EP0638960A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electrical connector having uniform contact receiving slots
Assignee: FCI SA
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Filing: 1994-07-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-07-28
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector (10) has a housing (12) and spring contacts (14). The housing (12) has uniform straight, cross-sectional T-shaped contact receiving slots (16). The spring contacts (14) have middle sections (28) fixedly mounted to the housing (12) in head sections (18) of the T-shaped slots (16) and top sections (30). The top sections (30) have contact areas (40) deflectably located in base sections (20) of the T-shaped slots (16) and pre-load tabs (42) movably confined in the head sections (18) of the T-shaped slots (16). <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas G. Lytle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R13/26; H01R13/40; H01R13/405; H01R13/41
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
An electrical connector comprising: a housing (12) having a plurality of contact receiving slots (16), at least some of the slots (16) extending entirely through the housing (12) with a uniform straight general cross-sectional T-shape, each of the T-shaped slots (16) having a head section (18) and a base section (20) that form the general T-shape; and a plurality of one-piece spring contacts (14) fixedly connected to the housing (12) in the T-shaped slots (16), each contact (14) having a middle section (28) located in the head section (18) of one of the T-shaped slots (16) with retention arms (32a, 32b) extending from opposite sides of the middle section (28) across the height of the head section (18) to fixedly mount the middle section (28) in the head section (18), and a top section (30) having a contact area (40) deflectably located in the base section (20) and a pre-load tab (42) movably located in the head section (18).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector as in claim 1, wherein ends (36) of the retention arms (32a, b) are pressed into the housing to form an interference fit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A connector as in claim 1, wherein the middle section (28) includes a broad section (34) that is wider than the width of the base section (20) to prevent the middle section (28) from entering the base section (20).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A connector as in claim 1, wherein the top section (30) has two pre-load tabs (42) extending inside the head (18) section past opposite sides of the base section (20) such that the pre-load tabs (42) limit the location of the contact area (40) inside the base section (20).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
An electrical connector comprising: a housing (12) having straight, cross-section T-shaped slots (16) extending form a top (22) of the housing to a bottom (24) of the housing (12); and spring contacts (14) fixedly connected to the housing (12) in the T-shaped slots (16), the contacts (14) each having a bottom contact section (26) extending from the bottom (24) of the housing (12), a middle section (28) fixedly connected to the housing in a head section (18) of one of the T-shaped slots (16), and a top contact section (30) movably located in the T-shaped slot (16).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A connector as in claim 1 or 5, wherein the housing (12) entirely encloses the T-shaped slots (16) except at a top surface (22) and a bottom surface (24) of the housing (12).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A connector as in claim 5, wherein the middle section (28) includes a broad section (34) and retention arms (32a, b), the broad section (34) being located against the housing (12) adjacent a base section (20) of the T-shaped slot (16) at a junction (46) of the head section (18) to the base section (20).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A connector as in claim 7, wherein the broad section (34) is wider than the base section (20) and the retention arms (32a, b) extend entirely across the height of the head section (28).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A connector as in claim 8, wherein the retention arms 32a, b) pierce into the housing at corners (44a, b) of the head section (18) distal from the base section (20).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A connector as in claim 9, wherein the retention arms (32a, b) extend from the rest of the middle section (28) at angles of about 45°.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
A connector as in claim 5, wherein the top section (30) has a contact area (40) deflectably located in a base section (20) of the T-shaped slot (16) and pre-load tabs (42) deflectably located in the head section (18), the pre-load tabs (42) contacting the housing (12) at a junction (46) of the base section (20) with the head section (18) to limit the location of the contact area (40) in the base section (20).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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