GB2298321A - An electrical terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical terminal (10) comprises a conductive wire contact portion, formed by lugs (11) and ribbed wing members (12), and a clip portion (16) in the form of a box-section socket. The upper part (25) of the clip portion (16) may be folded to provide a single contact bridge (24) for providing contact pressure. A stop (29) in the upper part (25) may limit the movement of the bridge (24). The stop (29) may also provide an arrangement of a lower tab (20) and an upper tab (19) for securing the clip portion (16) in the required formation for protecting the contact surfaces (23,24). The socket may have a square cross-section and may include arrangements (21, 22 and 23a) to guide a terminal into said socket.

Description

AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL This invention relates to an electrical terminal.

The aforementioned invention belongs to the technical sector of automobile wiring, and its function is to be added to the ends of the electrical conductors in order to serve as an element of connection and, more specifically, as a female terminal included in a terminal box for the housing of the corresponding male terminal.

Within the large number of electrical terminals known in this sector, the invention in question belongs to the category of terminals which include in their rear portion a clip system, i.e. a configuration in the form of a clamp to attach by pressure the female terminal to its inside, such that it establishes an excellent electric contact between the corresponding portions of the clip and the male terminal.

According to the invention there is provided an electrical terminal of the type fastened to the end of an electrical conductor through an anterior area formed by tabs and an intermediate area formed by wings which are attached in perpendicular fashion to a substantially flat area, this flat area being equipped in the meeting point with the wings with a series of ribs to provide stiffness, the rear portion of the terminal being configured in the form of a clip in the form of a closed end or prism lacking a lower base, and formed by a lower portion and an upper portion, this upper portion being provided with the means to act as an immobiliser and stop, sliding and retaining the terminal inside a connector box.

The suitability of the terminal proposed is based first on the fact that the force exerted on the male terminal in penetrating the inside of the clip at no point exceeds 3 Newton, while the inclusion of this terminal simply involves the movement of one of the parts which make up the clip, whereby the pressure does not surpass the aforementioned magnitude and thus confers great smoothness in the connection of a set of the terminals such as the ones which will be described hereinafter, when the same make up a multiple connector, i.e., a connector which includes in its inside a plurality of terminals similar to that described.

The terminal of the present invention presents a configuration which in its anterior portion provides a means of pressure on and connection of the electrical conductor to which it is connected, formed by a series of feeder lugs and tabs which protrude perpendicularly from the base of the terminal and which, by applying pressure, are doubled onto the conductor, while the other half is formed by the clip itself, in whose inside there are areas of contact, with an upper tab curved downwards and a lower tab curved in the opposite direction, and incorporates reinforcement elements which retain the upper part of the clip and prevent its dilatation due to the outward axial pressure caused by the insertion of the male connector in its inside.

In another technical order and as a second advantage, the present terminal, which is the result of the corresponding development obtained by machining a flat plate, allows the deposit of contact compounds on only one of its faces, thus saving an operation once the terminal is formed with the two contact bridges connected face-to-face.

contact bridges connected face-to-face.

Other details and features of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the terminal in question; Figure 2 is a plan view of the terminal; Figure 3 is a cross-section through the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a end elevation of the rear part of the terminal; Figure 5 is a cross-section through the line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a cross-section through the line 6-6 of Figure 1; and Figure 7 is a cross-section through the line 7-7 of Figure 1.

The terminal 10 shown in the drawings has an anterior portion with feeder lugs 11, middle portion with wings 12, and in a rear portion the clip itself. Thus in its anterior portion it has an area whose function is that of connecting the said part of the terminal 10 to the end of the electrical conductor. For this in the said anterior portion there are a set of feeder lugs 11 perpendicular to the base or flat area 18 of the terminal 10 itself, and wings 12 equipped with ribs 13 to provide stiffness.

These ribs 13 extend to the rear portion of the terminal 10 along side areas 15 and 27. They are perpendicular to a base 18.

The side areas 15 and 27 are also joined to each other in the upper part 25, see Figure 5, while in an intermediate portion of the terminal these areas are folded perpendicularly by a lower tab 20 and an upper tab 19, see Figure 6 to form a closed cover which protects the contact surfaces 23 and 24 from dust, dirt, and vertical fall of water.

By pressing the lugs 11 and the wings 12 in a converging direction, an electrical conductor is trapped inside the terminal 10.

The rear portion of the terminal 10 is configured in the form of a clamp-shaped clip 16 to attach the male terminal by pressing its upper side 24 against its lower side 23. This pressure is definitively effected by a single bridge, so that it must be protected as much as possible as explained above.

