ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH A CANTED COIL SPRING

• US 20120174398A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Inventors: Rust, Steve, Frederick, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,844,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/876
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 3/02 helically
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 35/00 Making springs from wire by coiling wire B21F3/00; making resilient rings B21F37/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/045 Canted-coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/17 with spring member on the pin
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2492 multiple contact points
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/33 Contact members made of resilient wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49135 and shaping, e.g., cutting or bending, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49151 by deforming or shaping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

Electrical resistance between a male part and a female part through a canted spring is disclosed using mathematical modeling. Increase or decrease in resistance can be quickly analyzed by looking at the equivalence resistance and the number of contacts at the input side, the output side, or both. The number of contacts may also be created by forming a dimple having a discontinuity.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector with an equivalent resistance comprising:

providing a housing made from, at least in part, an electrically conductive material;

providing a pin made from, at least in part, an electrically conductive material;

positioning a canted coil spring comprising a spring coil in a groove, said groove being associated with the housing, the pin, or both;

counting a first set of number of contact point(s) between the spring coil and the housing and a second set of number of contact point(s) between the spring coil and the pin;

using Ohm'"'"'s Law, the first set of number of contact point(s), and the second set of number of contact point(s) to compute the equivalent resistance for the electrical connector.

22. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, further comprising associating the groove with the housing only.

23. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, further comprising associating the groove with the pin only.

24. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) is one, and the second set of number of contact point(s) is one.

25. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) or the second set of number of contact point(s) is two by forming a V-shape bottom wall in the groove.

26. The method of manufacturing claim 21, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) or the second set of number of contact point(s) is two by forming a dimple on the coil to define a section having a discontinuity.

27. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) or the second set of number of contact point(s) is two by forming the groove with two tapered sidewalls relative to a bottom wall.

28. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, wherein the contact between the spring coil and the housing or between the spring coil and the pin is along an arc length of the coil.

29. The method of manufacturing of claim 21, further comprising determining a first path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin and a second path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin.

30. The method of manufacturing of claim 29, further comprising using Ohm'"'"'s Law, the first path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin, and the second path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin to compute the equivalent resistance for the electrical connector.

31. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector with an equivalent resistance comprising:

providing a housing made from, at least in part, an electrically conductive material;

providing a pin made from, at least in part, an electrically conductive material;

positioning a canted coil spring comprising a spring coil in a groove, said groove being associated with the housing, the pin, or both;

counting a first set of number of contact point(s) between the spring coil and the housing and a second set of number of contact point(s) between the spring coil and the pin;

determining a first path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin and a second path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin;

using Ohm'"'"'s Law, the first set of number of contact point(s), the second set of number of contact point(s), the first path length of the spring coil between the housing and the pin, and the second path length of the spring coil between the h sing and the pin to compute the equivalent resistance for the electrical connector.

32. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, further comprising associating the groove with the housing only.

33. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, further comprising associating the groove with the pin only.

34. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) is one, and the second set of number of contact point(s) is one.

35. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) or the second set of number of contact point(s) is two by forming a V-shape bottom wall in the groove.

36. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, wherein first set of number of contact point(s) or the second set of number of contact point(s) is two by forming a dimple on the coil to define a section having a discontinuity.

37. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, wherein the first set of number of contact point(s) or the second set of number of contact point(s) is two by forming the groove with two tapered sidewalls relative to a bottom wall.

38. The method of manufacturing of claim 31, wherein the contact between the spring coil and the housing or between the spring coil and the pin is along an arc length of the coil.