Electrical connector contact terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10290954-B2
Application number	US-201715638879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Feb 7, 2012
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin. The arcuate base portion connects the second ends of the first and second arms.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical terminal comprising:
a retaining portion for retaining the terminal in a connector housing, the retaining portion configured to prevent a downward movement of the electrical terminal;
a connecting portion extending from the retaining portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with a first electrical conductor; and
a contact portion extending from the retaining portion and comprising spaced apart substantially parallel first and second arms, the first arm being closer to the retaining portion, the second arm being farther from the retaining portion, the first arm and second arm each comprising a curved portion extending in the same direction, such that when the contact portion mates with a mating contact pin, the curved portion of only the second arm makes physical contact with a side of the mating contact pin.

2. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , such that when the curved portion of the second arm makes physical contact with the mating contact pin, the first and second arms deflect.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Mathews Alexander R
• Neu Steven A
• Feldman Steven

Classifications

• H01R13/6315

  allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection (for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R4/2433

  one part of the base being movable to push the cable into the slot · CPC title

• H01R12/675 Primary

  with contacts having at least a slotted plate for penetration of cable insulation, e.g. insulation displacement contacts for round conductor flat cables · CPC title

• H01R12/79

  connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures · CPC title

• H01R4/242 Primary

  the contact members being plates having a single slot · CPC title