Electrical terminal with on-ramp

• US 5,954,550 A
• Filed: 10/17/1997
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Hill, Phillip W., Sheridan, Mark W., Wade, Clifton III
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US08/953,471
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 439/884, 439/889, 439/845
• US Class Current: 439/884
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/055 co-operating with sockets having a rectangular transverse section

Abstract

A male electrical terminal plug for attachment with a female electrical receptacle having a tab with opposite top and bottom surfaces, opposite distal and proximate ends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tab, opposite side ends or edges perpendicular to the lateral axis of the tab, and a portion of the top surface area of the tab between opposite lateral side edges of the tab being sloped or angled relative to the remaining portion of the tab top surface from a base potion of the tab toward a beveled leading edge of the distal end of the tab.

Claims

1. A male plug insertable into a female receptacle to establish an electrical connection between the male plug and female receptacle, the male plug comprising:

a tab having opposite top and bottom surfaces, laterally opposite side edges and longitudinally opposite proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the tab having a leading edge adapted to facilitate insertion of the plug into a female receptacle;

the proximal end of the tab having means for attaching an electrical conductor to the tab; and

the tab having first and second portions at the leading edge of the tab, the tab first and second portions being positioned between the laterally opposite side edges and laterally adjacent each other and are oriented at an angle relative to each others;

wherein the tab second portion top surface slopes away from the tab first portion top surface as the second portion top surface extends toward the distal end of the tab.

2. The male plug of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the tab first portion is positioned in a first plane and the top surface of the tab second portion is positioned in a second plane, and the first and second planes are oriented at an angle relative to each other.

3. The male plug of claim 1, wherein both the first and second portions of the tab are dimensioned to be insertable into the female receptacle.

4. The male plug of claim 1, wherein the tab has a bevel along its distal end.

5. The male plug of claim 1, wherein the tab has a third portion and the tab first and third portions are positioned between the laterally opposite side edges and on laterally opposite sides of the tab second portion, and the top surface of the tab first portion is coplanar with the top surface of the tab third portion.

6. The male plug of claim 5, wherein the top surface of the tab second portion is oriented at an angle relative to the top surfaces of the tab first and third portions.

7. The male plug of claim 1, wherein the tab has a base portion adjacent its proximal end, the tab top and bottom surfaces at the base portion are parallel to each other, and the tab first and second portions extend longitudinally from the base portion.

8. The male plug of claim 7, wherein the tab top surface at the base portion is coplanar with the tab top surface at the first portion and is angled relative to the tab top surface at the second portion.

9. The male plug of claim 8, wherein a bend line extends laterally across the tab, and the tab base portion and second portion are positioned on longitudinally opposite sides of the bend line.

10. The male plug of claim 5, wherein a bend line extends laterally across the tab between the tab first and third portions and the tab second portion extends longitudinally from the bend line.

11. The male plug of claim 1, wherein a bend line extends laterally across the tab between the opposite side edges, and the tab second portion extends longitudinally from the bend line to the distal end of the tab.

12. The male plug of claim 11, wherein the bend line is spaced longitudinally from the tab proximal and distal ends and is spaced laterally from the tab opposite side edges.

13. The male plug of claim 1, wherein the tab second portion is spaced longitudinally from the tab proximal end and is spaced laterally from the tab opposite side edges.

14. The male plug of claim 11, wherein the bend line lies in a plane of the tab second portion top surface.

15. The male plug of claim 7, wherein the tab has a third portion that is laterally adjacent the second portion and the top surface of the tab third portion and the top surface of the tab second portion are oriented at an angle relative to each other.

16. The male plug of claim 15, wherein the top surface of the tab first portion and the top surface of the tab third portion are coplanar.

17. The male plug of claim 15, wherein the tab first portion and the tab third portion are positioned on laterally opposite sides of the tab second portion.

18. The male plug of claim 15, wherein the tab third portion projects longitudinally from the tab base portion.

19. The male plug of claim 15, wherein the top surface of the tab base portion is coplanar with the top surface of the tab first portion and the top surface of the tab third portion and is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the tab second portion.

20. In combination with the male plug of claim 1, a female receptacle comprising:

a base having opposite top and bottom surfaces, longitudinally opposite ends, opposite lateral edges and a resilient bridge;

a guide rail attached to each of the lateral edges adapted for engagement with a male plug; and

a knob connected to the bridge adapted for engagement with a locking hole of a male plug.