Female receptacle and premold therefor

• US 5,647,751 A
• Filed: 09/22/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henry F. Skoczylas, Michael Y. Shulman, Nicholas K. Katzenberger, Suzanne V. Hickey, Yook K. Chan
• Original Assignee: Henry F. Skoczylas, Michael Y. Shulman, Nicholas K. Katzenberger, Suzanne V. Hickey, Yook K. Chan
• Inventors: Shulman, Michael Y., Hickey, Suzanne V., Chan, Yook K., Skoczylas, Henry F., Katzenberger, Nicholas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US08/532,934
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 439/106, 439/606, 439/686, 439/695
• US Class Current: 439/106
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/193 Means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling part , e.g. zero insertion force or no friction
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/504 different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic, or swaged together
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap

Abstract

A female receptacle adapted for electrical connection to a male plug includes a premold for housing a pair of clothes-pin type metal female contacts and a D-shaped metal female pin. The premold, which may be made from a relatively rigid material, is housed within an overmold made from a less rigid material. The premold can be of a locking variety or a non-locking variety.

Claims

1. In a female receptacle adapted for electrical connection to a male plug and having an overmold, a pair of clothes-pin type metal female contacts and a D-shaped metal female pin, the improvement comprising a premold positioned in said overmold for housing said female contacts and said female pin, said premold including a body, which has first receiving means for receiving one of said pair of female contacts, second receiving means for receiving another of said pair of female contacts and third receiving means for receiving said female pin, and a cover, releasably mounted on said body in a snap-fit manner, for covering said first, second and third receiving means, said first and second receiving means including cooperating means for cooperating with said female contacts to exert a substantially constant gripping force on male pins of a male plug connected to said female receptacle.

2. The improved female receptacle of claim 1, wherein said premold is made of nylon;

and wherein said overmold is made of vinyl, which has a durometer measurement of about 80 durometer or less.

3. The improved female receptacle of claim 1, further comprising locking means for locking said female receptacle to a male plug connected to said female receptacle.

4. The improved female receptacle of claim 3, wherein said locking means includes a cam movable between a first position, in which said cam urges said female contacts into locking engagement with corresponding male pins of the male plug, and a second position, in which said cam does not urge said female contacts into locking engagement with the corresponding male pins of the male plug.

5. A premold for a female receptacle adapted for electrical connection to a male plug, comprising a body having first receiving means for receiving one clothes-spin type metal female contact, second receiving means for receiving another clothes-pin type metal female contact, and third receiving means for receiving a D-shaped metal female pin;

a cover, releasably mounted on said body, for covering said first, second and third receiving means; and

gripping means for exerting a substantially constant gripping force on male pins of a male plug connected to said premold.

6. The premold of claim 5, wherein said first receiving means includes a first trough extending from one end of said body to an opposite end of said body;

wherein said second receiving means includes a second trough extending from said one end of said body to said opposite end of said body; and

wherein said third receiving means includes a third trough extending from said one end of said body to said opposite end of said body.

7. The premold of claim 6, wherein said first trough is formed in a first side portion of said body;

wherein said second trough is formed in a second side portion of said body, said first and second side portions being on opposite sides of said premold; and

wherein said third trough is formed in a central portion of said body, said central portion being intermediate said first and second side portions.

8. The premold of claim 7, wherein said body further includes a first retaining wall, which substantially obstructs one end of said first trough adjacent said one end of said body and which has a slot formed therein, and a second retaining wall, which substantially obstructs one end of said second trough adjacent said one end of said body and which has a slot formed therein.

9. The premold of claim 8, wherein said body includes reinforcing means for reinforcing said body.

10. The premold of claim 9, wherein said reinforcing means includes a rib depending from said central portion of said body and connecting said first and second side portions.

11. The premold of claim 6, wherein said cover includes a cap, which is releasably mounted on said body, and a face plate depending from said cap and sized and shaped so as to substantially obstruct said opposite end of said body.

12. The premold of claim 11, wherein said cover includes a tongue depending from said cap and sized and shaped so as to substantially obstruct one end of said third trough adjacent said one end of said body.

13. The premold of claim 12, wherein said cover includes a notch;

and wherein said body further includes a locking lip engageable with said notch so as to releasably lock said cover onto said body in a snap-fit manner.

14. The premold of claim 6, wherein said gripping means includes a first tab formed in said first trough and a second tab formed in said second trough.

15. The premold of claim 14, wherein said gripping means further includes a first rib formed in said first trough and a second rib formed in said second trough.

16. The premold of claim 5, further comprising locking means for locking said female receptacle to a mate plug connected to said female receptacle.

17. The premold of claim 16, wherein said locking means includes a cam movable between a first position, in which said cam urges said female contacts into locking engagement with corresponding male pins of the male plug, and a second position, in which said cam does not urge said female contacts into locking engagement with the corresponding male pins of the male plug.

18. A female receptacle adapted for electrical connection to a male plug, comprising a premold, which includes a body having first receiving means for receiving a first clothes-pin type metal female contact, second receiving means for receiving a second clothes-pin type metal female contact, and third receiving means for receiving a D-shaped metal female pin, and a cover, releasably mounted on said body, for covering said first, second and third receiving means;

said first and second receiving means including cooperating means for cooperating with said female contacts to exert a substantially constant gripping force on male pins of a male plug connected to said female receptacle; and

an overmold which houses said premold, as well as said first and second female contacts and said female pin.

19. The female receptacle of claim 18, wherein said body and said cover are rigid so as to maintain predetermined spacial relationships between said first and second female contacts and said female pin.

20. The female receptacle of claim 19, wherein said cover cooperates with said body such that at least a portion of each of said first and second female contacts and at least a portion of said female pin are enclosed within said premold.

21. The female receptacle of claim 18, further comprising locking means for locking said female receptacle to a male plug connected to said female receptacle.

22. The female receptacle of claim 21, wherein said locking means includes a cam movable between a first position, in which said cam urges said female contacts into locking engagement with corresponding male pins of the male plug, and a second position, in which said cam does not urge said female contacts into locking engagement with the corresponding male pins of the male plug.