US3104927A

US3104927A - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: US3104927A
Application number: US71818A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger D Cargill; Arthur W Northrop
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1960-11-25
Filing date: 1960-11-25
Publication date: 1963-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1980-09-24

Description

R. D. CARGILL ETA]. 3,104,927

Sept. 24, 1963 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1960 FIG. 3

ATTORNEY Sept. 24, 1963 R. D. CARGILL ETAL 3, ,9

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR I Filed Nov. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v United States Patent 3,194,927 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Roger D. Cargili, Endicott, and Arthur W. Northrop,

Oakdale, N.Y., assignors to international Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 71,813 3 Claims. ((31. 339256) This invention relates to electrical terminals or connectors of a type adapted to slip into a contact element projecting from a receptacle and, more particularly, to electrical connectors which are crimped onto the end of electrical conductors and are adapted to slip onto projecting contact elements in a manner that the projecting contact element extends through the gripping portion of the associated connector so as to accommodate one or more connectors.

The connector of the present invention is particularly useful for connecting electrical conductors to contact elements projecting from receptacles for receiving pluggable units. Heretofore, a rather common practice for connecting electrical conductors to projecting contact elements was to wrap the electrical conductors in a spiral fashion about the projecting contact elements. While the wrapped wire connection generally produces a satisfactory connection, it requires a special tool for making the connection and another special type of tool for disconnecting the wire from the associated contact element. Further, the wrapped wire connection is a rather permanent type of connection and does not lend itself to use in those areas where the electrical connections, for example, within a data processing machine, must be changed quite frequently.

The connector in the present invention is mechanically and electrically reliable and is specially adapted for use where the electrical connections with the projecting contact elements must be changed quite frequently. A type of projecting contact element for which the connector of the present invention is particularly suitable is that type shown and described in copending application Serial No. 752,038 to A. H. Johnson, filed July 30, 1958, Patent No. 3,008,113, granted November 7, 1961. In that application, the electrical conductors are connected to the projecting contact elements by wrapping the electrical conductors about the contact elements. The contact elements project sufiiciently to permit several electrical conductors to be wrapped about a single contact element, and are of the type of contact elements commonly known as the spade type.

The connector of the present invention has a contact element gripping portion spaced from the central axis of the electrical conductor to which the connector is attached. By this arrangement, several connectors may be slipped onto a single projecting contact element and without resorting to a piggyback type of arrangement. The facility of having the connectors in line on a single contact element permits contact elements to be closely spaced relative to each other.

Accordingly, the prime object of the invention is to pro vide an electrical connector of the slip-on type which is mechanically and electrically reliable.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electrical connector which is adapted to slip onto a contact element with the contact element extending through the contact portion of the connector so as to permit additional connectors to be inserted thereon in line.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electrical connector which is effectively of the closed entry type.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments 3,104,927 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawllHgS.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing several connectors slipped onto a contact element projecting from a receptacle;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the connector prior to being attached to an electrical conductor;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a connector detached from an electrical conductor;

FIG. 4 is a left-end elevational view of the connector;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a contact element inserted into the connector;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the blank from which the connector is formed;

FIG. 9 is a right-end elevational view of the blank from which the connector is formed;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the connector;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the connector;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the connector shown in FIG. 11; and,

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13-13 and looking in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 12.

With reference to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the invention is illustrated by way of example as a connector 10 having a contact element gripping portion 11, a conductor embracing furrow 12 and an insulation embracing furrow 13 attached to a conductor 14. The connector 10 is shown with the contact element grip ping portion 11 in position and embracing or clasping the contact element 15 of a receptacle 16. The receptacle 16 is of the type having a plurality of contact elements 15 projecting therefrom :and each including a portion within the receptacle for making contact with the terminals on a pluggable element, not shown, which is insertable into the receptacle 16.

The connector 1% is formed from a blank shown in FIG. 8. The blank from which the connector 10 is formed may be of any suitable electrically conducting material such as phosphor bronze and is suiliciently hard and resilient to give a spring quality to the contact element gripping portion 11. The insulation embracing furrow 13 and the conductor embracing furrow 12 are formed in the usual manner to take the configuration of a U, as seen in FIG. 4. When the connective end is to be attached to the conductor 14, the

furrows

12 and 13 are cold forged or crimped onto the conductor 14 so that the furrow 12 makes a mechanical and electrical connection with th conductor and the furrow 13 mechanically embraces the insulation surrounding the conductor 14.

The contact element gripping portion 11 consists of

opposed sides

20 and 21 integral with and extending from a base portion 22, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each

side

20 and 21 is provided with a tab or

arm

23 and 24 extending substantially at right angles from the associated side to overlie the upper face of the opposed side, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 7.

Guide lances

26 and 27 are formed from the sides 20 land 21, respectively. The

lances

26 and 27 function to restrict the contact element from traveling inwardly toward the base 22. If the contact element 15 were permitted to travel toward the base 22, the connector 10 would be subjected to an overstressed condition resulting in a loss of mechanical and electrical contact qualities. Additionally, it is seen in FIG. 10 the

lances

26 and 27 are also adapted to function to make contact 'posed

sides

20 and 21.

with the contact element 15. The width of the contact element 15 is greater than the distance between the

sides

20 and 21, as seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. To facilitate insertion of the connector over the contact element from either end, the

upper corners

28 and 29 of side and

upper corners

30 and 31 of side 21 are beveled suifi ciently and, in this example, approximately 15. As the connector 10 is inserted over the contact element 15, forces are developed to deflect

sides

20 and 21 away from each other. The insertion pressure is reduced by the gradual deflection of

sides

20 and 21. Contact is established between the contact element 15 and connector 10 as shown in either FIG. 6 or FIG. 10, depending upon the formation of the

lances

26 and 27. In F1G, 6, the

lances

26 and 27 function to guide the contact element 15 into the contact gripping portion 11 and prevent the contact element 15 from traveling toward the base 22. The

lances

26 and 27 in FIG. 10 perform the same function as

lances

26 and 27 in FIG. 6 but, additionally, they make contact with the contact element 15.

The

arms

23 and 24 prevent the contact element 15 from sliding off the

sides

20 and 21 during and/or after insertion of the contact element 15 into connector 10. By forming the

arms

23 and 24 so as to extend in opposite directions and to overlap the

corresponding sides

20 and 21, respectively, a closed entry-type of connector is effectively achieved, thereby resulting in good mechanical and electrical qualities.

The connector shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 is a preferred embodiment. In order to aid the

arms

23 and 24 from taking a permanent set due to any overstressing which might occur when the contact is slipped onto the terminal 15, stabilizing

ribs

33 and 34 are provided as shown in FIG. 11. The

ribs

33 and 34, which stabilize and strengthen the

sides

20 and 21, are spaced from each other and are formed in the .base portion 22 and the op- The

ribs

33 and 34 are formed as the connector 10 is formed from the blank shown in FIG. 8. The

ribs

33 and 34 project or extend inwardly of the

sides

20 and 21 and base 22. The

ribs

33 and 34 extend up the

sides

20 and 21, as seen in FIG. 13, to the line of contact of the contact element 15 with the connector 10. Thusly, the

ribs

33 and 34 provide additional resilience in the

sides

20 and 21 to increase the contact and withdrawal forces of the connector 10.

From the foregoing, it is seen that a connector is provided which is adapted to slip onto a contact element in a manner to permit a like or another type of slip-on connector to be also inserted onto the same contact element. The contact gripping portion of the connector is out of the plane of the connector furrow portion, which attaches onto the electrical conductor. Hence, the contact element gripping portion of one connector can be positioned to overlie the furrow portion of another connector positioned to embrace the same contact element.

. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled'in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed isz 1. An electrical connector for connecting a conductor to a single spade-type contact element of predetermined length, said contact element having two major and minor contacting surfaces along the length thereof, comprising:

a base member;

a pair of opposed side members extending from said base member, said side members (:2) having a longitudinal dimension less than half of said predetermined length of said contact element, whereby said contact element can extend through said connector and protrude therefrom over more than one-half of its length, and

'(b) being normally separated a distance less than the width of said spade-type contact element so as to clasp said spade-type contact element along the minor contacting surfaces thereof by the re silient spring force of said side members;

a pair of guide lances projecting angularly from said side members toward each other and away from said base member to prevent said contact element [from traveling toward said base member;

a pair of arms spaced along the longitudinal axis of said connector and extending from said opposed side members beyond a center plane drawn perpendicular to said base member half-way between said opposed side members, whereby said pair of arms and said pair of guide l ances cooperate to define a longitudinal channel for receiving and cradling said spade-type contact element; and

axially offset means connected to said base member for holding said conductor, said oiiset means being spaced from the longitudinal axis of said channel so as to leave space for a second connector to be slipped onto said protruding contact element.

2. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein said guide lances project in a manner to abut against said contact element.

3. An electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein a pair of continuous ribs longitudinally spaced from each other are formed in said base and side members, said ribs being disposed in line with said pair of arms and extending upwardly of said side members to the line of contact made between said side members and said contact element.

References Cit d in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 564,679 Wurts July 28, 1896 2,346,166 Hurleman Apr. 11, 1944 2,478,143 Watts Aug, 2, 1949 2,591,009 Riche Apr. 1, 1952 2,659,063 Webb let a1 Nov. 10, 1953 2,705,788 Soreng Apr. 5, 1955 2,765,452 Tuchel Oct. 2, 1956' 2,825,883 Batcheller Mar. 4, 1958 2,917,723 Gluck Dec. 15, 1959 2,992,404 Berg July 11, 1961 3,021,503 Hopkins et al Feb. 13, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 155,717 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1920

Claims

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING A CONDUCTOR TO A SINGLE SPADE-TYPE CONTACT ELEMENT OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH, SAID CONTACT ELEMENT HAVING TWO MAJOR AND MINOR CONTACTING SURFACES ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER; A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE MEMBERS EXTENDING FROM SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID SIDE MEMBERS (A) HAVING A LONGITUDINAL DIMENSION LESS THAN HALF OF SAID PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF SAID CONTACT ELEMENT, WHEREBY SAID CONTACT ELEMENT CAN EXTEND THROUGH SAID CONNECTOR AND PROTRUDE THEREFROM OVER MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF ITS LENGTH, AND (B) BEING NORMALLY SEPARATED A DISTANCE LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID SPADE-TYPE CONTACT ELEMENT SO AS TO CLASP SAID SPADE-TYPE CONTACT ELEMENT ALONG THE MINOR CONTACTING SURFACES THEREOF BY THE RESILIENT SPRING FORCE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS; A PAIR OF GUIDE LANCES PROJECTING ANGULARLY FROM SAID SIDE MEMBERS TOWARD EACH OTHER AND AWAY FROM SAID BASE MEMBER TO PREVENT SAID CONTACT ELEMENT FROM TRAVELING TOWARD SAID BASE MEMBER; A PAIR OF ARMS SPACED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CONNECTOR AND EXTENDING FROM SAID OPPOSED SIDE MEMBERS BEYOND A CENTER PLANE DRAWN PERPENDICULAR TO SAID BASE MEMBER HALF-WAY BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED SIDE MEMBERS, WHEREBY SAID PAIR OF ARMS AND SAID PAIR OF GUIDE LANCES COOPERATE TO DEFINE A LONGITUDINAL CHANNEL FOR RECEIVING AND CRADLING SAID SPADE-TYPE CONTACT ELEMENT; AND AXIALLY OFFSET MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BASE MEMBER FOR HOLDING SAID CONDUCTOR, SAID OFFSET MEANS BEING SPACED FROM THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CHANNEL SO AS TO LEAVE SPACE FOR A SECOND CONNECTOR TO BE SLIPPED ONTO SAID PROTRUDING CONTACT ELEMENT.