US3699502A - Electrical connector having improved contact retention means - Google Patents

Electrical connector having improved contact retention means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3699502A
US3699502A US105208A US3699502DA US3699502A US 3699502 A US3699502 A US 3699502A US 105208 A US105208 A US 105208A US 3699502D A US3699502D A US 3699502DA US 3699502 A US3699502 A US 3699502A
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United States
Prior art keywords
cavities
terminals
facing shoulder
cavity
rearward
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US105208A
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English (en)
Inventor
Clyde Thomas Carter
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.)
TE Connectivity Corp
Original Assignee
AMP Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by AMP Inc filed Critical AMP Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3699502A publication Critical patent/US3699502A/en
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    • 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
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/428—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Electrical connector comprises insulating housing having contact receiving cavities extending therethrough.
  • Each cavity has a rearwardly facing shoulder adjacent to the mating face of the housing and a forwardly facing shoulder adjacent to its rearward face of the housing these shoulders being on opposite sides of the cavity.
  • An electrical contact terminal is located in each cavity and has a spring means thereon which is effective between the terminal and the side of the cavity on which the rearwardly facing shoulder is located so that the terminal isresiliently biased against the opposite side of the cavity. Terminal is thereby retained against forward movement by the rearwardly facing shoulder which the forwardly facing shoulder is located, and
  • This invention relates to multi-contact electrical connectors of the type comprising an insulating housing having a plurality of cavities extending therethrough ing to the two connectors are electrically coupled or connected to each other.
  • FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,314 shows a socket-type terminal having a rectangular crosssection which occupies virtually the entire cross-section of the cavity in which it is mounted and an extraction tool cannot be inserted axially into the cavity.
  • Access is provided for the extraction tool in accordance with the teachings of this prior art patent by providing an opening in the side of the connector housing which communicates with the cavity. The extraction tool can be inserted laterally with respect to the axis of the contact receiving cavity to engage the lance on the terminal and disengage the lance from the retention shoulder in the cavity.
  • the instant invention is directed to the achievement of an improved retention system for the electrical con tact terminals in a multi-contact electrical connector and particularly to a system which does not require clearance in the contact receiving cavity of the connector for an extraction tool. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved multi-contact electrical connector. A further object is to provide an improved retention system for retaining electrical contact terminals in the contact receiving cavities of an electrical connector. A still further object is to provide a retention system which permits close spacing of the contact terminals in the connector housing. A still further object is to provide a retention system which permits removal of the contact terminals from the housing but which does not require clearance for an extraction tool in the contact receiving cavities of the housing.
  • FIG. 1. is a perspective view showing a typical multicontact electrical connector assembly comprising a receptacle and a plug;
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sectioned portion of a connector insert or housing in accordance with the instant invention which would be contained in the connector plug 2 of the assembly of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector insert of FIG. 2 showing an electrical contact terminal in alignment with one of the contact receiving cavities in the insert preparatory to insertion of the terminal into the cavity, this view being taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 6;
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 are viewed similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating the insertion of the terminal into the cavity, FIG. 5 being taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 6 is an orthographic view of the rearward side of the insert shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an electrical contact terminal of the type adapted to be received in the cavities of the insert shown in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a tool for removing contact terminals from the housing or insert of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the invention having a plurality of rows of terminals therein.
  • a typical electrical connector assembly comprises a plug 2 and a receptacle 4, the
  • the receptacle 4 being mounted on the-wall of a container 8.
  • the receptacle 4 has an outer hood 9, which surrounds, and is spaced from, an inner hood 10 within which there are contained a plurality of electrical con tact pins 12. It will be understood that these contact pins extend into the interior of the container 8 and are electrically connected to conductors which extend to electrical components or parts within the container.
  • the receptacle 4 is secured to the wall of the container 8 by suitable fasteners 6.
  • the plug 2 comprises a metallic shell 15 within which there is mounted a dielectric insert or housing 20 shown in FIGS. 2-5.
