Receptacle terminal with stable contact geometry
AssigneeTe Connectivity Corporation
InventorsDavid Tracy HUMPHREY, Raymond L. LANDON, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A receptacle terminal for receipt of a mating terminal therein. The receptacle terminal includes a contact portion having a bottom wall and resilient arms which extend from either side of the bottom wall. The bottom wall has a raised portion with a first embossment position proximate a lead-in surface at a mating end of the contact portion. The bottom wall has a second embossment spaced from the first embossment, the first and second embossments providing additional strength and stability to the contact portion to prevent unwanted bending of the terminal. This provides a stable electrical connection while allowing for a lower insertion force of the mating terminal into the socket terminal.
Claims20
A receptacle terminal for receipt of a mating terminal therein, the receptacle terminal having a contact portion comprising:
- a bottom wall and resilient arms which extend from either side of the bottom wall, the bottom wall having a raised portion with a first embossment positioned proximate a lead-in surface at a mating end of the contact portion, the bottom wall having a second embossment spaced from the first embossment, the first embossment being a thin generally rectangular rib member which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the contact portion, creating an indent on an outer surface of the bottom wall and a raised bump on an inner surface of the bottom wall, the first and second embossments providing additional strength and stability to the contact portion to prevent unwanted bending of the terminal and to achieve the desired normal force for the insertion of a mating terminal.
(canceled)
A receptacle terminal for receipt of a mating terminal therein, the receptacle terminal having a contact portion comprising:
- a bottom wall and resilient arms which extend from either side of the bottom wall, the bottom wall having a raised portion with a first embossment positioned proximate a lead-in surface at a mating end of the contact portion, the bottom wall having a second embossment spaced from the first embossment, the first embossment being a thin generally rectangular rib member which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the contact portion, creating an indent on an outer surface of the bottom wall and a raised bump on an inner surface of the bottom wall, the first and second embossments providing additional strength and stability to the contact portion to prevent unwanted bending of the terminal:
- a spring arm extends from the bottom wall, the spring arm has a third embossment which extends from the spring arm to create a raised area on the inner surface of the spring arm.
A receptacle terminal for receipt of a mating terminal therein, the receptacle terminal having a contact portion comprising:
- a bottom wall and resilient arms extending from either side of the bottom wall, the bottom wall having a raised portion with a first rib positioned proximate a lead-in surface at a mating end of the contact portion, the bottom wall having a second rib spaced from the first embossment, the first and second ribs extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the contact portion to provide additional strength and stability to the contact portion to prevent unwanted bending of the terminal;
- the resilient arms have arcuate portions which extend from the bottom wall to mating terminal engaging members, the mating terminal engaging members extend from the arcuate portions toward the bottom wall in a direction which is essentially perpendicular to the plane of the bottom wall, the mating terminal engagement surfaces are positioned at a top of a mating slot, the arcuate portions provide the resiliency to allow the mating terminal engaging member to move relative to the bottom wall as the mating terminal is inserted into the mating slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.