PUSH ON TERMINAL ASSEMBLY

• US 20100093233A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Original Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Inventors: FRIESEN, Charles Scott, WASILEWSKI, Irene Zofia
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/879
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/111 co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/20 Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/185 combined with a U-shaped insulation-receiving portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49183 of ferrule about conductor and terminal

Abstract

A terminal assembly includes a terminal and a barrel. The terminal has a coupling portion that fastens to a conductor, a mating portion with compression tabs arranged to form a channel, and an interlocking member on at least one of the compression tabs. The barrel is separate from the terminal and has a bore formed therethrough configured to receive the compression tabs of the mating portion. The barrel includes an interlocking member corresponding to the interlocking member of the at least one compression tab.

Claims

1. A terminal assembly, the terminal assembly comprising:

a terminal including,

a coupling portion that couples to a conductor,

a mating portion with a plurality of compression tabs arranged to form a channel, each of the plurality of compression tabs coupled to a respective base extending from the terminal and each of the plurality of compression tabs adapted to deflect outward away from the channel, and

an interlocking member disposed on at least one of the plurality of compression tabs; and

a barrel separate from the terminal, the barrel having a bore formed therethrough configured to receive the plurality of compression tabs of the mating portion, the barrel including an interlocking member corresponding to the interlocking member of the at least one of the plurality of compression tabs.

2. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

an overmolding that substantially surrounds the terminal and the barrel.

3. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion includes a crimp coupling.

4. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of compression tabs forms a substantially circular channel.

5. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of compression tabs further comprises a bend.

6. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking member of the terminal comprises an opening.

7. A terminal assembly according to claim 6, wherein the opening is substantially rectangular.

8. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking member of the barrel comprises an indent.

9. A terminal assembly according to claim 8, wherein the indent is substantially rectangular with a generally semicircular portion.

10. A terminal assembly, the terminal assembly comprising:

a terminal including,

a coupling portion that couples to a conductor,

a mating portion with a plurality of compression tabs arranged to form a channel, each of the plurality of compression tabs coupled to a respective base extending from the terminal and each of the plurality of compression tabs adapted to deflect outward away from the channel, and

an interlocking member disposed on at least one of the plurality of compression tabs;

a barrel separate from the terminal, the barrel having a bore formed therethrough configured to receive the plurality of compression tabs of the mating portion, the barrel including an interlocking member corresponding to the interlocking member of the at least one of the plurality of compression tabs; and

an overmolding that substantially surrounds the terminal and the barrel.

11. A terminal assembly according to claim 10, wherein the coupling portion includes a crimp coupling.

12. A terminal assembly according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of compression tabs forms a substantially circular channel.

13. A terminal assembly according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of compression tabs further comprises a bend.

14. A terminal assembly according to claim 10, wherein the interlocking member of the terminal comprises an opening.

15. A terminal assembly according to claim 14, wherein the opening is substantially rectangular.

16. A terminal assembly according to claim 10, wherein the interlocking member of the barrel comprises an indent.

17. A terminal assembly according to claim 16, wherein the indent is substantially rectangular with a generally semicircular portion.

18. A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a terminal with a coupling portion that couples to a conductor and a mating portion;

forming a plurality of bases, each of the plurality of bases extending from the terminal;

forming a plurality of compression tabs;

disposing each of the plurality of compression tabs at a respective one of the plurality of bases;

disposing an opening on at least one of the plurality of compression tabs;

arranging the plurality of compression tabs to form a substantially circular channel;

forming a barrel with a bore formed therethrough to receive the plurality of compression tabs;

disposing an indent on the barrel to engage the opening disposed on the at least one of the plurality of compression tabs; and

coupling the barrel to the terminal by engaging the indent with the opening.

19. A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

overmolding substantial portions of the barrel and the terminal.

20. A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

forming a bend in at least one of the plurality of compression tabs.

21. A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

forming the coupling portion as a crimp coupling.

22. A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

providing the opening with a substantially rectangular shape.

23. A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

providing the indent with a substantially rectangular shape with a semicircular portion.