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US 12,567,705 B2Granted
Electrical terminal with secondary sacrificial contact beam
AssigneeTE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
InventorsBrian Keith Weaver, Andrew B. Fortier, William James Moyer, II, David Patrick Orris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical terminal having a mating portion having at least one primary contact beam and at least one sacrificial contact beam. The at least one primary contact beam has a contact width. The at least one sacrificial contact beam having a recess provided in line with the at least one primary contact beam, the recess having a recess width which is equal to or greater than the first width of the primary contact beam.
Claims17
An electrical terminal comprising:
- a mating portion having at least one primary contact beam and at least one sacrificial contact beam;
- the at least one primary contact beam having a primary contact width, the at least one primary contact beam extending from a main body of the terminal, the at least one primary contact beam having a first arcuate contact portion;
- the at least one sacrificial contact beam extending from the main body of the terminal and being spaced from the at least one primary contact beam, the at least one sacrificial contact beam has a second arcuate contact portion, the at least one sacrificial contact beam having a recess provided in line with the at least one primary contact beam, the recess having a recess width which is equal to or greater than the primary contact width of the primary contact beam, the recess extending from a first surface of the second arcuate contact portion of the at least one sacrificial contact beam in a direction away from the at least one primary contact beam and toward a second surface of the second arcuate contact portion of the at least one sacrificial contact beam;
- wherein the recess of the at least one sacrificial contact beam does not engage a center portion of a mating terminal when the mating terminal is inserted into the mating portion.
1 more element
An electrical terminal comprising:
- a mating portion having at least one primary contact beam and at least one sacrificial contact beam;
- the at least one primary contact beam having a primary contact width, the at least one primary contact beam having a first arcuate contact portion;
- the at least one sacrificial contact beam has a second arcuate contact portion, the at least one sacrificial contact beam having a recess provided in line with the at least one primary contact beam, the recess having a recess width which is equal to or greater than the primary contact width of the primary contact beam;
- the at least one sacrificial contact beam having fixed ends, transition portions, and a lead in surface, the transition portions extend between the fixed ends and the second arcuate contact portion, the transition portions extend at an angle from the fixed ends wherein the second arcuate contact portion is positioned in a plane which is offset from a plane of the fixed ends when the at least one sacrificial contact beam is in an unstressed position.
1 more element
An electrical terminal comprising:
- a mating portion having at least one primary contact beam and at least one sacrificial contact beam;
- the at least one primary contact beam having a primary contact width;
- the at least one sacrificial contact beam having a recess provided in line with the at least one primary contact beam, the recess having a recess width which is equal to or greater than the primary contact width of the primary contact beam,
- contact surfaces are provided on an arcuate contact portion of the at least one sacrificial contact beam at either side of the recess, the contact surfaces are spaced apart by the recess width;
- wherein upon the insertion of a mating terminal in the mating portion, the contact surfaces of the arcuate contact portion of the at least one sacrificial beam engage the mating terminal prior to the mating terminal engaging the at least one primary contact to allow an arc discharge to occur between the mating terminal and the contact surfaces of the second arcuate contact portion of the at least one sacrificial contact beam of the terminal.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.