  • the connector plug 2 may be of a general type disclosed in and claimed in my copending application filed the same day as the instant application Ser. No. 105,207 or may be of any other desired type. In as much as the instant invention is directed to the retention means for retaining contact terminals in the cavities in the insert or housing 20, it is unnecessary to describe the manner of mounting the insert 20 in the shell 5. Reference is made to my above-identified copending application for such details.
  • the housing has a plurality of cavities 22 extending therethrough from its rearward face 24 to its forward or mating face 26, each of these cavities being adapted to receive an electrical contact terminal of the general type shown at 52, in FIG. 7 and described in greater detail below.
  • Each cavity 22 in the housing or insert 20 has an entrance portion 28 at its left hand end in the form of inclined surfaces which function to guide the contact pins 12 into the cavity when the plug part 2 is mated with the receptacle 4.
  • the entrance portion 28 merges with a short section 32 of the cavity which has a rectangular cross-section of reduced area as compared with the remainder of the cavity.
  • the reduced crosssectional area 32 extends to a rearwardly facing shoulder 34 and a horizontal ledge 36 extends rightwardly from the shoulder for short distance.
  • a ramp 38 is inclined downwardly from the end of the ledge 36 and merges with an intermediate section of the cavity which is of uniform rectangular cross-section.
  • the lower sidewall or floor wall 40 of the cavity extends uninterruptedly to the right hand end of the housing as indicated.
  • the opposite wall, that is the upper side-wall 42 of the cavity is provided with a rightwardly or forwardly facing shoulder 44 which is spaced from the rearwardly facing shoulder 34 and which is formed by a projection 46 extending downwardly from the upper wall of the cavity.
  • the projection 46 extends only partially across the cavity and forms a laterally facing shoulder 48 which is opposed to the left hand side of the cavity as viewed in FIG. 6.
  • the rearward entrance portion 50 of each cavity is inclined as indicated in FIG.
  • Cavities of the configuration shown in the drawing are particularly adapted to receive electrical contact terminals 52 of a general type disclosed more fully in the previously identified Lightner et al. US. Pat. No. 3,439,314.
  • Such terminals have a generally rectangular or square socket portion 54 of sheet metal and have contact springs 56 on two opposite sides thereof which are adapted to engage an inserted contact pin.
  • Each terminal is crimped at 60 onto a conductor 16, the conductor in the disclosed embodiment of the invention comprising a conductor in a flat conductor cable 14 as more fully described in the patent to Huffnagle US. Pat. No. 3,395,381 although the principles of the instant invention can be employed with terminals secured to conventional wire conductors.
  • a retention lance 58 is struck from the side 59 of the socket portion of the terminal on one side thereof; that is the lance is not centered on the side 59 but is struck from stock metal on the lower portion of this side and does not extend beyond the center of the side 59 of the terminal.
  • the off-center location of the lance 58 and the limited extent of the shoulders 44 in the cavities prevent the insertion of the cable into the housing in other than the proper orientation.
  • a terminal 52 is first crimped unto each of the conductors 15 of the cable as explained in the above-identified I-Iuffnagle patent. Thereafter, the cable is aligned with the insert 20 as shown in FIG. 3 with the terminals 52 oriented such that the lances 58 are in alignment with the lower sides or floors 40 of the cavities. The entire cable is then moved leftwardly relative to the housing or insert as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 until the forward ends of the terminals move against the rightwardly facing shoulders 34 of the cavities. It will be apparent that during such movement of the terminals, the lances 58 of the terminals are deflected as illustrated in FIG.
  • the lances will tend to return to their normalpositions and urge the terminals upwardly in the cavities.
  • the edges 62 of the terminals will then bedisposed against the forwardly facing shoulders 44 of the cavities to prevent rightward movement of the terminals or cable relative to the housings. Leftward movement of the terminals is, of course, prevented by the rightwardly facing shoulders 34 in the cavities which are engaged by the leading edges of the terminals.
  • the cable cannot be permanently inserted into the housing if the cable is not properly oriented, that is, it cannot be inserted in a reverse orientation from that shown in the drawing.
  • This feature can be appreciated if it is noted that if the technician should attempt to insert the cable when it is in a reverse orientation from that shown in FIG. 3, (an orientation such that the lances 58 are on the upper side of the cable) the cable will pass into the housing but the off-center lances will be on the lefthand side of the cavities as viewed in FIG. 6 and will be against the upper walls of the cavities. Since the shoulders 44 extend only one-half way across the cavities, the ends of the lances will not lodge against'the shoulders 44 and the cable will not be retained in the housing. The technician will then immediately realize his mistake and will remove the cable from the housing and reinsert it in its proper orientation.
  • a comb-like tool 64 as illustrated in FIG. 8 is employed.
  • This tool has a plurality of spaced-apart pins 66 which are spaced-apart by a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent cavities in the housing and which have a cross-section such that they can be inserted into the terminals in the housing.
