Electrical connector and method of making same

• US 7,789,721 B1
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Burdenko, Michael N., Mackey, Dennis C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US12/420,736
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 439/320, 439/321, 439851-854, 439856-857
• US Class Current: 439/851
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/111 co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/03 Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable , e.g. tapping connections

Abstract

An electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector includes a socket housing and a plurality of socket contacts disposed within the socket housing. Each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises a body and at least two members extending from the body towards a pin-receiving end and separated by longitudinal slots. Each of the members has a tapered cross-section thicker towards an end adjacent to the body than towards a distal end through which the socket contact receives a mating pin.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a socket housing; and

a plurality of socket contacts disposed within the socket housing, wherein each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises a body and at least two members extending from the body towards a pin-receiving end and separated by longitudinal slots, each of the members having a tapered cross-section thicker towards an end adjacent to the body than towards a distal end through which the socket contact receives a mating pin and wherein the at least two members comprise generally right cylindrical interior surfaces and right conical exterior surfaces.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two members are configured to expand outwardly to conform to the mating pin within the socket contact.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein outer walls of the at least two members are tapered along a length of the socket contact.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein each of the members defines a cone angle.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein a taper angle of each of the at least two members is less than about 2 degrees.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the taper angle of each of the at least two members is between about 1.4 degrees and about 1.8 degrees.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises brass, beryllium copper, or phosphor bronze, or combinations thereof.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two members comprises a deflection-limiting extension on an outer surface thereof to limit deflection of the respective member upon receiving the mating pin.

9. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the cone angle is selected to facilitate quasi-uniform strength bending of the beams.

10. An electrical connector, comprising:

a socket housing; and

a plurality of socket contacts disposed within the socket housing, wherein each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises a body and at least two members extending from the body towards a pin-receiving end and separated by longitudinal slots, each of the members having a tapered cross-section thicker towards an end adjacent to the body than towards a distal end through which the socket contact receives a mating pin and wherein a taper angle of each of the at least two members is less than about 2 degrees.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein each of the at least two members are configured to expand outwardly to conform to the mating pin within the socket contact.

12. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein a cone angle of each of the beams is selected to facilitate quasi-uniform strength bending of the beams.

13. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the taper angle of each of the at least two members is between about 1.4 degrees and about 1.8 degrees.

14. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises brass, beryllium copper, or phosphor bronze, or combinations thereof.

15. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein each of the at least two members comprises a deflection-limiting extension on an outer surface thereof to limit deflection of the respective member upon receiving the mating pin.