EP0755579B1 - Double-flexible-blade electric terminal - Google Patents
Double-flexible-blade electric terminal Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0755579B1 EP0755579B1 EP95917309A EP95917309A EP0755579B1 EP 0755579 B1 EP0755579 B1 EP 0755579B1 EP 95917309 A EP95917309 A EP 95917309A EP 95917309 A EP95917309 A EP 95917309A EP 0755579 B1 EP0755579 B1 EP 0755579B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- blade
- terminal
- contact
- wall
- cooperating
- 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
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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
- H01R13/10—Sockets for co-operation with pins or blades
- H01R13/11—Resilient sockets
- H01R13/113—Resilient sockets co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section
-
- 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
- H01R4/10—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation
- H01R4/18—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping
- H01R4/183—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping for cylindrical elongated bodies, e.g. cables having circular cross-section
- H01R4/184—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping for cylindrical elongated bodies, e.g. cables having circular cross-section comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion
- H01R4/185—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 effected solely by twisting, wrapping, bending, crimping, or other permanent deformation by crimping for cylindrical elongated bodies, e.g. cables having circular cross-section comprising a U-shaped wire-receiving portion combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an electric terminal, in particular, with a double flexible blade.
- Electric terminals are known, formed by blanking and bending conductive sheet metal, and integrally comprising a deformable portion for connection to a cable, and a contact body cooperating with a complementary contact element, such as another electric terminal or a printed circuit.
- such a terminal is described for example in US Patent n. 3,069,652, wherein the contact body presents a first flexible contact blade cooperating with the complementary contact element; and a second reinforcing blade cooperating with the first blade when this is deformed during connection to the complementary contact element, to increase the elastic load on the latter.
- the first blade extends integrally from one end of a wall of the contact body, and is bent rearwards towards the connecting portion, while the second blade is blanked in the same wall of the contact body and projects frontwards from a portion of said wall adjacent to the connecting portion.
- the first and second blades project in opposite directions and cooperate with each other at a central portion of the contact body.
- the above mutual arrangement of the blades results in a limitation of the respective bending lengths, the total of which must obviously be less than the length of the contact body. This in turn results in severe flexural rigidity and, in use, in undesired peak insertion loads (i.e. the load required for connection to the complementary contact element). What is more, the above blade arrangement also results in jamming.
- electric terminals of different type are known by French Patent n. 2565423, in which the first and second blade both extending integrally in a same direction from a same wall of the contact body.
- the contact blade presents a free end cooperating with a respective wall of the contact body to limit elastic movement of the same contact blade.
- the reinforcing blade has a V-shape and forms a bump that cooperates with an intermediate zone of the blade contact.
- the arrangement of the blades results in a limitation of the respective bending lengths, in a consequent severe flexural rigidity and, in use, in undesired peak insertion loads.
- Terminal 1 is formed in one piece from conductive sheet metal by pressing and bending blank 1' in Figure 4.
- Terminal 1 substantially comprises a box type contact body 2 cooperating with a male blade terminal 3 (shown partially by the dotted line in Figure 3); and a deformable connecting portion 4 for connection to an electric cable 5.
- Body 2 substantially comprises a bottom wall 6, from a rear portion 7 of which connecting portion 4 originates; a pair of lateral walls 8a, 8b bent 90° upwards in relation to bottom wall 6; and a top wall 9 integral with one of the lateral walls (8a) and bent in relation to it in a plane substantially parallel to bottom wall 6.
- Body 2 presents a front opening 10 for insertion of male terminal 3.
- Terminal 1 also comprises a first flexible contact blade 11 (Figure 3) extending integrally from a front portion 12 of bottom wall 6, and bent inside body 2 towards connecting portion 4.
- Blade 11 presents a curved longitudinal profile with its convexity facing top wall 9, and comprises an intermediate contact portion 13 of maximum convexity facing top wall 9 and forming with wall 9 a clearance smaller than the thickness of terminal 3.
- Blade 11 also presents a free end 14 bent slightly towards top wall 9 and located close to the rear end of body 2.
- blade 11 is conveniently slightly convex (Figure 2) to reduce the area of the portion contacting male terminal 3.
- Terminal 1 also comprises a second flexible reinforcing blade 15 projecting from front portion 12 of bottom wall 6 towards connecting portion 4, and sloping inwards of the body so that its free end 16 is located close to and substantially parallel to the free end 14 of blade 11.
- Blade 15 is in the form of a flat isosceles trapezium, and is formed in bottom wall 6 by means of a substantially U-shaped slot 17 (Figure 4).
