Shorting contact support for a plug-in projection in an igniter receptacle

• US 6,422,897 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FCI Automotive Holding
• Original Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
• Inventors: Odorfer, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEON, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US09/628,762
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 439/510, 439/507, 439/511, 439/513
• US Class Current: 439/510
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7032 making use of a separate bridging element directly cooperating with the terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles

Abstract

A shorting contact support for a plug-in projection (5c) in an igniter receptacle, comprising a first shorting bridge (30a) having two resilient contact elements (35a, 36a) connected to one another by an edge (37) of a metal plate (31), and a support housing (9) having an annular base (2) on which two diametrically opposite wings (3, 4) are integrally formed parallel to the insertion direction and form a holder (5) for a plug (6) having sockets (51, 52) for the insertion of contact pins (21, 22) on an igniter receptacle (20). The shorting contact support has a second shorting bridge (30b) which is essentially identical to the first shorting bridge (30a), each wing (3, 4) containing a shorting bridge (30a, 30b), so that at least one bridge (30a, 30b) shorts the two contact pins (21, 22) arranged in one plane on the igniter receptacle (20) when the plug (6) is inserted. In addition, the holder (5) is rotationally symmetrical through 180°.

Claims

1. Shorting contact support for a plug-in an igniter receptacle wherein a plug has a plug in projection surrounding socket contacts, the plug in projection comprising at least one shoulder for lifting at least one resilient contact element of a shorting bridge upon insertion of the plug in projection between diametrically opposite wings, comprising a first shorting bridge having two resilient contact elements connected to one another by means of an edge of a metal plate, and a support housing having an annular base on which two diametrically opposite wings are integrally formed parallel to an insertion direction and form a holder for a plug having sockets for the insertion of contact pins on an igniter receptacle the shorting contact support having a second shorting bridge which is essentially identical to the first shorting bridge, each wing containing one of the shorting bridges, so that at least one bridge shorts the contact pins which are arranged in one plane on the igniter receptacle when the plug is inserted, and wherein the holder is rotationally symmetrical through 180°

, the second shorting bridge having at least one second resilient contact element lifted out of contact from one of the pins by a spike part of a secondary locking device.

2. Shorting contact support according to claim 1, wherein the wings are enveloped by a cylinder shape, a respective lobe being integrally formed on the free ends of the wings on the outside said lobe being received in a complementary recess of said receptacle.

3. Shorting contact support according to claim 1, wherein the wings each have an inwardly directed guide shoulder running parallel to the insertion direction in the center said guide shoulder being received in a groove of said plug in projection upon insertion of said plug in projection between said wings.

4. Shorting contact support according to claim 1, wherein the contact elements run from the top edge to the bottom edge of the metal plate which is essentially rectangular and at a slight distance from the plate.

5. Shorting contact support according to claim 1, wherein a central region of the contact elements runs essentially parallel to the plate, and an end region of the contact elements runs essentially transversely with respect to the insertion direction, and the contact elements each have, between the central region and the end region, a corner directed away from the metal plate.

6. Shorting contact support according to claim 1, wherein the bridges are arranged with mirror-image symmetry with respect to one another in the wings.

7. Shorting contact support according to claim 1, comprising part of a plug connector with an igniter for a restraining system in a motor vehicle.