Resilient electrical contacts

Claim 2

An electrical contact comprising: a support body adapted for mounting on a structure, the support body including an exterior convex head portion of a resiliently deformable elastic insulating material which flexes inwardly when force is applied against it, and an electrical conductor member, carried centrally by the head portion and movable therewith upon deformation of the head portion, for making electrical contact with an electrical member brought against it, the conductor member including an exterior contact portion and an interior connector portion, the interior connector portion being adapted to be connected to an iNterior electrical circuit means within the structure whereby exterior electrical contact is maintained when a like electrical member is brought thereagainst as aforesaid by virtue of the fact that the head portion seeks to relieve its inwardly deformed condition by resiliently forcing the exterior contact portion outwardly against the like electrical member, the inwardly deformed head portion simultaneously forming a protective seal about the conductor member.

Claim 3

An electrical contact according to claim 1 wherein the head portion of the support body is domelike, and the exterior contact portion of the electrical contact member is carried on the raised center portion of the dome.

Claim 4

An electrical contact according to claim 2 wherein the support body includes a shank portion carrying the dome portion and is adapted for insertion into an aperture on a supporting structure by means of a peripheral notch which is included between the dome and shank portions for facilitating a tight fit in the aperture.

Claim 5

An electrical contact according to claim 3 wherein the dome portion includes a peripheral flange.

Claim 6

An electrical contact according to claim 4 wherein the electrical conductor member is a pin having an exterior contact portion and a body portion including a flange intermediate the exterior contact portion end of the body portion, and the support body is hollow and includes an inner cylindrical projection extending outwardly from the underside of the dome portion with a central bore for receiving the pin, the length of the projection being the same as the length of the pin between the exterior contact portion and flange whereby the pin may be fixedly carried in the bore with the exterior contact portion on the dome.

Claim 7

In a door mounted on a frame, the door and frame including complementary electrical contacts, wherein the door is movable between open and closed positions relative to the frame to respectively open and close the contacts, the improvement wherein each of the electrical contacts comprise: support bodies adapted for mounting on the door and frame respectively, each body including an exterior convex head portion of a resiliently deformable elastic insulating material which flexes inwardly when force is applied against it, and an electrical conductor member, carried by the head portion and movable therewith upon deformation of the head portion, for making electrical contact with the complementary contact when brought against it, the conductor member including an exterior contact portion and an interior connector portion, the interior connector portion being adapted to be connected to an interior electrical circuit means within the door and frame respectively, whereby electrical contact is maintained between the contacts when the door is closed against the frame as aforesaid by virtue of the fact that the head portion seeks to relieve its deformed condition by resiliently forcing the exterior contact portions outwardly against the complementary contact, the inwardly deformed head portions simultaneously forming a protective seal about the conductor members.

Claim 8

In a door mounted on a frame, the door and frame including complementary electrical contacts, wherein the door is movable between open and closed positions relative to the frame to respectively open and close the contacts, the improvement wherein each of the electrical contacts comprise: support bodies adapted for mounting on the door and frame respectively, each body including an exterior convex head portion of a resiliently deformable elastic insulating material which flexes inwardly when force is applied against it, and an electrical conductor member, carried by the head portion and movable therewith upon deformation of the head portion, for making electrical contact with the complementary contact when brought against it, the conductor member including an exterior contact portion and an interior connector portion, the interior connector portion being adapted to be connected to an interior electrical circuit means within the door and frame respectively, whereby electrical contact is maintained between the contacts when the door is closed against the frame as aforesaid by virtue of the fact that the head portion seeks to relieve its deformed condition by resiliently forcing the exterior contact portions outwardly against the complementary contact, the inwardly deformed head portions simultaneously forming a protective seal about the conductor members.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the head portion of the support body is domelike, and the exterior contact portion of the electrical conductor member is carried on the raised center portion of the dome.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 7 wherein the support body includes a shank portion carrying the dome portion and is adapted for insertion into an aperture on a supporting structure by means of a peripheral notch which is included between the dome and shank portions for facilitating a tight fit in the aperture.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 8 wherein the dome portion includes a peripheral flange.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 9 wherein the electrical conductor member is a pin having an exterior contact portion and a body portion including a flange intermediate the exteRior contact portion and end of the body portion, and the support body is hollow and includes an inner cylindrical projection extending outwardly from the underside of the dome portion with a central bore for receiving the pin, the length of the projection being the same as the length of the pin between the exterior contact portion and flange whereby the pin may be fixedly carried in the bore with the exterior contact portion on the dome.