- blades 11 and 15 flex jointly, and the rigidity of blade 15 provides for increasing the contact pressure exerted by blade 11 on terminal 3.
- terminal 1 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description.
- reinforcing blade 15 extends rearwards from the front end of body 2 enables the free bending length of the blade to be sized freely and so selected as to prevent peak insertion loads of the male terminal. Moreover, any possibility of jamming is prevented by the two blades 11, 15 extending substantially in the same direction and cooperating with each other at the respective free ends.
- end 14 of blade 11 which is bent substantially parallel to blade 15, provides for minimizing deformation of the end portion of blade 11 by the elastic load of blade 15, and hence the portion of the elastic load of blade 15 absorbed by such deformation.
- terminal 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.
- terminal 1 may be other than a box type, and may be connected to any type of complementary contact element, e.g. a male terminal of any design, or a printed circuit.
- blades 11 and 15 may contact each other prior to deformation, to achieve immediate action of blade 15 upon blade 11 being deformed by the complementary contact element.
Landscapes
- Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
- Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
- Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
- Shielding Devices Or Components To Electric Or Magnetic Fields (AREA)
Description
The present invention relates to an electric
terminal, in particular, with a double flexible blade.
Electric terminals are known, formed by blanking
and bending conductive sheet metal, and integrally
comprising a deformable portion for connection to a
cable, and a contact body cooperating with a
complementary contact element, such as another electric
terminal or a printed circuit.
More specifically, such a terminal is described for
example in US Patent n. 3,069,652, wherein the contact
body presents a first flexible contact blade cooperating
with the complementary contact element; and a second
reinforcing blade cooperating with the first blade when
this is deformed during connection to the complementary
contact element, to increase the elastic load on the
latter. The first blade extends integrally from one end
of a wall of the contact body, and is bent rearwards
towards the connecting portion, while the second blade is
blanked in the same wall of the contact body and projects
frontwards from a portion of said wall adjacent to the
connecting portion.
As such, the first and second blades project in
opposite directions and cooperate with each other at a
central portion of the contact body.
The above mutual arrangement of the blades results
in a limitation of the respective bending lengths, the
total of which must obviously be less than the length of
the contact body. This in turn results in severe flexural
rigidity and, in use, in undesired peak insertion loads
(i.e. the load required for connection to the
complementary contact element). What is more, the above
blade arrangement also results in jamming.
Alternatively, electric terminals of different type
are known by French Patent n. 2565423, in which the first
and second blade both extending integrally in a same
direction from a same wall of the contact body. In
particular, the contact blade presents a free end
cooperating with a respective wall of the contact body to
limit elastic movement of the same contact blade.
Moreover, the reinforcing blade has a V-shape and forms a
bump that cooperates with an intermediate zone of the
blade contact.
Also in this case, the arrangement of the blades
results in a limitation of the respective bending
lengths, in a consequent severe flexural rigidity and, in
use, in undesired peak insertion loads.
It is an object of the present invention to provide
an electric terminal designed to overcome the drawbacks
typically associated with the above known terminals.
According to the present invention, there is
provided an electric terminal of the type described in
claim 1.
Transversely, blade 11 is conveniently slightly
convex (Figure 2) to reduce the area of the portion
contacting male terminal 3.
From the opposite ends of lateral wall 8b of body
2, there extend upwards two tabs 18 bent substantially
in a U so that the free ends cooperate with top wall 9,
to increase the structural rigidity of body 2.
In actual use, when male terminal 3 is inserted
inside box body 2 through front opening 10 and between
contact blade 11 and top wall 9, it flexes contact blade
11 towards reinforcing blade 15 which remains idle until
its free end 16 is contacted by the free end 14 of blade
11.
Upon further insertion of male terminal 3, blades
11 and 15 flex jointly, and the rigidity of blade 15
provides for increasing the contact pressure exerted by
blade 11 on terminal 3.
The advantages of terminal 1 in accordance with
the teachings of the present invention will be clear
from the foregoing description.
In particular, the fact that reinforcing blade 15
extends rearwards from the front end of body 2 enables
the free bending length of the blade to be sized freely
and so selected as to prevent peak insertion loads of
the male terminal. Moreover, any possibility of jamming
is prevented by the two blades 11, 15 extending
substantially in the same direction and cooperating with
each other at the respective free ends.
Finally, the design of end 14 of blade 11, which
is bent substantially parallel to blade 15, provides for
minimizing deformation of the end portion of blade 11 by
the elastic load of blade 15, and hence the portion of
the elastic load of blade 15 absorbed by such
deformation.
