U.S. patent number 3,812,305 [Application Number 05/323,384] was granted by the patent office on 1974-05-21 for terminal connector assembly for automotive distributor contact breaker.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Joseph Lucas (Electrical) Limited. Invention is credited to Alfred Rees.
United States Patent |
3,812,305 |
Rees |
May 21, 1974 |
TERMINAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOTIVE DISTRIBUTOR CONTACT
BREAKER
Abstract
A contact breaker assembly including a fixed contact a movable
contact and a conductive leaf spring electrically connected to the
movable contact and urging the movable contact towards the fixed
contact. At its end remote from the movable contact the leaf spring
is bent back on itself to define a spring clip having a pair of
limbs. A terminal member is engageable between the limbs of the
spring clip so as to be electrically and physically connected to
the leaf spring, and that region of the terminal which is received
between the limbs of the spring clip bears a projection.
Inventors: |
Rees; Alfred (Birmingham,
EN) |
Assignee: |
Joseph Lucas (Electrical)
Limited (Birmingham, EN)
|
Family
ID: |
9732295 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/323,384 |
Filed: |
January 15, 1973 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 15, 1972 [GB] |
|
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2025/72 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/284; 439/842;
200/19.26; 200/19.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02P
7/0631 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F02P
7/00 (20060101); F02P 7/063 (20060101); H01h
001/58 () |
Field of
Search: |
;200/19R,19A,3A,3AA,31A,166CT ;339/166E,256SP,258S,276T |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Scott; James R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Holman & Stern
Claims
1. A contact breaker assembly, for use in an internal combustion
engine spark ignition system, including a fixed contact, a movable
contact, a conductive leaf spring electrically connected to said
movable contact and urging said movable contact towards said fixed
contact, one end of said leaf spring being bent back upon itself to
define a spring clip, and a terminal member engaged between the
limbs of said spring clip so that the terminal is physically and
electrically connected to said spring, said terminal having thereon
a projection, and being positioned between said limbs with said
limbs gripping between them that portion of the terminal
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said terminal member
is generally rectangular and has said projection disposed generally
centrally on one face thereof, there being a conductive lead
physically and
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the edge of the
terminal opposite the lead the terminal is cranked, the terminal
being engaged with said spring clip so that the limbs of the clip
extend between the cranked portion and the lead and the cranked
portion preventing withdrawal of the terminal from the clip in a
direction transverse to the limbs of the clip.
4. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein a second conductive
lead is physically and electrically connected to the terminal
member at the edge
5. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 further including a second
terminal member, engaged in said spring clip, the second terminal
member having therein an aperture which accommodates the projection
of the first terminal member, the thickness of the second terminal
member being similar to and not less than the height of the
projection so that the flexure of the spring clip when gripping the
first and second terminal members is
6. A contact breaker assembly for use in an internal combustion
engine spark ignition system, including a fixed contact, a movable
contact, a conductive leaf spring electrically connected to said
movable contact and urging said movable contact towards said fixed
contact, one end of said leaf spring being bent back upon itself to
define a spring clip, and a terminal member engaged between the
limbs of said spring clip, whereby said terminal is physically and
electrically connected to said spring, said terminal member
including a first portion bearing a projection, said first portion
being gripped between said limbs of said spring clip, and said
first terminal member including a second, marginal portion
projecting from between said limbs at one side of said clip, and
having physically and electrically connected thereto a first
conductive lead, and, a second terminal member engaged between the
limbs of said spring clip, whereby said second terminal member is
physically and electrically connected to said spring, said second
terminal member including a first portion having therein an
aperture, said first portion of said second terminal member also
being gripped between said limbs of said spring clip, with said
projection of said first terminal member disposed in said spring,
said terminal including a central portion bearing a projection,
said central portion being gripped between said limbs of said
spring clip, a first marginal portion projecting from between said
limbs at one side of said clip, and having physically and
electrically connected thereto a first conductive lead, and a
second marginal portion projecting from between said limbs, at the
opposite side of said clip and having physically and
7. A contact breaker assembly for use in an internal combustion
engine spark ignition system, including a fixed contact, a movable
contact, a conductive leaf spring electrically connected to said
movable contact and urging said movable contact towards said fixed
contact, one end of said leaf spring being bent back upon itself to
define a spring clip, and a first terminal member engaged between
the limbs of said spring clip, whereby said first terminal member
is physically and electrically connected to said aperture of said
second terminal member, and said second terminal member having a
second, marginal portion projecting from between said limbs at one
side of said clip, and having physically and electrically connected
thereto a second conductive lead, the thickness of said second
terminal member being similar to, and not less than the height of
said projection of said first terminal member so that the flexure
of said spring clip when gripping said first and second terminal
members is similar to that when gripping only said first terminal
member.
