Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to an electrically insulating
material housing for an electrical terminal.
A housing is known, which is moulded from synthetic
plastics material in the form of a rectangular cross-section
tube to receive and retain a terminal for mating with a flat
tab inserted into the terminal through one end of the housing.
The terminal comprises a receptacle portion for receiving the
tab and a crimping ferrule portion which is axially aligned
with the receptacle portion and which is crimped about the
conductive core and insulation of an insulated wire prior
to insertion of the terminal into the housing. The recep-
tacle portion comprises a substantially flat base from the
edges of which extend a pair of inwardly rolled over arms
having their free ends directed towards the base such that
the tab can be received and gripped between the free ends
of the arms of the receptacle portion and the base, in
known manner.
The known housing has a bottom wall with a substantially
flat inner surface having a pair of spaced, axiallv extending
ribs thereon, along which ribs the base of the terminal rides
as the terminal is inserted into the housing, the base of
the terminal remaining resting on the ribs when the terminal
is in its final position retained in the housing.
The terminal is retained in tho housing by means of
stops formed at one end of the housing, up to which stops
the terminal can be inserted from the other end of the housing,
and a further stop intermediate the ends of the housing and
on the inner surface of the wall opposite the base wall of
the housin~,~which further stop extends substantially thé
width of the housinq, and engages behind the rolled over arms
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of the terminal when the terminal is fully inserted into the housing, thus
preventing withdrawal of the terminal from the housing in the direction
opposite to the insertion direction.
In view of the method of securing the terminal in the housing,
and the construction of the housing, which renders the housing relatively
rigid, it is essential that the terminal have dimensions, and particularly
a height dimension, within a relatively narrow range, since otherwise
either the terminal will not be insertable into the housing, or at least
sufficiently easily, or the terminal will not be secured in the housing by
the stops, when inserted into the housing.
! However, terminals within relatively wide dimension ranges are in
usej and there is a need for a housing which can be used with many different
size terminals.
According to this invention there is provided an electrically
insulating material housing for an electrical terminal comprising a recep-
tacle portion for receiving a flat tab and a crimping ferrule portion for
connection to a wire axially aligned with the receptacle portion, the
receptacle portion having a substantially flat base from the edges of which
extend a pair of inwardly rolled over arms having their free ends directed
towards the base such that the tab can be received and gripped between the
free ends of the arms and the base, the housing being in the form of a tube
having a pair of spaced parallel side walls joined by top and bottom walls,
the top wall, over a portion of its length, sloping inwardly from each side
wall of the housing towards the centre of the top wall, and carrying in said
portion a stop comprising two laterally spaced parts projecting into the
housing and arranged to engage behind the rolled over arms of said terminal
when inserted into the housing from one end, there being an inwardly
directed stop at the other end of the housing whereby an inserted terminal
becomes secured within the housing by engagement with the stops, and the
b~tto~ wall, beneath said portion of the top wall sloping outwardly from
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each side wall of the housing towards the centre of the bottom wall whereby
the base of the receptacle portion of an inserted terminal engages the
bottom wall of the housing substantially only along the lateral edges of
the base of the receptacle portion of the terminal.
The housing of this invention has the advantages that it is
relatively resilient, particularly in the height direction, and will thus
easily receive and effectively retain terminals within a relatively wide
range of dimensions, and particularly heights.
Preferably there is an inwardly directed rib extending axially
along the centre of the top wall of the housing from said other end of
the housing, which rib is received between the rolled over arms of a
terminal inserted into the housing, and serves to ensure insertion of a
terminal into the housing in the correct orientation.
This invention will now be described by way of example with
reference to the drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a terminal for reception in ahousing according to this invention, together with a flat tab for mating
with the terminal;
Figure 2 is an end view of a housing according to
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this inverltioll in -the direction of the arrow II in Figure
3;
Eiyure 3 is a section on the line III - III in Figure
2;
Fiyure 4 is a secl:ion on the line IV - IV in Figure
2;
Figure 5 is a view in the direction of the arrow V
in Figure 3; and
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing,
in cross-section, a terminal received in the housing.
! Figure 1 shows an electrical receptacle terminal 1 ~-
stamped and formed ~rom sheet metal, and comprising a recep-
tacle portion 2, a first crimping ferrule 3 crimped about the
conductive core 4 of an insulated wire 5, and a second
crimping ferrule 6 crimped about the insulation of the wire
5, all in known manner.
The receptacle portion 2 comprises a substantially
flat base 7 having a pair ~f inwardly rolled over arms 8
extending from the edges thereof, the free ends 9 of the
arms 8 being directed towards the base 7 such that an ele-
ctrical tab terminal 10 can be received and crimped between
the free ends 9 and teh base 7, in known manner.
Referring now to Figures 2 to 6, the housing 11 here
shown is moulded from electrically insulating plastics
material, and is in the form of a tube having a pair of
spaced parallel side walls 12 joined by top and bottom walls _
13 and 1~. The top wall 13 carries a pair of stops 15 which
project into the hvusing 11 and which are arranged to engage
behind the arms 8 of a terminal 1 when inserted into the
housina 11 from the end shown in Figures 2 and 6. Each stop
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15 has a sloping surface 16 which rides over an arm 8 as
the terminal 1 is inserted, until the stops 12 snap back
behind the arms 8 as shown in Figure 6. At the other end
of the housing 11, shown in Figure 5, there is an inwardly
directed stop 17 upstanding from the bottom wall 14, and a
pair of inwardly directed stops 18 depending from the top
wall 13, one adjacent each side wall 12, which stops 17
and 18 together serve to prevent the terminal 1 from leaving
the housing 11 from the other end (Figure 5) thereof, as shown
in Figure 6, and also to guide a tab (10 in Figure 1) into
the receptacle portion 2 of a terminal 1 in the housing 11
in the correct manner.
.~ An inwardly directed rib 19 extends axially along the
centre line of the top wall 13 of the housing 11 from the end
with the stops 17 and 18, which rib 19 is received between
the arms 8 of an inserted terminal 1, as shown in Figure 6,
and thus serves to ensure insertion of the terminal 1 into
the housing 11 in the correct orientation, incorrect inser-
tion being prevented by engagement of the base 7 of the
terminal 1 with the rib 19.
As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6, the top wall 13
of the housing 11 slopes inwardly from each side wall 12 of
the housing 11 towards the centre of the top wall 13, that
is towards the rib 19.
Further,as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6, the
bottom wall 14 of the housing 11 beneath the receptacle
portion 2 of an inserted terminal 1, slopes outwardly from
each side wall 12 of the housing 11 towards the centre of
the base wall 14. Thus, the base 7 of the receptacle portion 2
of an insertecl terminal 1 engages the bottom wall 14 of the
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housing only along the lateral edges of the base 7 of the
receptacle portion 2 of the terminal 1, as shown in Figure
6.
In view of the construction of the housing 11 des-
S cribed above, and particularly of the top and bottom walls
13 and 14 thereof, and the provision of two spaced stops 15
on the top wall 13, the housing 11 is relatively resilient,
particularly in the height direction, and this together with
the manner in which the base 7 of the receptacle portion 2
of an inserted terminal 1 engages the bottom wall 14 of the
housing 11, enables the housing 11 to receive and satisfactorily
retain by means of the stops 15, 17 and 18, terminals within
a wider range of sizes, and particularly heights, than known
housing, for example as described above.
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