GB2174255A - Sleeved electrical plug pins - Google Patents

Sleeved electrical plug pins Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2174255A
GB2174255A GB08510333A GB8510333A GB2174255A GB 2174255 A GB2174255 A GB 2174255A GB 08510333 A GB08510333 A GB 08510333A GB 8510333 A GB8510333 A GB 8510333A GB 2174255 A GB2174255 A GB 2174255A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
pin
connector
shank
shank portion
limbs
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.)
Granted
Application number
GB08510333A
Other versions
GB8510333D0 (en
GB2174255B (en
Inventor
Arthur Bates
Graham John Spencer
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.)
BSR
Original Assignee
BSR
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 BSR filed Critical BSR
Priority to GB08510333A priority Critical patent/GB2174255B/en
Publication of GB8510333D0 publication Critical patent/GB8510333D0/en
Publication of GB2174255A publication Critical patent/GB2174255A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2174255B publication Critical patent/GB2174255B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • H01R13/04—Pins or blades for co-operation with sockets
    • 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
    • H01R13/44—Means for preventing access to live contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R43/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors
    • H01R43/16—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)

Abstract

An electrical pin for an electrical plug comprises a shank portion 10 and a connector portion 13. A reduced portion 12 of the shank portion is surrounded by an insulating sleeve 19. The connector portion defines a pair of limbs 15 between which is located part of the shank portion. A transverse opening 20 is formed in said part and half sheared portions of the limbs locate in the transverse opening to secure the shank portion and connector portion together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical pins This invention relates to electrical pins for electrical plugs.
It is envisaged that it will shortly be a requirement that at least the current carrying pins of a domestic electrical plug will have to be provided with electrically insulating covers extending from the casing of the plug to adjacent the free ends of the pins. This is to ensure that when the plug is being engaged with a socket, the accessible portions of the pins prior to full engagement of the plug with the socket, will not expose live surfaces once one or both pins have made contact with a contact element or elements of the socket. In this manner the risk of electric shock in minimised.
The covers or sleeves must define exterior surfaces which are continuous with the surfaces of the free ends of the pins and the shank portion of the pins which carry the sleeves must be recessed to accommodate the thickness of the material forming the sleeves. In addition each pin carries at its end remote from the free end, a connector portion which is of enlarged section as compared with the pin and sleeve. The connector portion may be drilled and tapped to receive a bared cable or it may be provided with a threaded shank to receive a cable securing nut or it may serve as a mounting platform for a fuse clip. In each case the connector portion defines projecting surfaces which serve to retain the pin in assembly within the casing of the plug.The assembly of the sleeve therefore presents some difficulty and it has been proposed to make the pin in a number of parts which are then assembled and secured together after the sleeve has been placed in position.
The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical pin for a plug and a method of making same in a simple and convenient form.
According to the invention an electrical pin for an electrical plug is formed in two parts, the first part being the shank portion and having an end portion shaped to engage a contact element of a socket in use, the remaining length of the shank portion being of reduced non-circular section, the second portion of the pin being a connector portion and defining at least two limbs which extend on opposite sides of the shank portion, an electrically insulating sleeve mounted about the reduced section of the shank portion intermediate the connector and the end portions and means securing the connector portion and shank portion together.
Examples of electrical pins in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of one example of a pin in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the pin shown in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a section of the pin shown in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows AA, Figure 4 is a sectional end elevation of part of the pin shown in Fig. 1 following manufacture, Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig, 4 but showing a modified version of the part shown in Fig. 4, and Figures 6 and 7 are end elevations and side elevations respectively of a modified form of the part seen in Fig. 4.
Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated the so-called neutral pin of a domestic 13 amp plug. The pin is formed in three parts two of which are metallic and the third of which is an electrically insulating sleeve. The first part is the shank of the pin and is generally referenced 10 in Fig. 1. The shank defines an end portion 11 of rectangular section and is provided in the customary manner, with chamfered side surfaces at its end to facilitate engagement with the contact members of a socket. The remaining portion of the shank is of reduced non-circular section, in the particular example the section being rectangular.
The pin also includes a connector portion which is generally indicated at 13 and is shown in isolation in Fig. 4. The connector portion includes a head 14 from which extends a socket forming portion 15 the portion 15 having the same external dimensions as the end portion 11 of the shank of the pin. A blind recess or socket 16 is defined by the socket forming portion 15 and the head 14 is formed with a transverse opening 1 7 and a tapped opening 18 extending at right angles to the opening 17 the opening 18 accommodating a screw whereby a bared cable may be retained within the opening 17.
Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the connector portion provides a mounting platform for a fuse clip (not shown).
The connector portion as described is formed by pressure die casting from a suitable electrically conductive material.
The reduced portion 12 of the shank of the pin is enclosed by an electrically insulating sleeve 19 which is a sliding fit onto the reduced portion. Once the sleeve has been fitted the end of the shank portion is inserted into the recess 16 and the connector portion and shank portion are secured together. The method shown in the drawings for securing the two portions together is by half shearing portions of the connector portion into a transverse opening 20 which is formed in the portion of the shank portion lying within the recess 16. The half shearing action results in displacement of metal into the opening 20 as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The construction of pin as described results in a firm location for the sleeve relative to the remaining portion of the pin and the two parts are tightly secured together ensuring a low resistance electrical connection therebetween.
A modification of the connector portion in seen in Figs. 6 and 7. In this example the connector portion 21 is formed as a brass or like extrusion and this results in a connector portion not having a recess 16 as in the earlier example, but defining two legs 22 having a width as shown in Fig. 7, corresponding to the width of the pin. The same method of attachment of the legs to the shank of the pin can be used as with the die-cast connector portion.

