WIRING DEVICE SUCH AS FEMALE CONNECTOR WITH DEFORMABLE INSULATING HOUSING ELEMENT FOR MAINTAINING CONTACT ALIGNMENT

• US 3,781,769 A
• Filed: 08/15/1972
• Issued: 12/25/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roy A. Wiley
• Original Assignee: Roy A. Wiley
• Inventors: Wiley, Roy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Champion, Marvin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Staab, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/280,938
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 339/59,61,64,65,66,176,189,191-194,217S
• US Class Current: 439/682
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/71 Contact members of coupling parts operating as switch , e.g. linear or rotational movement required after mechanical engagement of coupling part to establish electrical connection

Abstract

In a wiring device of the female connector type, female contacts are provided in an interior chamber of an insulating housing for frictional engagement with an inserted blade of a male attachment plug; the housing chamber has fixed interior walls with at least one deformable projection extending therefrom for deformably bearing against the spring contact element when the latter is deflected by an inserted blade to maintain the alignment of the element in use.

Claims

1. A wiring device comprising:

an insulating housing having a chamber and a plug blade receiving aperture through an exterior wall of said housing to said chamber;

at least one female contact within said chamber, said female contact comprising at least one spring contact element located in relation to said blade receiving aperture to frictionally engage an inserted blade;

said chamber having fixed walls from which said contact is spaced, and at least one deformable projection extending from a chamber wall to maintain alignment of said contact, said deformable projection being integrally molded with said insulating housing and extending to a location at which it is deformed by said contact at least when said contact is deflected upon blade insertion;

said female contact comprising two spring contact elements that are deflected away from each other upon blade insertion, and one said deformable projection being located extending from a chamber wall adjacent each said spring contact element;

said two spring contact elements being supported at a terminal with means for connecting a wire thereto, a portion of each of said elements extending proximate to each other and then flaring apart from each other at a free end thereof thereby forming a knee in each element between the two of which is the location of closest proximity and of greatest frictional engagement with an inserted blade, and said deformable projections being contacted by said flared apart portion of said elements.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein:

said deformable projections are in the form of thin elongated projections whose direction of elongation is generally parallel to the direction of blade insertion.

3. A female connecting device for use with a male attachmEnt plug for making electrical connections comprising:

a housing of insulating material having a front wall with openings communicating with interior chambers;

a female contact located within each said interior chamber and comprising at least one spring contact element for frictional engagement with an inserted blade of the male attachment plug;

said housing chamber having fixed interior walls with at least one deformable projection extending therefrom for deformably bearing against said spring contact element when said element is deflected by an inserted blade to maintain the alignment of said element in use, said projection being thin compared with its extent from said wall and having a thin edge against which said contact element bears with permanent deformation of said projection.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein:

said female contact comprises a pair of opposing spring contact elements for engaging therebetween an inserted blade and one said deformable projection extends from an interior chamber wall proximate each said element.