Benefit is claimed to China Patent Application No. 201520087997.9, filed Feb. 9, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector technology, and more particularly to an electrical power connector and a terminal assembly used in the electrical power connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The characteristics of a new electrical power connector on the current market are high rated current and low energy loss. The design of an elastic arm is used in a terminal of the electrical power connector for providing an adequate and reliable contact to fit the deviation of the size or the position. Usually, in order to improve the electrical conductivity of the elastic arm, the elasticity of the elastic arm is reduced. But this is not good for the reliable connection and frequent insertion between the electrical power connector a butt connector. On the contrary, if the elasticity of the elastic arm is greater, the contact force and the electrical conductivity between the electrical power connector and the butt connector become worse, so that the prior electrical power connector can not meet the application of high current.
Moreover, the prior electrical power connector generally includes only one terminal having an integral structure. This terminal can only act as a positive electrode or a negative electrode of a power supply, so the prior electrical power connector can only be used to transfer an unidirectional current. The application of the prior electrical power connector is limited.
Hence, it is needed to provide a new electrical power connector, which has a wide range of application, a good electrical performance and a reliable connection, and also provide a terminal assembly with high electrical conductivity and high elasticity.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an electrical power connector, which employs a terminal assembly with high electrical conductivity and high elasticity, for providing a better electrical performance and a long term reliable connection.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a terminal assembly with high electrical conductivity and high elasticity for providing a better electrical performance and a long term reliable connection.
The other object and the advantage of the present invention may be further understood from the technical features disclosed by the present invention.
To achieve the above object of the present invention, the present invention adopts the following technical solution.
The present invention provides an electrical power connector, which comprises a base, a first terminal assembly and a second terminal assembly. The base includes an engaging portion located at the front thereof, a mounting portion located at the rear thereof, a first insertion opening formed on the engaging portion, a second insertion opening formed on the engaging portion and located under the first insertion opening, a first terminal-receiving passage located on left and right sides of the first insertion opening, communicated with the first insertion opening and extending to a rear surface of the mounting portion, and a second terminal-receiving passage located on left and right sides of the second insertion opening, communicated with the second insertion opening and extending to the rear surface of the mounting portion. The first terminal assembly is mounted in the first terminal-receiving passage and includes a first conductive terminal and two first reinforcing terminals located on two sides of the first conductive terminal. The first conductive terminal has two first vertical plates, two pairs of first flexible arms formed by being separately bent from front edges of the two first vertical plates and extending forward, a first horizontal plate connecting the two first vertical plates, and a first mounting end located under one of the two first vertical plates. Each first reinforcing terminal has a first upright portion attached to an outer side of the corresponding first vertical plate, and a first pressing portion that is formed by being bent from a front edge of the first upright portion and extending forward and presses an outer side of the corresponding first flexible arm. Wherein the two first vertical plates are mounted in the mounting portion, the first flexible arms pass through the first terminal-receiving passage to protrude into the first insertion opening, the first horizontal plate is fixed in the mounting portion, and the first mounting end extends out of a bottom surface of the base. The second terminal assembly is mounted in the second terminal-receiving passage and includes a second conductive terminal and two second reinforcing terminals located on two sides of the second conductive terminal. The second conductive terminal has two second vertical plates, two pairs of second flexible arms formed by being separately bent from front edges of the two second vertical plates and extending forward, a second horizontal plate connecting the two second vertical plates, and a second mounting end located under one of the two second vertical plates. Each second reinforcing terminal has a second upright portion attached to an outer side of the corresponding second vertical plate, and a second pressing portion that is formed by being bent from a front edge of the second upright portion and extending forward and presses an outer side of the corresponding second flexible arm. Wherein the two second vertical plates are mounted in the mounting portion, the second flexible arms pass through the second terminal-receiving passage to protrude into the second insertion opening, the second horizontal plate is fixed in the mounting portion, and the second mounting end extends out of the bottom surface of the base.
In one embodiment, the first and second insertion openings are arranged up and down in a left-right staggered arrangement, and communicated with each other.
In one embodiment, the mounting portion of the base includes an upright first partition and an upright second partition, which are disposed in a left-right staggered arrangement; the first partition is located in the first terminal-receiving passage and divides the first terminal-receiving passage into two parts; the first partition extends forward from the rear surface of the mounting portion and is stopped on the first insertion opening; the second partition is located in the second terminal-receiving passage and divides the second terminal-receiving passage into two parts; and the second partition extends forward from the rear surface of the mounting portion and is stopped on the second insertion opening.
In one embodiment, the base disposes a first space formed between the first partition and an inner top wall of the first terminal-receiving passage, and a first shoulder formed on the top of the first partition; the base further disposes two first holding grooves, which are separately formed on left and right inner sidewalls of the first terminal-receiving passage and located on two sides of the first partition; the base forms at least one first window located on each of the left and right sides of the first insertion opening and used to communicate the first insertion opening with the first terminal-receiving passage; the base further forms a first locking groove on the mounting portion; and the first locking groove is formed on an inner bottom wall of the first terminal-receiving passage and vertically extends downward to pass through the bottom surface of the mounting portion.