Claims (6)

1. An electrical pin for an electrical plug, the pin being formed in two parts, the first part being the shank portion and having an end portion shaped to engage a contact element of a socket in use, the remaining length of the shank portion being of reduced noncircular section, the second portion of the pin being a connector portion and defining at least two limbs which extend on opposite sides of the shank portion, an electrically insulating sleeve mounted about the reduced section of the shank portion intermediate the connector and end portions and means securing the connector portion and shank portion together.
2. A pin according to Claim 1 in which said means comprises a transverse opening in the part of the shank portion which lies between said limbs and half sheared portions from said limbs respectively, said half sheared portions extending into said opening to secure the shank and connector portions together.
3. A pin according to Claim 2 in which said limbs form the opposite sides of a socket defined by the connector portion.
4. A pin according to Claim 2 in which said connector portion is formed as an extrusion.
5. A pin according to Claim 3 in which said connector portion is formed as a die casting.
6. An electrical pin for an electrical plug substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A pin according to Claim 1 in which said reduced section of the shank portion is of rectangular section.
7. An electrical pin for an electrical plug substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1 to 7 above have been deleted.
New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:-
1. An electrical pin for an electrical plug, the pin being formed in two parts, the first part being the shank portion and having an end portion shaped to engage a contact element of a socket in use, the remaining length of the shank portion being of reduced noncircular section, the second portion of the pin being a connector portion and defining at least two limbs which extend on opposite sides of the shank portion, an electrically insulating sleeve mounted about the reduced section of the shank portion intermediate the connector and end portions a transverse opening in the part of the shank portion which lies between said limbs and half sheared portions from said limbs respectively, said half sheared portions extending into said opening to secure the shank and connector portions together.
2. A pin according to Claim 1 in which said limbs form the opposite sides of a socket defined by the connector portion.
3. A pin according to Claim 1 in which said connector portion is formed as an extrusion.
4. A pin according to Claim 2 in which said connector portion is formed as a die casting.
5. A pin according to Claim 1 in which said reduced section of the shank portion is of rectangular section.
GB08510333A 1985-04-23 1985-04-23 Electrical pins Expired GB2174255B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08510333A GB2174255B (en) 1985-04-23 1985-04-23 Electrical pins

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08510333A GB2174255B (en) 1985-04-23 1985-04-23 Electrical pins

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8510333D0 GB8510333D0 (en) 1985-05-30
GB2174255A true GB2174255A (en) 1986-10-29
GB2174255B GB2174255B (en) 1989-01-05

Family

ID=10578069

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08510333A Expired GB2174255B (en) 1985-04-23 1985-04-23 Electrical pins

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2174255B (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU692746B3 (en) * 1997-10-09 1998-06-11 Tyco Electronics Pty Limited Electrical connector
US7766707B2 (en) 2007-01-19 2010-08-03 Astec International Limited Hybrid electrical pins
EP3076484A1 (en) * 2015-03-04 2016-10-05 Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Electrical connector

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1534278A (en) * 1975-02-11 1978-11-29 Crabtree & Co Ltd J A Electric plugs
GB1552241A (en) * 1975-02-07 1979-09-12 Crabtree & Co Ltd J A Electric plugs
EP0005983A1 (en) * 1978-05-30 1979-12-12 BICC Public Limited Company Improvements in or relating to electric plugs
GB2030378A (en) * 1978-09-14 1980-04-02 Nettle Accessories Ltd Plug Pins
GB2065991A (en) * 1979-12-21 1981-07-01 Lucas Industries Ltd Sleeved plug pin
GB2065990A (en) * 1979-12-21 1981-07-01 Lucas Industries Ltd Electrical plugs
GB2154074A (en) * 1984-01-27 1985-08-29 Delta Acc & Domestic Switch Electric plug having part-insulated pins

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1552241A (en) * 1975-02-07 1979-09-12 Crabtree & Co Ltd J A Electric plugs
GB1534278A (en) * 1975-02-11 1978-11-29 Crabtree & Co Ltd J A Electric plugs
EP0005983A1 (en) * 1978-05-30 1979-12-12 BICC Public Limited Company Improvements in or relating to electric plugs
GB2030378A (en) * 1978-09-14 1980-04-02 Nettle Accessories Ltd Plug Pins
GB2065991A (en) * 1979-12-21 1981-07-01 Lucas Industries Ltd Sleeved plug pin
GB2065990A (en) * 1979-12-21 1981-07-01 Lucas Industries Ltd Electrical plugs
GB2154074A (en) * 1984-01-27 1985-08-29 Delta Acc & Domestic Switch Electric plug having part-insulated pins

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU692746B3 (en) * 1997-10-09 1998-06-11 Tyco Electronics Pty Limited Electrical connector
AU736023B2 (en) * 1997-10-09 2001-07-26 Tyco Electronics Pty Limited Electrical connector
US7766707B2 (en) 2007-01-19 2010-08-03 Astec International Limited Hybrid electrical pins
EP3076484A1 (en) * 2015-03-04 2016-10-05 Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Electrical connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8510333D0 (en) 1985-05-30
GB2174255B (en) 1989-01-05

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee