FR2565423A1 - Receptacle terminal with leads - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a leaded receptacle terminal. This terminal 10 comprises a rectangular main body and two cantilevered spring contact members 40 folded inside this body. A spring retention tail-piece 52 includes a projection 58 directed inwards an on which one of the respective contact members 40 can engage during the flexing of the latter in response to the insertion of a blade-shaped lead 46 between them so as to push the tail-piece 52 into a position in which it is held by an abutment shoulder 80 formed in an insulating housing 62. The invention is used for automatically fitting an electrical terminal into an insulating housing.

Description

Receptacle terminal with legs.

 The present invention relates, in general, to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical terminals with receptacle with legs of the type comprising two cantilever spring contact members arranged inside a rectangular body. which is designed to be mounted in an insulating housing.

 Knockout receptacle terminals of a known type formed from a metal sheet include a rectangular main body with extensions on two opposite sides which are folded back inside the body to form cantilever spring contacts between which a tab or pin can be inserted and tightened. Examples of such terminals are described in US Patents NO 3,609,640, 3,713,080, 3,718,895, 3,992,076 and 4,076,369. The terminal illustrated in patent No. 3,992,076 has an elastic retaining tail protruding outwardly and extending from one side of its body to fix the terminal in a cavity of the insulating housing. of terminals provided with an elastic retaining tail are described in US Pat. Nos. 3,562,698, 4,068,915 and 4,306,761.

 Terminals with receptacle with legs of the type described above are usually manufactured in the form of a continuous strip, several terminals being connected side by side, by their ends, to one or two support strips. The terminal strips are usually wound on a coil for subsequent application to electrical wires by means of a terminal press which successively separates the terminals from the support strips and crimps a connection part of each terminal on a wire. During the manipulation of the terminal strips, the terminal retaining tail which protrudes outwards, may be accidentally inserted into the main body of the terminal and will not return to its initial position. When this damaged terminal is inserted into an insulating housing, its retaining tail is no longer able to fix the terminal properly to the housing. Consequently, the terminal can be pushed out of the housing by the engagement forces generated when tries to join the terminal to a complementary leg.

 The present invention provides an improved leg receptacle terminal of the type comprising a rectangular main body having, at its front end for introducing the leg, an extension which is folded inside the body from each of two opposite lateral members. in order to define two cantilever spring contact members between which a blade-shaped tab can be inserted and clamped. A spring-loaded retaining tail extending from each of the two opposite lateral members generally extends in the longitudinal direction of the body, a front end being connected to its associated lateral member, while a free inclined rear part extends towards the backward and outwardly relative to its associated lateral member. The front end of each tail is curved inwardly to define a projection near the contact member of the associated lateral member. On these protrusions, the respective contact members can engage when bending the latter in response to the introduction of a blade-shaped tab between them in order to push the respective rear parts of the tails towards the outside.

 The leg receptacle terminal of the present invention is designed to be introduced into an insulating housing in which is formed a terminal reception passage open towards the rear of the housing, which has a front stop, as well as two walls opposite, each defining an internal abutment shoulder occupying an intermediate position and on which engages one of the tails of the terminal respectively. When the bollard has been introduced into the passage of the housing, the insertion of a blade-shaped tab between the contact members gives rise to the bending of the latter against the projections of the tails, thus guaranteeing the location of each of these in a retaining relationship with respect to the abutment shoulder.

The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrating the terminal of the present invention disposed in an insulating housing for receiving a complementary tab partially shown;
Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of the terminal and the insulating housing, this view showing the tab inserted in the terminal;
Figure 3 is a perspective view from above, partly pruned and partly in section, of the terminal;
FIG. 3A is a perspective view from below illustrating the terminal on a reduced scale;
Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank from which the terminal of Figure 1 is formed; and
Figure 6 is a perspective view, partly pruned and partly in section, of the insulating housing.

 Referring now to these drawings, a leg receptacle terminal 10 according to the present invention comprises an elongated rectangular main body 12, as well as a wire connection portion 14 extending from the rear end of the main body 12. As is well known, the wire connection part 14 comprises two initially open U-shaped ferrules 16 and 18 intended to be crimped respectively on the conductive friend 20 and the external insulation 22 of a wire 24. Terminal 10 can be formed from a suitable electrically conductive metal sheet such as brass for manufacturing cartridges, by shaping a blank 26 having the shape illustrated in FIG. 5. It will be understood that the metal sheet must be sufficiently hard and elastic to impart the properties of a spring to the elements of the main body 12, while being however sufficiently malleable to allow crimping of the wire connection part 12 around e the end of a wire 24.

