Electrical connector with double torsion contacts

• US 4,863,394 A
• Filed: 04/13/1988
• Issued: 09/05/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Henshaw, Wallace H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desmond, Eugene F.
• Application Number:
  US07/181,083
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 439/239, 439/830-833, 439/834
• US Class Current: 439/239
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/0836 characterised by the lamp holding means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/12 by twisting

Abstract

An electrical connector having a pair of opposed torsion blades that are twisted toward each other that provides double torsional contact action when a contact pin is inserted therein for reliably maintaining the contact pin between the blades. An electrical socket for a bi-pin fluorescent lamp is provided having a pair of contact chambers and a double torsion blade connector mounted in each chamber.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, of thin blade construction for removably accepting a contact pin or the like comprising:

a contact section at one end of the connector and a planar section connected to said contact section, said section being substantially aligned along a common longitudinal axis thereto said contact section having a slit along its longitudinal axis forming a pair of torsion blades, said torsion blades being arranged to define an opening in the contact section of said connector, said opening being formed by opposed beveled portions on each of said torsion blades, said torsion blades having opposed indentations that define a contact pin engaging aperture, said opening being sized to permit insertion of a contact pin along the axis of said slit, said torsion blades having opposed bevel portions angled in a V-shaped, whereby the planes of said torsion blades and said planar section are angled toward each other at a point below said opening which permit said blades to twist about the longitudinal axis of said slit when a contact pin is inserted between said blades thereby exerting torsional forces on said contact pin to reliably maintain the contact pin in engagement with said blades, said connector also having a U-shaped mounting section connected to said planar section.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 further including a pressure locking contact section for electrical conductors, said pressure locking contact section being connected to said U-shaped mounting section.

3. A torsion connector of thin blade construction for accepting a contact pin or the like of a lamp said connector comprising:

a contact section at one end of the connector having a slit along the longitudinal axis of said contact section forming a pair of torsion blades, said torsion blades being arranged to define an opening in the contact section of said connector, said opening being formed by opposed beveled portions on each of said torsion blades, said torsion blades having opposing indentations therein spaced from the contact section at the end of said connector to define a pin engaging aperture, said opening being sized to permit insertion of a contact pin along the axis of said slot;

a planar intermediate section connected to said contact section that is adjacent to said pin engaging aperture and being substantially aligned along a common longitudinal axis, said slit extending partially into said planar intermediate section; and

said torsion blades being twisted in a V-shaped relative to each other whereby the planes of said torsion blades and the planar intermediate section are offset such that when a contact pin is inserted between said torsion blades, said torsion blades will twist about the longitudinal axis of said slit thereby exerting torsional forces on the contact pin to reliably maintain the contact pin in engagement with said blades said torsion blades have a cross-section having an edge, which touches a contact pin which is inserted between said torsion blades, said connector also having a U-shaped mounting section connected to said planar section.

4. In an electrical socket for receiving a contact pin of a lamp said electrical socket having a housing with a chamber therein and an open end into which the contact pin can extend, a torsion connector comprising:

a contact section at one end of the connector and a planar section connected to said contact section, said section being substantially aligned along a common longitudinal axis having a slit along the longitudinal axis of said contact section forming a pair of torsion blades, said torsion blades being arranged to define an opening in the contact section of said connector, said opening being formed by opposed beveled portions on each of said torsion blades, said torsion blades having opposing indentations therein spaced from the outer end of said contact section to define a pin engaging aperture said opening being sized to permit insertion of a contact pin along the axis of said slot;

a planar intermediate section connected to the inner end of said contact section that is adjacent to said pin engaging aperture and being substantially aligned about a common longitudinal axis, said slit extending partially into said planar intermediate section; and

said torsion blades being twisted in a V-shaped relative to each other whereby the planes of said torsion blades and the planar intermediate section are offset such that when a contact pin is inserted between said blades, said blades will twist about the longitudinal axis of said slit thereby exerting torsional forces on the contact pin to reliably maintain the contact pin in engagement with said blades;

said torsion connector extending lengthwise in the chamber and being aligned with said open end in said housing said connector also having a U-shaped mounting section connected to said planar section.

5. The electrical socket of claim 4, wherein said housing further includes a transverse rib at a point spaced from said opening, and wherein said connector further includes a U-shaped mounting section connected to said contact section and resting on and covering said transverse rib.

6. The electrical socket of claim 5, wherein the housing further includes a wire receiving section opposite its open end having a pair of passageways through which electrical conductors extend and wherein the torsion connector further includes a pressure locking contact section in said wire receiving section and being aligned with the passageways for contact with the wires extending therethrough.

7. An electrical socket for bi-pin fluorescent lamps comprising:

a housing having a front wall, opposed side walls and an intermediate wall defining a pair of contact chambers therein, said front wall having a pair of slotted openings at one end thereof for receiving contact pins in said chambers;

a transverse rib extending between said side walls and said intermediate wall of said housing at a point spaced from the slotted openings;

a wire receiving section in said housing, opposite said slotted opening at one end, including a pair of contact locking recesses aligned with said contact chambers, each of said recesses having a pair of conductor receiving passageways through said front wall and a separating rib attached to the inner side of said front wall and extending into said recesses;

an electrical connector in said housing which comprises a contact section at the end of the connector and a planar section connected to said contact section, said sections being substantially aligned along a common longitudinal axis thereto, said contact section having a slit along its longitudinal axis forming a pair of torsion blades, said torsion blades being arranged to define an opening in the contact section of said connector, said opening being formed by opposed beveled portions of each of said torsion blades, said torsion blades having opposed indentations that define a contact pin engaging aperture, said opening being sized to permit insertion of a contact pin along said longitudinal axis of said slit when a contact pin is inserted between said blades thereby exerting torsional forces on said contact pin to reliably maintain the contact pin in engagement with said blades, said connector also having a U-shaped mounting section connected to said planar section;

said U-shaped mounting section resting on and covering said transverse rib of said housing and said electrical connector having attached to the end of said U-shaped mounting section that is opposite said planar section a pressure locking contact section, said pressure locking contact section having a slit defining a pair of locking prongs extending into said contact locking recess away from said front wall, said locking prongs being positioned on either side of said transverse rib and aligned with said conductor receiving passageways.

8. A torsion connector of thin blade construction for accepting the contact pin of a bi-pin fluorescent lamp, said torsion connector comprising:

a contact section at one end of said connector and a planar section connected to said contact section, said sections being substantially aligned along a common longitudinal axis, said contact section having a slit along its longitudinal axis forming a pair of torsion blades, said torsion blades being arranged to define an opening in the contact section of said connector, said opening being formed by opposed beveled portions on each of said torsion blades, said torsion blades having opposing indentations therein spaced to define a pin engaging aperture, said opening being sized to permit insertion of a contact pin along the axis of said slit;

a planar intermediate section connected to the inner end of said contact section that is adjacent to said pin engaging aperture and being substantially aligned along a common longitudinal axis, said slit extending partially into said planar intermediate section; and

said torsion blades being twisted in a V-shape at an angle of 20°

relative to each other whereby the planes of said torsion blades and the planar intermediate section are offset such that when a contact pin is inserted between said blades, said blades will twist along the longitudinal axis of said slit thereby exerting torsional forces on the contact pin in engagement with said blades.

9. A torsion connector as defined in claim 8 wherein a contact pin of a fluorescent lamp has been placed in said contact section and said torsion blades exert torsional forces on said contact pin.