Connector having flat stamped contact terminals

Claim 2

An electrical connector (2) of the type comprising an insulating housing (10) having a mating face (12), a rear face

Claim 3

(14), and a contact-receiving cavity (16) extending therethrough from the rear face to the mating face, a contact terminal (18) in the cavity, the contact terminal having a mounting portion which is proximate to the rear face and a contact arm which is proximate to the mating face, the connector being characterized in that: the contact terminal (18) is a flat stamped sheet metal member having oppositely facing major rolled surfaces (30, 32) and having sheared edges (34, 36), the contact arm (48) being twisted (50), with respect to the mounting portion, through an angle of 90° so that the major surfaces of the arm define planes which extend normally of the planes defined by the major surfaces (30, 32) of the mounting portion (28), the contact arm (48) having side edges (49) which extend along its length and having a width, as measured between its side edges (49), which is substantially greater than the thickness of the contact terminal as measured between the major surfaces (30, 32) thereof, the cavity (16) having a rear portion (56) which extends inwardly from the rear face (14) and a forward portion (58) which extends inwardly from the mating face (12), the mounting portion (28) of the terminal being in the rear portion (56) and the contact arm (48) being in the forward portion (58), the cavity having opposed sidewalls (60) and opposed endwalls (62), the major surfaces (30, 32) of the mounting portion (28) being substantially parallel to the sidewalls (60), the distance between the sidewalls (60) being greater than the width of the contact arm, the opposed endwalls (62) having edge-receiving grooves (64) extending from the rear face (14) towards the forward portion (58) of the cavity, the sheared edges (34, 36) of the mounting portion (28) having an interference fit in the grooves (64).

Claim 4

(14), and a contact-receiving cavity (16) extending therethrough from the rear face to the mating face, a contact terminal (18) in the cavity, the contact terminal having a mounting portion which is proximate to the rear face and a contact arm which is proximate to the mating face, the connector being characterized in that: the contact terminal (18) is a flat stamped sheet metal member having oppositely facing major rolled surfaces (30, 32) and having sheared edges (34, 36), the contact arm (48) being twisted (50), with respect to the mounting portion, through an angle of 90° so that the major surfaces of the arm define planes which extend normally of the planes defined by the major surfaces (30, 32) of the mounting portion (28), the contact arm (48) having side edges (49) which extend along its length and having a width, as measured between its side edges (49), which is substantially greater than the thickness of the contact terminal as measured between the major surfaces (30, 32) thereof, the cavity (16) having a rear portion (56) which extends inwardly from the rear face (14) and a forward portion (58) which extends inwardly from the mating face (12), the mounting portion (28) of the terminal being in the rear portion (56) and the contact arm (48) being in the forward portion (58), the cavity having opposed sidewalls (60) and opposed endwalls (62), the major surfaces (30, 32) of the mounting portion (28) being substantially parallel to the sidewalls (60), the distance between the sidewalls (60) being greater than the width of the contact arm, the opposed endwalls (62) having edge-receiving grooves (64) extending from the rear face (14) towards the forward portion (58) of the cavity, the sheared edges (34, 36) of the mounting portion (28) having an interference fit in the grooves (64).

Claim 5

An electrical connector as set forth in Claim 1 characterized in that the mounting portion has a first pair (38) of stabilizing projections extending laterally of the axis of terminal at a location adjacent to the contact arm (48) and a second pair (40) of stabilizing projections extending laterally of the axis at a location spaced from the contact arm (48), the second pair (40) of projections extending laterally a greater distance than the first pair (38) of projections whereby during insertion of the terminal into the cavity, the first pair (38) of projections gouge into the grooves (64) and enlarge the grooves, and the second pair (40) of projections also gouge into the grooves, and when the terminal is fully inserted, the mounting portion (28) will be held in the cavity by the projections of both pairs.

Claim 6

An electrical connector as set forth in Claim 2 characterized in that the contact terminal (18) has two arms (48) extending from the mounting portion (28).

Claim 7

An electrical connector as set forth in Claim 3 characterized in that the terminal (18) has an integral solder post (44) which extends from the mounting portion (28) at the rear face.

Claim 8

An electrical connector as set forth in 3 characterized in that each of the arms (48) has a contact portion (51), the contact portions being opposed to each other and being electroplated with a conductive metal which was plated onto the contact portions prior to twisting of the arms.

