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
  • 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
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
  • H01R13/627—Snap or like fastening
  • H01R13/6271—Latching means integral with the housing
  • H01R13/6272—Latching means integral with the housing comprising a single latching arm
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R2107/00—Four or more poles
• • 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

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to terminals for electrical connectors.
• a "male" terminal of a first electrical connector is inserted into a "female” terminal of a second electrical connector to interconnect different portions of a circuit or, in some cases, numerous circuits.
• One type of female terminal known in the art involves a generally- rectangular female socket disposed at a distal end for receiving a male terminal. Oftentimes the distal end of the female socket takes on the shape of an elongate member defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, and sidewalls that form a passageway for receiving the male terminal.
• Female terminals such as these are usually stamped and formed from sheet metal so that a slit may be incorporated into one or more of the walls that form the socket. The slits allow the walls of the socket to flex as the male terminal is inserted.
• one type of male terminal known in the art involves a generally-rectangular pin that is capable of being inserted into the generally-rectangular socket of the female terminal.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example terminal for an electrical connector.
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the example terminal of FIG. 1 taken across line A— A in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the example terminal of FIG. 1 taken across line B— B in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of an example socket of an example terminal for an electrical connector.
• FIG. 5A is perspective view of an example terminal being inserted into an example electrical connector.
• FIG 5B is a perspective view of the example electrical connector of FIG. 5A being mated with another example electrical connecter.
• FIG. 6A is a perspective view of an example panel within which an example terminal disposed in an example electrical connecter may be secured.
• FIG. 6B is a partial side view of the example electrical connector and the example panel of FIG. 6A.
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example electrical connector being secured to a printed circuit board (PCB) header.
• PCB printed circuit board
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an example electrical connecter being secured to a right-angle PCB header.
• terminals that generally include a first pair of contacts, a second pair of contacts, a pair of crimping members, positioning tabs, and a socket with an opening for receiving a male terminal.
• the socket may be defined by a left sidewall, a right sidewall, a top wall, and a bottom wall.
• the socket is in many cases generally rectangular, as the left sidewall typically opposes the right sidewall, and the top wall typically opposes the bottom wall.
• the first and second pairs of contacts may be disposed along, and in some cases formed from, the left and right sidewalls.
• the first pair of contacts may be associated with a first contact surface and a second contact surface, while the second pair of contacts may be associated with a third contact surface and a fourth contact surface.
• these four contact surfaces may be configured to apply substantially the same normal force to a male terminal that can be inserted into the socket. Likewise, in some instances, these four contact surfaces may have substantially the same surface areas.
• the second pair of contacts may, in some examples, be disposed closer to the opening of the socket than the first pair of contacts.
• the second pair of contacts may be disposed along portions of the left and right sidewalls that extend between the top and bottom walls, adjacent to the socket.
• the first and second pair of contacts may be resilient and configured to be in an interference relationship with a male terminal that can be inserted into the socket.
• at least some parts of the first and second pair of contacts may project into the socket such that when a male contact is inserted into the socket, the male contact displaces the first and second pairs of contacts slightly away from the socket.
• Such a configuration is one way to maintain the four respective contact surfaces against a male contact inserted into the socket.
• the first pair of contacts are cantilevered and resilient.
• the top and bottom walls may include slits that extend along some portion of the top and bottom walls to the opening of the socket. The slits allow left and right portions of the top and bottom walls to flex away from one another when the male contact is inserted into the socket.
• the second pair of contacts which in some examples are connected to the portions of the terminal that are moving away from one another, exert a normal force onto the male contact.
• crimping members may be disposed opposite a distal end of the terminal where the socket and first and second pair of contacts are disposed.
• the crimping members are typically utilized to secure the insulation of one or more wires and/or the conductors of the one or more wires to the terminal. Put another way, the crimping members prevent the wires from backing out of the terminal.
• the terminal may have no crimping members or just one. In other examples, though, the terminal may have more than a pair of crimping members, such as one pair to secure the wire insulation and another pair to secure the internal conductors of the wire, for instance.
• positioning tabs may also be disposed along the left and right sidewalls of the terminal in some examples.
• the positioning tabs may be resilient and biased outwards in some examples. The positioning tabs may be compressed inwards when the terminal is inserted into a housing of the electrical connector. Once in place, the positioning tabs may snap into respective recesses within the housing of the electrical connector to secure the terminal within the housing.
• an example terminal 100 is shown for an electrical connector (such as example electrical connectors 308, 312, 360, 366, 406, 410, 450, 452 shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7, and 8).
• the example terminal 100 includes a socket 102 disposed at or along a distal end 104, as well as a pair of crimping members 106 opposite the distal end 104.
