The disclosure relates to field of Electrical Terminal Fittings.
The disclosure generally relates to an electrical terminal contact and, more specifically, to an electrical terminal contact for a connector system that can be used in a vehicle. In general, connectors of this type are suitable for use in vehicle systems including junction distribution blocks, power control modules and other body control systems. These systems typically employ a wire harness to connect the various body and control systems throughout the vehicle.
A connector system is provided that includes a plug connector and a receptacle connector. The connector system typically includes a plug connector assembly or header assembly including a plurality of electrical conducting terminals that are coupled to a printed circuit board and a receptacle connector assembly including a corresponding number of mating electrical terminals coupled to a wiring harness. In alternative arrangements, a plug and receptacle system may both be coupled to respective ends of a wire harness. These arrangements are typically known as wire to board and wire to wire connection systems.
These connector systems includes a header or plug connector having a plurality of male electrical terminals or pins either mounted on a printed circuit board or retained in a plug or first insulative housing. A receptacle connector includes a molded exterior housing with a plurality of pockets or cavities to retain a plurality of female terminals for cooperatively mating with the first plug connector housing. Each of the respective connector assemblies include an electrical terminal fitting having a locking or retaining arm extending from the terminal and an insulative housing including a cavity with integrally molded structure engaging the retaining arm to fully retain and lock the corresponding electrical terminals on the housing.
With increased demand for smaller terminals and increased performance, the female electrical terminal in an embodiment is constructed from two separate pieces, a contacting or electrical piece and a reinforcing piece or support piece. The contacting piece made from a highly conductive metal allowing for superior electrical performance and the support piece made from a high strength material to provide superior retention force and contacting beam reinforcement.
The disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not limited, in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
As required, detailed embodiments of the disclosure are presented herein; however, and it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the disclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms.
The connector system includes a first connector generally mounted to a printed circuit board or at an end of a vehicle wire harness and a second connector or receptacle 10 disposed on a second end of a vehicle wiring harness (not shown). The first end of the wire harness includes a first connector having a housing formed from an insulative material for mating with a corresponding connector or receptacle. The disclosure that follows is directed to the receptacle portion of the connector assembly in particular to the electric terminal 10 associate with the receptacle. The terminal 10 is of the female type for receiving a male pin (not shown).
As shown in the
As further illustrated in
As previously described, the body is generally “U” shaped with a cantilevered flexible contact beam 100 and a stationary beam 110 formed at the contacting portion 82 of the body 80 for electrically engaging a mating terminal pin (not shown). The beams extend along the insertion axis and are formed from a base 83. The base portion 83 includes a bottom wall, a pair of opposing side walls and a top wall. The walls are formed by bending and include a tab 106 formed from the top wall and a slot 116 formed in a side wall with the tab 116 fitted into the slot 116 locking the base together. From the base portion 83 the stationary beam 110 extends forward along the insertion axis in a flat manner from the bottom wall and a flexible contact beam 100 extends form the top wall and oppose the stationary beam 110. The stationary beam 110 includes a chamfered front edge 112 and the flexible contact beam includes a bent guide portion 102 for ease of insertion of the mating terminal pin with both beams including a contact bump 104, 114 that engage the mating terminal pin upon connection.
Additionally, the side wall extends above the flexible contact beam 100 and includes a first stop edge 85 and a second stop edge 124. A flap 122 is formed from the wall and extends above the flexible contact beam 100 and is adjacent the first stop edge 85. The first stop edge 85 and the flap 122 defined a surface that is normal to the insertion axis L. As further depicted a louver 118 is formed on each of the side walls and extends radially outward from the insertion axis L.
The covering 30 shall now be described and illustrated by
As best shown in
As best shown in
Additional features and structures formed in the body 80 and covering 30 shall now be discussed in conjunction with the assembly of the covering 30 to the body that completes the terminal 10. With reference to
During the insertion of the body 80 into the covering 30, as previously stated, the stationary beam properly aligned in the lower section 22, the flexible contact beam 100 is inserted into the lower section 22 as best illustrated in
As best shown in
As further illustrated an overstress protection tab 54 is bent upward from the stiffening beam 50 and in operation prevents the beams for being overly bent to the point of premature deformation. In operation, during mating, a terminal pin is inserted into the opening 20 and is located between the stationary beam 110 and the flexible contact beam 100 and deflects the flexible contact beam 100, the stiffening beam 50 and the support beam 52 upward. If the beams are overly deflected, the overstress protection tab 54 will engage the lower surface of the second beam 44 of the retention beam 40 thereby limiting the total amount of deflection of the beams.
