Genderless electric terminals for vehicles
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorJoel Allen Pittenger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for genderless electric terminals of vehicles. An example genderless electric terminal includes a first arm, a second arm opposite the first arm, and a wall integrally connecting the first arm and the second arm to define a slot. The example genderless electric terminal also includes a first flexible contact extending from an end of the first arm and protruding into the slot to engage a first arm of a different genderless electric terminal that is inserted into the slot.
Claims20
A genderless electric connector comprising:
- a base;
- an arched arm extending from the base in a first direction;
- and
- a first arm and a second opposing arm extending from the base in the first direction adjacent to the arched arm to define a slot extending in the first direction adjacent to the arched arm, the arched arm configured to be inserted into another slot of another genderless electric connector and the slot configured to receive another arched arm of the other genderless electric connector to connect to the other genderless electric connector.
The genderless electric connector of claim 13, wherein the flange includes a flat surface that facilitates engagement to a surface of the other genderless electric connector when the arched arm is inserted into the other slot of the other genderless electric connector.
A genderless electric connector comprising:
- a first convex arm including a first distal end;
- a second convex arm integrally connected and opposite to the first convex arm, the second convex arm including a second distal end;
- and
- an inner surface formed by and defining a slot between the first convex arm and the second convex, the inner surface to engage another arm of another genderless electric connector when the other arm is inserted into the slot, the first distal end and the second distal end to retain the other arm in the slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.