Wire-to-wire connector with splice contact portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11545763-B2
Application number	US-202117148886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2021
Priority date	Feb 10, 2020
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

A contact for a wire-to-wire electrical connector includes a first contact portion defining a first wire receiving opening to receive a first wire and a second wire receiving opening to receive a second wire. The contact further includes a splice contact portion abutting the first contact portion and defining a third wire receiving opening to receive a third wire. The first contact portion also includes a first plurality of contact tines to electrically connect the first wire and the second wire and the splice contact portion includes a second plurality of contact tines to electrically connect the third wire to the first wire and the second wire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contact for a wire-to-wire electrical connector, the contact comprising:
a first contact portion defining:
a first wire receiving opening to receive a first wire; and
a second wire receiving opening to receive a second wire; and

a splice contact portion abutting the first contact portion and defining a third wire receiving opening to receive a third wire, wherein the first contact portion and the splice contact portion extend parallel to each other along a first direction, and wherein the first contact portion is longer than the splice contact portion in the first direction,
wherein the first contact portion comprises a first plurality of contact tines to electrically connect the first wire and the second wire; and
wherein the splice contact portion comprises a second plurality of contact tines to electrically connect the third wire to the first wire and the second wire.

2. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the contact is disposed with a housing comprising:
a first portion comprising a plurality of latching prongs disposed around a periphery of the first portion; and
a second portion comprising a plurality of cutouts disposed around the periphery of the second portion,
wherein each of the plurality of latching prongs is configured to engage with one of the plurality of cutouts to define a volume;
wherein the contact is disposed within the volume; and
wherein the second portion and the first portion upon interlocking define:
a first opening to receive the first wire;
a second opening to receive the second wire; and
a third opening to receive the third wire.

3. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion and the splice contact portion are formed from a single sheet of a conductive material.

4. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of contact tines of the first contact portion comprises a first set of contact tines adjacent to a first end of the first contact portion and a second set of contact tines adjacent to a second end of the first contact portion, and wherein the second plurality of contact tines of the splice contact portion comprises a third set of contact tines adjacent to the first end of the first contact portion.

5. The contact of claim 4 , wherein each of the first set of contact tines and the second set of contact tines comprises:
a first contact tine on a first wall of the first contact portion;
a second contact tine on a second wall of the first contact portion, wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall;
a third contact tine on a third wall of the first contact portion; and
a fourth contact tine on a fourth wall of the first contact portion, wherein the fourth wall is opposite the third wall,
wherein the first contact tine and the second contact tine are offset from the third contact tine and the fourth contact tine.

6. The contact of claim 5 , wherein:
the first contact tine and the second contact tine are disposed at a first distance from the first end of the first contact portion;
the third contact tine and the fourth contact tine are disposed at a second distance from the first end of the first contact portion; and
the second distance is greater than the first distance.

7. The contact of claim 4 , wherein the third set of contact tines comprises a first contact tine on a first wall of the splice contact portion and a second contact tine on a second wall of the splice contact portion, and wherein the second wall is opposite to the first wall.

8. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion further comprises a tab on a first wall of the first contact portion and a recess on a second wall of the first contact portion, wherein the tab is configured to engage with the recess to define the first wire receiving opening and the second wire receiving opening.

9. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the splice contact portion further comprises a tab on a first wall of the splice contact portion and a recess on a second wall of the splice contact portion, wherein the tab is configured to engage with the recess to define the third wire receiving opening.

10. The contact of claim 1 , wherein the splice contact portion further comprises a wire guide to guide the third wire through the second plurality of contact tines.

11. A contact for a wire-to-wire connector, the contact comprising:
a first contact portion comprising:
a first wire receiving opening to receive a first wire;
a second wire receiving opening to receive a second wire;
a first tab on a first wall of the first contact portion and a first recess on a second wall of the first contact portion, wherein the first tab is configured to engage with the first recess to define the first wire receiving opening and the second wire receiving opening; and

a splice contact portion abutting the first contact portion and comprising:
a third wire receiving opening to receive a third wire; and
a second tab on a third wall of the splice contact portion and a second recess on a fourth wall of the splice contact portion, wherein the second tab is configured to engage with the second recess to define the third wire receiving opening.

12. The contact of claim 11 , wherein the first contact portion further comprises a third tab on the first wall and a third recess on the second wall, wherein the third tab is configured to engage with the third recess, and wherein the first tab and the second tab are adjacent to a first end of the first contact portion and the third tab is adjacent to a second end of the first contact portion.

13. The contact of claim 11 , wherein the first recess and the second recess abut each other.

14. The contact of claim 11 , wherein the first contact portion further comprises a first set of contact tines adjacent to a first end of the first contact portion and a second set of contact tines adjacent to a second end of the first contact portion to electrically connect the first wire and the second wire, and wherein the splice contact portion comprises a third set of contact tines adjacent to the first end to electrically connect the third wire to the first wire and the second wire.

15. The contact of claim 14 , wherein the splice contact portion further comprises a set of wire guides adjacent to the first end to guide the third wire between the third set of contact tines.

16. A contact for a wire-to-wire connector, the contact comprising:
a first contact portion comprising:
a first tab on a first wall of the first contact portion;
a first recess on a second wall of the first contact portion, wherein the first tab is configured to engage with the first recess to define a first wire receiving opening to receive a first wire and a second wire receiving opening to receive a second wire; and
a plurality of contact tines to electrically connect the first wire to the second wire.

17. The contact of claim 16 , further comprising a splice contact portion abutting the first contact portion.

18. The contact of claim 17 , wherein the first portion and the splice contact portion are formed from a single metal sheet.

Assignees

• Kyocera Avx Components Corp

Inventors

• Lybrand Brent

Classifications

• H01R11/07

  the connecting locations being of the same type but different sizes · CPC title

• H01R13/14

  Resiliently-mounted rigid sockets · CPC title

• H01R11/09

  the connecting locations being identical · CPC title

• H01R4/70

  Insulation of connections (end caps H01R4/22) · CPC title

• H01R4/48 Primary

  utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member (H01R4/52 takes precedence) · CPC title