Clearly, changes may be made to terminal 1 as
described and illustrated herein without, however,
departing from the scope of the present invention.
In particular, terminal 1 may be other than a box
type, and may be connected to any type of complementary
contact element, e.g. a male terminal of any design, or
a printed circuit.
Also, blades 11 and 15 may contact each other
prior to deformation, to achieve immediate action of
blade 15 upon blade 11 being deformed by the
complementary contact element.
Claims (5)
- An electric terminal (1) comprising a deformable portion (4) for connection to an electric cable (5); and a contact portion (2) cooperating with a complementary contact element (3); said contact portion (2) comprising a first flexible contact blade (11) extending integrally from the front portion (12) of a wall (6) of said contact body (2) and bent towards said connecting portion (4), said first blade (11) cooperating elastically with said complementary contact element (3); and a second reinforcing blade (15) blanked in said wall (6) of said contact body (2), extending from said front portion (12) of said wall (6) towards said connecting portion (4) of said terminal (1) and cooperating with said first blade (11) at least as of a predetermined degree of deformation of said first blade (11), to increase the elastic load on said complementary contact element (3); characterized in that said first and second blades (11, 15) cooperate mutually at the respective free ends (14, 16), said free end (14) of said first blade (11) being substantially parallel to said second blade (15).
- A terminal as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said first blade (11) presents a curved longitudinal profile so that an intermediate portion of the first blade cooperates with said complementary contact element (3).
- A terminal as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said contact body (2) is a box type, and presents a front opening (10) for receiving a male terminal (3).
- A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said first blade (11) presents a transversely convex profile.
- A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said second blade (15) is flat.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITTO940273 | 1994-04-12 | ||
| ITTO940273A IT1273126B (en) | 1994-04-12 | 1994-04-12 | ELECTRIC TERMINAL WITH DOUBLE ELASTIC SHEET |
| PCT/EP1995/001325 WO1995028020A1 (en) | 1994-04-12 | 1995-04-11 | Double-flexible-blade electric terminal |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP0755579A1 EP0755579A1 (en) | 1997-01-29 |
| EP0755579B1 true EP0755579B1 (en) | 1998-07-29 |
Family
ID=11412449
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP95917309A Expired - Lifetime EP0755579B1 (en) | 1994-04-12 | 1995-04-11 | Double-flexible-blade electric terminal |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0755579B1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69503775T2 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2120745T3 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1273126B (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1995028020A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN111224262A (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2020-06-02 | 第一精工株式会社 | Terminal with a terminal body |
Families Citing this family (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20060292937A1 (en) * | 2005-06-23 | 2006-12-28 | Morello John R | Electrical connector having dual contact function spring contact terminal |
| JP4552781B2 (en) | 2005-07-05 | 2010-09-29 | 住友電装株式会社 | Terminal fitting |
| JP2013143303A (en) * | 2012-01-11 | 2013-07-22 | Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The | Female terminal |
| JP7435329B2 (en) * | 2020-07-14 | 2024-02-21 | 住友電装株式会社 | terminal fittings |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL129303C (en) * | 1959-03-23 | |||
| JPS60110930U (en) * | 1983-12-27 | 1985-07-27 | アムプ インコ−ポレ−テツド | female electrical contact |
| FR2565423B1 (en) * | 1984-05-29 | 1986-09-12 | Essex Group | RECEPTACLE TERMINAL WITH LEGS |
| JPS61237375A (en) * | 1985-04-11 | 1986-10-22 | アンプ インコ−ポレ−テツド | Receptacle terminal |
-
1994
- 1994-04-12 IT ITTO940273A patent/IT1273126B/en active IP Right Grant
-
1995
- 1995-04-11 DE DE69503775T patent/DE69503775T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1995-04-11 WO PCT/EP1995/001325 patent/WO1995028020A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1995-04-11 ES ES95917309T patent/ES2120745T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1995-04-11 EP EP95917309A patent/EP0755579B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN111224262A (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2020-06-02 | 第一精工株式会社 | Terminal with a terminal body |
| CN111224262B (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2022-03-15 | 第一精工株式会社 | Terminal with a terminal body |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ITTO940273A0 (en) | 1994-04-12 |
| DE69503775T2 (en) | 1999-01-21 |
| IT1273126B (en) | 1997-07-04 |
| ITTO940273A1 (en) | 1995-10-12 |
| ES2120745T3 (en) | 1998-11-01 |
| DE69503775D1 (en) | 1998-09-03 |
| WO1995028020A1 (en) | 1995-10-19 |
| EP0755579A1 (en) | 1997-01-29 |
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