Description
This invention relates to contact breaker assemblies for use in
internal combustion engine spark ignition systems.
A contact breaker assembly according to the invention includes a
fixed contact, a movable contact, a conductive leaf spring
electrically connected to the movable contact and urging the
movable contact towards the fixed contact, one end of the leaf
spring being bent back upon itself to define a spring clip and a
terminal member engageable between the limbs of the spring clip so
as to be physically and electrically connected to the spring, the
terminal having thereon a projection and the spring clip being
arranged to receive and grip that region of the terminal which
bears the projection.
Conveniently the terminal member is generally rectangular and has
the projection disposed generally centrally on one face thereof,
there being a conductive lead physically and electrically connected
to the terminal member at one edge thereof.
Preferably adjacent the edge of the terminal opposite the lead the
terminal is cranked, the terminal being engaged with said spring
clip so that the limbs of the clip extend between the cranked
portion and the lead and the cranked portion preventing withdrawal
of the terminal from the clip in a direction transverse to the
limbs of the clip.
Conveniently a second conductive lead is physically and
electrically connected to the terminal member at the edge thereof
opposite the first mentioned lead.
Preferably the assembly includes a second terminal member, engaged
in the spring clip, the second terminal member having therein an
aperture which accommodates the projection of the first terminal
member, the thickness of the second terminal member being similar
to and not less than the height of the projection so that the
flexure of the spring clip when gripping the first and second
terminal members is similar to that when gripping only the first
terminal member.
One example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a contact breaker assembly,
FIG. 2 is a sectional view generally on the line 2--2 of part of
the arrangement shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the terminals shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the terminal shown in FIG.
3,
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the contact breaker spring shown in FIG.
1,
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are plan views respectively of three terminal
members, and
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a modification of the terminal member
shown in FIG. 7.
Referring to the drawings, the contact breaker assembly includes a
conductive angle plate 11 having an integral upstanding tag 12 to
which is secured to the fixed contact 13 of the assembly. The
movable contact 14 of the assembly is carried by a metal shell 15
secured to an insulating heel member 16 which defines a pair of
arms 17 embracing a post 18 upstanding from the plate 11. The arms
17 mount the heel 16 for pivotal movement about the axis of the
post 18 so that the movable contact 14 is movable towards and away
from the fixed contact 13. A conductive leaf spring 19 is riveted
at one end to the metal shell 15, and so is electrically connected
to the movable contact 14. At its other end the spring 19 extends
within a channel in an insulating abutment member 21 supported on a
tongue 22 upstanding from the plate 11. The spring 19 is stressed
when engaged in the channel in the member 21, and so urges the heel
16 to pivot about the post 18 to engage the contact 14 with the
contact 13. The free end of the spring 19 remote from the heel
assembly projects from the channel in the member 21, and is bent
back upon itself to define a spring clip 23. In use the contact
breaker assembly is mounted within the casing of an ignition
distributor adjacent a rotatable cam shaft thereof. The heel member
16 has a cam follower portion 24 which engages the cam surface of
the cam shaft and rotation of the cam shaft results in movement of
the contact 14 into and out of engagement with the contact 13. The
fixed contact 13 is earthed through the angle plate 11 and the
casing of the distributor, and one terminal of a capacitor is also
earthed through the casing of the distributor. The other terminal
of the capacitor is to be connected to the contact 14 as is a low
tension terminal provided on the casing of the distributor. The low
tension terminal carried by the casing is electrically connected,
in use, in the usual manner through the primary winding of an
ignition coil to one pole of a battery, the other pole of which is
earthed.
The low tension terminal on the casing of the distributor is
connected by way of a conductive lead to a conductive terminal
member 25. The terminal member 25 is generally rectangular in plan
view, (FIG. 3) and is provided with a generally centrally disposed
projection 26. Adjacent one edge the terminal member 25 is provided
with a deformable tag 27 which is deformed to grip the sheath of
the associated conductive lead, the conductive core of the lead
being welded to the terminal member with the lead extending
parallel with the edge of the terminal member. Adjacent its
opposite edge the terminal member is formed with a cranked portion
28 and the distance between the cranked portion and the lead which
is secured to the terminal member is substantially equal to the
width of the strip forming the clip 23. Thus the terminal member
can be engaged between the limbs of the clip 23 with the lead of
the terminal member above the clip and the cranked portion 28
thereof below the clip, the lead and the crank portion resisting
withdrawal of the terminal member transversely relative to the
clip. As shown in the drawings, the terminal member can be provided
with a cranked region adjacent the lead, so that the second crank
portion aids the lead in resisting movement of the terminal member
relative to the clip in one direction.
A second conductive terminal member 29 (FIG. 7) is connected to
said other terminal of thc capacitor by way of a conductive lead,
the terminal member 29 being substantially flat, and having a
centrally disposed aperture 29a. The height of the projection 26 on
the terminal member 25 is substantially equal to and not greater
than the thickness of the terminal member 29, and the terminal
members 25, 29 are engaged in facial contact between the limbs of
the clip 23 with the projection 26 accommodated within the aperture
29a of the terminal 29. Movement of the terminal member 29 relative
to the terminal member 25 is resisted by engagement of the
projection with the walls of the aperture 29a, and as previously
described movement of the terminal member 25 transverse to the clip
is resisted by the cranked portion 28 and the lead associated with
the terminal member 25. Longitudinal movement of the two terminals
25, 29 relative to the clip is resisted in one direction by the
closed end of the clip, and in the other direction by an end face
of the member 21. Thus in order to readily engage the terminal 25
and the terminal 29 with the clip 23 it is desirable to disengage
the end of the spring 19 from the member 21. Thereafter, the
terminals can be moved longitudinally relative to the clip between
the limbs of the clip.
The provision of separate terminals 25 and 29 for connecting the
contact 14 to the low tension terminal on the casing of the
distributor and to the capacitor permits replacement of one of the
connections without alteration of the other connection. Thus for
example should the capacitor prove to be faulty the capacitor can
be replaced without replacing the terminal member 25, the lead
associated therewith and the low tension terminal on the casing.
However, when the distributor is initially being assembled it is
convenient to make the electrical connection between the capacitor
and the contact 14 and the low tension terminal and the contact 14
by means of a single terminal member. Such a single terminal member
is shown in FIG. 6, and is similar to the termainal 25 with the
addition of an extension to which the second lead is connected.
Thus the terminal includes a central region 31 having thereon a
projection 32 and having at opposite sides thereof cranked portions
extended to receive respective conductive leads 33, 34. The
terminal includes a pair of deformable tags equivalent to the tag
27 of the terminal 25. The region 31 of the terminal is received
between the limbs of the clip 23, and since the terminal is
provided with a projection 32 equivalent to the projection 26 of
the terminal 25 then the clip 23 will be flexed by a similar amount
when gripping the terminal shown in FIG. 6 as when gripping the
pair of terminal members 25, 29 as shown in FIG. 2. It will be
appreciated that should it be required to make a third electrial
connection to the contact 14 then the third electrical connection
can be made by way of a terminal member identical with the terminal
member 29. In such an instance, the projection 32 would be
accommodated within the aperture 29a of the terminal member 29.
In an assembly utilising the terminal member shown in FIG. 6,
should it become necessary to replace for example the capacitor and
the lead 34, then the terminal member can be severed along the line
of the cranked portion of the terminal member associated with the
lead 34 leaving a terminal member substantially identical with the
terminal member 25. Thereafter, a replacement capacitor can be
inserted into the assembly the conductive lead of the replacement
capacitor carrying a terminal member similar to terminal member
29.
Where two separate terminal members are engaged with the clip 23 it
will be appreciated that it is not essential that the terminal
member which carries the projection is also the terminal member
which is provided with the cranked portion. Thus the terminal
member with the projection could be plain other than for the
projection 30a as shown at 30 in FIG. 8, and the terminal member
with the aperture could have the cranked portion.
The modified terminal member 35 shown in FIG. 9 can replace any of
the terminal members of the kind having a hole for receiving the
projection of a mating terminal member. The modification consists
of the replacement of the hole 29a by an open ended slot 36 and the
provision of an planar extension 37. The slot 36 permits easy
engagement of the terminal 35 between the limbs of the clip without
the need to remove the terminal having the projection from the clip
in order to inter-engage the terminals. The extension 37 lies in
the channel of the abutment member 21, in use, and so resists
disengagement of the terminal 35 from the assembly in the direction
in which the slot extends.
* * * * *