Elastically supported dual cantilever beam pin-receiving electrical contact
First Claim
1. A method for making a metallic terminal including a pin-receiving contact portion, said method comprising the steps of:
- stamping sheet metal stock to define at least one terminal blank including a base portion, a first outer pair of parallel beams extending from opposed sides of said base portion to a forward end, a second inner pair of arms extending between said first pair of beams, said inner arms being joined together at one end adjacent to the base by a bight portion and the opposed end of each of said inner arms being connected in tadem to the forward end of its adjacent outer beam by a linking element;
forming a contact portion on each of said outer beams; and
thereafter, forming up the opposed sides of said blank to form a U-shaped member such that the contact portions of said beams are positioned to slideably receive and electrically engage an inserted male pin terminal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high contact force, high elastic response range pin-receiving electrical contact is provided in a pin-receiving contact including a base portion and a pair of spaced apart cantilever beams which extend forwardly from the base to a pin-receiving end. A pair of inwardly directed contact surfaces are defined on each cantilever beam facing the opposed beam for slideably, electrically engaging an inserted pin terminal. In accordance with the invention, a resilient beam support member extends from and interconnects the pin-receiving ends of the cantilevered beams. The resilient beam support member provides a significantly improvement in the elastic response range of the pin-receiving contact by enabling each cantilevered beam to endure a greater outward displacement before a minimum yield in the beam occurs while providing a greater normal force against the pin. In a preferred embodiment, the resilient beam support member is a planar U-shaped spring which extends parallel to and adjacent the cantilevered beams and extends rearwardly from the front pin-receiving end of the contact.
216 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for making a metallic terminal including a pin-receiving contact portion, said method comprising the steps of:
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stamping sheet metal stock to define at least one terminal blank including a base portion, a first outer pair of parallel beams extending from opposed sides of said base portion to a forward end, a second inner pair of arms extending between said first pair of beams, said inner arms being joined together at one end adjacent to the base by a bight portion and the opposed end of each of said inner arms being connected in tadem to the forward end of its adjacent outer beam by a linking element; forming a contact portion on each of said outer beams; and thereafter, forming up the opposed sides of said blank to form a U-shaped member such that the contact portions of said beams are positioned to slideably receive and electrically engage an inserted male pin terminal.
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2. A high contact force, high elastic response range pin-receiving electrical terminal (10) including:
- a channel-shaped base member (18) joining a forward pin engaging structure with a generally box-shaped pin receiving region, therebetween, said pin engaging structure having a pair of spaced apart cantilever beams (26,
28) extending forwardly of said base member (18) to generally define opposed sides of said box-shaped region, each beam (26,
28) having a pin contacting surface (34,
36) facing the opposed beam for slidably engaging an inserted pin terminal, the improvement comprising;a resilient beam support member (54) extending between and mechanically interconnecting the forward, free ends (30,
32) of said beams (26,
28) to generally define a third side of said box-shaped region. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- a channel-shaped base member (18) joining a forward pin engaging structure with a generally box-shaped pin receiving region, therebetween, said pin engaging structure having a pair of spaced apart cantilever beams (26,
Specification