Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1211175
WIRE-SLOT TYPE ELECTRICAL TERMINAL
INTENDED FOR MATING With A TERMINAL TAB
This invention relates to electrical terminals of the type
having aligned parallel plate-like members at one end and
conductor-receiving slots in the plate-like members and two pairs
of contact arms at the other ends thereof with a transition
section between the plate-like members and the contact portion.
U . S. Patent 4,159 ,158 describes a sheet metal electrical
terminal comprising parallel spaced apart plate-like members
which have aligned conductor-receiving slots. The terminal
further has a contact portion comprising side-by-side arms that
extend from the plate-like members and which engage a
complementary contact terminal when the two terminals are
mated. Terminals of the type shown in US. Patent 4,159,158
have come into widespread usage and are highly regarded for
the reason that a conductor can be connected to the terminal by
merely moving the conductor laterally of its axis and into the
conductor-receiving slots. A variety of tools and automatic
machines have been developed for connecting individual
conductors to terminals contained in an insulating housing.
Terminals of the general type described in the above-identified
Us patent thus permit manufacture of electrical harnesses at
minimum cost and in a variety of forms.
Presently available terminals of the general type shown in
US. Patent 4,159,158 are somewhat limited as regards the
characteristics of the contact portion of the terminal. The
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terminal shown In that patent has a contact portion comprising
side-by-side arms which receive a complementary terminal post
between their opposed surfaces. Because of the manner in
which these terminals are manufactured, the side-by-side arms
5 cannot conveniently be resiliently biased against each other and
the terminal is therefore limited with regard to the amount of
contact force which can be developed when the terminal is mated
with a complementary/ terminal. Under some circumstances, a
relatively high contact force is required and existing terminals of
10 the type shown in U . S. Patent 4,159,158 are incapable of
satisfying the requirement of a high contact force.
In accordance with one aspect thereof, the invention is
directed to the achievement of a terminal of the general type
disclosed in U. S. Patent 4 ,159,158 having contact arms which are
15 resiliently biased against each other thereby to provide a
relatively high contact force when the terminal is mated with a
complementary terminal.
A further shortcoming of terminals of the general type
shown in U . S . Patent 4 ,159 ,158 is that when such terminals are
20 assembled to a multi conductor connector, the terminals must be
positioned in side-by-side spaced apart relationship and the
contact portions of the terminals are such that the connector
cannot be designed to be mated with a plurality of simple
terminal tabs which are disposed in parallel planes with each
25 terminal located relatively close to its immediate neighbors. It is
common practice in the manufacture of many electrical devices to
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provide simple rectangular tabular tabs in spaced apart
relationship with the tabs in parallel planes and a connector for
an array of tabs must be capable of being mated with the tabs.
In accordance with a further aspect thereof, the present
5 invention is directed to the achievement of a terminal which can
be assembled to a connector housing and which can be mated
with closely spaced terminal tabs in side-by-side relationship
with the tabs in parallel spaced apart planes.
The invention comprises a stamped and formed electrical
10 terminal of the type having a conductor-receiving end and a
contact end, a conductor-receiving portion which extends from
the conductor-receiving end, a contact portion which extends
from the contact end, and a transition portion which is between
the conductor-receiving portion and the contact portion. The
15 conductor-receiving portion comprises first and second aligned
flat plate-like members which are connected to each other, the
plate-like members having aligned conductor-receiving slots 50
that a conductor can be moved laterally of its axis and into the
conductor-receiving slots. The transition portion and the
20 contact portion extend from the firs and second plate-like
members. The terminal is characterized in that the transition
portion comprises firs and second extensions of the plate-like
members and first and second U-shaped sections. The first and
second extensions extend from the first and second plate-like
25 members con~rergently towards a medial plane that is parallel to,
and between, the first and second potluck members. Each of
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the U-shaped sections comprises a web and sidewalls, the webs
extending from the extensions and being on each side of the
medial plane. The sidewalls extend away from the medial plane.
The contact portion comprises first and second pairs of contact
5 arms which extend from the sidewalls of the first and second
U-shaped sections. The arms of each pair of contact arms have
free ends which have opposed contact zones whereby a conductor
which is in the conductor-receiving slots will lie in the plane of
a terminal tab which is inserted between the contact zones of the
10 first and second pairs of contact arms.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the transition
sections are secured to each other by an ear which extends from
the web of one of the Unshaped sections and which is interlocked
with the web of the other U-shaped section.
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an electrical terminal in
accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a flat blank from which
the terminal of Figure 1 is produced by forming operations;
FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are views similar to Figure 2 but
20 illustrating the successive forming operations which are
performed on the blank prior to bending the blank into the
shape of the finished terminal, and
FIGURE 6 is a view showing a plurality of terminal tabs on
a support, such as a circuit board, and showing a connector
25 containing terminals in accordance with the invention in
alignment with the terminal tabs.
