Patent · US Expired

Closed entry socket contact assembly

US5088942A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
14References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 15, 1991
Grant dateFeb 18, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 15, 2011

Classification

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

Abstract

A high reliability socket contact assembly is provided, of the type that has a seamless exterior, which has tines with closely spaced initial and final points of pin contact engagement, and which has a closed entry region limiting the size of pin contacts that can be inserted, which can be constructed at low cost. The assembly includes a seamless barrel (12, FIG. 3) having a cylindrical cavity (16) extending into its front end, and a clip (20) formed of sheet metal rolled into a tube and lying in the cavity. The clip has a rearward portion (32), tines (42a-42d) extending forwardly from the rearward portion and having free forward tips, and a forward portion. The tips (56) of the tines have radially inner edges (60) lying on a first imaginary circle, and the forward portion of the barrel forms a closed entry region (72) having an inside diameter no greater than the diameter of the first imaginary circle, to prevent entry of pins of a diameter that could damage the tines. In one barrel (FIG. 3 ), the forward barrel portion has a flared front part (80), with the narrowest part of the flare forming the closed end region. In another clip, (FIG. 9) the sheet metal forming the clip is thi…

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