Electrical contact with reduced self-inductance

• US 5,653,598 A
• Filed: 08/31/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Grabbe, Dimitry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pirlot, David L.
• Application Number:
  US08/521,704
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 439/65, 439/66, 439/88, 439/91, 439/81, 439/82, 439/74, 439/862, 439/70-72
• US Class Current: 439/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/52 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2435 with opposite contact points, e.g. C beam
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1069 with spring contact pieces

Abstract

An electrical contact for use in a connector between mutually opposed electrical interfaces comprises a generally planar contact body having first and second major faces. The body includes a pair of spaced apart spring arms connected by a resilient bight. The spring arms have respective free ends each with an outwardly facing edge which defines a contact nose engageable with a respective one of the interfaces. Respective shorting sections extend from each of the free ends generally toward each other. The shorting sections are offset from each other such that the first major face of one shorting section is coplanar with the second major face of the other shorting section. Upon deflection of the spring arms relatively closer together, the coplanar major faces of the shorting sections come into mutual engagement, whereby a shortened electrical path is formed between the contact noses.

Claims

1. An electrical contact for use in a connector between mutually opposed electrical interfaces, comprising:

a generally planar contact body having first and second major faces, the body including a pair of spaced apart spring arms connected by a resilient bight portion, the spring arms having respective free ends each with an outwardly facing edge which defines a contact nose engageable with a respective one of the interfaces, and that respective shorting sections extending from each of the free ends generally toward each other and being offset such that, upon deflection of the spring arms relatively closer together, the shorting sections overlap and the first major face of one shorting section engages the second major face of the other shorting section, whereby a shortened electrical path is formed between the contact noses while the spring arms, the bight portion, and the shorting section lie in a common plane.

2. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the bight portion is an arcuate section of the contact body.

3. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the bight portion is bisected by a central axis of the contact body.

4. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the spring arms angularly diverge as they extend from the bight portion.

5. An electrical contact for use in a connector between mutually opposed electrical interfaces, comprising:

a generally planar contact body stamped from sheet material, the body having first and second major faces corresponding to opposite side surfaces of the sheet material, the body including a resilient bight portion and a pair of spaced apart spring arms extending from the bight portion, the spring arms having respective free ends each with an outwardly facing edge which defines a contact nose engageable with a respective one of the interfaces, and respective shorting sections extending from each of the free ends generally toward each other and being offset such that the first major face of one shorting section is substantially coplanar with the second major face of the other shorting section, whereby upon deflection of the spring arms relatively closer together, the substantially coplanar major faces of the respective shorting sections come into mutual engagement, while the spring arms, the bight portion, and the shorting sections lie in a common plane so as to form a shortened electrical path is formed between the contact noses.

6. The contact according to claim 5, wherein the bight portion is an arcuate section of the contact body.

7. The contact according to claim 5, wherein the bight portion is bisected by a central axis of the contact body.

8. The contact according to claim 5, wherein the spring arms angularly diverge as they extend from the bight portion.