Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 337~1
This invention relates to a me-thod of making
an electrical connector and more particularly to a socket
contact.
Prior Art
Socket contacts as used heretofore were stamped
from sheet material and the width of the contacting surface
was controlled by the stock thickness. Furthermore, the
sheared surfaces formed the contact surfaces in the finished
contact and they were rough due to the shearing action of
the die. The tines had relatively high spring rate and
the large forces on small contact areas resulted in rapid
wear of the contacts. Connectors as used heretofore were
difficult to design to meet the controlling force require- '
ments and changes in the engaging and separating forces
required expensive die changes.
According to the present invention there is
provided a method for ma~ing a socket contact by stamping
the contact with a die from a strip of conducting material, ~'
the method includes the steps of piercing a pilot hole in ',
the strip for locating the strip relative to the die and
piercing a hole in the strip to relieve stresses when
splitting the strip. A V-notch is pierced in the strip
spaced from the hole and in line with that hole. Excess
material is removed adjacent the notch and the strip is
split from the notch to the hole to form a pair of tines,
extending from the strip. Radii are formed in the tines
to offset the tines at opposite sides of the strip, and
the tines are bent adjacent the stri, to converge laterally '
until their ends overlap. The tines are then bent to preload ,~
the tines in mating position. A body and wire wrap are , , '
stamped from the strip integral with the tines, and the
contact is severed from the strip.
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313379~L
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A plurali-ty of socket contacts may be stamped
simultaneously from the strip but each contact is formed
sequentially in the steps described above as the strip
moves from one position to another.
Drawings
FIGURE 1 is an isometric view partly cut away
showing a connector constructed according to the invention,
FIGURE 2shows the sequence of steps for forming
an electrical socket contact constructed accordiny tQ the
invention, and .
FIGURES 3 and 4 are detailed views taken on the :
lines 3-3 and 4-4 of FIGURE 2 in the direction oE the arrows.
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1~98379~
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Detailed Description of the Invention
Referring to the drawings, the novel electrical
eonneetor shown in FIGURE 1 and eonstrueted aecording
to the invention, eomprises a reeeptaele 1 and a plug
3 separably mateable with one another. Reeeptaele 1
ineludes a body 5 of rigid insulating material in
whieh a plurality of pin contaets 7 are mounted and
extend into a eavity 9 in one faee of the reeeptaele
body.
Plug 3 ineludes a body 11 of rigid insulating
material with an outwardly extending portion 13 whieh
fits within eavity 9 of the reeeptaele. A plurality
of novel soeket contacts 15 constructed according to
the invention àre suitably mounted in apertures 16 in
body 11. Soeket eontaets 15 reeeive pin contacts 7
when reeeptacle 1 and plug 3 are engaged.
Each socket contact 15 comprises a body 17 having
a pair of spring loaded tines 19 formed integrally
therewith. The tines are the same thiekness as body
17 and are approximately one-half the width of the
body, The tines are offset from the plane o~ the body
by eurved portions 21 ad~aeenk body 17 and eonverge
laterally in two directions from the body with their
ends remote from the body overlapping and opposing
one another. The opposing surfaces provide a relatively
large contact surface. Curved portions 21 are formed
and arranged to yieldingly urge the tines toward one
another to provide good electrieal contact with the
associated pin contact 7. An aperture 23 is formed
in the body at the ends of the tines to alleviate
stresses when laneing the soeket contact as described
837~3~
hereinafter. A wire wrap 25 for connecting electrical
conductors extends axially from the body and is formed
integrally therewith. -
The socket contacts may be retained in plug body
3 in any suitable manner and in the present arrangement
a projection 27 is provided on the contact body 17
which engages the rigid insulating material in the
aperture 16 of plug body 3.
The associated pin contact 7 in receptacle body
5 is made of flat or round conducting material with
the forward end 28 tapered to facilitate insertion into
the associated socket contact. The pin contact has a
shank portion 29 which, in the embodiment shown, is
bent at right angles with a portion extending exteriorly
of the receptacle body for providing a wire wrap to
connect electrical conductors. The pin contact may be
maintained in body 5 in any suitable manner and in
the present arrangement body 5 is molded about the pin
contacts.
The socket contacts are die stamped from a thin
strip 31 of electrically conducting material, such as
phosphor bronze tin or gold plated on both sides as shown
in FIGURE 2. A plurality of socket contacts are stamped
simultaneously but each contact is formed sequentially
in the following steps as the material moves from one
position to the next relative to the die. The strip
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is piloted in previously punched pilot holes 30 in the :~
2nd to 12th positions and the following operations are
performed simu].taneously on the strip at the positions
indicated:
Postion
1 Pierce pilot hole 30 ~:
2 Pierce French stop 32
3 Pierce oblong hole 23
4 Pierce V-notch 36 in alignment
with hole 23
Remove portion of strip.38
between ad~acent V-notches
6, 7 Remove excess material 40 to
form contact blank 42
8 Slit contact blan~ 42 from V-notch ~
36 to oblong hole 23 to form tines .-~-
19 by lancing and bend ends of tines
in opposite directions
9 Form radii 21 to offset tines at
opposite sides of the strlp
Bend tines 19 ad~acent oblong hole 23
.. to converge laterally until their ends
overlap (See FIGURE 3)
11 Bend tines 19 to preload contacts
in mating position (See FIGURE 4)
12 Stamp body I7 and wire wrap 25
~nd sever contact from strip.
1138379:~
A socket contact constructed according to the
invention is stamped from a strip of plated sheet material
with the tines positioned edge to edge. With this arrange~
ment the contact surfaces can be made any desired width
and the width is not dependent on the thickncss of the
materiai from which the contact is stamped. The material
can be plated prior to stamping because the plated surface
forms the contact surface and the die cuts only the edges
of the tines and n~t the contact surfaces. Also the plug
contact can be stamped from flat material and can be
made as wide as the tines of the socket contact to provide
large contact areas with the tines. A plurality o~ s,ocket
contacts can be stamped simultaneously from the strip of
material even though each contact is formed sequentially
as the strip moves from one position to another.
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