  • This tool is inserted into the cavities from the mating side of the housing or insert and is then moved laterally thereby to displace all of the terminals in the housing downwardly against the biasing force of the retention springs 58.
  • the technician while holding the housing and the extraction tool in one hand then simply grasps the cable 14 with his other hand and pulls it from the housing. Such removal of the cable from the housing is sometimes required to repair a damaged terminal or for inspection purposes.
  • a significant advantage of the invention is that it is unnecessary to provide clearance in the cavities for an extraction tool as has been common practice in the prior art. As previously noted, clearance is normally provided so that the extraction tool can be inserted into the cavity axially either from the mating side of the housing or from the rearward side.
  • multicontact connectors have been designed which do not provide such clearance however, in such connectors it has been necessary to permit access of the extraction tool in a direction laterally of the cavity axis (as shown in US. Pat. No. 3,439,314, FIG. 2) and this limitation in turn limits the number of rows of terminalsin a particular connector to one or two at the most. Where the connector is constructed in accordance with the instant invention, however any number of rows can be provided.
  • FIG. 9 shows a typical multi-row connector 68 in which lateral access could not be provided for the center row.
  • a further advantage of the invention is that when an axial pull or tensile pull is imposed on the cable 14, the lances 58, which are relatively delicate, are not stressed.
  • the tensile pull on the cable is rather opposed by the edges 62 of the terminals which are stronger than the lances and can therefore withstand a greater axial force.
  • the terminals are more securely contained in the cavities.
  • a multi-contact electrical connector comprising an insulating housing having a plurality of contactreceiving cavities extending therethrough from the rearward face thereof to the mating face, each of said cavities having a rectangular cross-section, each of said cavities having a rearwardly facing shoulder therein which is proximate to said mating face and a forwardly facing shoulder therein which is proximate to said rearward face, said rearwardly facing shoulder being on a first sidewall of said cavity and said forwardly facing shoulder being on the sidewall which is opposite to said first sidewall, said forwardly facing shoulder of each cavity extending only partially thereacross and lying entirely on one side of the axial center line thereof,
  • each of said terminals having a rectangular cross-section conforming to the cross-sections of said cavities and having a forward edge and a rearward edge, said forward and rearward edges being spacedapart along the length of said contact terminal by a distance which is substantially equal to the distance between said shoulders,
  • each of said electrical contact terminals having a retention lance extending obliquely and rearwardly from one surface thereof, each retention lance bearing against said first sidewall of its respective cavity and being on the same side of said axial center line as the side of said forwardly facing shoulder, said retention lance biasing said terminal against said opposite sidewall whereby,
  • said forward edge of said terminal is in engagement with said rearwardly facing shoulder and said rearward edge of said terminal is maintained in engagement with said forwardly facing shoulder thereby to retain said terminal in said cavity.
  • a multi-contact electrical connector comprising: an insulating housing having a plurality of contactreceiving cavities extending therethrough from the rearward face thereof to the mating face, said cavities having rectangular cross sections, each of said cavities having a rearwardly facing shoulder therein which is proximate to said mating face and a forwardly facing shoulder therein which is proximate to said rearward face, said rearwardly facing shoulder being on a first side of said cavity and said forwardly facing shoulder being on a second side which is opposite: to said first side.
  • each of said terminals having a forward edge and a rearward edge, said forward and rearward edges being spaced-apart along the length of said terminal by a distance equal to the distance between said shoulders, the forward end of said contact terminal being on said ledge and said forward edge being against said rearwardly facing shoulder,
  • a connector housing adapted to receive electrical contact terminals of the type comprising a metallic body having forward and rearward edges and having a laterally extending lance struck from said metallic body, on one side of the axis of, said metallic body said housing comprising:
  • a block of insulating material having a plurality of contact receiving cavities extending therethrough from the rearward face thereof to the mating face thereof, said cavities having a rectangular crosssection
  • each of said cavities having a rearwardly facing shoulder proximate to said mating face and a forwardly facing shoulder proximate to said rearward face, said rearwardly facing shoulder being on a first sidewall of said cavity and forwardly facing shoulder being on a second sidewall of said cavity, each of said forwardly facing shoulders extending only partially across its respective cavity and lying are against said forwardly facing shoulders and said forward edges are against said rearwardly facing shoulders, said cavities being incapable of receiving said terminals in locking engagement when said terminals are in an orientation such that said Iances are on the same sides of said cavities as said first sidewalls.

