EP1998410A1 - Terminal électrique - Google Patents

Terminal électrique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1998410A1
EP1998410A1 EP07425327A EP07425327A EP1998410A1 EP 1998410 A1 EP1998410 A1 EP 1998410A1 EP 07425327 A EP07425327 A EP 07425327A EP 07425327 A EP07425327 A EP 07425327A EP 1998410 A1 EP1998410 A1 EP 1998410A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
terminal
female
coupling axis
male
conductive part
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP07425327A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Antonio Falchetti
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.)
MTA SpA
Original Assignee
MTA SpA
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 MTA SpA filed Critical MTA SpA
Priority to EP07425327A priority Critical patent/EP1998410A1/fr
Publication of EP1998410A1 publication Critical patent/EP1998410A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • H01R13/15—Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure
    • H01R13/18—Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure with the spring member surrounding the socket
    • 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
    • H01R13/20—Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R11/00—Individual connecting elements providing two or more spaced connecting locations for conductive members which are, or may be, thereby interconnected, e.g. end pieces for wires or cables supported by the wire or cable and having means for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal, or conductive member, blocks of binding posts
    • H01R11/11—End pieces or tapping pieces for wires, supported by the wire and for facilitating electrical connection to some other wire, terminal or conductive member
    • H01R11/28—End pieces consisting of a ferrule or sleeve
    • H01R11/281—End pieces consisting of a ferrule or sleeve for connections to batteries
    • H01R11/286—End pieces consisting of a ferrule or sleeve for connections to batteries having means for improving contact between battery post and clamping member, e.g. uneven interior surface

