Stamped electrical terminal

• US 8,342,893 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Glick, Michael, Pavlovic, Slobodan, Brown, Cecil Lamar II
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, PHUONG K
• Application Number:
  US13/070,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 439/840, 439/843, 439/846, 439/841
• US Class Current: 439/840
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49218 with deforming

Abstract

An electrical terminal operable to facilitate electrical connectivity between the terminal and an electrical connector. The electrical terminal may include a conducting element, such as but not limited to a coil spring, within a open end used to connect to an electrically conducting connector. The conducting element may facilitate electrical connectivity between the inserted connector and the terminal.

Claims

1. A stamped electrical terminal configured to electrically connect to a connector, the terminal comprising:

an electrically conducting body portion stamped from a metal sheet, the body portion including a first open end with a first engagement portion having a first width sufficiently sized to provide a first interference fit with the connector; and

a resilient conducting element positioned within the first open end having a first opening sized to provide a second interference fit with the connector;

wherein the body portion has a uniform material thickness substantially throughout;

wherein the body portion includes at least one lance to position the resilient element within the first open end; and

wherein each of the at least one lance is formed by punching a slot through a thickness of the body portion such that a side of each slot curls inwardly more towards the resilient conducting element than a side of the body portion on an opposite side of the resilient conducting element.

2. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the body portion includes a second open end opposite the first open end, the second open end having a second engagement portion with a second width sufficiently sized to provide an third interference fit with a second connector.

3. The terminal of claim 2 wherein the body portion includes an inner passageway for fluidly connecting the first open end with the second open end.

4. The terminal of claim 3 wherein the passageway has a third width, the third width being less than each of the first and second widths, and wherein the second width is less than the first width.

5. The terminal of claim 1 wherein an entire axial length of the body portion includes a fold line where opposing sides of the electrically conducting body portion are bent together.

6. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the resilient conducting element is a coil spring.

7. The terminal of claim 6 wherein the coil spring applies more normal force to the connector than the first engagement surface.

8. The terminal of claim 5 wherein a gap is provided along the fold line for passage of fluid during insertion of the connector.

9. A terminal for receiving a connector comprising:

a conducting material folded end-to-end to form a body portion having an open end shaped to provide an interference fit with the connector; and

a flexible conducting element positioned within the open end to facilitate electrical connectivity between the connector and the body portion;

wherein the body portion includes at least two diametrically opposed lances to position the flexible conducting element within the open end, the lances being formed by punching corresponding holes through a thickness of the body portion such that a portion of each punched hole folds inwardly to form the corresponding lance.

10. The terminal of claim 9 wherein an inner diameter of the open end at the interference fit is greater than an inner diameter of the flexible element.

11. The terminal of claim 9 wherein an inner diameter of the body portion on adjoining opposed sides of the flexible conducting element are equal and greater than an inner diameter of the lances.

12. A method of forming a terminal operable for electrically connecting to a connector, the method comprising:

folding a piece of conducting material to form at least a partially hollow body portion having an open end shaped to receive the connector;

positioning a deformable conducting element within the open end to facilitate electrical connectivity between the body portion and the connector,

wherein the deformable conducting element is a resilient coil spring;

bending two diametrically opposed sections of the body portion inwardly to form diametrically opposed lances that facilitate position the deformable conducting element; and

punching an aperture through a thickness of the body portion adjacent the lances.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising positioning the deformable conducting element within the open end after folding the flat piece of conducting material to the at least partially hollow body.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising positioning the deformable conducting element within the open end prior to folding the flat piece of conducting material to the at least partially hollow body.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising folding the deformable conducting element at the same time as the flat piece of conducting material is folded to form the at least partially hollow body portion.