U.S. patent number 3,713,080 [Application Number 05/181,923] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-23 for electrical terminal.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ford Motor Company. Invention is credited to Robert D. Kennedy.
United States Patent |
3,713,080 |
Kennedy |
January 23, 1973 |
ELECTRICAL TERMINAL
Abstract
A female electrical terminal for receiving a blade terminal is
disclosed. The main elements forming the female terminal are first,
second, third and fourth walls which are joined together into an
integral unit at edges between the first and the second, the second
and the third, and the third and the fourth walls. A cooperable
lock device is formed, in part, on a free end of the first wall
and, in part, on a free end of the fourth wall. The cooperable lock
device locks the walls into a closed configuration to define
therein an interior volume in which the first and the third walls
are in facing relationship and the second and the fourth walls are
in a facing relationship. Individual ones of a pair of terminal
elements are formed integrally from respective ones of a pair of
facing walls. Each of the terminal elements is folded back from its
point of attachment to the wall into the interior volume of the
terminal to form a main blade terminal contacting portion which is
resiliently deflectable when engaged by an inserted blade
terminal.
Inventors: |
Kennedy; Robert D. (Northville,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Ford Motor Company (Dearborn,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22666369 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/181,923 |
Filed: |
September 20, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/852 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/113 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/115 (20060101); H01r 013/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/256,258,259,176 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McGlynn; Joseph H.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. An electrical terminal for receiving a blade terminal, which
electrical terminal comprises:
first, second, third and fourth wall means for defining upper and
lower walls and a pair of side walls for the electrical terminal,
said wall means being joined along edges between said first and
said second wall means, between said second and said third wall
means, and between said third and said fourth wall means;
cooperable lock means formed in part on a free end of said first
wall means and in part on a free end of said fourth wall means for
locking said wall means into a closed configuration defining an
interior volume wherein said upper and said lower walls are in
facing relationship and side walls are in facing relationship;
terminal means extending from each of a facing pair of said wall
means into said interior volume of said wall means, said terminal
means for making electrical contact with a blade terminal inserted
into said interior volume.
2. An electrical terminal for reception of a blade terminal, which
electrical terminal comprises:
first, second, third and fourth integrally formed wall means for
defining upper, lower and a pair of side walls for the electrical
terminal, said side wall means being joined along edges between
said first and second wall means, said second and third wall means,
and said third and said fourth wall means;
cooperable lock means formed in part on a free end of said first
wall means and in part on a free end of said fourth wall means for
locking all of said wall means into a fixed structure with an
interior volume defined between facing upper and lower wall means
and facing side wall means;
a pair of terminal elements formed individually on and integrally
with each of a pair of facing wall means, each of said terminal
elements being folded from its point of attachment to said wall
means into said interior volume between said wall means to form a
main terminal contacting portion which is resiliently deflectable
when engaged by the blade terminal when inserted into said interior
volume.
3. An electrical terminal as defined in claim 2 wherein: each of
said pair of terminal elements have a portion thereof which is
folded back between said main terminal contacting portion of said
terminal element and said wall defining means from which it is
integrally formed.
4. The electrical terminal as defined in claim 3 wherein: each of
said folded back end portions of each of said terminal elements
engages its said associated side wall means to give added
flexibility and spring action to said terminal elements when a
blade terminal is inserted into said interior volume of said
terminal.
5. The electrical terminal as defined in claim 4 wherein: integral
stop means are provided on each of said associated wall means
having a terminal element formed therefrom, said stop means for
limiting the resilient travel of said main terminal contacting
portions of said terminal elements within said interior volume of
said terminal.
6. The electrical terminal as defined in claim 5 wherein: said stop
means is in the form of a lip formed integrally with and turned up
from said associated wall means into said interior volume of said
terminal.
7. The electrical terminal as defined in claim 6 wherein: each of
said terminal elements is bifurcated along at least a major portion
of its length to provide uniform gripping pressure on a blade
terminal inserted therebetween.
8. The electrical terminal as defined in claim 2 wherein: said
cooperable lock means includes a tab extending from the free end of
said first wall means and a receiving opening formed in said fourth
wall means, said tab being snapped into said opening to lock said
wall means into said terminal.
9. The electrical terminal as defined in claim 2 wherein: each of
said pair of terminal elements have a closed entry portion prior to
said main terminal contacting portions thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art teaches many electrical terminal constructions for
electric terminals of a female type which accept a blade terminal
therein. Many of the electrical terminals of this general type are
designed to be mounted in an assembly operation along with other
similar terminals in a terminal block thereby to form an electrical
connector.
It is a general purpose of this invention to provide a female
electrical terminal which is designed to be stronger than known
prior art female terminals. The construction features of the female
terminal of this invention are such that the terminal may be
inserted into a terminal block to form an electrical connector
without fear that the internal, operative portions of the terminal
will be damaged by such a connector assembly operation. The female
terminal of this invention also is designed so that it may receive
a blade electrical terminal therein in such a manner that a
uniform, positive gripping pressure is applied to the blade
terminal by the internal operative portions of the female
terminal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an electrical terminal and, more
particularly, to a female electrical terminal for receiving a blade
terminal therein.
In accordance with the teachings of this invention, a female
electrical terminal for receiving a blade terminal therein includes
the following general structure. First, second, third and fourth
walls are provided to define upper and lower walls and a pair of
side walls for the electrical terminal. The walls are integrally
joined along edges between the first and the second wall, between
the second and third wall, and between the third and the fourth
wall. A cooperable lock device is formed, in part, on a free end of
the first wall and, in part, on a free end of the fourth wall. This
lock device locks the four walls into a closed configuration
defining an interior volume in which both the upper and the lower
walls and the side walls are in facing relationship. Individual
ones of a pair of terminal elements are formed integrally from each
of a pair of facing walls. Each terminal element is folded from its
point of attachment to its associated wall into the interior volume
of the terminal to form a main blade terminal contacting portion.
This contacting portion is resiliently deflectable when engaged by
a blade terminal inserted into the interior volume of the
electrical terminal.
In accordance with more detailed aspects, the female terminal of
this invention may also include the following structural features.
Each of the pair of terminal elements may have an additional
portion which is folded back between the main terminal contacting
portion thereof and the wall from which it is integrally formed.
This folded back portion of the terminal element can be brought
into engagement with its associated wall to give added flexibility
and spring action to the terminal element when a blade terminal is
inserted into the interior volume of the female terminal. The
female terminal of the invention may also be formed so as to have a
stop element which limits the resilient travel of the main blade
terminal contacting portion of the terminal element. Also, each of
the terminal elements may be bifurcated along a major portion of
their length so as to provide uniform gripping pressure on the
blade terminal brought into contact therewith.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an electrical terminal
constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the left hand side of the
electrical terminal shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross section view showing some of the internal
structure of the terminal.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the electrical terminal in an
unfolded condition wherein the various details of the structure are
shown.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
CONSTRUCTION
The female electrical terminal of this invention is generally
identified by the numeral 10 in the drawings. The electrical
terminal has a first wall 12, a second wall 14, a third wall 16,
and a fourth wall 18 (FIG. 4). All of these walls are formed as an
integral unit by being joined together along edges thereof between
the first and the second walls, between the second and the third
walls, and between the third and the fourth walls.
A cooperable locking device is formed integrally with the terminal
10. This device includes a tab 20 extending from a free end of the
first wall 12 and an opening 22 in a lip portion 24 formed on the
free end of the fourth wall 18 (FIG. 4). When the tab 20 is snapped
into the opening 22, the electrical terminal has its four walls
formed into a closed rectangular configuration whereby the first
and the third walls 12 and 16 respectively define a pair of facing
upper and lower walls (FIG. 1) and the second and the fourth walls
14 and 18 define a pair of facing side walls.
Electrical terminal elements, generally identified by the numeral
26, are formed integrally with and extend from the upper wall 16
and the lower wall 12. Each terminal element is of the same general
configuration. As may best be understood by reference to FIGS. 3
and 4, each element is folded back from its point of attachment to
its associated wall to form both a closed entry portion 27 and a
main terminal contacting portion 28 within an interior volume 30 of
the terminal 10.
Each of the electrical terminals 26 may also have a folded back
portion 32 (FIG. 3) having a free end which engages the associated
wall from which the terminal element is integrally formed. This
engagement gives added flexibility and spring action to the
terminal elements 26 when a blade terminal 34 (FIG. 2) is inserted
therebetween. The folded back portion 32 acts to provide a spring
force on the inserted terminal 34 along the entire length of the
main terminal contacting portions 28 thereby giving a uniform
contact pressure along the entire length of the blade terminal.
A stop element 36 is formed as a lip turned up from an opening 38
in the first wall 12 and an opening 40 in the third wall 16. The
stop elements 36 may be formed integrally with the formation of the
walls and the electrical terminals as, for example, in a sequential
stamping operation wherein suitable electrically conductive
material is formed into the terminal 10. The stop elements are
provided for limiting the resilient travel of the main terminal
contacting portions 28 of the terminal elements 26 within the
interior volume 30 of the terminal.
As may best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the terminal elements 26 are
bifurcated by a slot 42 along a major portion of their lengths.
This bifurcation of the terminal elements allows a uniform gripping
pressure to be applied by the terminal contacting portions 28
thereof on the blade terminal 34 when inserted therebetween.
As seen in FIG. 2, a lower portion of the third wall 16 of the
terminal 10 is formed to have wire gripping elements 44 thereon.
This wire gripping elements engage and make electrical contact with
electrical wires 46 from a suitable electrical lead. The
termination of the terminal to the wires 46 is accomplished in a
standard manner.
OPERATION
The female terminal 10 of this invention is designed to receive the
blade terminal 34 therein as is illustrated in FIG. 2. The blade
terminal 34 is inserted between opposed terminal elements 26 to
engage initially the closed entry portions 27 and then the terminal
contacting portions 28 of the elements. Because the closed entry
portions 27 are spaced apart along their initial portions a
distance greater than the thickness of the inserted blade terminal,
the blade terminal is easily captured in the terminal 10 and the
final insertion pressure does not have to be high. The engaged
portions of the elements are deflected within the interior volume
30 of the terminal 10. The deflection of the terminal elements
builds up a spring force between the folded back portions 32 of the
elements and their associated engaged walls. By such action, a
positive gripping pressure is applied to the blade terminal 34 by
the main contacting portions 28 of the terminal elements 26 to
insure good electrical contact therewith. The bifurcation of the
terminal elements permits a uniform side-to-side contact pressure
to be exerted on the inserted blade terminal. Also, since the four
walls of the terminal 10 are locked together into an integral unit,
rigidity is provided to the entire structure and repeated insertion
and removal of the blade terminal 34 from the terminal elements 26
does not cause substantial changes in the electrical
characteristics of the electrical junction formed therebetween.
The construction of an electrical terminal of the female type has
been disclosed herein. Modifications of the terminal's construction
which do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention
will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of this
disclosure. It is intended that all such constructions be included
within the terms of the appended claims .
* * * * *