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  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
US105208A 1971-01-11 1971-01-11 Electrical connector having improved contact retention means Expired - Lifetime US3699502A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10520871A 1971-01-11 1971-01-11

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US3699502A true US3699502A (en) 1972-10-17

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US105208A Expired - Lifetime US3699502A (en) 1971-01-11 1971-01-11 Electrical connector having improved contact retention means

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US (1) US3699502A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AR (1) AR192607A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AT (1) AT320781B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU454506B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE777846A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BR (1) BR7200117D0 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA960761A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH528158A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES398545A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2121703B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1336038A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT943999B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7200373A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE371049B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ZA (1) ZA718165B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3874763A (en) * 1973-11-26 1975-04-01 Amp Inc Plug for patch systems
US3901575A (en) * 1973-11-26 1975-08-26 Amp Inc Plug for patch systems
US3982805A (en) * 1974-11-29 1976-09-28 Amp Incorporated Electrical connector and housing therefor
US4080035A (en) * 1977-04-13 1978-03-21 Amp Incorporated Strain relief device
US4790777A (en) * 1986-09-24 1988-12-13 Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited Connector housing
US5239935A (en) * 1991-11-19 1993-08-31 Detroit Stoker Company Oscillating damper and air-swept distributor
US8845206B2 (en) 2011-03-29 2014-09-30 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus for plugging multiple connectors with spring loaded sleeves into an adapter simultaneously
US20150333466A1 (en) * 2014-05-13 2015-11-19 Lear Corporation Electric Connector With A Terminal Interface
US9455503B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2016-09-27 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector contact terminal
US9509094B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2016-11-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Board mount electrical connector with latch opening on bottom wall
US9509089B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2016-11-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector latch
US9553401B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2017-01-24 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector for strain relief for an electrical cable
US9948026B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2018-04-17 3M Innovative Properties Company Wire mount electrical connector

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4448477A (en) * 1982-03-19 1984-05-15 General Motors Corporation Electric socket terminal
GB8528748D0 (en) * 1985-11-22 1985-12-24 Re An Products Ltd Electrical connector

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE531393A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1953-10-01
US2352618A (en) * 1940-05-04 1944-07-04 Hugh H Eby Inc Plug-in socket device
US3058091A (en) * 1959-06-04 1962-10-09 Amp Inc Sheet metal pin socket
FR1330195A (fr) * 1962-05-07 1963-06-21 Jaeger Ets Ed Dispositif de verrouillage d'insertions démontables, notamment pour jonctions électriques
US3351894A (en) * 1961-11-27 1967-11-07 Amp Inc Connector
US3439314A (en) * 1967-01-19 1969-04-15 Amp Inc Laminate housing for electrical contacts or the like

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2352618A (en) * 1940-05-04 1944-07-04 Hugh H Eby Inc Plug-in socket device
BE531393A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1953-10-01
US3058091A (en) * 1959-06-04 1962-10-09 Amp Inc Sheet metal pin socket
US3351894A (en) * 1961-11-27 1967-11-07 Amp Inc Connector
FR1330195A (fr) * 1962-05-07 1963-06-21 Jaeger Ets Ed Dispositif de verrouillage d'insertions démontables, notamment pour jonctions électriques
US3439314A (en) * 1967-01-19 1969-04-15 Amp Inc Laminate housing for electrical contacts or the like

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3874763A (en) * 1973-11-26 1975-04-01 Amp Inc Plug for patch systems
US3901575A (en) * 1973-11-26 1975-08-26 Amp Inc Plug for patch systems
US3982805A (en) * 1974-11-29 1976-09-28 Amp Incorporated Electrical connector and housing therefor
US4080035A (en) * 1977-04-13 1978-03-21 Amp Incorporated Strain relief device
US4790777A (en) * 1986-09-24 1988-12-13 Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited Connector housing
US5239935A (en) * 1991-11-19 1993-08-31 Detroit Stoker Company Oscillating damper and air-swept distributor
US8845206B2 (en) 2011-03-29 2014-09-30 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus for plugging multiple connectors with spring loaded sleeves into an adapter simultaneously
US9455503B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2016-09-27 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector contact terminal
US9509094B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2016-11-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Board mount electrical connector with latch opening on bottom wall
US9509089B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2016-11-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector latch
US9553401B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2017-01-24 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector for strain relief for an electrical cable
US9728864B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2017-08-08 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector contact terminal
US9876285B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2018-01-23 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector contact terminal
US9948026B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2018-04-17 3M Innovative Properties Company Wire mount electrical connector
US10063006B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2018-08-28 3M Innovative Properties Company Wire mount electrical connector
US10290954B2 (en) 2012-02-07 2019-05-14 3M Innovative Properties Company Electrical connector contact terminal
US20150333466A1 (en) * 2014-05-13 2015-11-19 Lear Corporation Electric Connector With A Terminal Interface
US10128602B2 (en) * 2014-05-13 2018-11-13 Lear Corporation Electric connector with a terminal interface

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA960761A (en) 1975-01-07
IT943999B (it) 1973-04-10
AR192607A1 (es) 1973-02-28
DE2165675B2 (de) 1975-06-19
FR2121703B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-09-13
SE371049B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-11-04
BE777846A (fr) 1972-07-07
GB1336038A (en) 1973-11-07
AU454506B2 (en) 1974-10-31
BR7200117D0 (pt) 1973-05-17
CH528158A (de) 1972-09-15
NL7200373A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-07-13
ES398545A1 (es) 1975-06-01
FR2121703A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-08-25
AU3664571A (en) 1973-06-14
DE2165675A1 (de) 1972-07-20
ZA718165B (en) 1972-08-30
AT320781B (de) 1975-02-25

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