US 5,848,920 AGranted

Fabrication of electrical terminals for edge card connectors

AssigneeMolex Incorporated

InventorsDaniel Thomas Klein, Gregory R. Pratt, Kent E. Regnier

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Abstract

An elongate strip of electrical terminals adapted to be inserted into a row of terminal-receiving passages in connector housing is disclosed. The strip includes a series of terminals joined by a mid-carrier strip and includes alternating first and second terminals. The terminals have base portions with retention sections adapted to be inserted into the terminal-receiving passages. Spring arms having contact portions extend from first ends of the base portions. Tail portions extend from second, opposite ends of the base portions. The mid-carrier strip joins the alternating first and second terminals at the base portions of the first terminals and at the spring arm of the second terminals. A second carrier strip joins the tips of the tail portions of only the first terminals so that the adjacent ends of the second terminals can be formed independent of the first terminals.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An elongate strip of conductive electrical terminals adapted to be inserted into a row of terminal-receiving passages in a connector housing, comprising:

a series of terminals joined by a generally planar carrier strip and including alternating first and second shapes of terminals;
the first shape of terminal including a generally planar base portion in the plane of said carrier strip, said base portion having a retention section for mounting the terminal in a respective one of the terminal-receiving passages, a tail portion projecting from one end of the base portion, and a resilient spring arm having a contact portion extending from an opposite end of the base portion and having at least a portion thereof projecting out of the plane of said carrier strip;
the second shape of terminal including a generally planar base portion in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said carrier strip, said base portion having a retention section for mounting the terminal in a respective one of the terminal-receiving passages, a tail portion projecting from one end of the base portion, and a resilient spring arm having a contact portion extending from an opposite end of the base portion, the spring arm of the second shape of terminal having at least a portion thereof projecting out of the plane of said carrier strip and including a section offset laterally of the base portion thereof;
and
the carrier strip joining the alternating first and second shapes of terminals at the base portions of the terminals of the first shape and at the offset sections of the spring arms of the terminals of the second shape.

2 more elements

An elongate strip of electrical terminals adapted to be inserted into a row of terminal-receiving passages in a connector housing, comprising:

a series of terminals joined by a generally planar carrier strip and including alternating first and second shapes of terminals;
the first shape of terminals including a generally planar base portion in the plane of said carrier strip, said base portion having a retention section for mounting the terminal in a respective one of the terminal-receiving passages, a deflectable spring arm having a contact portion extending from one end of the base portion and having at least a portion thereof projecting out of the plane of said carrier strip, and a tail portion extending from an opposite end of the base portion;
the second shape of terminals including a generally planar base portion in a plane generally parallel to the plane of said carrier strip, said base portion having a retention section for mounting the terminal in a respective one of the terminal-receiving passages, a deflectable spring arm having a contact portion extending from one end of the base portion and having at least a portion thereof projecting out of the plane of said carrier strip, and a tail portion extending from an opposite end of the base portion, the retention section and tail portion of the second shape of terminals being offset laterally of the retention section and tail portion of the first shape of terminals by a portion of the spring arm of the second shape of terminal;
the carrier strip joining the first and second shapes of terminals at points between the retention sections and tips of the spring arms thereof;
and
tips of the tail portions of the first and second shapes of terminals being generally coplanar.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.