High current female electrical contact assembly

A female electrical connection device comprising:

• a housing having a passage configured to receive a male conductor, wherein the housing includes spaced apart first and second sidewalls formed of a non-deformable material such that the sidewalls are in a constant fixed position relative to each other, and wherein the passage extends along a longitudinal axis and is defined at least in part by the first and second sidewalls;
• an electrical contact assembly comprising a first conductive element located adjacent the first sidewall and a second conductive element located adjacent the second sidewall and a screw terminal within which at least a portion of the first and second conductive elements are received,
• wherein the first conductive element and second conductive element define an open conductor insertion space therebetween that is in communication with the passage wherein at least a portion of the first conductive element has an undulating configuration that defines at least a pair of longitudinally spaced conductor engagement areas and a pair of longitudinally spaced sidewall engagement areas, and wherein, when the male conductor is inserted into the passage between the first and second conductive elements, the pair of sidewall engagement areas of the first conductive element engage the first sidewall at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced location along the length of the sidewall and the pair of conductor engagement areas of the first conductive element electrically engage the male conductor at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the male conductor.

A method of constructing a female electrical contact assembly comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having a passage configured to receive a male conductor, wherein at least a portion of the housing includes sidewalls formed of a non-deformable material such that the sidewalls are in a constant fixed position relative to each other, and wherein the passage extends along a longitudinal axis and is defined at least in part by spaced apart first and second sidewalls;
• arranging a first conductive element adjacent the first sidewall and a second conductive element adjacent the second sidewall so as to selectively receive the male conductor therebetween;
• and
• coupling a screw terminal to an end of the first and second conductive element, wherein the screw terminal is configured to secure the first and second conductive elements to one another and to electrically couple the first and second conductive elements to a second conductor,
• wherein the first conductive element and second conductive element define an open conductor insertion space therebetween, wherein the first conductive element and the second conductive element each have a portion having an undulating configuration that defines at least a pair of longitudinally spaced conductor engagement areas and a pair of longitudinally spaced sidewall engagement areas, and wherein when the male conductor is inserted into the passage between the first and second conductive elements, the pair of sidewall engagement areas of the first conductive element engage the first sidewall at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the first sidewall and the sidewall engagement areas of the second conductive element engage the second sidewall at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the second sidewall and the pair of conductor engagement areas of the first conductive element and the second conductive element electrically engage the male conductor at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the male conductor.

A female electrical contact arrangement adapted for engagement with a male blade-type electrical conductor, comprising:

• a housing having a passage configured to receive the male conductor, wherein at least a portion of the housing is defined by spaced apart first and second sidewalls formed of a non-deformable material that define the passage, wherein the first and second sidewalk are in a constant fixed position relative to each other, and wherein the passage extends along a longitudinal axis;
• a first conductive element located adjacent the first sidewall;
• a second conductive element located adjacent the second sidewall;
• and
• a screw terminal selectively engageable with a first end of the first conductive element and the second conductive element, wherein the screw, terminal is configured for engagement with a portion of an electrical connection device,
• wherein the first conductive element and second conductive element define an open conductor insertion space therebetween;
• wherein at least the first conductive element has an undulating configuration that defines at least a pair of longitudinally spaced conductor engagement areas and a sidewall engagement area therebetween;
• and wherein, when the male conductor is inserted into the passage between the first and second conductive elements, the sidewall engagement arca of the first conductive element engages the first sidewall and the pair of conductor engagement areas of the first conductive element electrically engage the male conductor at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the male conductor.

A method of constructing a female electrical contact assembly comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having a passage configured to receive a male conductor, wherein at least a portion of the housing includes sidewalls formed of a non-deformable material such that the sidewalls are in a constant fixed position relative to each other, and wherein the passage extends along a longitudinal axis and is defined at least in part by spaced apart first and second sidewalls;
• arranging a first conductive element adjacent the first sidewall and a second conductive element adjacent the second sidewall so as to selectively receive the male conductor therebetween, wherein the first conductive element and second conductive element define an open conductor insertion space therebetween, wherein at least the first conductive element has a portion having an undulating configuration that defines at least a pair of longitudinally spaced conductor engagement areas and a sidewall engagement area therebetween, and wherein when the male conductor is inserted into the passage between the first and second conductive elements, the sidewall engagement area of the first conductive element engages the first sidewall and the pair of conductor engagement areas of the first conductive element electrically engage the male conductor at a pair of discrete longitudinally spaced locations along the length of the male conductor;
• and
• coupling a screw terminal to an end of the first and second conductive element, wherein the screw terminal is configured to secure the first and second conductive elements to one another and to electrically couple the first and second conductive elements to a second conductor.