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US 6,250,974 B1Granted
Hoodless electrical socket contact
AssigneeTri-Star Electronics International, Inc.
InventorLeslie Laszlo Kerek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector terminal is disclosed including a cylindrical socket body with a spring contact inserted therein. The spring contact has a distal portion that establishes a press fit with the socket body. The socket body may be crimped over the distal portion to more securely hold the spring contact in the socket body. The spring contact further has a plurality of fingers which taper forwardly and inwardly to resiliently grab a male pin as it enters the socket.
Claims20
A two piece hoodless female contact for engaging a male pin comprising:
- a socket body forming one piece of the contact, the socket body having a first tubular portion and a second portion extending alone a longitudinal axis, the first portion having an axial hole therein defining an open free male contact receiving end, the second portion having an open wire-receiving end for connection with an electrical conductor;
- and
- a separate spring forming another piece of the contact, the spring being located in the axial hole defining the male contact receiving end of the first tubular portion, the spring including a forward portion and rear portion, the forward portion having a plurality of forwardly and inwardly extending fingers which terminate near the free male contact receiving end of the first tubular portion for resiliently grasping a male pin in close proximity to the free male contact receiving end.
A two piece female contact comprising:
- a cylindrically shaped socket body member formed as a single part comprising one piece of the contact, the socket body member having first and second tubular portions separated by a solid center portion extending along a longitudinal axis, the first tubular portion defining a first axially disposed blind bore with a free end for receiving a male contact, the second tubular portion defining a second axially disposed blind bore sized and shaped to receive an electrical conductor;
- and
- a separate male contact engaging spring forming another piece of the female contact, the spring being seated entirely in the first bore, the spring having front and rear portions, the front portion of the spring having a female coupling portion adjacent to the free end of the first tubular portion of the socket body member and the rear portion of the spring and the first tubular portion of the body member having cooperative securing means for securely holding the spring in fixed position within the body member.
A male/female contact system for coupling a male pin contact to a female socket contact, comprising:
- a male pin contact;
- a female socket contact formed in two separate pieces, the first piece being in the form of a tubular socket member having a first blind bore therein with an open free end and having a second blind bore therein sized and shaped for receiving an electrical conductor, the tubular socket member consisting of a single part;
- and
- the second piece of the female socket contact being a spring member in the form of a sleeve seated in the first blind bore of the tubular socket member and establishing a press fit therein to prevent movement of the spring member relative to the tubular socket member, the spring member having a forwardly extending female coupling portion terminating adjacent the open free end of the first blind bore, said male pin contact being inserted into the open free end and grasped by the female coupling portion.
1 more element
A method for making a two piece female socket contact comprising the steps of:
- forming a sleeve spring member having a rear end and a female coupling portion at a forward end;
- forming a separate one piece socket body having first and second tubular portions separated by a solid center section, each of the first and second portions having a wall surrounding a blind bore therein, the blind bore in the first tubular portion having a free open end for receiving the spring member and the blind bore in the second tubular portion adapted to receive a conductor;
- inserting the spring member entirely within the blind bore in the first tubular portion of the socket body to form a press fit with the female coupling portion being positioned adjacent to the free open end of the blind bore in the first tubular portion;
- providing an electrical conductor;
- and
- inserting the electrical conductor into the blind bore in the second tubular portion and crimping the wall of the second tubular portion onto the electrical conductor.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.