, and includes terminal receiving passages each defined by at least a pair of side walls.
  • the most common type of locking means between the terminals and the housing involves the use of locking tabs which are stamped out of the sides of the terminals, usually out of the side walls of the intermediate sections of the terminals.
  • the locking tabs form cantilevered spring arms bent outwardly from the terminal and which snap behind locking surfaces formed in the side walls of the terminal receiving passage in the housing.
  • there are other types of locking means such as slits through the terminals side walls of the terminal, detents cut out of the side walls, and the like, for engaging locking surfaces on the housing within the terminal receiving passages.
  • locking tabs are prone to cause various problems.
  • the locking tabs are susceptible to damage or breaking during handling.
  • the locking tabs reduce the cross-sectional area available through a terminal for conducting electricity from the front mating section to the rear terminating section.
  • the locking tabs also do not provide the strength as might be desired in some applications.
  • Document GB-C-1293319 discloses an electrical connector receptacle comprising a conductor connecting portion extending rearwardly from a side of pin receptacle portion arranged to receive a contact pin in a direction transversely of the conductor connecting portion.
  • the receptacle includes a pair of resilient side walls arranged to receive the pin therebetween. Detend ears are disposed adjacent the side of the receptacle and folded outwardly of the side walls.
  • Document US-C-3753193 discloses a socket terminal for releasibly receiving a pin in a direction transversely to the length of this terminal.
  • the socket terminal comprises a channel-shaped contact portion with two channel sides. Ears 16 at the channel end distal from a wire connecting section serve to latch the socket within a housing. A pair of stops which limit forward insertion of a socket are arranged at the forward end of the passageway of the channel.
  • Document FR-A-2291625 discloses an electrical connector comprising a terminal.
  • the terminal includes walls and a resilient locking member being bent outwardly with respect to one side wall of the terminal. It is only the resilient member which limits forward and backward movement of the terminal within the housing.
  • the locking means are disclosed in an electrical connector assembly which includes a dielectric housing having at least one terminal receiving passage defined by at least a pair of opposite side walls. At least one elongate terminal is positionable in the passage and has a front mating section, an intermediate section and a rear terminating section.
  • the terminal is unitary, the front mating section includes forwardly extending spring contact arms, and the intermediate section includes a base and at least one upwardly extending side wall integral with one of the spring arms.
  • the invention contemplates a locking shoulder on an upper edge of the side wall of the intermediate section of the terminal and means defining a complementarily engageable locking surface on an adjacent continuous solid wall of the housing passage presenting a reduced cross section area transverse to the direction of insertion of the terminal.
  • the width of the side wall of the terminal at the locking shoulder is substantially equal to that of a juncture of the side wall and the spring contact arm which is integral therewith.
  • the terminal is stamped and formed from sheet metal material, and the locking shoulder is formed by a notch stamped out of the upper edge of the side wall of the terminal.
  • the locking surface in the housing passage is provided by an angled boss for camming the side wall of the terminal inwardly and terminating in the locking surface behind which the locking shoulder of the terminal side wall engages.
  • the spring contact arm is of generally uniform width along substantially the entire length thereof. The cross sectional area of the forwardly extending spring arms of the forward mating section and the upwardly extending walls of the intermediate section are consistently equal from the free end of the spring arms to the rear portion of the intermediate section.
  • an electrical connector assembly generally designated 10 which includes a receptacle connector, generally designated 12, and a plug connector, generally designated 14.
  • Receptacle connector 12 includes a unitarily molded housing 16 of dielectric material, such as plastic or the like.
  • the housing has one or more through passages, generally designated 18, into which a male terminal, generally designated 20, is inserted in the direction of arrow "A", through an open rear end 22 of passage 18.
  • the passage has an open front end 24 for receiving plug connector 14, as described hereinafter.
  • Housing 16 includes a latch detent 26, having a chamfered front surface 28, for latching the receptacle and plug connectors in mated condition, as seen in Figure 2 and as described hereinafter.
  • Male terminal 20 is elongated and has a front mating section 30, an intermediate section 32 and a terminating section 34.
  • the terminal is unitary and fabricated of stamped and formed sheet metal material.
  • Terminating section 34 includes a pair of crimp arms 34a at the rear distal end of the terminal and a second pair of crimp arms 34b forwardly of crimp arms 34a.
  • the crimp arms are provided for clamping onto an electronic component, such as an insulated electrical wire. Crimp arms 34a would clamp onto an insulated portion of the wire, and crimp arms 34b would crimp onto a stripped or exposed conductor core of the wire.
