FR2567329A1 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION CONCERNS AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR INCLUDING AN INSULATING BOX 14 CONTAINING, IN HOUSINGS 13, FEMALE CONTACT ELEMENTS 12. EACH HOUSING INCLUDES A FRONT SHOULDER 23 AND A REAR SHOULDER 24 ON WHICH THE CONTACT ELEMENT 12 IS BASED. THAT HOLD IT AXIALLY. FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE CONTACT ELEMENT CONSISTS OF A RING 3 WHICH RETAINS IT FORWARD AND A RETAINING RELIEF 9 WHICH RETENDS IT TO THE REAR. THIS RELIEF 9 IS TAPERED FORWARD AT 10 AND THE BUSH 6 IS PROVIDED WITH SLOTS 7 EXTENDING BEYOND THE RELIEF 9. THIS ALLOWS THIS RETAINING RELIEF 9 TO CROSS THE SHOULDERS WHEN INSERTING THE CONTACT ELEMENT.

Description

The invention relates to electrical connectors and has more

  specifically, an electrical connector comprising a single-piece insulating housing in which housings for female contact elements are provided, each including, in particular, a shoulder facing forwards to prevent a rearward movement of a housing. female contact element completely inserted into its housing. Each female contact element comprises, in particular, a generally cylindrical and hollow contact body for receiving a male contact pin, and

  that abutment means cooperating with the housing to limit the movement

  insertion into the housing of the contact element towards the front.

  Such electrical connectors are known, represented in particular by the connector sold under the designation DBM-25S by the Applicant Company. In such connectors, the female contact elements

  comprise, from the rear of the connector, a connecting pin

  For example, a hollow spindle for solder connection, a rear flange serving as abutment means and collaborating with a shoulder turned towards the rear, arranged projecting inside the housing, an erasable device intended to cooperate with said shoulder. turned forwards to prevent a rearward movement of the contact element as soon as it is fully inserted into its housing, a female socket of generally cylindrical and hollow shape, provided, at the front, with a sleeve chamfered internally to receive male pins of appropriate dimensions and prohibit the introduction of pins too large and behind this sleeve, a cylindrical body in which is formed a window and on which fits a rolled spring whose end is protruding internally in the window, in order to lean against

  a male pin inserted into the socket and to establish an electrical contact

  with a determined pressure with it.

  Said erasable device is a resilient split ring which, upon insertion of the contact element into its housing, from the rear of the connector, clears to cross said rearward facing shoulder; when the contact element is completely inserted, this ring protrudes radially outwards just in front of said

  Shoulder facing forward and prevents any backward movement.

  Such a contact element, although technically satisfactory

  faction, is relatively expensive, because it is made of three pieces

  manufactured separately then assembled.

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector

  taking female contact elements each made into a single

  piece, equally satisfactory but less expensive.

  This object is achieved in the connector of the invention by a female contact element comprising a cylindrical and hollow generally cylindrical contact body provided with at least two axial slots which divide it into two contact parts at least capable of forming subject of an inward radial elastic deformation, and a retaining relief located and shaped to cooperate with said forwardly facing shoulder, to prevent backward withdrawal of the element

  fully inserted contact, said slots extending from the end

  mity before the contact element to beyond said retaining relief, so that it can be erased elastically during insertion

and cross said shoulder.

  Said retaining relief advantageously comprises a front portion

  conical to cross more easily said shoulders.

  In addition, said contact portions have been cambered radially inward to generate a contact pressure on a pin

male inserted between them.

  To prevent the introduction of a male contact pin of excessive size, the outer diameter of said cylindrical body and the elasticity characteristics of said contact portions are determined

  in relation to the inside diameter of the dwelling so that the

  insertion of a too large male pin spreads said contact portions until they bear against the wall of the housing, before

  that their yield strength is exceeded and that a deformation

manente does not appear.

  According to a variant of the invention, the outer diameter of said body is enlarged, forming a support flange at its front end,

  to limit the thickness of said body over part of its length.

