Electrical connection terminal for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12374819-B2
Application number	US-202217965249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2022
Priority date	Oct 14, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

An electrical connection terminal for a vehicle is capable of securing structural stability of an electrical connection with a mating terminal. The electrical connection terminal includes a terminal body, provided with a pair of spring couplers facing each other with a predetermined distance therebetween, and a pair of contact springs, respectively assembled to the pair of spring couplers and configured to electrically connect the terminal body to a mating terminal by being brought into contact with the mating terminal inserted between the pair of spring couplers, wherein the contact spring includes a spring body assembled on an outer side of the spring coupler, and a plurality of mating terminal contacts provided independently of each other on the spring body and elastically brought into contact with the mating terminal when the mating terminal is inserted between the pair of spring couplers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical connection terminal for a vehicle comprising:
a terminal body provided having a pair of spring couplers facing each other, the pair of spring couplers being separated by a predetermined distance; and
a pair of contact springs secured to the pair of spring couplers and configured to electrically connect the terminal body to a mating terminal by being brought into contact with the mating terminal inserted between the pair of spring couplers;
wherein each contact spring comprises:
a spring body positioned on an outer side of the spring coupler; and
a plurality of mating terminal contacts provided independently of each other on the spring body, and elastically brought into contact with the mating terminal when the mating terminal is inserted between the pair of spring couplers;
wherein the plurality of mating terminal contacts are divided into a first mating terminal contact, positioned at a front side of the mating terminal contact with respect to an insertion direction of the mating terminal between the spring couplers, and a second mating terminal contact, positioned at a rear side of the first mating terminal contact;
wherein the first mating terminal contact comprises a first front end integrally formed with the spring body and a first rear end separated from the spring body; and
wherein the second mating terminal contact comprises a second front end integrally formed with the spring body and a second rear end separated from the spring body.

2. The electrical connection terminal of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mating terminal contacts are positioned on the spring body separated by a predetermined distance.

3. The electrical connection terminal of claim 1 , wherein the spring body surrounds the spring coupler of the terminal body in a closed loop structure, and is fitted on an outer side of the spring coupler.

4. The electrical connection terminal of claim 3 , wherein each of the pair of spring couplers comprises a plurality of spring-fixing holes, and the spring body comprises a plurality of elastic joints fixedly caught in the spring-fixing holes when the spring body is fitted on the outer side of each of the spring couplers.

5. The electrical connection terminal of claim 4 , wherein the spring coupler comprising a stopper configured to allow the spring body to be assembled at a predetermined position on each of the spring couplers, and the spring body is fitted on the outer side of each of the spring couplers up to a point at which the spring body is brought into contact with the stopper.

6. The electrical connection terminal of claim 1 , wherein the spring body comprises a terminal lance fixedly caught on a locking protrusion formed on an inner side portion of a connector housing, and wherein the terminal lance is caught on the locking protrusion when the electrical connection terminal is assembled to an inner side of the connector housing to prevent the electrical connection terminal from escaping from the connector housing.

7. The electrical connection terminal of claim 1 , wherein the terminal body comprises a circuit connector connected to a predetermined electrical circuit, and wherein the circuit connector is integrally formed with at least one of the spring couplers.

8. The electrical connection terminal of claim 1 , wherein the mating terminal contact extends from the spring body, and is formed in an arc-shaped curved structure.

9. The electrical connection terminal of claim 8 , wherein the mating terminal contact comprises a plurality of contact dots protruding from a central portion of the mating terminal contact, and wherein the contact dots are brought into contact with the mating terminal, which is inserted between the pair of spring couplers.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Kyungshin Corp

Inventors

• Jung Yun Jae
• Yoo Seung Min
• Kim Byeong Kyu
• Yoon Jun Il
• Kim Jae Hyung

Classifications

• H01R13/62

  Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60R16/02

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• H01R13/432

  by stamped-out resilient tongue snapping behind shoulder in base or case · CPC title

• H01R13/113

  co-operating with pins or blades having a rectangular transverse section · CPC title