• the socket 102 is in one example generally rectangular in shape and is configured to receive a corresponding "male" terminal 107 as is commonly known in the art.
• the socket 102 is not limited to a generally-rectangular shape and may take on other shapes (e.g., quadrilateral, circular, elliptical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.) depending on the shape of the male terminal 107 of another electrical connector that the socket 102 is intended to receive. Nonetheless, the example socket 102 shown in FIG. 1 is rectangular and is formed by a top wall 108, a bottom wall 110, a left sidewall 1 12, and a right sidewall 1 14.
• the example terminal 100 is stamped and formed from sheet metal, either in whole or in part.
• the crimping members 106 are secured to an electrical wire (FIG. 5 A) or, more specifically, insulation of the electrical wire by deforming the crimping member 106 onto and/or around the electrical wire.
• the crimping members 106 may be secured to one or more internal conductors within the insulation of the electrical wire. The crimping members 106 help prevent the electrical wire and/or its internal conductor(s) from backing out of the terminal 100.
• the terminal 100 may have more than one pair of crimping members 106, such as one that may be secured to the electrical wire's insulation and another that may be secured to internal conductors of the electrical wire, for instance.
• the crimping members 106 may vary in size and shape depending on the size and shape of the object(s) that each respective pair of crimping members is intended to secure.
• the terminal 100 may include other features in place of or in addition to the crimping members 106.
• the example terminal 100 may include at least one projection opposite the distal end for securing the terminal 100 to a conductor or printed wiring board by way of soldering or welding.
• the terminal 100 may include at least one projection opposite the distal end, where the projection forms a male electrical terminal that is receivable by a female electrical terminal.
• the terminal 100 may include at least one insulation displacement terminal opposite the distal end. The insulation displacement terminal may secure the insulation or internal conductor of a wire.
• the example terminal 100 may include at least one threaded compression terminal opposite the distal end in some cases. The threaded compression terminal may be utilized to secure the insulation or internal conductor of a wire.
• the terminal 100 may include at least one spring compression terminal opposite the distal end for securing the insulation or internal conductor of a wire.
• the example terminal 100 may optionally include a pair of positioning tabs 1 16 that project outward from terminal 100, such as for example, from the left and right sidewalls 1 12, 1 14.
• the terminal 100 contains no positioning tabs, one positioning tab, or more than two positioning tabs.
• the example positioning tabs 116 are resilient so as to flex inwards when the terminal 100 is inserted into the housing of the electrical connector. Once the terminal 100 is in place or nearly in place inside the housing of the electrical connector, the positioning tabs 116 may reach a pair of corresponding recesses, shoulders, or other openings into which the two positioning tabs 1 16 may snap. Once in place, the positioning tabs 116 substantially prevent the terminal 100 from backing out of the electrical connector, and furthermore, the positioning tabs 1 16 may further help prevent the terminal 100 from rotating within the housing of the electrical connector.
• the example terminal 100 also includes a first pair of contacts 118 and a second pair of contacts 120.
• the first and second pairs of contacts 118, 120 are disposed along the distal end 104 of the terminal 100 adjacent to and/or partially disposed within the socket 102 formed by the top wall 108, the bottom wall 110, the left sidewall 112, and a right sidewall 1 14.
• the first and second pairs of contacts 1 18, 120 are arranged to engage with the male terminal 107 that is inserted into the socket 102.
• the first and second pairs of contacts 118, 120 are formed in the left and right sidewalls 112, 114 of the terminal 100 using forming and stamping techniques known in the art.
• the first and second pairs of contacts 118, 120 may be said to be disposed about the socket 102.
• the first pair of contacts 1 18 is formed at least in part by removing material from the left and right sidewalls 1 12, 1 14.
• the first pair of contacts 1 18 may also be cantilevered, resilient, and biased slightly inwards towards the socket 102 in some examples.
• the first pair of contacts 118 is designed to be in an interference relationship with the male contact 107 that can be received by the terminal 100.
• the first pair of contacts 1 18, or at least some part thereof projects into the socket 102 of the terminal 100 so that when the male contact 107 is inserted into the socket 102, the first pair of contacts 1 18, or at least the part projecting into the socket 102, is forced outwards by the male contact 107. Due to the resiliency and inward bias of the first pair of contacts 118, however, the first pair of contacts 1 18 remain in physical and electrical contact with the male contact 107.
• each of the first pair of contacts 1 18 applies a normal force to an outer surface of the male contact 107 when inserted.
• the normal force that is required from the first pair of contacts 118 may vary from one application to the next, but in one non- limiting example, the normal force applied by each of the first pair of contacts 1 18 is between 200 to 400 grams. In other examples, though, the normal force may be larger or smaller, in some cases considerably, than 200 to 400 grams.