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a female electrical terminal in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
  • the female terminal of the present invention may find application for ground connection to motor vehicle bodies.
  • a female terminal for coupling to a male terminal is disclosed, for instance, in the European patent application EP 1 729 372 .
  • EP 1 729 372 discloses a female electrical terminal comprising a conductive body having a conductive part able to be coupled to a male electrical terminal in a coupling direction and means for clamping such conductive part onto the male terminal.
  • the conductive part comprises two portions that can be moved towards each other along an axis transverse to the coupling axis, and the clamping means are operable on such portions so that their motion towards each other causes the conductive part to be clamped onto the male terminal.
  • the clamping means comprise a holding member associated outside to the conductive part which encircles the conductive part so that such conductive part is held in contact with the male terminal.
  • the conductive part further has a plurality of lugs which are able to abut against an axial abutment member which projects out of the male terminal transverse to the coupling axis, to prevent any axial displacement of the female electrical terminal along the coupling axis in the direction opposite to the plug-on direction, when the female terminal is plugged on the male terminal.
  • the above electrical terminal suffers from certain drawbacks.
  • the lugs of the conductive portion have to be acted upon to be disengaged from the axial abutment member of the male terminal, thereby allowing the female terminal to be displaced along the coupling axis, in the direction opposite to the plug-on direction.
  • the lugs of the conductive part are not easily disengageable, as the lugs are formed directly on the conductive part which is firmly held against the male terminal by the retaining element, wherefore the lungs have to be disengaged by also counteracting the clamping action of the retaining element.
  • the object of this invention is to provide a female electrical terminal that has such features as to fulfill the above need, while obviating the drawbacks of prior art.
  • the female terminal can be unlocked from the male terminal in a quick and easy manner.
  • numeral 1 generally designates a female electrical terminal of the present invention.
  • the female electrical terminal 1 has a conductive body 2 with a first conductive part 3 able to be connected to a cable lug (not shown) and a second conductive part 4 able to be coupled, along a coupling axis, designated by X-X, and in a plug-on direction, indicated by arrow A, to a male electrical terminal 10 which mainly extends along the coupling axis X-X.
  • the first conductive part 3 and the second conductive part 4 are interconnected by a linking portion 6.
  • the female electrical terminal 1 plugged on the male electrical terminal 10 forms an electrical connection 50 ( Figure 3 ).
  • the electrical connection 50 may be used for grounding electric and/or electronic devices.
  • the male terminal 10 is a ground terminal attached to a structure that acts as a ground mass (not shown), whereas the ground connection of the devices to be grounded is connected, as is known per se, to the female terminal 1 by an electric cable. This provides a ground connection of the electronic devices connected to the female terminal 1 via the electric cable.
  • the structure that acts as a ground mass may be, for instance, the body of a motor vehicle, particularly a car.
  • the electric connection 50 may be used to connect the battery clips to the battery pole, wherein the battery clip is defined by the female electrical terminal 1 whereas the battery pole is defined by a male electrical terminal 10.
  • the female terminal 1 shall meet predetermined electrical conductivity requirements and is this formed of a conductive metal material, such as copper.
  • the male terminal 10 is formed, for instance, of a zinc-plated steel alloy. Particularly, the use of a steel alloy affords easier and safer welding of the male terminal 10 to the structure acting as a ground mass when welding on a car body.
  • the male terminal 10 comprises a cylindrical body 12, extending axially in the coupling direction X-X.
  • the male terminal 10 may be of laminar type, or of any other shape allowing it to act as a male terminal.
  • the conductive part 4 comprises at least two portions 7, 8 ( Figure 2 ) that can be moved towards each other along an axis, designated as Y-Y, which is transverse to the coupling axis X-X of the female terminal 1 and the male terminal 10.
  • Y-Y an axis
  • the axis Y-Y is perpendicular to the coupling axis X-X.
  • the terminal 1 further comprises clamping means 20 associated outside to the conductive part 4 for clamping the conductive part 4 onto the male terminal 10, and lock means 30 for engaging an abutment surface 11 of the male terminal 10 when the female terminal 1 is plugged on the male terminal 10.
  • the lock means 30 are connected to the clamping means 20 and can be driven from a locking position to an unlocking position by counteracting an elastic return force directed towards the locking position. Namely, in the locking position, the lock means 30 engage the abutment surface 11 of the male terminal 10 to prevent displacement of the female terminal 1 along the coupling axis X-X in the direction opposite to the plug-on direction, whereas in the unlocking position, the lock means 30 disengage from the abutment surface 11 of the male terminal 10 to allow displacement of the female terminal 1 along the coupling axis X-X.
  • the lock means 30 comprise at least one lug, advantageously at least two lugs, in this example the two tabs 31, 32 being connected to the clamping means 20 and extending in inclined positions with respect to the coupling axis X-X.
  • the lugs 31, 32 as shown in the annexed figures extend in a direction with a component along the coupling axis X-X opposite to the plug-on direction and a component transverse to the coupling axis X-X.
  • the two lugs 31, 32 are designed to engage the abutment surface 11 defined by the axial abutment member 13 which projects transversely and radially from the male terminal 10.
  • retaining teeth or extensions may be provided, projecting transversely from the clamping means 20 provided that, in the locking position, such elements engage the abutment surface 11 of the male terminal 10 to prevent displacement of the female terminal 1 along the coupling axis X-X in the direction opposite to the plug-on direction, whereas in the unlocking position, they disengage from the abutment surface 11 of the male terminal 10 to allow displacement of the female terminal 1 along the coupling axis X-X.
  • the clamping means 20 comprise a holding member 21 associated outside to the conductive part 4 to encircle the conductive part 4 so that such conductive part 4 is held in contact with the male terminal 10.
  • the holding member 21 may be formed, for example, of metal material or any other material having such characteristics as to be able to exert a sufficient encircling action to hold the conductive part 4 in contact with the male terminal 10.
  • the metal material of the holding member 21 may be, for example, AISI 301 stainless steel, which has sufficient elasticity.
  • the clamping means 20 For the clamping means 20, i.e. the holding member 21, to be secured to the conductive part 4 of the female terminal 1, the clamping means 20 have retaining means 22 engaged with the conductive part 4.
  • the retaining means 22 comprise a plurality of retaining tabs 22 disposed on the holding member 21 for engagement with corresponding abutment surfaces of the conductive part 4, particularly of the two portions 7, 8 to be moved towards each other.
  • the clamping means 20 are allowed to move integrally with the conductive part 4, particularly along the coupling axis X-X, or are secured to the conductive part 4 of the female terminal 1.
  • the female electrical terminal 1 comprises a support element 40 and a cover element 45 ( Figures 1 - 3 ).
  • the support element 40 is closed at its bottom and has a receptacle 41 for receiving the conductive part 4 with the clamping means 20 secured thereto and the portion 6 of the conductive body 2 which connects the conductive part 4 to the conductive part 3.
  • the receptacle 41 of the support element 40 is closed at its top by the cover element 45, which is secured to the support element 40 by retaining tabs 42 of the support element 40 and snap fitted in corresponding apertures 46 formed in the cover element 45.
  • the cover element 45 has a through hole 47 for receiving the male terminal 10 along the coupling axis X-X.
  • the cover element 45 acts as a stop element for the plug-on travel of the female terminal 1 onto the male terminal 10, to stop the travel of the female terminal 1 on the male terminal 10.
  • the particular slightly conical shape of the male terminal 10 allows the cover element 45 to stop the displacement of the female terminal along the coupling axis X-X in the plug-on direction A when the hole 47 reaches a level of the male terminal 10 having substantially the same diameter.
  • two through apertures 43, 44 are formed in the support element 40, for access to the lugs 31, 32 and disengagement of the lugs 31, 32, using a specially shaped tool, from the abutment surface 11 when the female terminal 1 is plugged on the male terminal.
  • the receptacle 40 has the function to limit the travel of the two lugs 31, 32 along the axis Y-Y transverse to the coupling axis X-X, as they are moved from the locking position to the unlocking position.
  • the lugs 31, 32 Prior to plugging the female terminal 1 onto the male terminal 10 ( Figure 4 ), the lugs 31, 32 are substantially in a locking position. Then, as the female terminal 1 is plugged onto the male terminal 10, the lugs 31, 32 abut against the axial abutment member 13 of the male terminal 10, which projects transverse to the coupling axis X-X and is defined at the top end 10a of the male terminal 10. The abutment member 13 pushes the lugs 31, 32 outwards, along the transverse axis Y-Y, thereby counteracting the elastic return force directed towards the locking position of the lugs 31, 32 ( Figure 5 ).
  • the lugs 31, 32 move past the abutment member 13 of the male terminal 10 until they reach an annular groove 14 having a smaller diameter than the abutment member 13 and, under the elastic return force which pushes them towards the locking position, they reach the locking position against the abutment surface 11.
  • the abutment surface 11 is defined by the bottom surface of the axial abutment member 13 of the male terminal 1.
  • the female electrical terminal of the present invention obviates prior art drawbacks. Namely, the provision of lock means connected to the clamping means allows the female terminal can be unlocked from the male terminal in a quick and easy manner.

