Electrical terminal and connector with improved retention means
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorShinichi Aihara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical terminal includes an elongated planar body portion defining generally parallel opposite sides and opposite edges. A contact portion extends forwardly of the body portion, and a terminating portion extends rearwardly of the body portion. The body portion includes a retention section having a retention nib coined out of each edge of the body portion, with each retention nib defining a generally planar surface offset from one side of the body portion and generally parallel thereto. The planar surfaces of the retention nibs are adapted for engaging one side of a passage in a connector housing, as the opposite side of the body portion engages the opposite side of the passage.
Claims14
An electrical terminal, comprising:
- an elongated planar body portion defining generally parallel opposite sides and opposite edges;
- a contact portion extending forwardly of the body portion;
- a terminating portion extending rearwardly of the body portion;
- and
- the body portion including a retention section having a retention nib coined out of each edge of the body portion and defining a generally planar surface offset from one side of the body portion and generally parallel thereto,
- the body portion adapted so that the planar surfaces of the retention nibs engage one side of a passage in an appropriate housing as the opposite side of the body portion engages the side of the passage opposite the one side.
An electrical connector, comprising:
- a dielectric housing;
- a plurality of terminal-receiving passages in the housing, each passage including, in cross-section, generally parallel opposing sides and opposite ends;
- and
- a plurality of terminals received in the passages, each terminal including
- an elongated planar body portion defining generally parallel opposite sides and opposite edges,
- a contact portion extending forwardly of the body portion,
- a terminating portion extending rearwardly of the body portion, and
- the body portion including a retention section having a retention nib coined out of each edge of the body portion and defining a generally planar surface offset from one side of the body portion and generally parallel thereto, the body portion adapted so that the planar surfaces of the retention nibs engage one of the opposing sides of a respective one of said terminal-receiving passages and the opposite side of the body portion engages the side of the passage opposite the one side.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.