# US 10,312,619 B2 · Contact sleeve for plug-and-socket devices

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- Number: US 10,312,619 B2
- Document ID: US10312619B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/569,341
- Filed: 2016-05-02
- Published: 2018-11-01
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-21
- Assignees: AMAD Mennekes Holding GmbH & Co. KG
- Applicants: AMAD Mennekes Holding GmbH & Co. KG
- Inventors: Markus Lubeley; Peter Epe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312619B2

## CPC

- H01R 13/111: {co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section}
- H01R 13/187: with spring member in the socket
- H01R 43/16: for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
- H01R 2201/26: for vehicles
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A plug-and-socket device includes a plug pin, and a contact sleeve having a cavity extending in a direction of an insertion axis for receiving the plug pin. The contact sleeve includes at least two contact fingers arranged in parallel relationship to one another around the cavity and configured to move elastically apart while expanding the cavity when the plug pin is inserted. At least one of the at least two contact fingers is formed on an inner side in facing relation to the cavity with at least one depression which lies in a contact surface on the inner side and defines with the contact surface an edge angle of less than approx. 100°. The contact surface represents on the inner side of the contact finger a surface which comes into contact with the plug pin, when the plug pin is inserted.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plug-and-socket device, comprising:
a plug pin; and
a contact sleeve having a cavity extending in a direction of an insertion axis for receiving the plug pin, said contact sleeve including at least two contact fingers arranged in parallel relationship to one another around the cavity and configured to move elastically apart while expanding the cavity when the plug pin is inserted, at least one of the at least two contact fingers being formed on an inner side in facing relation to the cavity with a plurality of depressions which lie in a contact surface on the inner side and define with the contact surface an edge angle of less than approx. 100°, each depression having a beginning and an end with respect to the direction of an insertion axis, said contact surface representing on the inner side of the contact finger a surface which comes into contact with the plug pin, when the plug pin is inserted, and said contact surface bordering both the end and the beginning of each said depression with respect to the direction of the insertion axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the edge angle is less than approx. 91°.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressions are arranged in a distal half of the cavity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressions are sized to cover between approx. 20% and approx. 80% of an area of the inner side of the contact finger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of depressions are sized sized to cover between approx. 30% and approx. 70% of an area of the inner side of the contact finger.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two contact fingers includes a respective depression of said plurality of depressions such that the respective depression on one of the contact fingers and the respective depression on the other one of the contact fingers jointly form a groove which surrounds the insertion axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two contact fingers contacts the plug pin in a section perpendicular to the insertion axis at two points which are separated by a gap between the plug pin and the one of the at least two contact fingers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the contact surface on the inner side of the at least one of the at least two contact fingers is of circular-cylindrical or frustoconical shape defined by a radius which is smaller than a radius of the plug pin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the inner side of each of the at least two contact fingers is coated at least on the contact surface of each of the at least two contact fingers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 9, wherein the inner side of each of the at least two contact fingers is coated with nickel and/or silver.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The plug-and-socket device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to taper towards a distal end of the contact sleeve, said contact sleeve including a carrier body to carry the at least two contact fingers, said at least two contact fingers and the carrier body being produced from a raw material without bends.