Landscapes

  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
EP07425327A 2007-05-29 2007-05-29 Terminal électrique Withdrawn EP1998410A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07425327A EP1998410A1 (fr) 2007-05-29 2007-05-29 Terminal électrique

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07425327A EP1998410A1 (fr) 2007-05-29 2007-05-29 Terminal électrique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1998410A1 true EP1998410A1 (fr) 2008-12-03

Family

ID=38477366

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07425327A Withdrawn EP1998410A1 (fr) 2007-05-29 2007-05-29 Terminal électrique

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1998410A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD924146S1 (en) * 2019-07-22 2021-07-06 Antaya Technologies Corporation Receptacle electrical terminal assembly
USD924145S1 (en) * 2019-07-22 2021-07-06 Antaya Technologies Corporation Receptacle electrical terminal

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3364459A (en) * 1965-10-11 1968-01-16 Triple A Specialty Company Universal spark plug terminal connector
US4009924A (en) * 1976-03-18 1977-03-01 General Motors Corporation Spark plug connector assembly
DE3346322A1 (de) 1983-12-22 1985-07-04 Grote & Hartmann Gmbh & Co Kg, 5600 Wuppertal Flachfederkontakt mit ueberfeder
US5011439A (en) * 1990-01-18 1991-04-30 Molex Incorporated Spring clip electrical connector

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3364459A (en) * 1965-10-11 1968-01-16 Triple A Specialty Company Universal spark plug terminal connector
US4009924A (en) * 1976-03-18 1977-03-01 General Motors Corporation Spark plug connector assembly
DE3346322A1 (de) 1983-12-22 1985-07-04 Grote & Hartmann Gmbh & Co Kg, 5600 Wuppertal Flachfederkontakt mit ueberfeder
US5011439A (en) * 1990-01-18 1991-04-30 Molex Incorporated Spring clip electrical connector

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD924146S1 (en) * 2019-07-22 2021-07-06 Antaya Technologies Corporation Receptacle electrical terminal assembly
USD924145S1 (en) * 2019-07-22 2021-07-06 Antaya Technologies Corporation Receptacle electrical terminal

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