Connector terminal with resilient contacts

#Devices such as antennas are often formed on or within the front or rear windows of an automotive vehicle. In order to electronically connect the antenna to an associated device (such as a radio or telephone), an electrical terminal, usually a male terminal, is soldered to the glass in communication with the antenna. A female terminal which is at the end of a cable connected to the associated device is then mated with the male terminal located on the glass.

#In some applications, the male terminal has a male circular post and the mating female terminal may have a cup shaped female socket having four resilient contact tabs for engaging the circular post. The contact tabs are bent inwardly into the socket for resilient engagement. The cup shaped socket of the female terminal is usually staked or riveted to a base piece which in turn is crimped to a conductor within the cable and housed within an insulative cover. Such a female socket is often used for low power applications such as antennas but is not suitable for devices such as rear window defrosters which require higher power.

#The present invention provides a female connector terminal which is suitable for both low power and high power applications. The present invention connector terminal includes a base with an opening extending therethrough. The opening is surrounded by an inner border of the base. A series of resilient contacts extend away from the base from the inner border to form a socket. The contacts have opposed surfaces which are spaced apart from each other and positioned to define the socket. The contacts have tips that extend in an outwardly direction relative to the opening to allow easy insertion into and removal of a male terminal from the socket. A securement portion on the base allows a conductor to be secured to the connector terminal.

#The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

#FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention connector terminal positioned above a mating circular male connector for engagement therewith.

#FIG. 2 is a top view of the insert for the connector terminal shown in FIG. 1.

#A description of preferred embodiments of the invention follows. Referring to FIG. 1, female connector terminal 10 includes a circular female socket 26 for engaging the circular post 16a of a circular male connector 16 to provide electrical communication therebetween. Typically, the male connector 16 has a base 16b that is soldered to a metallic contact 15a, for example, on the rear window or windshield 15 of an automotive vehicle. The contact 15a is in electrical communication with an electrical device formed on or within the glass such as an antenna or window defroster. Male connector 16 may be similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,616, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The female connector terminal 10 is located at the end of a cable 11 which is electrically connected to equipment associated with the electrical device, such as a radio, a telephone, or window defroster controls. Connector terminal 10 includes a sheet metal insert 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3) having a series of outwardly curved resilient contacts 28 which form the female socket 26. Insert 12 is crimped to cable 11 and is housed and protected by a polymeric cover 14. A circular opening 40 in the bottom 21 of the cover 14 provides access for male connector 16 to engage socket 26.

#Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, insert 12 has a generally planar base 17 having a socket portion 18 containing socket 26, and a securement or crimping portion 20. The socket portion 18 has a curved generally circular end 18a and an opening 31 extending through the central part of socket portion 18. The series of contacts 28 which form socket 26 are bent from the inner border of the base 17 surrounding opening 31 and extend away from the base 17. As a result, socket 26 is substantially offset relative to the plane of base 17. The contacts 28 are arranged in a generally circular pattern and are equally spaced apart from each other. The tips 28a of contacts 28 curve outwardly relative to the opening 31. The securement portion 20 has an elongate planar portion 24 extending from socket portion 18. Two pairs of crimping tabs 20a and 20b extend from opposite sides of portion 24 for crimping to the conductor 13 and insulation 11a of cable 11 for securement thereto. After being crimped to cable 11, insert 12 may be pushed into the interior cavity 14a of cover 14 through rear opening 48 (FIG. 1) wherein socket 26 is aligned with the opening 40 in the bottom 21 of cover 14.

#In use, when connector 10 is engaged with circular male connector 16, the male connector 16 is inserted into socket 26 and resiliently deflects contacts 28 outwardly as the male connector 16 enters socket 26. The interior cavity 14a of cover 14 (FIG. 1) extends above socket 26 a sufficient distance so that the top of male connector 16 may extend past socket 26. The resilient contacts 28 press radially inwardly against the post 16a of male connector 16 with sufficient pressure to maintain electrical communication therebetween. Since the tips 28a of the contacts 28 curve outwardly, connector terminal 10 is easily insertable and removable from male connector 16 because the tips 28a of contacts 28 do not dig into the post 16a of male connector 16 when the contacts 28 slide relative to post 16a. The eight contacts 28 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 provide sufficient contact surface area between the contacts 28 and the male connector 16 to provide power to higher power devices such as a rear window defroster. Connector 10 is also suitable for low power signal applications such as radio and telephone antennas.