Claim 9

An electrical connector as set forth in 3 characterized in that each of the arms (48) has a contact portion (51), the contact portions being opposed to each other and being electroplated with a conductive metal which was plated onto the contact portions prior to twisting of the arms.

Claim 10

An electrical connector as set forth in Claim 5 characterized in that the opposed endwalls (62) each have converging surfaces extending from the sidewalls and intersecting and forming a V-notch (66), the V-notch constituting edge-receiving grooves (64).

Claim 11

An electrical connector as set forth in Claim 1 characterized in that the terminal has two contact arms (48) extending from the mounting portion (28), the contact arms having contact portions (51) which are opposed to each other and which are plated with a contact metal, the contact portions having been plated prior to twisting of the contact arms.

Claim 12

An electrical connector (2) of the type comprising an insulating housing (10) having a contact-receiving face (14), a contact-receiving cavity (16) extending into the housing from the contact-receiving face (14), and a contact terminal (18) in the cavity, the connector being characterized in that: the contact terminal (18) is a flat stamped sheet metal member having oppositely facing major rolled surfaces (30, 32) and oppositely facing side edges (34, 36), the cavity (16) having opposed sidewalls (60) and opposed endwalls (62), the oppositely facing major surfaces (30, 32) of the terminal (18) being parallel to the sidewalls (60), the opposed endwalls (62) each have converging surfaces (64) which intersect to form a V-notch (66) which extends inwardly from the contact receiving face (14), the side edges (34, 36) of the contact terminal (18) being centered in the roots of the V-notches (66).

Claim 13

An electrical connector (2) of the type comprising an insulating housing (10) having a contact-receiving face (14), a contact-receiving cavity (16) extending into the housing from the contact-receiving face (14), and a contact terminal (18) in the cavity, the connector being characterized in that: the contact terminal (18) is a flat stamped sheet metal member having oppositely facing major rolled surfaces (30, 32) and oppositely facing side edges (34, 36), the cavity (16) having opposed sidewalls (60) and opposed endwalls (62), the oppositely facing major surfaces (30, 32) of the terminal (18) being parallel to the sidewalls (60), the opposed endwalls (62) each have converging surfaces (64) which intersect to form a V-notch (66) which extends inwardly from the contact receiving face (14), the side edges (34, 36) of the contact terminal (18) being centered in the roots of the V-notches (66).

Claim 14

An electrical connector as set forth in Claim 8 characterized in that the oppositely facing side edges (34, 36) of the contact terminal each has first (38) and second (40) stabilizing projections, the second stabilizing projections (40) being adjacent to the contact receiving face (14), the first stabilizing projections (38) being spaced inwardly in the cavity from the contact-receiving face (14), the second stabilizing projections (40) projecting laterally by an amount which is greater than the amount by which the first stabilizing projections (38) project, all of the stabilizing projections being embedded in the housing (10) and serving to support and retain the terminal in the housing.

Claim 15

An electrical connector of the type comprising an insulating housing having a mating face, a rear face, and a contact-receiving cavity extending therethrough from the rear face to the mating face, a contact terminal in the cavity, the contact terminal having a mounting portion which is proximate to the rear face and a pair of contact arms which are proximate to the mating face, the connector being characterized in that: the contact terminal is a flat stamped sheet metal member having oppositely facing major rolled surfaces and having sheared edges, the contact arms being twisted, with respect to the mounting portion, through angles of 90° so that the major surfaces of the arms define planes which extend normally of the planes defined by the major surfaces of the mounting portion, each of the contact arms having side edges which extend along its length and having a width, as measured between its side edges, which is substantially greater than the thickness of the contact terminal as measured between the major surfaces thereof.

Claim 16

An electrical connector of the type comprising an insulating housing having a mating face, a rear face, and a contact-receiving cavity extending therethrough from the rear face to the mating face, a contact terminal in the cavity, the contact terminal having a mounting portion which is proximate to the rear face and a pair of contact arms which are proximate to the mating face, the connector being characterized in that: the contact terminal is a flat stamped sheet metal member having oppositely facing major rolled surfaces and having sheared edges, the contact arms being twisted, with respect to the mounting portion, through angles of 90° so that the major surfaces of the arms define planes which extend normally of the planes defined by the major surfaces of the mounting portion, each of the contact arms having side edges which extend along its length and having a width, as measured between its side edges, which is substantially greater than the thickness of the contact terminal as measured between the major surfaces thereof.