 The main body 12 comprises four generally flat side members 26, 28, 30 and 32 arranged so that there is an opposing relationship between the side members 26 and 28, as well as between the side members 30 and 32. These lateral members are joined to the respective edges of the body 12 by a seal 34 generally extending in the longitudinal direction of the lateral member 32. The lateral member 28 comprises a part offset inwards or an external withdrawal 28A in which engages a locking tab 32A extending from a section of the lateral member 32 passing through a notch formed in the other section in order to prevent a movement of separation of the body 12 at the joint 34. At the front end of introduction of lug 36 of the body 12, each of the lateral members 26 and 28 has an extension 38 folded inside the body 12 in order to form a spring-loaded contact member that is cantilevered 40 extending from a handle 42 for go back inside the body 12.

 The contact members 40 converge to engage one against the other near their rear or free ends 44 and thus define a guide with open mouth into which a blade-shaped tab 46 of conventional design can be introduced. . The contact members 40 are separated from one another when a blade-shaped tab 46 is inserted between them and they elastically exert a contact pressure on the inserted tab 46. The free ends 44 are bent outwards in the direction of the respective lateral members 26 and 28 in order to engage them in order to elastically limit the movement of separation of the contact members 40. At its termination, each free end 44 can be divided longitudinally by a groove 48. A stop valve 50 constituting an extension of the lateral member 28 is formed at the rear end of the latter and is folded inwardly to extend across the rear end of the body 12 in view of limiting the introduction of the tab 46 therein. The wire connection part 14 constitutes an extension of the lateral member 26.

 A spring retaining tail 52 extends from at least one and preferably from each of the side members 26 and 28. Each tail 52 has a front end 54 connected in one piece to its associated side member 26 or 28 and a free inclined rear end 56 extending rearward and outward relative to the body 12. The front end 54 of each tail 52 is curved inward to define a projection 58 disposed at proximity of the adjacent contact member 40 to the associated lateral member 26 or 28. When the contact members 40 are spaced from one another at the time of the introduction of a blade-shaped tab 46 between them, they come to engage on the respective projections 58 to push the respective rear parts 56 of the tails 52 outwardly relative to their associated lateral members.

 As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal 10 is designed to be introduced longitudinally into the reception passage 60 of a conventional insulating body or housing 62. This housing 62 is in the form of a tube comprising two walls spaced parallel lateral sides 64 which are joined by upper and lower walls 66 and 68. At the front or connection end of the housing 62, two stop members 70 directed inwards extend from each of the walls 66 and 68 near the side walls 64. These stop members 70 act as a front stop to limit the forward movement of a terminal 10 introduced into the passage 60, as well as a guide for the introduction of a tab. 46 in the inlet end 36 of the body 12. The upper and lower walls 66 and 68 of the housing 62 each have an identical boss 72 located at the front and protruding into the passage 60. Each boss 72 has a rear ramp 74 spaced forward from the opening e rear 76, as well as a front longitudinal groove 78 defining an abutment shoulder 80 directed towards the front.

 Since the passage 60 of the housing 62 and the body 12 of the terminal 10 are symmetrical with respect to respective horizontal bisecting planes, the terminal 10 can be introduced into the passage 60 via the rear opening 76 according to the orientation illustrated in figure 1 or with a reverse orientation. As the body 12 of the terminal 10 passes between the bosses 72 of the housing 62, the ramps 74 engage on the rear parts 56 of the tails 52 to lower the latter into the body 12. When the terminal 10 is introduced more front in the fully assembled position illustrated in FIG. 1, the rear parts 56 of the tails 52 jump in the manner of a click in the grooves 78 where they are retained by the shoulders 80. In this way, the engagement of the tails 52 on the shoulders 80 prevent withdrawal of the terminal 10 through the rear opening 76, while the engagement of the body 12 on the stop members 70 prevents the terminal 10 from coming out of the housing 62 at the other end. However, it will be understood that the terminal 10 could possibly be removed from the housing 62 by introducing, from the front of the latter, two narrow blades of an appropriate tool (not shown) in the grooves 78 in order to lower the tails 52 inside the body 12.