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Referring first to Figure 1, a terminal 2 in accordance with
the invention is of stamped and formed sheet metal, such as
brass, and has a conductor-receiving portion 4, a contact or
mating portion 6, and a transition section 8 which is between the
conductor-receiving portion end the contact portion.
The conductor-receiving portion comprises a pair of parallel
plate-like members 10, aye which are connected together at their
upper ends 12 (as viewed in Figure 1) by spaced-apart
connecting straps 14. The plate-like members are provided with
aligned wire-receiving slots 16, aye so that a wire 50 can be
connected to the terminal by moving the wire laterally of its axis
and into the slots as shown in Figure 6.
The transition section 8 comprises first and second flat
extensions 18, aye of the first and second plate-like members 10,
1 Ox . The extensions 18, aye are inclined inwardly towards each
other and towards a medial plane which extends parallel to the
planes of the plate-like members 10, aye and is midway between
the plate-like members. The extensions 18, aye have converging
side edges 20, aye and 22, aye which are integral with the flat
web portions 26, aye of U-shaped sections 24, aye. The
U-shaped sections have sidewalls 28, 30, aye, aye extending from
the webs 26, aye, the sidewalls extending in opposite directions
from the side edges of the web portions. The web portions are
parallel to each other and are on each side of, and adjacent to,
the medial plane.
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First and second pairs of contact arms 32, 34, aye, aye
extend from the sidewalls of the U-shaped sections 24, aye to
the free ends 36, aye of the terminal. The arms of each pair
are inclined towards each other and are against each other in
S the vicinity of contact zones 40, aye. The portions which
extend beyond the contact Jones are curved outwardly and away
from each other to facilitate relating of the terminal with a
terminal tab 52.
Terminals as shown in Figure 1 are produced by stamping
and forming as shown in Figures 2 to 5. In these Figures, the
same reference numerals, differentiated by prime marks, are
used to indicate the portions of the blank as are used to identify
the parts of the finished terminal.
The terminals are produced in the form of continuous strip
with the ends of each blank 2' integral with carrier strips 44,
aye. In addition it will be understood that each terminal is
connected to the next adjacent terminals in the strip by
additional carrier strips which extend from the connecting strips
14', Figure 2. These additional connecting strips or carrier
strips are not shown in the interest of clarity and facility. In
the forming operation, the contact arms 32', 34', aye', aye' are
first bent upwardly from the plane of the blank and the outer
ends of the arms are curled downwardly as viewed in Figure 3.
Thereafter, the triangular extensions 18', aye' are bent as shown
in Figure 4 so that the U-shaped sections 24', aye' are disposed
in a plane which is parallel to but beneath the plane of the
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central portion of the blank. Thereafter, the sidewalls of the
blank are bent upwardly as shown in Figure 5 to bring the
contact zones 40, aye against each other. When the final
bending operation is carried out as shown in Figure 5, the arms
5 will be resiliently biased against each other so that a relatively
high contact force will be achieved when the terminal is mated
with a terminal tab 52.
In the final forming operation, the terminal is bent along
bend lines 46, aye to place the first and second plate-like
10 members 10, aye in parallel spaced apart planes.
Advantageously, a latching ear 42 extends from the web 26' and,
after the final bending operation, this latching ear is bent
through an angle of 180 degrees as shown in Figure 1 so that
the two sections of the terminal will be latched to each other.
Terminals as shown in Figure 1 are used with an insulating
housing 48 that has the capability of accommodating a plurality
of terminals 2 in side-by-side spaced apart relationship. As
shown in Figure 6, the terminal tabs for which the terminal 2 is
intended are usually positioned in parallel spaced apart planes on
20 a support member 54. By virtue of the fact that the terminal 2
receives a tab 52 which is in a plane extending through the
aligned slots 16, aye, the terminals can be placed on relatively
close centers in the connector housing 48.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that terminals in
25 accordance with the invention can be produced by relatively
simple stamping and forming operations involving only forming of
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the arms 32, 34, aye, aye, bending of the sidewalls as shown in
Figure 5, and then bending of the first and second plate-iike
members to produce the terminal in Figure 1. It should be
noted that the sidewalls 28, 30, aye, aye extend at an angle of
substantially 90 degrees to their respective webs 26, aye and
this sidewall bending operation is carried out after the flat
transition sections 18, aye are bent downwardly as shown in
Figure 3. All of these bending operations can be carried out
with relative ease in a progressive stamping and forming die.
There is no necessity for forming operations which require the
production of complex shapes in the transition zone.
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