• several ways to increase or decrease the normal force involve modifying various aspects of the first pair of contacts 1 18, including without limitation material composition, thickness, radius of curvature, amount of interference, and the like.
• the second pair of contacts 120 also applies normal forces to the male contact 107 when inserted within the socket 102.
• each of the second pair of contacts 120 is disposed in portions 122, 124 of the left and right sidewalls 112, 114 that extend between the top and bottom walls 108, 1 10 at the distal end 104 of the terminal 100.
• the second pair of contacts 120 are each disposed along the same walls as the first pair of contacts 120, but closer to an opening 125 of the socket 102 than the first pair of contacts 118.
• the example socket 102 includes a pair of slits 126, 128 that extend longitudinally along the top and bottom walls 108, 1 10.
• the slits 126, 128 may extend along a length of the top and bottom walls 108, 110.
• the slits 126, 128 may extend along only portions of the top and bottom walls 108, 1 10.
• the slits 126, 128 of the example terminal 100 allow a left portion 130 and a right portion 132 of the top wall 108, as well as a left portion 134 and a right portion 136 of the bottom wall 1 10, to flex transversely, away from one another, when the male contact 107 is inserted into the socket 102.
• the second pair of contacts 120 is configured in one example to be in an interference relationship with the male contact 107 when the male contact 107 is inserted into the socket 102.
• each of the second pair of contacts 120 in FIG. 1 may in some examples be configured to exert substantially the same normal force as each of the first pair of contacts 120 (i.e., 200 to 400 grams in the example identified above).
• each of the second pair of contacts 120 in FIG. 1 may in some examples be configured to exert substantially the same normal force as each of the first pair of contacts 120 (i.e., 200 to 400 grams in the example identified above).
• various aspects of the example terminal 100 may be modified to vary the normal forces exerted by the second pair of contacts 120, including a length, a thickness, a width, and a material composition of the top and bottom walls 108, 110; an amount of interference; lengths of the slits 126, 128; and thickness of the sidewalls 112, 1 14, for instance.
• the example terminal 100 is shown in cross section taken across line A— A in FIG. 1.
• the opening 125 of the example socket 102 of the example terminal 100 includes a tapered inlet 200 that promotes ingress as a male contact is inserted into the socket 102.
• an example contact surface 202 of one of the first pair of contacts 118 as well as an example contact surface 204 of one of the second pair of contacts 120.
• the first and second pair of contacts 118, 120 are designed such that the respective contact surfaces 202, 204, as well as those not shown in FIG.
• the example terminal 100 may be designed such that the load, pressure, and/or contact surface areas associated with the first and second pairs of contacts 118, 120 differ considerably from the examples given above.
• FIG. 2 Still another feature shown more clearly in FIG. 2 is a locating feature 206 disposed near or along the bottom wall 110 of the example terminal 100. Contrary to the example positioning tabs 116 that help to prevent the terminal 100 from backing out of an electrical housing, the locating feature 206 helps locate the terminal within the electrical housing by preventing the terminal 100 from being inserted too far. For instance, in this example the locating feature 206 contacts a shoulder or some other structure within the electrical housing to limit fore/aft movement once properly located within the housing.
• FIG. 3 shows more clearly the shapes of the example first and second pairs of contacts 118, 120, according to the present example of the terminal 100.
• the example first pair of contacts 1 18 have tips 220 that curve away from the socket 102. Configuring the tips 220 in this shape allows the male contact to force the first pair of contacts 118 outwards as it is inserted fully into the socket 102.
• the contact surfaces 202 of the first pair of contacts 118 are shown to be rounded from the top view of this example terminal 100, it should be understood that in other examples the contact surfaces 202 may have a different shape.
• the contact surfaces 202 may have a substantially flat surface that contacts a male terminal that is inserted into the socket 102.
• the example second pair of contacts 120 is in no way limited to the shape shown in the example terminal 100 of FIG. 3.
• the present disclosure contemplates that in some examples the contact surfaces 204 of the second pair of contacts 120 may be slightly angled to account for the outward transverse movement of the second pair of contacts 120 as a male contact is inserted into the socket 102. If the contact surfaces 204 are parallel to one another, sides 222 of the contact surfaces 204 closer to the opening 125 of the socket 102 may physically separate from an inserted male contact because the second pair of contacts 120 are moved transversely outwards based on a pivot that is closer to point 224.
• the terminal 100 is designed to experience a fair amount of interference between a male contact and the second pair of contacts 120.