In one embodiment, each first flexible arm forms a first arc protruding part and a first head part; the first arc protruding parts of the two pairs of the first flexible arms are close to each other and are spaced apart, and the first head parts thereof extend away from each other to form a splayed shape; an outward extension length of one first head part is larger than that of the other first head part; the first conductive terminal includes two first holding plates, which are separately formed on the upper edges of the two first vertical plates; each of the two first holding plates are bent toward outside of the first conductive terminal to form an L shape; the first conductive terminal further includes two first bending plates, which are separately formed on rear edges of the two first vertical plates. Wherein the first arc protruding parts protrude from the corresponding first windows into the first insertion opening; the first horizontal plate is inserted into the first space above the first partition; the first holding plates are held in the corresponding first holding grooves; and the first mounting end passes through the first locking groove and extends out of the bottom surface of the base.
In one embodiment, the first pressing portion is L-shaped; two first end portions separately formed on the first pressing portions of the two first reinforcing terminals together clamp the first arc protruding parts of the first conductive terminal; each first reinforcing terminal further has a first notch formed on a rear edge of the first upright portion; the first bending plate of the first conductive terminal enters into the first notch of the corresponding first reinforcing terminal; and the first holding plate of the first conductive terminal crosses a top edge of the first upright portion of the corresponding first reinforcing terminal to be engaged with the first holding groove of the base.
In one embodiment, the base disposes a second space formed between the second partition and an inner top wall of the second terminal-receiving passage, and a second shoulder formed on the top of the second partition; the base further disposes two second holding grooves, which are separately formed on left and right inner sidewalls of the second terminal-receiving passage and located on two sides of the second partition; the base forms at least one second window located on each of the left and right sides of the second insertion opening and used to communicate the second insertion opening with the second terminal-receiving passage; the base further forms two second locking grooves on the mounting portion; and the two second locking grooves are separately located on the two sides of the second partition, are formed on an inner bottom wall of the second terminal-receiving passage and passes through the bottom surface of the mounting portion.
In one embodiment, each second flexible arm forms a second arc protruding part and a second head part; the second arc protruding parts of the two pairs of the second flexible arms are close to each other and are spaced apart, and the second head parts thereof extend away from each other to form a splayed shape; an outward extension length of one second head part is larger than that of the other second head part; the second conductive terminal includes an upright second holding plate and an L-shaped second holding plate, which are separately formed on the upper edges of the two second vertical plates; the second conductive terminal further includes two second bending plates, which are separately formed on rear edges of the second vertical plates. Wherein the second arc protruding parts protrude from the corresponding second windows into the second insertion opening; the second horizontal plate is inserted into the second space above the second partition; the upright second holding plate and the L-shaped second holding plate are separately held in the corresponding second holding grooves; one second vertical plate with the second mounting end is retained by one second locking groove, and the second mounting end passes through the one second locking groove to extend out of the bottom surface of the base; and the other second vertical plate without the second mounting end is retained in the other second locking groove together with the second upright portion of the second reinforcing terminal.
In one embodiment, the second pressing portion is L-shaped; two second end portions separately formed on the second pressing portions of the two second reinforcing terminals together clamp the second arc protruding parts of the second conductive terminal; each second reinforcing terminal further has a second notch formed on a rear edge of the second upright portion; the second bending plate of the second conductive terminal enters into the second notch of the corresponding second reinforcing terminal; the L-shaped second holding plate of the second conductive terminal crosses a top edge of the second upright portion of the corresponding second reinforcing terminal to be engaged with the second holding groove of the base.
The present invention also provides a terminal assembly, which is applied to an electrical power connector. The terminal assembly comprises a conductive terminal and two reinforcing terminals, which is located on two sides of the conductive terminal. The conductive terminal has two vertical plates, two pairs of flexible arms formed by being separately bent from front edges of the two vertical plates and extending forward, a horizontal plate connecting the two vertical plates, and a mounting end located under one of the two vertical plates. Wherein each flexible arm forms an arc protruding part and a head part. The arc protruding parts of the two pairs of the flexible arms is close to each other and spaced apart, and the head parts thereof extend away from each other to form a splayed shape; an outward extension length of one head part is larger than that of the other head part. Each reinforcing terminal has an upright portion attached to an outer side of the corresponding vertical plate, and an L-shaped pressing portion that is formed by being bent from a front edge of the upright portion and extending forward and presses an outer side of the corresponding flexible arm. Wherein two end portions of the L-shaped pressing portions of the two reinforcing terminals together clamp the arc protruding parts of the conductive terminal.
In comparison with the prior art, the electrical power connector of the present invention employs two terminal assemblies having high conductivity and good elastic to provide a better electrical performance and a long term reliable connection. Moreover, because the electrical power connector employs two separate terminal assemblies, which can use two kinds of different polarity currents, to expand the use range of the electrical power connector.
The following description of every embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings is used to exemplify a specific embodiment, which may be carried out in the present invention. Directional terms mentioned in the present invention, such as “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “top”, “bottom” etc., are only used with reference to the orientation of the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the used directional terms are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the present invention.
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The following text will describe the second terminal assembly, the main structures of which are similar to those of the first terminal assembly.
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The following text will describe the mounting relationship of the first and second terminal assemblies and the base 10.
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As described above, the electrical power connector 1 of the present invention employs the first and second conductive terminals 20, 40 having good elastic. The first and second reinforcing terminals 30, 50 are separately attached on the first and second conductive terminals 20, 40 to make the electrical power connector 1 produce a larger electrical contact force between the first and second conductive terminals 20, 40 and the butt connector 9, and further provide a high conductivity. It can be seen that the first and second terminal assemblies of the present invention can provide a better electrical performance and a long term reliable connection. Further, because the electrical power connector 1 employs two separate terminal assemblies, which can use two kinds of different polarity currents, to expand the use range of the electrical power connector 1.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201520087997.9 | Feb 2015 | CN | national |