ELECTRICAL TERMINAL WITH COIL SPRING

• US 20120003882A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Robert A., Pavlovic, Slobodan, Glick, Michael, Menzies, David, Brown, Cecil Lamar II
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/840
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/111 co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket

Abstract

An electrical terminal operable to facilitate electrical connectivity between the terminal and an electrical connector. The electrical terminal may include a cap to facilitate positioning a conducting element, such as but not limited to a coil spring, within a receptacle used to connect to an electrically conducting connector. The conducting element may facilitate electrical connectivity between the inserted connector and the terminal.

Claims

1. An electrical terminal configured to electrically connect to a connector, the terminal comprising:

an electrically conducting body having a first recessed end, the first recessed end having an first engagement portion, the first engagement portion having a first width configured to provide an interference fit with the connector;

a resilient conducting element positioned within the first recessed end, the conducting element having a first opening configured to provide an interference fit with the connector; and

a cap inserted within the first recessed end to prevent removal of the resilient conducting element.

2. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the first opening has a second width that is less than the first width.

3. The terminal of claim 2 wherein the cap defines a second opening configured to receive the connector and wherein the second opening includes a third width that is greater than the first width.

4. The terminal of claim 3 wherein the first recessed end is configured to receive at least a first portion of the cap.

5. The terminal of claim 4 wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth widths are diameters.

6. The terminal of claim 3 wherein the cap includes at least a second portion exterior to the first recessed end, the second portion having a fifth width that is greater than the fourth width.

7. The terminal of claim 6 wherein an exterior portion of the electrically conducting body has a sixth width that is approximately equal to the fifth width.

8. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the first recessed end includes a relief positioned inward of the first engagement portion, the relief configured to enable insertion of the connector and having a seventh width that is than the first width.

9. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the first engagement portion is formed by an interior portion of a first tube positioned within the first recessed end.

10. The terminal of claim 9 wherein the cap is formed by a second tube positioned within the first recessed end on a side of the conducting element opposite of the first tube.

11. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the conducting element is a coil spring.

12. The terminal of claim 10 wherein the cap is configured to compress the coil spring.

13. The terminal of claim 10 wherein the cap is configured to contact the coil spring without compressing the coil spring.

14. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting body includes a second recessed end being formed integral with the first recessed end, the second recessed having a second engagement portion shaped to provide an interference fit with a second connector to be inserted therein.

15. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the cap is welded to the first recessed end.

16. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the cap is removably connected to the first recessed end.

17. An electrical terminal for electrically interconnecting a first connector and a second connector, the terminal comprising:

a body portion having a first bored end for receiving the first connector and a second bored end for receiving the second connector;

a coil spring positioned within the first bored end configured to facilitate electrical connectivity between the body portion and the first connector; and

a cap inserted within the first bored end to secure the coil spring.

18. The terminal of claim 18 wherein the cap touches the spring and is one of (i) a tube entirely journaled within the first bored end and (ii) a tube having a portion interior to the first bored and a flanged portion exterior to the first bored end.

19. An electrical terminal for electrically connecting to a connector comprising:

a body portion having an open end for receiving the connector;

a coil spring positioned within the open end configured to facilitate electrical connectivity between the body portion and the connector; and

a flanged cap inserted within the open end to secure the coil spring to the body portion, the flanged cap having a first portion positioned within the open end to secure the spring and a second portion positioned exterior to the open end.

20. The terminal of claim 19 wherein the second portion is welded to the body portion.