GB2220310A

GB2220310A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: GB2220310A
Application number: GB8912401A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernhard Egenolf
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1988-05-31
Filing date: 1989-05-30
Publication date: 1990-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-30
Also published as: DE8906684U1; MX170500B; AR244469A1; BR8902455A; GB2220310B; GB8812881D0; GB8912401D0

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a terminal assembly (2) for location in an insulating housing where terminal assemblies are retained in position within receiving cavities by a sliding plate which moves transversely of the terminal length. The assembly (2) includes a terminal (4) and a backup helper spring (6) which positions a second set of opposed arms (42) in contact with a primary set of opposed arms (12) of the terminal. The backup spring (6) includes an upper plate (30) having an end flap which extends from a rear edge of the plate (30) and is bent downwardly to provide a rear plate (38) for abutment with the sliding plate retaining member when the assembly is located in the housing. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR The subject invention relates to an electrical connector improvement to the terminal of an electrical connector of tTh.e the which includes a sliding plate which moves transversely of the terminal length to retain the terminals within the housing.

In electrical connectors of the type where a plurality of terminal receiving cavities are included within a connector housing with terminals located within each of the cavities much effort has been devoted to the retention of the electrical terminals within the cavities. One such type of retention is shown in U, S. Patent 4,721,478 where a sliding plate is locatable relative to the insulative housing and is moved transversely of the connector housing. This connector is of the type including an insulative housing having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities, with a plurality of electrical terminals disposed t;ithin the cavities.A sliding plate has openings aligned with the cavities and the plate is movable transversely of the cavities from t first position allowing nsertion of the tertranals, to a second position retaining the terminals within the cavities.

A need exists within the industry to inciude a modified terminal for use with such a sliding plate retention member having an improved adaptation for use with the sliding plate.

This is particularly true where the electrical terminal is cf the type which includes a helper spring having arms which extend generally parallel to the opposed resilient contact arms of the electrical terminal to provide a further resilience to the electrical terminals. A portion of these helper springs are typically used for receipt of the sliding plate member. These helper Eprings are of a much smaller gauge sheet metal than that of the electrical terminal itself. Therefore, a retention force against the edge of the helper spring could weaken the spring or dislodge the helper spring member from the electrical terminal.

With the above-mentioned shortcomings in mind, the electrical connector of the instant invention is characterized by an end flap which is in the same plane as the sliding plate and provides a retention surface for abutment with tr.e sliding plate when the plate is in the retained position.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrical terminal includes a base portion having two opposed arms extending from the base portion which form a contact portion therebetween. Preferably, the terminal includes a backup spring attached to the electrical terminal having a plate portion which overlies the base portion and two spring arms which abut the two opposed arms.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the end flap extends from the plate portion of the backup spring.

Preferably, the end flap is wider than the width of the backup spring sidewalls.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example with reference to the Figures, where: Figure 1 is an isometric view o; the electrical terminal showing the helper spring exploded away fron; the electrical terminal.

Figure 2 is an isometric view similar to that of Figure 1 shoring the assembled terminal.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the helper spring.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the assembled electrical connector showing the terminal of Figures 1 and 2 disposed within a terminal receiving cavity of the housing, with the sliding plate in the retained position.

With reference first to Figure 1, the terminal assembly is shown generally as 2 which includes the electrical terminal 4 and the helper spring member 6. The electrical terminal 4 includes a resilient contact end 8 formed by two opposed arms 12 having radiused contact portions 14 at the free ends of the arms The opposed arms 12 extend from sidewalls of the terminals 16, and one of the sidewalls 16 includes a flap portion 18 extending from an edge thereof. The sidewalls 16 conform into a constricted portion such as 20 with a wire crimping portion 10 extending from the constricted portion 20.The wire crimping portion 10 is dofinod by two daformsble arimp wing 22 while a strain rPMPf portion is defined by two flap portions 24 which are movable to an overlapping position ulcer the insulation or a conductor.

Wills reference still to Figure 1, the helper spring membcr 6 generally includes an upper base portion 30 having sidewalls 32 extending downwardly therefrom. Two helper spring arms 42 extend forwardly from the sidewalls 32 and hsve free ends 44 which are inwardly directed and profiled to abut the opposed arms 12 of the terminal. The sidewalls 32 further include retaining flaps 48 and retention members 46 extending therefrom.

