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US 7,458,839 B2Granted
Electrical connectors having power contacts with alignment and/or restraining features
AssigneeFCI Americas Technology, Inc.
InventorsHung Viet Ngo, Wilfred James Swain, Christopher G. Daily
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Preferred embodiments of power contacts have alignment features that can maintain conductors of the power contacts in a state of alignment during and after insertion of the power contacts into a housing.
Claims31
An electrical connector, comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a power contact mounted on the housing and comprising a first conductor and a second conductor that mates with the first conductor, wherein:
- the power contact is adapted to mate with a second power contact;
- the first conductor comprises a plurality of terminal ends and a projection that extends from a substantially planar surface of the first conductor;
- the projection has a peripheral surface oriented in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially planar surface;
- the second conductor has a surface that defines an aperture that receives the projection when the first and second conductors are mated;
- and the surface of the second conductor is oriented substantially in the first direction when the first and second conductors are mated so that interference between the peripheral surface of the first conductor and the surface of the second conductor restrains the second conductor from moving in relation to the first conductor.
5 more elements
A power contact, comprising:
- a first conductor comprising a major portion, and a pair of substantially cylindrical projections extending from a common surface of the major portion, each projection having a central axis that is substantially perpendicular to the common surface;
- and
- a second conductor comprising a major portion having a pair of apertures formed therein for receiving the projections, wherein interference between the projections and the apertures restrains the first conductor in relation to the second conductor when the first conductor is mated with the second conductor;
- and when the first and second conductors are mated, the power contact is adapted to mate with a second power contact.
1 more element
An electrical connector, comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a power contact mounted on the housing and comprising a first conductor mated with a second conductor, wherein
- the first conductor includes a first plate member, a first and a second contact beam adjoining the first plate member, and a projection adjoining and extending from the first plate member;
- the second conductor includes a second plate member defining an aperture formed therein, and a third and a fourth contact beam adjoining the second plate member;
- the aperture receives the projection when the first conductor is mated with the second conductor;
- the first contact beam opposes the third contact beam;
- the second contact beam opposes the fourth contact beam so that second and fourth contact beams form a contact blade;
- the first and third contact beams are configured to be pushed apart by a contact blade of a power contact of a mating connector when the connector is mated with the mating connector;
- and
- the second and fourth contact beams are configured to be received between a pair of contact beams of the power contact of the mating connector when the connector is mated with the mating connector so that the contact beams of the power contact of the mating connector clamp the second and fourth contact beams towards each other.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.