GB2314468A

GB2314468A - Female terminal for a printed circuit board

Info

Publication number: GB2314468A
Application number: GB9712170A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carlos Pitarque Valles
Original assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL
Current assignee: Lear Automotive EEDS Spain SL
Priority date: 1996-06-21
Filing date: 1997-06-11
Publication date: 1997-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-11
Also published as: ES1034476U; GB2314468B; GB9712170D0; ES1034476Y

Abstract

A terminal formed from a metal sheet or plate by pressing and bending and forming a single body. The insertion end or pine 16 is intended to be inserted into a printed circuit, while the other end receives one or two or more male terminals mounted in the end of a conventional electrical conductor or electronic unit. The terminal comprises a front male terminal 16, a substantially regular tetrapyramidal middle zone 21 and a parallelepiped rear zone 14 which has lugs 17 for engagement with a male terminal. An opening 18 for the purpose of verifying contact of a male terminal inserted in the rear part between the lugs is provided. The lugs have a first portion where the two lugs converge, an intermediate portion 20 where they diverge, and an end portion 19 which is curved and which converges.

Description

IMPROVED FEMALE TERMINAL FOR A PRINTED CIRCUIT This invention relates to an improved female terminal for a printed circuit.

A series of terminals for mounting on printed circuits, such as those known as low or average power female members, is on the market. Such female terminals may be inserted, attached and then soldered on the conductive parts of the printed circuit and are designed to act as a support and connecting element for the corresponding male terminals which are firmly connected in the ends of the corresponding conductive wires or other electronic units.

Among this type of female terminal, there exist those already described and claimed in our Application 9524227.7, Serial No. 230,233. The rear part of this type of female member is of substantially rectangular parallelepiped form, while the middle zone thereof is of regular tetrapyramidal form. From the lower face of the middle zone the male terminal projects for insertion into the corresponding printed circuit and subsequent soldering thereto.

The rear zone has upper and lower faces and two side faces. The upper and lower faces are extended by a plurality of lugs which are bent towards the inside and inclined to one another between which the corresponding male terminal is intended to be inserted.

One of the side faces of the rear part comprises, in the vicinity of its smaller side face, a circular bore or window which permits quality control during the corresponding manufacturing process.

The upper face is reinforced by means of a plurality of upper ribs the function of which is to prevent the female member from opening as a consequence of the axial forces resulting from the introduction of a male terminal inside the inclined lugs forming the electrical contact.

The female terminal described in above-mentioned application is improved by the subject matter of the present application, on the basis of a modification to the shape of the connecting lugs so as to provide them with a curved end zone by means of which these inclined lugs or planes may rest against the wall of the rear part, in such a way as to yield in the manner of springs, ensuring better contact.

Therefore according to the invention there is provided a terminal formed from a metal sheet or plate by pressing and bending and forming a single body, the insertion end or pin of which is intended to be inserted into a printed circuit, while the other end receives one or two or more male terminals mounted in the end of a conventional electrical conductor or electronic unit, the terminal comprising a front male terminal, a substantially regular tetrapyramidal middle zone and a parallelepiped rear zone which has lugs for engagement with a male terminal, and in which there is provided an opening for the purpose of verifying contact of a male terminal inserted in the rear part between the lugs, the lugs having a first portion where the two lugs converge, an intermediate portion where they diverge, 20 and an end portion which is curved and which converges.

In a preferred embodiment at least one of the stops which limit the range of deflection of the lugs is also modified, which stop may consist of a simple tab cut and bent out from the same metal plate integral with the unit.

In another embodiment of the same invention, the female terminal may be doubled, without alteration of the essential characteristics thereof.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a lateral elevational view of one embodiment of a female terminal according to the invention; Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a rear view of the terminal after rotation through 900; Figure 4 is a section taken along to line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of female terminal according to the invention designed to receive two male terminals.

The female printed circuit terminal 10 shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises three different parts, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped rear zone 26, a regular tetrapyramidal middle zone 21 and a front male terminal forming an insertion end 16. All of these parts are similar to the equivalent parts in the above-cited earlier application to which reference is directed for a full description.

The terminal is made in one piece by folding and bending and comprises an upper face 11, and lower face 12 and left and right hand faces 13 and 14.

Bent inwardly from the sides 13 and 14 are lugs 17 which are intended to come into contact with a corresponding male terminal inserted through a rear opening 23.

These lugs 17 have a first part where the two lugs are formed by a converge to a degree as can best be seen from Figure 4. Then the two lugs have intermediate portions 20 which diverge and finally the lugs end in inwardly curved zones 19. In the lower face 12 is provided and opening 18 which may be substantially circular.

This design and construction of the lugs 17, which may rest against the walls 13 and 14, enables them to yield in the manner of springs, achieving in this way good contact with a male terminal inserted through the opening 23.

With the aim of limiting and regulating the movement of the lugs 17 planes, a tab 22 is provided in the face 13 which starts from the same material as the face 14 and forms an angle of approximately 900 with the face, while the opposite face has a sunken or domed zone 24 which also regulates the movement of the lower lug 17.

Edges 25 project from the upper and lower faces slightly beyond the edges of the side faces 13 and 14.

These edges protect those edges of the faces 13 and 14 from the pressure of the insertion machine. Thus the edge 25 act as stops and preventing the head from pressing on the edges of the faces 13 and 14.

The embodiment according to Figure 5 has the same characteristics described above for a single female member except that the opening 23 is larger and can accommodate two male terminals.

Claims

1. A terminal formed from a metal sheet or plate by pressing and bending and forming a single body, the insertion end or pin is intended to be inserted into a printed circuit, while the other end receives one or two or more male terminals mounted in the end of a conventional electrical conductor or electronic unit, the terminal comprising a front male terminal, a substantially regular tetrapyramidal middle zone and a parallelepiped rear zone which has lugs for engagement with a male terminal and in which there is provided an opening for the purpose of verifying contact of a male terminal inserted in the rear part between the lugs, the lugs having a first portion where the two lugs converge, an intermediate portion where they diverge, and an end portion which is curved and which converges.

2. A terminal as claimed in Claim 1 in that from one of the side faces there emerges a tab which limits and regulates the movement of one of the lugs.

3. A terminal as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which one of the side faces of the female member has an inwardly domed zone which limits and regulates the movement of one of the lugs.

4. A terminal as claimed in any preceding claim in which the rear edges of the upper and lower parts of the rear part project slightly beyond the edges of the side faces of the rear part and from which the lugs are bent inwardly.

5. A terminal substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, or Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.