FR2517480A1 - ELECTRIC CONTACT FEMALE - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A FEMALE ELECTRICAL CONTACT FOR A FLAT BLADE. THIS CONTACT INCLUDES A METAL SPRING 2 TIE MOUNTED ON A LEG AND INCLUDING A HOUSING 3 WHICH SURROUND THE LEG, AND A SPRING 4 ANALOGUE TO A RIBBON, EXTENDING FROM HOUSING 3 TOWARDS THE FREE END OF THE HANGING AWAY FIRST TRANSVERSALLY FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PAW, THEN APPROACHING THIS SIDE UP TO A ZONE 11 OF CONTACT FROM WHICH IT THEN DIFFERATES. FIELD OF APPLICATION: CONNECTION OF FUSES FOR VEHICLE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS.

Description

The invention relates to a female electrical contact for receiving a

  flat-blade contact and in particular relates to a female contact for connection to a flat-blade fuse, for example of the type described in British Patent Application No. 2,002,976 (28306/78).

  and in the corresponding French patent No. 7820200.

  Fuses of this type are used in automobiles, particularly in the United States of America,

  and they tend to be used more and more in

  The technical requirements are that the fuse must withstand the nominal currents flowing in the circuits, but must melt

  under overcurrents of a nature other than transitory.

  Blade fuses of this type have proved particularly

  satisfying the requirements for rated currents up to 30 A, but significant

  difficulties arise to produce electronic contacts

  female connectors maintaining a satisfactory electrical connection

  Although most known, reasonably-priced, easy-to-manufacture female contacts have

  contact resistances that the heat released at the inter-

  faces between the female contacts and the fuse interferes with the characteristics of the fuse and its sensitivity to open

under the appropriate rated current.

  Such fuses are commonly mounted in a junction box in which work circuits are interconnected, and the circuits can be formed inside the box by flat conductive ribbons mounted on an insulating laminate, and extreme sections substantially rigid ribbons are bent out of the plane

  insulation laminate to get out of the box in order to

  put the realization of external connections, for example

with the fuses.

  Although these extreme portions may be formed into conventional female blade contacts by suitable stamping or forming operations, the thickness of the metal which it is desirable to use to ensure proper operation of the female contact is

  excessive in relation to that requested to ensure the

  wise of a current whose intensity corresponds to that of

  to be admitted to the part of the circuit situated on the

insulating laminate.

  The subject of the invention is a female electrical contact intended for a flat blade, capable of satisfying, in an improved manner, the operating requirements required.

with a flat blade fuse.

  According to the invention, an electrical contact

  female for a flat blade includes a metal tab

  A substantially flat plate to which a spring-loaded metal clip is attached, and is characterized in that the spring clip is formed from a ribbon-like member having, near a first end, two side projections. wing-like, one on

  each side, folded to form oppo-

  one side of the ribbon-like member to provide a housing for the tab, a ribbon-like spring projecting from the housing towards a

  free end of the leg, by first moving away

  translating one side of the tab and then inclining towards the face of the tab to a contact zone on the side of the tab, zone in which the ribbon-like spring is curved into a convex shape, in front of

17480

  the leg, to move away from the face of the leg of which

he diverges.

  The spring clip is suitably secured to the tab by means of an opening in the housing, facing the re-entrant edges, engaging with a shaped boss.

on the side of the paw.

  The spring clip is suitably divided at the end opposite the housing by a slot extending

  from the free end to the part that moves

versalement of the face of the paw.

  The divided portions of the spring each have, conveniently, at the convex portion of the spring, a notch having a contact boss facing the leg, and the leg has a central recess of about one third of the width of the leg, extending from the zone of

contact to housing.

  The free end of the tab is suitably of reduced width, beyond the contact area, and is inclined to move away from the extremity of the

  spring to present a flared entry for the blade

  The part of reduced width is suitably

  of a width less than the spacing between the re-entrant edges of the housing to facilitate assembly of the spring clip to the tab. In addition, the ends of the re-entrant edges remote from the contact area are

  properly chamfered and, in front of the

  braked, the base of the housing is notched centrally to facilitate the insertion of the tab in the housing and the insertion of the boss of the leg in the opening of

the basis of housing.

  The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing by way of non-limiting example and in which:

  FIG. 1 is an elevation with a sectional cut

  tielle, female electrical contact according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the contact according to the invention, the left side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the contact according to the invention, by the right side of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a bottom view of the female contact of Figures 1 to 3; and FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the female contact according to the invention, formed on a conductive strip bent from a circuit on laminate, for

  be used in a junction box.

