Electrical connector assembly with coil spring terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12401149-B2
Application number	US-202217888978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2022
Priority date	Aug 16, 2022
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical receptacle terminal configured to receive a corresponding electrical plug terminal therein. The electrical receptacle terminal has a helical coil spring. The electrical connector assembly further includes a cable terminal attached to an end of a conductor of an electrical cable. The coil spring is in compressive contact with the cable terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
an electrical receptacle terminal having a helical coil spring configured to receive a corresponding electrical plug terminal therein; and
an insulative housing having a cavity in which the receptacle terminal is disposed, an end of the coil spring being in compressive mechanical contact with a cable terminal attached to an end of a conductor of an electrical cable, said cable terminal defining a spherical sector shaped electrical contact in compressive mechanical contact with the electrical receptacle terminal.

2. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein another end of the coil spring has a first portion of the coil spring that is configured to receive the electrical plug terminal and provide a plurality of electrical contact points between the coil spring and the electrical plug terminal.

3. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of coils of the coil spring in the first portion of the coil spring is less than a diameter of coils in the coil spring at the another end.

4. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the electrical cable is arranged generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the coil spring.

5. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the coil spring is contained within an electrically conductive sleeve at least partially radially surrounding the coil spring.

6. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive sleeve defines a tab feature configured to retain the electrically conductive sleeve and the coil spring within the cavity.

7. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the coil spring is a first coil spring, wherein the electrical connector assembly further comprises a second coil spring partially disposed within the electrically conductive sleeve and in compressive mechanical contact with a cable terminal attached to an end of a conductor of an electrical cable.

8. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7 , wherein coils of the second coil spring outside of the electrically conductive sleeve are touching one another when the coil spring is in a relaxed condition.

9. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
an electrical receptacle terminal having a helical coil spring configured to receive a corresponding electrical plug terminal therein, a first portion of the coil spring being contained within an electrically conductive sleeve at least partially radially surrounding the coil spring and coils of the coil spring in a second portion of the coil spring outside of the electrically conductive sleeve are touching one another when the coil spring is in a relaxed condition; and
an insulative housing having a cavity in which the receptacle terminal is disposed.

10. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
an electrical receptacle terminal configured to receive a corresponding electrical plug terminal therein;
a cable terminal attached to an end of a conductor of an electrical cable;
a coil spring having a first end attached to the electrical receptacle terminal and a second end in compressive mechanical contact with a spherical sector shaped electrical contact of the cable terminal; and
an insulative housing having a cavity in which the receptacle terminal and coil spring are disposed.

11. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein coils of the coil spring located proximate the second end are touching one another when the coil spring is in a relaxed condition.

12. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein a portion of the receptacle terminal is disposed within a first portion of the coil spring and wherein coils of the coil spring in a second portion of the coil spring in which the electrical receptacle terminal is not disposed are touching one another when the coil spring is in a relaxed condition.

13. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the portion of the electrical receptacle terminal received within the coil spring is rod-shaped.

14. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the cable terminal is an electrically conductive sphere attached to the end of a conductor of an electrical cable.

15. The electrical connector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first end of the coil spring is in compressive contact with a rod-shaped portion of the electrical receptacle terminal.

Assignees

• Aptiv Technologies AG

Inventors

• Morello John R
• Rainey James M
• Lee Joon
• Messuri Michael

Classifications

• H01R13/2421

  using coil springs · CPC title

• H01R13/111

  co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section · CPC title

• H01R4/5058

  using a ball · CPC title

• H01R4/4872

  axially compressed to retain wire end · CPC title

• H01R13/33

  Contact members made of resilient wire · CPC title