 After the assembly of the terminal 10 to the housing 62, a blade-shaped tab 46 can be introduced, via the front end of the passage 60 of the housing, between the pairs of stop members 70 and in the end d introduction of lug 36 of terminal 10. The introduction of lug 46 into body 12 has the effect of spreading the contact members 40 from one another by causing their free ends 44 to come into engagement on the respective lateral members 26 and 28. This bending of the contact members 40 establishes an elastic contact pressure of a desired value between the tab 46 and the contact members 40. At the same time, when bending the contact members 40, the latter come to engage on the projections 58 of the tails 52 to push the respective rear parts 56 of the latter outwards, thus guaranteeing that the tails 52 remain in a retaining relationship with respect to the housing 62 In the event that one or other of the tails 52 is pressed accidentally llement inside the body 12 during handling and before the terminal 10 is assembled to the housing 62, without this tail resumes its extended position, it will be automatically returned to its locked state in the extended position during the introduction of a tab 46 into the body 12.

 Although the principles of the invention have been described above with regard to a specific embodiment of a terminal with a receptacle with legs, it is understood that this description is given only by way of example and that it in no way limits the scope of the invention.

Claims (2)

 1. Electrical terminal with receptacle with legs designed to be introduced into an insulating housing comprising a terminal receiving passage open towards the rear of the housing, which comprises a front stop at the front, as well as a wall defining an internal shoulder stop occupying an intermediate position, this terminal being made of sheet metal in one piece and comprising:  an elongated rectangular main body  having an inlet end for re  ception of a terminal in the form of blade, this body  comprising four lateral members arranged  so that there is a relation of opposi  tion between the first and second late- organs  between the third and fourth  me lateral organs;  each of the first and second side members com  taking a folded extension inside  to the body from the entry end in  view of forming a spring contact member  cantilever extending from a handle  to go back inside the body, these orga  nes of contact being convergent to come  engage against each other near  their free ends and thus define a  guide for the introduction of a shaped leg  blade between them; and  a spring retaining tail emerging from the pre  mier lateral organ and generally extending  in the longitudinal direction of it, this  tail with a front end connected to the  first lateral organ, as well as a rear part  tilted free wheel extending backwards  and outward from the first gold  lateral gane to come and engage on the shoulder  stop when the body is arranged  in the passage, the front end of this  tail being bent inward to dice  finish a projection near the body  contact of the first lateral organ, protrusion on  which can come to engage the con  first lateral organ tact when flexed  from this contact body to the first  lateral organ in response to the introduction of a  blade-shaped tab between the cone members  tact to push the rear part of the tail  outward relative to the first organ  lateral.  2. Electrical terminal intended to be connected to a blade-shaped tab and designed to be introduced into an insulating housing comprising a terminal receiving passage open towards the rear of the housing, which comprises a front stop, as well as two opposite walls each defining an internal abutment shoulder occupying an intermediate position, this terminal being made of sheet metal in one piece and comprising:  an elongated rectangular main body  having an inlet end for re  ception of a terminal in the form of blade, this body  comprising four lateral members arranged  so that there is a relation of opposi  tion between the first and second side organs  between the third and fourth  me lateral organs;  each of the first and second side members com  taking a folded extension inside  of the body from the entry end into  view of forming a spring contact member  cantilever extending from a handle  to go back inside the body, these orga  nes of contact being convergent to come  engage against each other near  their free ends and thus define a  guide for the introduction of a leg in for  blade between them; and a spring retaining tail emerging from each  one of the first and second side members and  generally extending in the longitudi direction  nal of the body, each tail having an ex  front end connected to its lateral asso body  cie to come to engage on a shoulder of  corresponding stop when the body is available  dried in the aforementioned passage, the front end  of each tail being bent inward  laughing to define a projection near  the contact member of the associated lateral member,  the respective contact bodies may come  engage on these projections when they flex  towards their respective lateral organs  in response to the introduction of a paw in court  blade me between them, thus pushing them through  respective rear tails outwards  laughing at their side organs as  companies.