Variable canted coil spring cross section
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrical connector comprising:
- a housing made, at least in part, from an electrically conductive material comprising a bore and a groove located within the bore, said groove comprising two sidewalls and a bottom wall located therebetween;
a pin made from an electrically conductive material comprising an elongated body positioned within the bore; and
a canted coil spring positioned in the groove of the housing and contacting the pin, the canted coil spring comprising a plurality of canted coils generally canted in a first direction relative to a centerline extending through the coils;
wherein at least two of the plurality of canted coils, each when viewed in a direction of the centerline, comprises a curved first section along a first path and defining a first contact surface area when contacting a flat surface, the first section being formed continuously with a second section bent in a second direction defining a second path different from the first path so as to define a second contact surface area that is larger than the first contact surface area between the second section and at least one of the housing and the pin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A canted coil spring includes a plurality of canted coils generally canted relative to a centerline extending through the coils. At least one coil when viewed in the direction of the centerline appears to have a non-elliptical shape and a non-circular shape when the at least one coil is in the unbiased state. The plurality of coils is generally canted at a first coil angle relative to the center line. The at least one coil includes at least one section canted at a second coil angle relative to the centerline. The second coil angle is different from the first coil angle when the at least one coil is in an unbiased state.
20 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An electrical connector comprising:
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a housing made, at least in part, from an electrically conductive material comprising a bore and a groove located within the bore, said groove comprising two sidewalls and a bottom wall located therebetween; a pin made from an electrically conductive material comprising an elongated body positioned within the bore; and a canted coil spring positioned in the groove of the housing and contacting the pin, the canted coil spring comprising a plurality of canted coils generally canted in a first direction relative to a centerline extending through the coils; wherein at least two of the plurality of canted coils, each when viewed in a direction of the centerline, comprises a curved first section along a first path and defining a first contact surface area when contacting a flat surface, the first section being formed continuously with a second section bent in a second direction defining a second path different from the first path so as to define a second contact surface area that is larger than the first contact surface area between the second section and at least one of the housing and the pin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrical connector comprising:
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a pin comprising an elongated body having a groove comprising two sidewalls and a bottom wall located therebetween; a housing comprising a bore having the pin positioned therein; and a canted coil spring located in the groove comprising; a plurality of canted coils generally canted in a first direction relative to a center line extending through the coils; wherein at least two of the plurality of canted coils, each when viewed in a direction of the centerline, comprises a curved first section along a first path and defining a first contact surface area when contacting a flat surface, the first section being formed continuously with a second section bent in a second direction defining a second path different from the first path so as to define a second contact surface area that is larger than the first contact surface area between the second section and at least one of the housing and the pin. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for increasing the area of surface contacts in an electrical connector, the method comprising:
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fabricating a wire in a canted helical configuration thereby forming a plurality of coils canted in a first direction relative to a centerline extending through the coils, wherein at least one coil of the plurality of coils, when viewed in a direction of the center line, comprises a curved first section along a first path and defining a first contact surface area when contacting a flat surface; bending at least one section of the at least one coil in a second direction to form a second section that is continuous with the first section, wherein the second direction defines a second path different from the first path so as to define a second contact surface area that is larger than the first contact surface area; and placing the plurality of coils in a groove comprising two sidewalls and a bottom wall so that the second section of the at least one coil contacts the bottom wall along the second contact surface area. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An electrical connector, comprising:
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a housing defining a bore; a pin positioned longitudinally in the bore; at least one of the housing and the pin defining a groove communicating with the bore; and a canted coil spring disposed in the groove so as to contact the housing and the pin, the spring comprising a plurality of coils canted in a first direction relative to a center line extending through the coils; wherein each of at least two of the plurality of coils, when viewed in a direction of the centerline, comprises a curved first section defining a first contact surface area between the first section and at least one of the housing and the pin, the first section being continuous with a second section angled in a second direction different from the first direction so as to provide a second contact surface area between the second section and at least one of the housing and the pin, the second contact surface area being larger than the first contact surface area. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification