U.S. patent number 3,865,462 [Application Number 05/338,803] was granted by the patent office on 1975-02-11 for preloaded contact and latchable housing assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AMP Incorporated. Invention is credited to Robert Franklin Cobaugh, James Ray Coller.
United States Patent |
3,865,462 |
Cobaugh , et al. |
February 11, 1975 |
PRELOADED CONTACT AND LATCHABLE HOUSING ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A preloaded contact and latchable housing assembly including
electrical contacts having one end which is adapted to be inserted
within a P.C. board for wire-wrapping connections, while the other
end is substantially U-shaped and includes leaf-spring type contact
members which are adapted to be inserted within housing apertures.
The housing includes means for automatically biasing the
leaf-spring members apart when the same are inserted within the
housing whereupon a resilient receptacle is formed for mating
contact members which may also be inserted into the housing, and
includes other means for automatically interlocking with
projections disposed upon the leaf-spring contact members whereby
the contact members and the housing may be integrally
interlockingly engaged. The upper extremities of the contact
members are curved outwardly so as to provide a funneled entrance
upon the receptacle for the mating contacts, and the housing
apertures are of such width as to prevent the insertion of a mating
contact which will tend to overstress the resilient contact
members.
Inventors: |
Cobaugh; Robert Franklin
(Elizabethtown, PA), Coller; James Ray (Mechanicsburg,
PA) |
Assignee: |
AMP Incorporated (Harrisburg,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
23326235 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/338,803 |
Filed: |
March 7, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/748;
439/682 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/428 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/428 (20060101); H01r 013/50 (); H01r
013/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/176LM,176M,176MF,176MP,192R,193R,191M,217S |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,187,323 |
|
Feb 1965 |
|
DT |
|
569,514 |
|
Feb 1933 |
|
DD |
|
1,475,962 |
|
Feb 1967 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Frazier; Roy D.
Assistant Examiner: Staab; Lawrence J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kita; Gerald K.
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent
of the United States is:
1. A connector comprising:
a terminal having a post portion integral with a bifurcated section
defining a pair of resilient leaf spring contacts pivotable by
resilient cantilever deflection in mutually exclusive planes of
pivotable motion, said leaf spring contacts having laterally
opposed contact making surfaces which together define a receptacle
having a given width,
a housing having interior sidewalls defining an opening receiving
said leaf spring contacts,
first opposing sidewalls of said opening spaced apart by a distance
slightly greater than said given width and having respective
undercut and respectively oppositely inclined sidewall portions
camming corresponding leaf spring contacts resiliently in
cantilever deflection and in opposite directions within said
mutually exclusive planes of pivotable motion,
said leaf spring contacts having means in engagement with said
undercut sidewall portions for maintaining said leaf spring
contacts in oppositely deflected positions to define a receptacle
extending therebetween,
second opposing sidewalls of said opening being initially in spaced
relationship from said leaf spring contacts,
said leaf spring contacts being further resiliently pivotable by
resilient cantilever deflection in said opposite directions to
enlarge said receptacle for receipt of a male terminal therein,
and
said leaf spring contacts being engageable against said second
opposite sidewalls of said opening to limit said resilient
cantilever deflection in said opposite directions.
2. A connector comprising:
a terminal having a post portion integral with a bifurcated section
defining a pair of resilient leaf spring contacts pivotable by
resilient cantilever deflection in mutually exclusive planes of
pivotable motion,
a housing having interior sidewalls defining an opening receiving
said leaf spring contacts,
first opposing sidewalls of said opening having respective undercut
sidewall portions camming corresponding leaf spring contacts
resiliently in cantilever deflection and in opposite directions
within said mutually exclusive planes of pivotable motion,
said leaf spring contacts being maintained by engagement with said
undercut sidewall portions in oppositely deflected positions to
define a receptacle extending therebetween,
second opposing sidewalls of said opening being initially in spaced
relationship from said leaf spring contacts,
said leaf spring contacts being further resiliently pivotable by
resilient cantilever deflection in said opposite directions to
enlarge said receptacle for receipt of a male terminal therein,
and
said leaf contacts being engageable against said second opposite
sidewalls of said opening to limit said resilient cantilever
deflection in said opposite directions,
each leaf spring contact has a projecting ear, and said undercut
portions each includes a recessed portion retaining a corresponding
projecting ear therein, thereby locking said housing to a
corresponding leaf spring contact.
3. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, the free ends of
said leaf spring contacts are curved outwardly in opposite
directions defining a funneled entrance to said receptacle.
4. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, said terminal
includes means for engaging and lockingly retaining said housing on
said terminal.
5. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, said undercut
portions includes corresponding inclined cam surfaces which
resiliently cam corresponding leaf spring contacts, in resilient
cantilever deflection, and said undercut portions include
corresponding surfaces longitudinal with the opening and continuous
with corresponding inclined cam surfaces, said longitudinal
surfaces being engageable on corresponding leaf spring contacts for
maintaining said corresponding leaf spring contacts in said
oppositely deflected positions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical contacts and
housing therefor, and more particularly to a housing which
automatically preloads the electrical contact members upon
insertion of the same within the housing so as to facilitate the
reception of other mating contacts into the housing and which also
includes means for engaging projecting portions upon the contact
members whereby the contact members and the housing are
automatically interlocked together.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Although a multitude of electrical contacts and housings therefor
are of course well-known, there is a substantial need for example,
for electrical contacts which may be simply and economically
produced. Conventional operations, such as stamping and forming,
may of course be utilized, but usually the performance of several
stamping and forming operations are required and the resulting
complex contacts are not readily adaptable to the rapid handling
techniques employed in forming contact housing assemblies.
Concomitantly, there is also a substantial need for electrical
contact housings which facilitate the installation of electrical
contacts therewithin such that the contact housing assemblies are
immediately adapted for the reception of mating contact members so
as to complete and further associated electronic circuitry. In
conventional housings for example, in forming electrical contact
receptacles, movable cam or other sliding means are employed which
serve to bias resilient contact members into the appropriate
positions. In addition, separate fastening means are required to
retain the relative positions of the housing and the contact
members so as to prevent a deterioration of the electrical
connection between the mating contact members. Aside from the
additional time required to perform these operations, structural
fatigue and breakdown often occur in such assemblies due to the
fact that the biasing means, for example, may overstress the
resilient contact members, the result being the loss of positive
electrical connections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved simple electrical contact which may be simply and
economically manufactured.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
electrical contact which may be rapidly inserted and automatically
secured within a contact housing.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an
improved electrical contact which facilitates the rapid connection
with mating contact members.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an
improved electrical contact which positively grasps mating contact
members so as to insure the electrical connection therebetween.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
electrical contact housing which is simple in structure and is
simple and economical to produce.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an
improved electrical contact housing which automatically preloads
electrical contact members, so as to adapt the same for mating
contact with other contact members, without any moving
components.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an
improved electrical contact housing which automatically preloads
electrical contact members and which includes means to prevent the
overstressing of such contact members.
A yet still further object of the present invention is to provide
an improved electrical contact housing which automatically secures
electrical contact members therewithin without the use of separate
fastening components.
The foregoing objects are achieved according to this invention
through the provision of a preloaded contact and latchable housing
assembly having leaf-spring type electrical contact members which
together form a substantially U-shaped portion and inclined surface
means within the housing which serves to bias the contact members
apart when the same are inserted within the housing whereupon a
resilient U-shaped receptacle is formed which is adapted to
immediately receive mating contact members, which may be, for
example, blade contacts. The upper extremities of the contact
members are curved outwardly so as to provide a funneled entrance
upon the receptacle for the mating contact members, and the housing
and contact members further include recess means and projecting ear
means, respectively, which automatically interlock upon insertion
of the members within the housing so as to lockingly engage the
housing and contact members relative to one another. Appropriate
apertures are of course provided within the housing so as to afford
access for the mating contacts to the contact receptacle, the width
of the apertures serving to prevent the insertion of a mating
contact which will tend to overstress the resilient contact
members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the
present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same
becomes better understood from the following detailed description
when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference characters designate like or corresponding
parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the electrical contacts constructed
according to the present invention and showing the same mounted
within a P.C. board and prior to insertion within the contact
housing;
FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the electrical contacts
constructed according to the present invention and showing the same
mounted to a carrier strip subsequent to the stamping operations
utilized for manufacturing the contacts;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the electrical contacts constructed
according to the present invention and showing the same mounted
within a P.C. board and prior to insertion within the contact
housing;
FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the contact housing constructed
according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the contact housing
constructed according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a section view showing the entire assembly of the P.C.
board, electrical contacts, and the contact housing;
FIG. 7 is a section view along line 7--7 of FIG. 4; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the entire assembly of the
P.C. board, electrical contacts, and the contact housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2
and 3 thereof, there is shown a plurality of electrical contacts,
generally indicated by the reference character 10, the dependent
ends of which form elongated posts 12 which are adapted for
wire-wrapping or any other type of point-to-point wiring
connections. The posts 12 may be respectively inserted through a
plurality of bores 14 formed within a P.C. board 16, and the
contacts 10 are further provided with tapered ear members 18 which
extend outwardly from the upper portions of posts 12, the lateral
expanse of which is greater than the diameter of the bores 14
whereby the lower planar surfaces 19 of ears 18 abut the upper
surface 20 of P.C. board 16 thereby limiting the depth to which the
contacts may be inserted within board 16. In. addition, there is
integrally disposed upon the upper portion of each post 12 a
bifurcated section which serves to form a pair of leaf-spring type
contact members 22 and 24.
In manufacturing the electrical contacts of the present invention a
suitable metal sheet may be subjected to several stamping
operations whereby a serial array of contacts 10, including post
members 12 and contact members 22 and 24, as well as a carrier
strip 26 may be simply and economically produced, the strip 26
being integrally connected to contact members 22 by means of
dependent leg members 28, as specifically shown in FIG. 2. Since
the stamped structures are simple and integral requiring no folding
parts, they may be placed in a very close spatial relationship so
as to facilitate storage. For example, the carrier strip 26, along
with contacts 10, may be rolled upon a spool, not shown, and may
also be provided with a plurality of apertures 30 which are adapted
to cooperate, in sprocket wheel fashion, with pins provided upon
appropriate automatic machinery, also not shown, which serves to
unwind the strip and contacts from the storage spool when it is
desired to insert the contacts within P.C. board 16.
Subsequent to the completion of the stamping operations, the
contact assemblies may be subjected to a forming operation
whereupon each of the contact members 22 and 24 is caused to attain
a substantially sinusodal configuration while the laterally offset
contact members together are caused to form a substantially
U-shaped contact portion, as specifically shown in FIG. 3. The
contacts may all be simultaneously inserted and secured within P.C.
board 16, either by mechanical, soldering, or force fitting means,
while still attached to carrier strip 26, as specifically shown in
FIG. 1, and in order to facilitate removal of strip 26 subsequent
to the insertion of the contacts within the board, the integral
connection between contact member 22 and dependent leg member 28
may be scored or perforated, as shown at 32 in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Referring now to FIGS. 4-8, there is shown a rectangular dielectric
housing, generally indicated by the reference character 34, whiich
may be mounted upon contacts 10 subsequent to the insertion of the
contacts within P.C. board 16. The housing includes a plurality of
substantially rectangular longitudinal apertures 36 extending
therethrough, each of which is adapted to receive therein one of
the contacts 10 which may be inserted through a lower funneled
entrance 37 associated with each aperture. The sidewalls defining
each of the apertures include diametrically opposed inclined
surfaces 38, only one of which is shown in the drawings, which
serve to abut the upper outwardly curved portions 40 of each of the
contact members 22 and 24 as the housing is inserted over the
contacts, whereby the leaf-spring type contact members are biased
apart in cantilever fashion so as to diverge from the position
shown in FIG. 3 to that position shown in FIG. 6. In order to
retain the contact members in their biased positions,
longitudinally extending undercut slotted portions 42 are also
provided within the sidewalls contiguous to surfaces 38.
The contact members thus serve to form a receptacle therebetween
for blade contacts, not shown, which may be inserted through the
end of the apertures 36 opposite to that end through which the
contacts 10 were inserted, for mating with members 22 and 24. As
seen in FIG. 6, the contact members 22 and 24 are prestressed or
preloaded by the inclined surfaces 38 to an extent such that the
smallest distance between parallel planes tangent to the interior
surfaces of the members, as shown at 44, is slightly less than the
thickness of the contact blades to be inserted therebetween, such
prestressing or preloading thereby enabling the contact blades to
be easily and quickly inserted, and yet facilitating positive
electrical contact between the contact members and blades due to
the fact that the contact members retain their inherent resiliency
as the stress imparted thereto does not exceed the elastic limit of
the contact member material, the contact members thus being capable
of further divergence as the contact blades are in fact inserted
therebetween.
In addition to serving as a means which aids in the preloading of
the contact members, the curved portions 40 of the members 22 and
24 also serve to provide a funneled entrance for the guidance of
the contact blades as the same are inserted between the contact
members. Furthermore, in order to insure that the entrance of the
contact blades into the receptacle between the contact members is
unimpeded, the tips 46 of curved portions 40 are housed within the
undercut slotted portions 42, and consequently, upon being
inserted, the blades are caused to engage the smooth, curved
surface portions 40.
Similarly, in order to prevent the contact members from becoming
overstressed or overloaded by the insertion of the contact blades,
i.e., stressed beyond the elastic limit of the contact member
material whereupon the inherent resiliency within the members is
lost, the structure of the housing apertures 36 is such that the
sidewalls defining the apertures serve as positive stop means which
engage the corresponding surfaces of the contact blades as the same
are inserted within the apertures whereupon the maximum amount to
which the contact members 22 and 24 may be fixed by the insertion
of the contact blades, and consequently the maximum separation
which may occur between the members at the normally narrowest
separation points 44, is dictated by the width of the apertures 36
which of course dictate the maximum width of the blades which may
be inserted therewithin. In this manner then, the housing 34 serves
to facilitate the entrance of the contact blades into the
receptacle formed by the contact members 22 and 24, and more
importantly, provides a means which protects the contact members
from becoming overstressed due to excessive bending of the
same.
Still referring to FIGS. 4-8 it will be apparent that one pair of
housing apertures which are in a diametrically opposed relationship
may include substantially rectangular relieved areas 48 such that
the overall configuration of such housing apertures 50 is
substantially Z-shaped, as opposed to the substantially rectangular
configuration of the remaining apertures. The sidewalls defining
these apertures 50 also differ from the sidewalls defining
apertures 36 in that in lieu of undercut slotted portions 42, there
are provided, at the upper terminal portions of surfaces 38 and
adjacent relieved areas 48, recessed portions 52. Consequently,
when the particular contact members, inserted within apertures 50
so as to engage inclined surfaces 38 and be biased apart thereby,
reach the upper terminal portion of surfaces 38 and pass
therebeyond, such contact members, due to their inherent
resiliency, will snap back toward their original unbiased
positions, whereby ear-type projections 54, which extend laterally
outward from curved portions 40 of the contact members, will engage
recessed portions 52 and be retained therein. The sidewalls of
apertures 50 are of course further provided with longitudinally
extending portions 56, disposed upon the opposite side of recessed
portions 52 as is inclined surfaces 38, whereby the contact members
are prevented from fully attaining their original unbiased
positions, and consequently, as the contact members remain
preloaded to some degree, insertion of blade contacts therebetween
is still facilitated.
In this manner then, due to the interengagement between the contact
member ear portions 54 and the recessed housing portions 52, the
housing 34 may be automatically interlocked upon the P.C.
board-contact assembly. When it is desired to remove housing 34, a
thin prying tool, such as for example, a screwdriver blade or the
like, may be inserted within the inner portion of the relieved
areas 48 so as to outwardly bias the contact members and thereby
remove the same from the recessed portions 52.
Although the housing 34 is shown, such as for example, in FIGS. 6
and 8, as being supported upon the upper surface 20 of P.C. board
16, the housing need not engage board 16 in order to be secured
relative thereto as the housing can be supported by interengagement
between the upper extremities 46 of the contact members and the
overhanging member 58 of undercut portion 42, and also through the
interlocking assembly of projections 54 and recessed portions 52.
It is a further possibility that the entire assembly be constructed
such that the housing 34 is supported upon the upper planar
surfaces 60 of ear members 18.
Thus it may be seen that the preloaded contact housing assembly of
the present invention has important advantages over the known prior
art structures in that the contact members may be simply and
economically produced and assembled within a housing having a
unique structure which automatically separates and preloads the
contact members whereupon the assembly facilitates the reception of
other mating contact members therewithin so as to complete various
associated electronic circuitry. The preloading of the contact
members also serves to resiliently bias the same so as to insure
positive electrical contact between such contact members and the
mating contact members, and the contact housing is further provided
with means which engages projection means disposed upon the contact
members whereby the housing and the contact members are
automatically locked relative to one another.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is to be
understood therefore that within the scope of the appended claims,
the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
* * * * *