  The female electrical contact of FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises a substantially flat lug 1 made of conductive metal, for example brass or copper, on which is mounted a spring clip 2 which may be, for example, made of steel or phosphor bronze. The spring clip 2 is generally in the form of a ribbon having, at a lower end, a housing 3 of which extends a spring portion 4 The housing 3 is formed by two wing-like parts, protruding each on one side of the ribbon-shaped portion, and curved on one side to present side edges 6 opposite to a face of the like portion

  to a ribbon, defining a base for the housing 3.

  The tab 1 has a notch forming a boss 7 on one side, this boss engaging in an opening 8 of the base of the housing for securing the clip to

spring to the paw.

  The lower extremities of the lateral edges 6

  housing are chamfered in 9 to facilitate insertion

  1 in the housing 3, from its lower end, and the base of the housing is formed, at this end, with a notch 10 having an enlarged inlet in this end of the housing, for the

boss 7.

  The tape-like portion 4, above the housing 3, first moves away from the tab 1, approximately perpendicularly, and is then bent to rise obliquely to the tab 1 to an area 11 in which the spring portion 4 is bent so as to have a convexity towards the leg and away from the leg from which it diverges to form a flared entry for a complementary blade (not shown) between the part 4 to spring and the leg 1, to the zone 11 of contact. The spring portion 4 is divided by a slot 12 extending from its upper free end to a point located substantially midway between the contact zone 11 and the part away from the leg In the zone

  11 of contact, the convex parts of the split section pre-

  feel indentations 13 extending to the leg 1 and

  defining contact bosses.

  The leg 1 has a central notch which

  defines a recess 14 facing the part 4 with

  out and extending downwards, from the contact zone 11 to the housing On the side of the leg 1 opposite the

  part 4 with spring, the notch is of an inferior width

  greater than the distance between the inside edges

  6 of the housing, to facilitate assembly.

  Above the recess 14, the tab is of reduced width, comprising a central portion 15, whose width is also less than the distance between the edges 6 and which moves obliquely away from the spring portion 4 to delimit also a flared entry for

the complementary blade.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the female contact of FIGS. 1 to 4 can be formed on a tab 1 which is bent upwards from a conducting ribbon 16 mounted

  on a circuit board laminate 17 intended to be

  part of a junction box set, for example of the general type described in the British patent application

No. 2,022,333.

  When assembling the spring clip 2 on the tab 1, the free end of the tab is engaged with the lower end of the housing 3 and the latter is pushed on the tab until the boss 7 engages in the opening 8, under the spring action of the edges

  6 Spring 4 is suitably

  so that, at this point, it bends bearing against the lug 1 to provide a preload spring

  before the insertion of the complementary blade.

  Alternatively, the female contact of FIGS. 1 to 4 can be formed with a crimping ferrule for connection to a wire. For this purpose, the tab 1 can be stamped and formed with a U-shaped ferrule for crimping on a wire. wire, and the ferrule can be connected to a support strip, with which it is made in one piece and which is common to a series of female contacts, so that they can be handled in strips and placed on son by an automatic machine

  or semi-automatic wire termination.

  It goes without saying that many modifications

  can be made to the female contact described and

  felt without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

  A female electrical contact for a flat blade, comprising a substantially flat metal tab to which a spring-loaded metal clip is attached, so that the flat blade is received between the clip and the tab, characterized in that the clip spring (2) is formed from a ribbon-like member including   near a first end, two lateral projections   wings (5), folded to form reentrant edges (6) opposite one side of the ribbon-like member to provide a housing (3) for the leg   (1), a ribbon-like spring (4) extending from the housing   (3) towards a free end of the tab (1), first moving transversely away from one side of the tab (1), and then moving obliquely towards the face of the tab (1) until to a contact zone (11) on the face of the tab (1) and in which the ribbon-like spring (3) is curved so as to have a convexity in front of it   to the leg (1) and to move away from the latter in diver- giant.   2 female electrical contact according to claim   cation 1, characterized in that the spring clip (2)   is fixed to the lug (1) by means of an opening (8)   housed in the dwelling (3) and in which a   sage (7) formed on the face of the paw.   3 female electrical contact according to claim   cation 1, characterized in that the ribbon-like spring (4) is divided by a slot (12) extending from one   free end to the part that is moving badly of the paw (1).   4 female electrical contact according to claim   cation 3, characterized in that the divided spring sections are each formed at the convex portion with a notch (11) having a contact boss facing the tab (1), and the tab (1) has a central recess (14) of about one third of the width of the tab, extending from the contact area (11) to the housing (3).   Female electrical contact according to claim 1, characterized in that the tab (1) is of width   reduced, at its free end, to form a central part   trale (15) which moves obliquely away from the end of the spring to delimit a flared entry, the portion (15) of   the tab having a width less than the distance   taken between the re-entrant edges (6).   6 female electrical contact according to claim   cation 5, characterized in that ends (9) of the reentrant edges (6) are chamfered and in that the base of the housing (3) is notched centrally in front of the parts chamfered (9).