High-current electrical terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10644431-B2
Application number	US-201916427442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	Aug 1, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a first-housing having a first-electrical-terminal, and a second-housing including a second-electrical-terminal disposed within a protective-shroud. The second-electrical-terminal includes a planar blade-shaped isolator formed of a dielectric material. The planar blade-shaped isolator has a spine, a tip, and a web. The tip includes a plurality of locating-tabs extending along the longitudinal-axis from a mid-line of the tip and overlaying the web. The second-electrical-terminal has a conductor formed of a single piece of electrically conductive-material. The conductor has a first-side that overlays a second-side and defining a U-shaped bend and a gap between the first-side and the second side. The gap is configured to receive the plurality of locating-tabs.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electrical connector, comprising:
a first-housing having a first-electrical-terminal; and
a second-housing having a second-electrical-terminal disposed within a protective-shroud;
the second-electrical-terminal including a planar blade-shaped isolator formed of a dielectric material;
the planar blade-shaped isolator having a spine, a tip, and a web;
the tip including a plurality of locating-tabs extending along a longitudinal-axis from a mid-line of the tip and overlaying the web;
the second-electrical-terminal having a conductor formed of a single piece of electrically conductive-material;
the conductor having a first-side that overlays a second-side and defines a U-shaped bend and a gap between the first-side and the second side;
wherein the gap is configured to receive the plurality of locating-tabs; and
wherein the web extends in a lateral direction from and normal to a side of the spine along the longitudinal-axis and terminates at the tip.

2. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the conductor includes a conductive stand-off located intermediate the first-side and the second-side of the conductor such that the first-side and the second-side are in further electrical contact through the conductive stand-off.

3. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the tip extends along a lateral-axis normal to the spine.

4. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spine extends along the longitudinal-axis.

5. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped bend is aligned parallel to and opposite the spine.

6. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the conductor includes a plurality of conductive stand-offs located intermediate the first-side and the second-side.

7. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the plurality of conductive stand-offs are integrally formed in the conductor and are positioned proximate to edges of the conductor.

8. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the plurality of conductive stand-offs are integrally formed in both the first-side and the second-side of the conductor.

9. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the plurality of conductive stand-offs have an interlocking-feature that inhibits a movement of edges of the conductor along a transverse-axis orthogonal to both the longitudinal-axis and a lateral-axis.

10. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the web includes a locking-tab and the conductor defines an aperture, wherein the locking-tab is disposed within the aperture.

11. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locating-tabs define a plurality of shoulders that extend beyond the tip, and the conductor further defines a plurality of corresponding notches, wherein the plurality of shoulders are disposed within the plurality of corresponding notches.

12. The electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first-side of the conductor lays in relief of both the spine and the tip along a transverse-axis orthogonal to both the longitudinal-axis and a lateral-axis.

13. An electrical-terminal, comprising:
a planar blade-shaped isolator formed of a dielectric material, the planar blade-shaped isolator having a spine, a tip, and a web;
the tip including a plurality of locating-tabs extending along a longitudinal-axis from a mid-line of the tip and overlaying the web; and a conductor formed of a single piece of electrically conductive-material;
the conductor having a first-side that overlays a second-side and defines a U-shaped bend and a gap between the first-side and the second side;
wherein the gap is configured to receive the plurality of locating-tabs;
wherein the web extends in a lateral direction from and normal to a side of the spine along the longitudinal-axis and terminates at the tip; and
wherein the spine extends along the longitudinal-axis.

14. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the conductor includes a conductive stand-off located intermediate the first-side and the second-side of the conductor such that the first-side and the second-side are in further electrical contact through the conductive stand-off.

15. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the tip extends along a lateral-axis normal to the spine.

16. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the U-shaped bend is aligned parallel to and opposite the spine.

17. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the conductor includes a plurality of conductive stand-offs.

18. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the plurality of conductive stand-offs are located intermediate the first-side and the second-side.

19. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the plurality of conductive stand-offs are integrally formed in the conductor and are positioned proximate to edges of the conductor.

20. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the plurality of conductive stand-offs are integrally formed in both the first-side and the second-side of the conductor.

21. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the web includes a locking-tab and the conductor defines an aperture, wherein the locking-tab is disposed in the aperture.

22. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the plurality of locating-tabs define a plurality of shoulders that extend beyond the tip, and the conductor further defines a plurality of corresponding notches, wherein the plurality of shoulders are disposed within the plurality of corresponding notches.

23. The electrical-terminal in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the first-side of the conductor lays in relief of both the spine and the tip along a transverse-axis orthogonal to both the longitudinal-axis and a lateral-axis.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Reedy Patrick Joseph
• Mellott Michael L
• Marzo Steven William
• Robison Glenn E
• Lui Hoi
• Subramanian Sudhakar
• Sundarakrishnamachari Rangarajan

Classifications

• H01R24/66

  with pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• H01R43/16

  for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending · CPC title

• H01R4/185

  combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion · CPC title

• H01R13/115

  U-shaped sockets having inwardly bent legs, e.g. spade type · CPC title

• H01R2101/00

  One pole · CPC title