Electrical one-piece double-ended receptacle contact and electrical connector comprising such a contact

Abstract

Electrical one-piece double-ended receptacle contact (11) made from a material having good spring properties, the contact having the form of a tube (13) and comprising a first and a second socket contact portion (25, 27) at opposed axial ends (41, 43) of the receptacle contact (11) for receiving a first and a second, respectively, mating pin contact (29, 33);a compliant middle portion (28) interconnecting the two socket contact portions (25, 27); and a tube wall (15) which is interrupted over its entire length by an axial slot (17); the tube length being divided by a first and a second circumferential slot (19, 20), said circumferential slots (19, 20) being axially spaced from each other by a middle section of the tube (13), each of said circumferential slots (19, 20) having a first circumferential end where the connection between the middle section and the associated one of the socket contact portions is interrupted in a circumferential direction, and a closed second circumferential end which has a predetermined circumferential distance from the axial slot (17) so that the remaining wall portion between the axial slot (17) and the closed second circumferential end of the respective circumferential slot (19, 20) forms a first web (31) and a second web (32), respectively, connecting the middle section to the associated one of the socket contact portions (25, 27); the thickness of the tube wall (15) and the diameter and axial length of each socket contact portion (25, 27) being designed such that the mating pin contact (29, 33) with which the respective socket contact portion (25, 27) is to be mated is received in said socket contact portion (25, 27) in a resiliently compliant tight fit which substantially prevents axial movement of the respective mating pin contact (29, 33) relative to the associated socket contact portion (25, 27) upon the occurrence of axially exerted forces less than forces required for mating or unmating the mating pin contact (25, 27); the axial length of the middle section (28) and the circumferential and axial extensions of the webs (31, 32) being dimensioned to allow three axis compliance of the receptacle contact (11) at least reducing relative movements between the socket contact portions (25, 27) and the mated pin contacts (29, 33).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.