Sidewall portions 34 extend towards the rear of the helper spring member and are formed from a side edge of the base portion 30. An end flap 38 extends from a rear edge of the base portion 30 and includes a notched section 40. It should be noted that the helper spring member 6, as shown in Figure 1, is profiled for receipt over the electrical terminal, as shown in Figure 1. More particularly, the sidewalls 32 are shown slightly canted away from the base portion 30 such that the helper spring member can be slid over the opposed contact arms of the terminal 4.

As shown in Figure 2, the helper sprir.g member 6 is assembled to the terminal by moving the helper spring Member 6 downwardly over the electrical terminal until the plate portion 30 of the helper spring abuts the upper portion 18 of the electrical terminal. In this position, the underside of the plate portion 30 also will abut the upper edges 28 located on the opposed arms 12. The helper spring member 6 is axially positioned such that the forwardly facing edge of the formed separation 36 is in contact with the rear edge of the top plate 18 of the electrical terminal. The retaining flaps 48 are then formed upwardly and crimped to the gripping ears 28 located on the lower portions of the opposed arms 12. As positioned, the notched portion 40 of the end flap 38 overlies the constricted portion 20 of the electrical terminal. It should also be noted that the end flap 38 is wider than the side edges of the sidewalls 34. Thus, when a force is applied against the end flap 38, the end flap does not move between the two end walls 34 but rather abuts the end edges of the sidewalls 34.

As assembled into the configura.ion shown in Figure 2, the electrical terminal 2 is insertable into a connector housing 70, such as that shown in Figure 4, through a terminal receiving cavity such as 72, and is movable forwardly to the position shown in Figure 4 The homing 7C) includes 8 forward edge 52 which prevents the forward movement of the terminal 2. Mrfhen the terminal is moved to the position shown in Figure 4, the retention members 46 spring outwardly and are retained in position against the shoulder 74 within the housing.At this time, the sliding plate 80 can be moved from the first position shown in phantom in Figure 4, to the second retaining position shown in Figure 4. This places the front edge of the sliding plate 80 in abutment with the flat plane of the end flap 38.

Thus, the connector assembly includes two retaining feeeares for the terminals within the cav1t1s the retention arme 46 and the sliding plate 80, Furthermore, the sliding plate performs as a terminal position assurance to assure that the Terminals are fully inserted within the cavities. If the terminals are not fully positioned forward, the sliding plate will abut the end flap or the sidewall 34 preventing the movement of the sliding plate.

As mentioned earlier, the end flap advantageously provides or an increased area for contact with the retention or sliding plate. This is of particular interest where the sliding plate contacts an edge which is of tin gauge material, such as in the case where the sliding plate contacts a helper spring as previously described. This plate also provides a large surface area for contact such the plastic plate will not be gouged by a sharp edge of the terminal, nor will the plastic sliding plate experience creep. This is predcninntbj of interest vith power contacts where the terminals can experience relatively large temperature rises due to the resistance. It should also be noted that this terminal is usable with a sliding plate which is in any orientation; that is, the sliding plate can move transversely from either side of the terminal, or it can move from the top or the bottom of the terminal.

Claims

1. An electrical connector of the type including an insulative housing having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities, with a plurality of electrical terminals disposed within said cavities, and a sliding plate having openings aligned with the cavities, the plate being movable transversely of the cavities from a first position allowing insertion of the terminals, to a second position retaining the terminals within the cavities, the connector being characterized in that: the electrical terminal includes an end flap which is in the same plane as the sliding plate which provides a retention surface for abutment with the sliding plate, when the plate is in the retained position.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 characterized in that said terminal includes a base portion having two opposed arms extending from the base portion which form a contact portion thlerebetwn.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2 characterized in that the terminal further comprises a backup spring attached to said electrical terminal having a plate portion wch overlies the base portion and two spring arms which abut tr e two opposed arms

4. The electrical connector of claim 3 characterized in that the end flap extends from the plate portion of the backup spring.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4 eht terize: ir.

that the backup spring has sidewalls which at least partially overlap the sides of the terminal base portion.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5 characterized in that the end flap is wider than a width of the backup spring sidewalls.

7. The electrical connector of claim 6 characterized in that the backup spring is comprised of a thinner gauge material than that of the terminal.

8. An electrical connector substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.