An alternative embodiment is illustrated in
As best shown in
The force distribution is illustrated in
As illustrated in
The final operation is best illustrated in
The connection portion 84 is configured to receive an electrical lead wire, having an insulative covering 30 that provides a protective barrier against shorting between adjacent wires. The front portion of the wire (not shown) has a portion of the insulation removed to expose the conductor whereby the bare conductor is placed within the first pair of wings 140 and a portion of the unstripped wire is received in the second pair of wing portions 144. Each set of wing portions are then formed over the respective portions of the wire to secure the wire to the terminal. The first pair of wing 140 secures or crimps the terminal to the bare wire portion of the lead wire and the second pair of wings 144 secures or crimps the insulating portion of the lead wire to the terminal fitting.
As best shown in
Due to this configuration, upon crimping or the securing of the wire to the terminal 10, the wings 140 provide a varying degree of deformation and crimp pressure. That is, after the wire is secured to the terminal 10, the crimp force varies along the length of the wing 140. In operation, the conductor is typically a stranded wire with free ends and the front portion of wings 140 has to be deformed or crimped more than the rear portions of the front pair of wings.
An advantage to this is that the tip portion of the wire is compressed more at the very front of the wire and decreases as the crimp section moves rearward. This avoids excessive deformation and damage to the front of the stranded wire thereby minimizing resistance. Due to the fact that there is less deformation at the rearward portion of the wire crimp portion any damage to the wire due to over compression is removed, thereby resulting in greater mechanical holding and increased electrical performance and conductivity along the wing 140 and between the wire and the terminal 10.
In operation, the terminal 10 or terminals are inserted into a housing (not shown) within corresponding cavities that are formed in the housing. The cavity is shaped to the terminal peripheral contour so that in can be inserted without misalignment. As previously described, the terminal includes a retention beam 40 formed in the upper section 24 of the covering 30. The cavity includes a corresponding shoulder that engages the retention beam 40 in a direction opposite to which the terminal is inserted into the cavity, that is, this arrangement prevents the withdrawal of the terminal 10 from the cavity. In the embodiment shown the cross-section of the retention beam 40 is a folded over wall creating a double-walled retention beam, but other cross-sections can be employed, for instance an “L” shaped cross-section or any cross section that provides an increased resistance to bending. In this case, the folded cross-section adds stiffness to the beam to prevent it from buckling under load.
A flap 46 is formed at the free end of the retention beam 40 and the flap 46 is formed in a direction toward the covering 30 that provides a measure of protection so that wires or the like cannot catch or snag on the retention beam and damage it prior to assembly. The flap 46 also provides a surface for the retention beam to engage when inserted into the connector housing cavity. The flap 46 abuts a shoulder or recess formed in the cavity so that the electrical fitting resists pull out after being completely inserted within the housing. The flap 46 is bent toward the opening of the terminal 10 providing a tendency for the retention arm to be deflected outwardly upon attempted withdrawal. In effect causing the retention arm to engage the cavity more abruptly and resisting terminal pullout. The flap 46 also provides a larger area for engagement with the cavity so that damage to the housing material is avoided.
Once all of the terminals 10 are inserted into the housing and fully seated in each respective cavity, an independent secondary lock, ISL is typically employed to further retain the terminal 10 within the housing. The ISL is generally attached to the side of the housing in a first position that allows the terminals to be inserted into the cavities. Once the terminals 10 are inserted, the ISL is actuated or slid to a second position providing an addition lock for the terminals 10. In the embodiment shown, specifically as in
It will be understood that there are numerous modifications of the illustrated embodiments described above which will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, such as many variations and modifications of the compression connector assembly and/or its components including combinations of features disclosed herein that are individually disclosed or claimed herein, explicitly including additional combinations of such features, or alternatively other types of contact array connectors. Also, there are many possible variations in the materials and configurations.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/292,453, filed on Feb. 8, 2016 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2017/016788 | 2/7/2017 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62292453 | Feb 2016 | US |