  Furthermore, according to a practice applied in the connector already cited, the housing comprises at least one flat at the place where the collar is placed and it has a corresponding flat cooperating with

  the one of the housing to immobilize the element of contatt in rotation.

  The contact element of the invention also comprises a flat along the cylindrical body, flat of the collar, which allows to give the latter a significant depth without preventing the introduction of

  the contact element in its housing.

  The different objects and features of the invention will be

  now detailed in the following description, made as a

  of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended figures which

represent: -

  - Figure 1, a perspective view of the female contact element used in the connector of the invention, - Figures 2a to 2c, three streets in partial section illustrating the progressive introduction of the contact element of the figure I in

  the connector body of the invention.

  Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the female contact element of the present invention. This

  one-piece contact element of a conductive metal endowed with elastic

  cited, such as a bronze or brass, comprises, from the rear, on the right in the drawing, on the front, on the left, a connecting pin 1, in the form of a hollow cylindrical welding spindle comprising a notch 2, then a flange 3, of a diameter greater than that of the spindle and provided with two opposite flats 4 and 5, and finally a cylindrical body 6, hollow and split over substantially its entire length, the diametrical slots 7 and 7 'extending from its front end 8 to the vicinity of the flange 3. Between the front end 8 and the flange 3, this cylindrical body has a retaining relief 9 having a generally conical shape,

  with an inclined front face 10 and a right rear face 11.

  Referring to FIG. 2, parts 2a, 2b and 2c of which

  three successive stages of the introduction of a contact element 12 such as that of Figure 1, in a housing 13 of an insulator 14 of a female connector seen only partially, we will now examine the role of each of parts of this contact element and how these

cooperate with housing 13.

  Figure 2a shows the contact element 12 according to that of Figure 1, li side, at the beginning of the introduction according to the arrow 15 in the housing 13, before any deformation. It can be seen that the two contact portions 16, 17 are pinched towards each other and that the slot 7, initially of a certain width, at its right end 18, by

  example 0.4 teps is reduced to nothing at its left end 19.

  This is removed starting from a cylindrical body crew :, having inner walls (20) and outer (21) cylindrical, in which are formed two slots 7 and 7 'opposite diametrically and uniform width.

  Then, one of the contact parts, 16 for example, is radial-

  pushed towards the other, 17, until its elastic limit is exceeded, which deforms it radially towards the inside permanently, while care is taken not to cross the elastic limit of the other part . The same method is also applied to the contact part 17. This results in a bending of the two contact parts against each other

with a counterforce.

  The slot 7 extends almost to the flange 3. It stops at a small distance dictated by considerations of ease of manufacture. In particular, it is necessary to be able to deburr

from the bottom of the slot.

  Note the presence of a ring 22 at the front end of the contact element. We will see later its role. For the moment, it suffices to indicate that its outside diameter is such that it does not interfere with the introduction of the contact element into the position shown

in Figure 2a.

  Indeed, the housing 13 internally comprises two shoulders 23 and 24 limiting a cylindrical projection 25 of reduced diameter in which the crown 22 and then the contact portions 16 and 17 must pass until the

  represented position o the retaining relief 9 comes into contact with the shoulder

facing back 24.

  At this stage, a pressure being exerted in the direction of the arrow 15, the taper of the sidewall 10, the existence of the slots 7 and 7 'separating the contact parts 16 and 17, as well as the flexibility of these contact parts, cause the retaining relief 9 to slide against the edge of the shoulder 24, the two contact parts 16 and 17 being gripped towards one another and then beyond this edge which leads to the position illustrated by the Figure 2b where we see that the slot 7 is closed over part of its length. The movement continues until the flange 3 comes to bear against the shoulder 24, its front flank 26, as shown in Figure 2c. Where the flange 3 is housed, the housing 13 has flats adapted to those of the flange. It is therefore necessary that the orientation given to the contact element 12 is such that the flats of the two parts agree, after which they will prevent the contact element

can turn in his housing.

