Contact sleeve for electrical communication

• US 6,186,841 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCI Katrineholm AB
• Original Assignee: FCI Katrineholm AB
• Inventors: Jacobsson, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Paula
• Assistant Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US09/538,210
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 439/851, 439/852, 439/842, 439/843, 439/846, 439/856, 439/857, 439/924.1
• US Class Current: 439/851
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/111 co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section

Abstract

A contact sleeve (3) comprising a first end (6) for electrical communication with a conductor means (7), a fastening portion (9) at a central part (11) of said contact sleeve (3) and a second end (12) comprising a plurality of contact beams (13) with inner contact surfaces (14) projecting longitudinally from said central part (11) arranged generally cylindrically around a longitudinal axis (A—A) of said contact sleeve (3) adapted for electrical communication with a corresponding mating pin (15) provided with a rounded top (17). Said plurality of contact beams (13) comprises at least three first contact beams (19a) and at least one second contact beam (20) being inwardly bent in direction to said axis (A—A) of said contact sleeve (3), said first contact beams (19a) relative to said at least one second contact beam (20) are more inwardly bent for making a first electrical contact with said corresponding mating pin (15) at the beginning of a mating cycle and said at least one second contact beam (20) makes a contact with said mating pin (15) after that said at least three first contact beams (19a) are in contact with said mating pin (15).

Claims

1. A contact sleeve (3) comprising a first end (6) for electrical communication with a conductor means (7), a fastening portion (9) at a central part (11) of said contact sleeve (3) and a second end (12) comprising a plurality of contact beams (13) with inner contact surfaces (14) projecting longitudinally from said central part (11) arranged generally cylindrically around a longitudinal axis (A—

A) of said contact sleeve (3) adapted for electrical communication with a corresponding mating pin (15) provided with a rounded top (17), characterized in that said plurality of contact beams (13) comprises at least three first contact beams (19a, 19b) and at least one second contact beam (20) being inwardly bent in direction to said axis (A—

A) of said contact sleeve (3), said at least three first contact beams (19a, 19b) relative to said at least one second contact beam (20) are more inwardly bent for making a first electrical contact with said corresponding mating pin (15) at the beginning of a mating cycle and said at least one second contact beam (20) makes a contact with said mating pin (15) after that said at least three first contact beams (19a, 19b) are in contact with said mating pin (15).

2. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said at least three first contact beams (19a) and said at least one second contact beam (20) have essentially the same length.

3. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said at least three first contact beams (19b) ends further than said at least one second contact beam (20) in the longitudinal direction of said contact sleeve (3) for making a first electrical contact with said corresponding mating pin (15) at the beginning of the mating cycle.

4. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said at least three first contact beams (19a, 19b) are equally disposed around said axis (A—

A).

5. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said at least three first contact beams (19a, 19b) and said at least one second contact beam (20) in a plugged state are spring-loaded for making a contact with said corresponding mating pin (15).

6. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said contact beams (13) each comprises a bevel (21) for uptaking said rounded top (17) of said mating pin (15) at the beginning of the mating cycle.

7. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said at least three first contact beams (19a, 19b) each are made more narrow than said at least one second contact beam (20) for making a lesser spring-load on said pin (15).

8. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said central part (11) is provided with a bore (30) having an axis which corresponds with said axis (A—

A) of said contact sleeve (3), said bore (30) has a further extension than said inner contact surfaces (14) of said plurality of contact beams (13) equivalent to a portion of said top (17) of said mating pin (15).

9. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein three second contact beams (20) are arranged at said contact sleeve (3).

10. A contact sleeve according to claim 1, wherein a chamfering (22) is provided at the central part (11) for preventing the contact sleeve to rotate together with the conductor means (7) in a housing (4) comprising a partition (23).