Patent · US Expired

Low insertion force connector

US4466684A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
13References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 1981
Grant dateAug 21, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 17, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01R43/16
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A low insertion force connector has metal conductors disposed in respective openings in an insulating connector body. Each conductor has a bridge portion extending in a square inside its respective body opening and has integral leaf springs extending from respective sides of the square toward a terminal entry end of the body opening. Two pairs of the springs are disposed so that the springs in each pair face each other around a common axis for receiving a terminal therebetween. Each leaf spring has an obliquely disposed surface to intercept and be moved by a terminal as the terminal is inserted and a contact surface for engaging the terminal said surfaces of one pair of springs being relatively closer to the entry end of the body opening than said surfaces of the other pair of springs, thereby requiring lesser terminal insertion forces. An integral gauge strip on each conductor is connected to one pair of the springs at the terminal entry end of the body opening and extends to define the perimeter of a gauge opening or aperture on the conductor for limiting the cross-section of a terminal which can be inserted between the leaf springs through the gauge aperture. Opposite ends of th…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.