Wave spring having uniformly positioned projections and predetermined spring

An electrical connector assembly of the type having matable electrical connectors which are each of the type having a terminal-containing insert retained within a shell, at least one of which is of the type in which the shell includes a first part axially movable toward a second part and against a spring means therewithin upon axial mating to assure biased engagement with the other connector, the connectors further being of the type whose shells are rotated during connector mating from an uncoupled position to a coupled position, the spring means of said one connector comprising:

• (a) a spring washer disposed between first and second annular washer means disposed between annular flange means of said first and second shell parts of said connector;
• (b) said spring washer disposed substantially in a common plane when unstressed and having a top and a bottom surface, said washer having a predetermined radial width, thickness, internal diameter, material modulus and external diameter;
• (c) said top surface including at least one top surface projection extending upwardly therefrom each at a respective selected position therearound;
• (d) said bottom surface including at least one bottom surface projection extending downwardly therefrom each at a respective selected position therearound remote from a said selected position of any said top projection;
• and
• (e) each said top and bottom surface projection formed into a shape to be substantially incompressible under load,
• whereby said washer is deflectable under load between said first and second annular washer means having been urged toward each other a distance no greater than said predetermined height of the smaller of the top and bottom surface projections to a spacing at least equal to the thickness of the metal plus said predetermined height of the longer of said top and bottom surface projections to assume a wave shape and is operable to provide and consistently maintain a spring tension deflection in response to a given load.

A method of providing a spring having uniformly positioned surface projections and predetermined spring tension deflection, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a washer disposed substantially in a common plane when unstressed and having a top and a bottom surface, said washer having a predetermined radial width, thickness, internal diameter, material modulus, external diameter and natural modulus;
• (b) providing on said top surface at least one top surface projection extending upwardly therefrom each at a respective selected position therearound;
• (c) providing on said bottom surface at least one bottom surface projection extending downwardly therefrom each at a respective selected position remote from a said selected position of any said top surface projection;
• and
• (d) each said top and bottom surface projection formed into a shape to be substantially incompressible under load.

A method providing a spring having uniformly positioned surface projections and a predetermined spring tension deflection (f), said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a washer having a top and a bottom surface, said washer having a predetermined radial width (R), a mean diameter (D.sub.m), outside diameter (D.O.), inside diameter (D.I.), modulus of material (e), thickness (t), and spring constant (k), said washer operable to provide a spring tension deflection (f) in response to a given load (P);
• (b) providing at least one radially extending top surface projection (n), each said top surface projection on said top surface of said washer having a predetermined height (H.sub.n);
• and
• (c) providing at least one radially extending bottom surface projection (n), each said bottom surface projection on said bottom surface of said washer having a predetermined height (H.sub.f),
• each said top and bottom surface projection being formed into a shape to be substantially incompressible under load;
• and
• (d) providing a given load (p) to said at least one top surface projection and said at least one bottom surface projection of said washer;
• whereby said washer is deflectable under load between opposing parallel surfaces urged toward each other a distance no greater than the lesser of H.sub.n and H.sub.f to a spacing W at least equal to the thickness of the metal (t) plus the greater of H.sub.n and H.sub.f to assume a wave shape and is operable to provide and consistently maintain said spring tension deflection which may be calculated:
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