• the sides 222 of the contact surfaces 204 closest to the opening 125 of the socket 102 may be designed in some examples to be closer to one another than the remainder of the contact surfaces 204.
• the contact surfaces may be entirely parallel to one another, especially in examples where minimal interference is intended.
• the contact surfaces 204 of the second pair of contacts 120 may have continuous curvature similar to the contact surfaces 202 of the first pair of contacts 118. In some cases, this may help alleviate the scenario where part of the contact surface separates from the male contact.
• FIG. 4 shows a partial close-up view of one example of the distal end 104 of the example terminal 100. More specifically, FIG. 4 provides a clear perspective view of the opening 125 of the example socket 102.
• the example socket 102 is not limited to a generally -rectangular shape and may take on a circular, elliptical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or other shape depending on the male contact with which the socket 102 is intended to mate.
• FIG. 5 A an example terminal 300 is shown to be secured to a wire 302, or at least to internal conductors of the wire 302. Also, a plurality of wires 304 is shown to be secured to a housing 306 of a first electrical connector 308.
• the housing 306 includes an open receptacle 310 that can receive and secure the example terminal 300.
• FIG. 5B illustrates how the first electrical connector 308 can mate with a second electrical connector 312 after the example terminal 300 is secured to the housing 306 of the first electrical connector 308.
• the second electrical connector 312 includes a plurality of receptacles 314 for receiving a plurality of projections 316 of the first electrical connector 308.
• at least one male terminal may be secured within each of the plurality of receptacles 314 of the second electrical connector 312.
• Each male terminal may be electrically connected to conductors within a plurality of wires 318 secured to the second electrical connector 312.
• those male terminals of the second electrical connector 312 are configured to mate with the female terminals (not visible) located within the first electrical connector 308.
• the electrical connectors 308, 312 include interlocking features 320 that help secure the electrical connectors 308, 312 to one another.
• the example terminals of the present disclosure may be utilized in wire-to- wire connections.
• FIG. 6A shows an example of a plurality of wires 350 connected to a panel 352.
• the plurality of wires 350 is secured to a housing 354 that is inserted through the panel 352.
• the housing 354 is selectively retained by the panel 352.
• the example housing 354 includes a plurality of receptacles 356, each of which may contain an example terminal 358 that is electrically coupled to conductors within the plurality of wires 350 in some examples.
• the housing 354 may generally be considered to be part of an electrical connector 360.
• the example panel 352 includes an opening 362 through which the housing 354 of the electrical connector 360 extends.
• the housing 354 in some examples includes clips 364 that secure the housing 354 to the opening 362 of the panel 352.
• FIG. 6B shows how the example electrical connector 360 of FIG. 6A mates with another electrical connector 366 that is coupled to a plurality of wires 368.
• the electrical connectors 360, 366 likewise include one or more interlocking features 370 in some examples.
• FIG. 7 shows still another example context, wherein the example terminals of the present disclosure may be utilized to secure a plurality of wires 400 to a vertical PCB header 402.
• the plurality of wires 400 is secured within a housing 404 of an electrical connector 406 as shown.
• Internal conductors of the wires 400 may be electrically coupled to terminals such as the example terminals disclosed above.
• a housing 408 of an electrical connector 410 is coupled physically and electrically to a PCB 412 in this example.
• female terminals such as those disclosed in the various examples above, may be disposed in the housing 408 of the electrical connector 410 coupled to the PCB 412, as opposed to being disposed in the housing 404 of the electrical connector 406.
• the electrical connectors 406, 410 shown in the example of FIG. 7 include at least one interlocking feature 414 similar to other example electrical connectors.
• female terminals such as those disclosed above may be utilized in a first electrical connector 450 or a second electrical connector 452.
• the first electrical connector 450 is shown to be coupled to a plurality of wires 454, while the second electrical connector 452 is shown as part of an example right- angle PCB header 456.
• the right-angle PCB header 456 is in turn coupled to a PCB 458.
• the example right-angle PCB header 456 includes male contacts 460 that extend into a housing 462 of the second electrical connector 452.
• the electrical connectors 450, 452 of FIG. 8 may include features similar in some respects to the other electrical connectors discussed above, such as interlocking features 464, for instance.

Landscapes

• Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
• Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=55581600

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2014
  • 2014-09-22 CA CA2959481A patent/CA2959481A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-09-22 JP JP2017515778A patent/JP6580677B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2014-09-22 EP EP14902532.2A patent/EP3198684A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-09-22 CN CN201480082098.8A patent/CN106716728A/zh active Pending
  • 2014-09-22 WO PCT/US2014/056829 patent/WO2016048271A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-09-22 MX MX2017003291A patent/MX2017003291A/es active IP Right Grant

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