  In addition, the distance between the rear face 11 of the relief 9 and the front flank 26 of the flange 5 is adapted to that which separates the two shoulders 23 and 24 from one another so that, also thanks to the elasticity of the two contact parts 16 and 17, the retaining relief 9 can return radially outwards, its rear face 11 passing in front of the shoulder 23. Therefore, the contact element 12 is retained axially in both directions inside the housing 13. This result is obtained without additional part, thanks to the relief 9 and the slots such as 7. The sizing of these elements for the different types

  of connectors can be determined experimentally.

  Moreover, the cambering of the contact parts and their elasticity are such that, as we have seen previously, an elastic force urges these parts towards each other. A contact pin introduced between them will therefore be pressed by these contact portions with a force which may be selected so as to provide the desired contact quality. It is not

  therefore no need to provide a room reserved for this purpose.

  Finally, the diameter of the housing 13, the outer diameter of the ring 22 and the thickness of this ring 22 to the wall 20 are such, at the input of the female contact element 12, that for a male pin of a maximum permitted diameter, which separates the parts 16 and 17, thanks to the chamfer 27 (FIG 2a), these contact portions are pushed radially outwardly to come into contact with the inner wall of the housing 13 while preserving however, a functional clearance between themselves and the cavity 13. The deformation of the contact portions 16 and 17 is then such that their elastic limit is not exceeded. A male spindle larger than the maximum allowed could not enter the contact element or bring the crossing of the elastic limit of the contact parts because then the contact portions 16 and 17, pressed against the wall of the housing 13 would prohibit his

  introduction. The case of a smaller male pin introduced in -

  bias and likely to tire the contact element leads to the same

  conclusion. The contact element is always protected against deformation

  excessive interference by form cooperation between its outer surface

  and the interior surface of the housing.

  Finally, although this does not appear in the figures, the cylindrical body 6 of the contact element is optionally provided with a coplanar flat surface with each flat part of the collar 3. In fact, the bulk of the element of contact, in front of the collar 3, can in no way exceed the surface of the flats of the flange; this would prevent it from being inserted

  tionr of the contact element at the flats of the housing.

  It is obvious that the foregoing descriptions have been

  data as a non-limitative example and that many variants

  can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (6)

  An electrical connector comprising an insulative insulating casing (14) in which there are housings (13) for female contact elements (12), each including a forward-facing shoulder (23), to prevent backward movement of a contact element fully inserted into its housing, as well as female contact elements each comprising, in particular, a generally cylindrical and hollow contact body (6) and stop means ( 3) cooperating with the housing to limit the insertion movement towards the front of the contact element in its housing, characterized in that said body -cylindrical comprises at least two axial slots (7,7 ') which divide it in at least two contact portions (16, 17) which can be subjected to an inward radial elastic deformation, and a retaining relief (9) located and shaped so as to cooperate with said shoulder turned towards the front ( 23) to prevent backward withdrawal   of the fully inserted contact element, said slots (7, 7 ') extend   from the front end of the contact element to beyond said   retaining relief (9) so that it can be erased   tically during the insertion and to cross said shoulder.   2. Electrical connector as defined in 1, characterized in that   said retaining relief comprises a tapered front portion (10).   3. Electrical connector as defined in 1 or 2, characterized in that said contact portions (16,17) have been bent radially inward and are supported against one another. other, or others, to generate a determined contact pressure on a male pin inserted between them.   4. Electrical connector as defined in 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the inside diameter of the housing (13) and the outside diameter   the contact element (12) at its front end are such that the   maximum radial displacement of the contact parts (16, 17) can not cause   permanent deformation of these.   5. Electrical connector as defined in 4, characterized in that a ring (22) is provided at the front end of the contact element, to increase the outside diameter locally without increasing the thickness   the cylindrical body (6) along its entire length.   6. Electrical connector as defined in any of the   preceding claims and comprising at least one flat part in each   housing, collaborating with a flat (5) arranged on the contact element, characterized in that a coplanar flat extends, as far as necessary,   along the entire length of said cylindrical body.