Female electrical contact with stop for resilient contact

A female electrical contact for electrically engaging a male electrical contact, the female contact comprising a base section with side walls extending upwardly from both sides of said base section, and a resilient contacting strip extending rearward from the front of said base section and having a bent section adjacent the front of said base section, said resilient contacting strip extending upward relative to said base section to make electrical contact with a male contact inserted into said female contact along the upper surface of said resilient contacting strip, said female electrical contact being characterized by:

• at least one protrusion extending between said resilient contacting strip and an adjacent side wall, said protrusion engaging a surface located below said resilient contacting surface upper surface to prevent deflection of said resilient contacting strip beyond the limit of elastic deformation;
• and
• a first protrusion extends from said resilient contacting strip through a cut-out in said side wall adjacent the front of said resilient contacting strip and a second protrusion, adjacent the midsection of said resilient contact strip, is punched inwardly from said at least one of said side walls to form a projection below said resilient contacting strip.

A receptacle contact for use in an electrical system, said contact comprising:

• a receptacle section having a cavity for receiving a further contact therein;
• a deflectable beam disposed in said cavity, said beam comprises a pair of spring means located at opposed locations of said beam for generating biasing forces at the opposed locations of said beam as said further contact is inserted in said cavity and engages said beam, at least one of said spring means is integral with said receptacle section.