Patent · US Expired

Electrical connector

US6478620B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
7References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 22, 2000
Grant dateNov 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 22, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01R13/5208
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electrical connector that comprises an electrically insulating housing having a front end and a back end displaced along a longitudinal axis. An electrical contact receiving aperture is formed in the housing and is arrayed parallel to the longitudinal axis. The back end of the connector housing further includes a contact receiving entrance that has a given cross-sectional, one-way footprint and has a given length “L” along the longitudinal axis. An electrical contact is positioned in the contact-receiving aperture, and has the same cross-sectional, one-way footprint as the entrance. At least a portion of the longitudinal length of the contact, designated “L1” is sufficient to retain engagement with the contact receiving entrance until the contact enters the electrical contact-receiving aperture in the insulating housing. The one-way footprint assures correct alignment of the contact with the housing aperture and allows for a much smaller contact with lesser spacing between contacts, thus allowing for a greater contact density and a miniaturization of the connector.

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