Electrical connector contact terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9455503-B2
Application number	US-201314364447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2013
Priority date	Feb 7, 2012
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

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 contact terminal comprising:
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 comprising:
a first arm extending downwardly and comprising a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end;
a second arm extending downwardly and comprising a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion, the second arm being configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin; and
an arcuate base portion connecting the second ends of the first and second arms, wherein the base portion includes first and second retaining portions and the first arm includes a third retaining portion, and wherein the first, second and third retaining portions are configured to retain and position the electrical contact terminal in a connector housing.

2. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first arm and the arcuate base portion is configured to deflect when the second arm makes electrical contact with a mating contact pin.

3. The electrical contact terminal of claim 2 , wherein the deflection includes a rotation about a longitudinal axis of the first arm.

4. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein a width of the second arm tapers from the second end of the second arm to the free first end of the second arm.

5. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms do not lie in a same plane.

6. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein when the second arm deflects when making contact with a mating contact pin, the deflection creates a stress distribution that extends to the first arm.

7. The electrical contact terminal of claim 6 , wherein the stress distribution ranges from about 0 psi to about 165K psi.

8. The electrical contact terminal of claim 6 , wherein the stress distribution ranges from about 25K psi to about 165K psi.

9. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the contact portion is J-shaped.

10. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the contact portion is U-shaped.

11. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the contact portion can withstand a normal force of about 250 grams without yielding.

12. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second arm includes a curvilinear contacting portion positioned at the free first end.

13. The electrical contact terminal of claim 12 , wherein the contacting portion faces away from the base portion.

14. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second arm includes a rib configured to increase the stiffness of the second arm.

15. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second arm is configured to deflect toward a major plane of the base portion when it makes electrical contact with a mating contact pin.

16. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first retaining portion comprises a shell-shaped portion.

17. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first retaining portion extends from a first major surface of the electrical contact terminal and is configured to retain and longitudinally position the electrical contact terminal in a connector housing.

18. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first retaining portion is configured to prevent downward movement of the electrical contact terminal during termination of the electrical conductor.

19. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second retaining portion comprises a wedge-shaped portion.

20. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the second retaining portion extends from a side surface of the base portion and is configured to retain and laterally position the electrical contact terminal in a connector housing.

21. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the third retaining portion comprises a curved portion.

22. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the third retaining portion extends from a second major surface of the electrical contact terminal and is configured to retain and laterally position the electrical contact terminal in a connector housing.

23. The electrical contact terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and the base portion do not lie in a same plane.

24. The electrical contact terminal of claim 23 , wherein the second arm includes a curvilinear contacting portion positioned at the free first end.

25. The electrical contact terminal of claim 24 , wherein the contacting portion faces toward the base portion.

26. The electrical contact terminal of claim 23 , wherein the second arm is configured to deflect away from a major plane of the base portion when it makes electrical contact with a mating contact pin.

27. An electrical contact terminal comprising:
a base portion;
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 comprising:
a first arm extending forwardly at a first end of the contact portion attached to the base portion; and
a second arm extending forwardly at an opposite second end of the contact portion, the first and second arms being configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.

28. The electrical contact terminal of claim 27 , wherein the first and second arms extend at opposing sides of the contact portion.

29. The electrical contact terminal of claim 27 , wherein the first and second arms each include a curvilinear contacting portion extending from a major surface thereof.

30. The electrical contact terminal of claim 29 , wherein the contacting portions extend from the arms toward each other.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Mathews Alexander R
• Neu Steven A
• Feldman Steven

Classifications

• 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

• 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

• H01R13/432

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