Electrical contact and terminal assembly

#This invention relates to an improved structure for an electrical contact and terminal assembly, particularly of the type that provides a means for supplying an electrical current path from an outside source to internal circuits of an electrical device such as an electric motor. The improved structure is particularly suited for applications wherein the contacts rest against a motor driven component having an electrical contact surface thereon, such as a gear, and whereby the operation of the motor is controlled by the position of the contacts with respect to the contact surface on the gear.

#Contact and terminal assemblies, prior to this invention, have been structured such that the terminal and contact is fabricated from a conductive material, such as a spring tempered alloy, which is formed to a desired configuration and then molded into a block of plastic or nonconductive material. This assembly is then secured to the electrical device such that the terminals are available for connecting to an external source of power and provide a current path to contacts inside the device. A problem encountered with these prior structures is that after the terminal and contact is formed and then placed in a mold to produce an assembly, the formed terminal and contact is often inadvertently bent through handling or otherwise distorted during the molding operation.

#Another method used to fabricate this type assembly prior to this invention is to fabricate the terminal and contacts as separate parts then to secure them together with a rivet or eyelet. These secured parts are then placed in and secured to a nonconductive block. The problem of damaging or bending the terminals and contacts still exists, and in addition, the connection between the terminal and the contact provided by the rivet is a potential source for high resistance or open condition for the circuit.

#FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway view of a motor assembly showing a contact and terminal assembly in accordance with the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the contact and terminal assembly.

#FIGS. 3-A, 3-B, 3-C, are a top view, end view and side view, respectively, of the conductor prior to assembly into the block.

#The invention will be described herein relative to small, fractional horsepower motors which have been designed to facilitate assembly including automated assembly. It is to be understood that this invention has like applicability to other types of electrical devices which utilize electrical contacts and terminal assemblies and to various sized devices and to devices which are manually assembled.

#Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a dynamoelectric machine which is a motor having a housing 1 that encloses an armature. The armature includes shaft 2 which extends from the housing and has formed thereon a worm gear that meshes with the teeth on gear 3 so that as the armature rotates, the gear is driven in a conventional manner. Contact and terminal assembly 4, is shown secured to cover plate 5. Terminal ends 6, 7 and 8 are provided for connecting to electrical leads. These leads may extend to a power source and/or a manual control switch or to a control to indicate position or some other control aspect relating to the motor, all of which are shown. The terminal ends are dimensioned to be compatible with conventional mating terminals provided on the ends of the electrical leads.

#Each of the terminals extend through block member 9 to the underside of cover plate 5 where each are formed and positioned to serve as a contact that rests upon gear 3 as indicated by points 10, 11 and 12. In the preferred arrangement, the terminals 6, 7 and 8 and contacts 10, 11 and 12 are each respectively formed from a suitable copper alloy having spring temper, although it is understood other materials could be used. Each of the terminals extends through a cavity defined by the block and then serves as a spring contact that rides against the gear. Each then, in the preferred form, is a continuous metal conductor.