  • front mating section 30 of male terminal 20 is generally flat and formed by forwardly extending spring contact arms 30a bent, as at 36, so that the spring contact arms are back-to-back to form the flat mating male section of the terminal.
  • the distal ends of spring contact arms 30a are chamfered, as at 38, for guiding the male terminal into a mating female terminal, as described hereinafter.
  • Intermediate section 32 of male terminal 20 is generally U-shaped and includes a base or bottom wall 32a and a pair of upstanding side walls 32b.
  • the side walls are integral with and form substantial continuations of spring contact arms 30a of front male section 30.
  • front mating section 30 (comprising spring contact arms 30a) are offset upwardly of side walls 32b of intermediate section 30 to define a forwardly facing notch 40 immediately in front of bottom wall 32a of the intermediate section, along with a rearwardly facing notch 42 formed in an upper edge of side walls 32b of the intermediate section.
  • lower notch 40 of the terminal eventually abuts against a positioning shoulder 44 defined by a lower rib 46 molded integrally with the housing and projecting into the through passage.
  • side walls 32b of intermediate section 30 are biased inwardly toward each other by angled surfaces 48 of a pair of locking bosses 50 molded integrally with housing 16 and projecting inwardly from opposite side walls of through passage 18.
  • Plug connector 14 is constructed similarly to receptacle connector 12 in that it includes a housing 54 unitarily molded of dielectric material, such as plastic or the like.
  • the housing has a front plug end 54a for insertion into front open end 24 of through passage 18 in receptacle connector housing 16.
  • a latch arm 56 is molded integrally with and fixed to the top of housing 54 for latching behind latch detent 26 of receptacle connector 12. Specifically, when plug connector 14 is inserted into receptacle connector 12 in the direction of arrow "B" (Fig. 1), a chamfered surface 56a on the front end of latch arm 56 engages chamfered surface 28 on latch detent 26.
  • Housing 54 of plug connector 14 has a through passage, generally designated 60, into which a female terminal, generally designated 62, is inserted or loaded in the direction of arrow "D" through a rear open end 64 of the through passage.
  • the terminal is inserted into the through passage until a lower notch 66 engages a shoulder 68 of the housing, similar to that described above in relation to receptacle connector 12.
  • Female terminal 62 like male terminal 20, includes a front mating section 70, an intermediate section 72 and a rear terminating section 74.
  • Intermediate section 72 and rear terminating section 74 are substantially identical to rear terminating section 34 and intermediate section 32 of male terminal 20 and, therefore, will not be described in great detail.
  • rear terminating section 74 includes a rear pair of crimp arms 74a and a second pair of crimp arms 74b forward of crimp arms 74a.
  • Intermediate section 72 is generally U-shaped and includes a base or bottom wall 72a and upstanding side walls 72b.
  • Notches 76 are formed in the upper edges of side walls 72b for snapping behind locking shoulders 78 of a pair of bosses 80 molded integrally with and projecting inwardly of the side walls of through passage 60. Angled surfaces 82 bias side walls 72b of the terminals inwardly toward each other when the terminal is inserted into through passage 60, in the direction of arrow "D", until notches 76 in the upper edges of the side walls snap back outwardly behind locking shoulders 78 of bosses 80.
  • front mating section 70 of female terminal 62 is formed by upper and lower pairs of spring contact arms 84a and 84b, respectively.
  • the two spring contact arms of each pair 84a and 84b thereof are spaced apart less than the width of front male mating section 30 of male terminal 20 so that, upon mating of the connectors, and insertion of the male terminal into the female terminal, front male mating section 30 of the male terminal establishes electrical contact with spring contact arms 84a, 84b by spreading the arms outwardly against their own spring bias.
  • one of the problems with electrical terminals of the type shown and described herein is that the terminals are locked into the housing by means of cut-outs, slits and the like in the metal material of the terminals, such as in side walls 32b of male terminal 20 or side walls 72b of female terminal 62.
  • These cut-outs, slits or the like effectively reduce the cross-sectional area of the terminal, through the intermediate section, and into the spring contact arms of the front mating sections of the terminal. This effectively reduces the cross-sectional area available for conducting electricity from the rear terminating end of the terminal to the front mating end of the terminal.
  • the cut-outs often are used to form cantilevered spring tabs for locking purposes. These tabs are prone to damage or breakage, and the tabs are not as strong as the terminal body or terminal side walls themselves.
  • the cross-sectional area of the side walls of the terminals at locking shoulders 42 and 76 is at least equal to the cross-sectional area of the terminal forwardly thereof, for conducting electricity to and through the front mating sections 30 and 70 of the terminals.
  • the width of side walls 32b of intermediate section 32, at the point of locking shoulder 42, as indicated by double-headed arrow "E” is at least equal to the width of a juncture, as indicated by double-headed arrow "F", where the side wall continues into the forward mating section of the terminal.