The flat area or base 18 of the terminal 10 is practically horizontal in its anterior portion, while at the beginning of its posterior portion it presents a downward-facing protuberance 14, and continues basically horizontal and curved upwards following the lower portion 23 of the clip, see Figure 3.

This flat area or base 18 presents in its anterior portion an orifice 17 and continues back towards the clip 16 in a conventional fashion.

The area of the clip 16 is formed by a completely flat upper portion 25, presenting in its middle a bore 26 with a roughly rectangular perimeter which is occupied partially by the upper tab 19, see Figure 6.

The upper portion 25 extends forwards along a frontal area 22 which folds over itself practically at a 1800 angle, while on the opposite part the upper portion 25 also bends back over itself forming a 1800 angle and conforms the upper portion 24 of the clip 16, in a considerably twisted configuration, whose central area presents a downward-curved vertex, as can be seen in Figure 7.

As shown in Figure 6, to prevent the entry of the male terminal between areas 23 and 24 of the clip 16 from exerting an outward axial pressure between the upper 25 and lower 23 portions, the terminal 10 has been provided with an upper tab 19 which is attached to the upper flat area 25, preventing the outward movement of the same as a result of the axial pressure received from the male terminal on portions 23 and 24.

The object of the frontal extension 22 of the upper portion 25, which represents a considerably semi-circular configuration in combination with area 23a of the lower area 23 of the clip and the front 21, is to aid in the insertion of the male terminal and guide it towards the central separation area between the portions 23 and 24. This prevents the male terminal from entering in contact with the said front area 22 or 23a due to tolerance problems. It must be taken into account that the terminal 10 is to be situated alongside other similar terminals inside a connector box, and therefore when inserting the male terminals in simultaneous fashion, their insertion must be perfectly aligned. Any poorly shaped or bent edge 22 or 23a, would make a perfect connection between the male and female connectors impossible.

The insertion of the male terminal between the upper and lower areas 23 and 24, respectively, produces a slight movement or displacement in an upward direction of the area 24, which can move towards the area 25 freely, without the area 23 experiencing any movement whatsoever. All of this contributes, as mentioned before, to prevent the force which the male terminal must exert when entering the female connector from exceeding 3 Newton, without this preventing good electrical contact.

Also, in order to ensure better penetration and less resistance for the electrical connection between the male and female terminals, as can be seen in Figure 4, the insertion of the male terminal in the inside of the female terminal is effected progressively in such a way that the male terminal slides on the frontal surfaces 23a and 24, so that as the male terminal advances, the pressure on the same is exerted in a gradual fashion, thus preventing jolting or peak forces in its insertion.

A good electrical contact is achieved ensuring the concept called "Overstress", i.e. the end-points for areas 23 and 24, in keeping with this concept, the terminal 10 has been designed so that the vibrations from the car do not exert influence on these areas, locating over area 24 a false stop - the fold 28 - and the cavity 29 which limit the upward motion of area 24, specifically towards the area 25.

The terminal according to the invention allows for an easy and effective manufacture.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. An electrical terminal of the type fastened to the end of an electrical conductor through an anterior area formed by tabs and an intermediate area formed by wings which are attached in perpendicular fashion to a substantially flat area, this flat area being equipped in the meeting point with the wings with a series of ribs to provide stiffness, the rear portion of the terminal being configured in the form of a clip in the form of a closed end or prism lacking a lower base, and formed by a lower portion and an upper portion, this upper portion being provided with the means to act as an immobiliser and stop, sliding and retaining the terminal inside a connector box.

2. A terminal as claimed in Claim 1 in which the anterior portion of the clip presents a considerably square cross-section whose upper base or flat area is folded over itself forming a 180 angle and constituted by a lower portion of the clip which is considerably twisted and with a freely open end, resting on the front portion of the same.

3. A terminal as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the front end of the terminal is folded in a forward direction following a semi-circular section as an extension of the sides of the terminal.

4. A terminal as claimed in any preceding claim in which the means for immobilising the terminal and its clip is formed by tabs as an extension of the sides and perpendicular to the base or flat area.

5. A terminal as claimed in any preceding claim in which the means for providing for the sliding of the terminal are formed by the combination of the front end and the front of the lower portion.

6. A terminal as claimed in any preceding claim in which the means for providing for the retaining of the terminal are formed by the inner surfaces of the areas and by the clip.

7. A terminal as claimed in any preceding claim in which the means for providing for the stop of the terminal are formed by the fold and the hollow area.

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