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Connections Arranged To Contact A Plurality Of Conductors (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
EP92120545A 1991-12-30 1992-12-02 Electrical terminal assembly with terminal lock Expired - Lifetime EP0549908B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US81413291A 1991-12-30 1991-12-30
US814132 1991-12-30

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0549908A2 EP0549908A2 (en) 1993-07-07
EP0549908A3 EP0549908A3 (xx) 1994-01-26
EP0549908B1 true EP0549908B1 (en) 1996-06-12

Family

ID=25214257

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92120545A Expired - Lifetime EP0549908B1 (en) 1991-12-30 1992-12-02 Electrical terminal assembly with terminal lock

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0549908B1 (xx)
JP (1) JP2538829B2 (xx)
KR (1) KR930015193A (xx)
DE (1) DE69211516T2 (xx)
HK (1) HK192896A (xx)
SG (1) SG44587A1 (xx)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6099798A (en) 1997-10-31 2000-08-08 Nanogram Corp. Ultraviolet light block and photocatalytic materials
DE19756905A1 (de) * 1997-12-19 1999-06-24 Whitaker Corp Elektrischer Steckverbinder
DE102015213420A1 (de) 2015-07-16 2017-03-30 Continental Automotive Gmbh Kraftstoffförderpumpe

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR93843E (fr) * 1967-06-21 1969-05-23 Cie Generale Entpr Elec Eléments modulaires de traversée et applications de tels éléments aux raccordements électriques.
AU463608B2 (en) * 1971-04-27 1975-07-16 Amp Incorporated Socket terminal
GB1293319A (en) * 1971-06-24 1972-10-18 Amp Inc Electrical connector pin receptacle and housing
US3764960A (en) * 1972-05-25 1973-10-09 Prod Inc Van Cluster assembly and connector clip therefor
DE2454317A1 (de) * 1974-11-15 1976-05-20 Bunker Ramo Elektrischer steckverbinder
JPS5449121A (en) * 1977-09-27 1979-04-18 Nippon Gakki Seizo Kk Key touch speed detector of electronic musical instruments

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH05258797A (ja) 1993-10-08
HK192896A (en) 1996-10-25
JP2538829B2 (ja) 1996-10-02
EP0549908A3 (xx) 1994-01-26
SG44587A1 (en) 1997-12-19
EP0549908A2 (en) 1993-07-07
DE69211516T2 (de) 1997-01-02
KR930015193A (ko) 1993-07-24
DE69211516D1 (de) 1996-07-18

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