Electrical terminal

Claim 2

An electrical terminal formed from a single metal strip which comprises: a bottom wall having front, back and side edges; a pair of wall forming elements having side and top wall portions; each of said side wall portions extending upwardly from an opposed side edge of said bottom wall; each of said top wall portions extending inwardly from an opposed edge of an associated one of said side wall portions to form at least half of the entire top wall of the terminal, each of said top wall portions being notched to define an opening over at least a portion of said top wall, each of said top wall portions forming an initial top wall surface adjacent the front of the terminal; a terminal element extending from said front edge of said bottom wall, said terminal element having, in order, a first spring member having a radius surface portion and a lead radius portion, a weakened section, a contact surface, a second spring member, and a foot; said radius surface portion of said first spring member curving upwardly and inwardly of said front edge of said bottom wall to a point engaging the rear edge of said initial top wall surface defined by said top wall portions thereby to store an amount of stress in said terminal element; said lead radius portion of said first spring member extending upwardly from said radius surface portion through and beyond said opening in said top wall to a point tangent to a horizontal plane, which plane is parallel to said bottom wall but spaced above said top wall; said weakened section at said tangent point interconnecting said first spring member and said contact surface; said contact surface being at a slight downward angle with respect to said horizontal plane; said second spring member extending downwardly through said opening of said top wall into the interior of said terminal; said foot terminating said second spring member and contacting said bottom wall; and gripper means extending from said back edge of said bottom wall for securing a lead to the terminal.

Claim 3

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein: said top wall portions of said pair of wall forming elements are notched to define at least a front opening and a rear opening in said top wall with an intervening surface therebetween; said lead radius portion of said first spring member extending out of said front opening and said second spring member extending into said second opening; said intervening surface providing a stop surface which is engaged by the underside of said contact surface to prevent overstressing of said terminal element.

Claim 4

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 2 wherein: an upwardly facing projection is formed on said intervening surface, said projection engaging the underside of said contact surface when said surface is deformed a determined amount to prevent overstressing of said terminal element, the height of said projection above said intervening surface controlling the degree to which said terminal element may be stressed.

Claim 5

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein: said slight downward angle of said contact surface with respect to said horizontal plane is no more than 3*.

Claim 6

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 1 further including: front wall portions formed on said pair of wall forming elements, each of said front wall portions extending forwardly from an associated one of said top wall portions defining said initial top wall surface, said front wall portions forming a guiding surface for terminal insertion.

Claim 7

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein: said weakened section is formed by deforming a portion of the metal of said terminal element to a thickness less than the thickness of said metal.

Claim 8

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 1 wherein: said second spring member tapers inwardly from said contact surface to said foot.

Claim 9

An electrical terminal formed from a single, metal strip which comprises: a bottom wall having front, back and side edges; a pair of wall forming elements having side, top and front wall portions, each of said side wall portions extending upwardly from an opposed side edge of said bottom wall; each of said top wall portions extending inwardly from an opposed edge of an associated one of said side side wall portions to form at least half of the entire top wall of the terminal, each of said top wall portions having notches therein providing openings in both the front and the rear of said entire top wall, the surfaces of said top wall portions forming both an intervening surface between said openings and an initial top wall surface adjacent the front of the terminal; each of said front wall portions extending forwardly and downwardly from a respective one of said top wall portions which forms said initial said top wall surface to provide a terminal nose surface; a terminal element extending from said front edge of said bottom wall, said terminal element having, in order, a first spring member with a radius surface portion and a lead radius portion, a weakened section, a contact surface, a second spring member, and a foot; said radius surface portion of said first spring member curving upwardly and inwardly of said front edge of said bottom wall to a point engaging the rear edge of said initial top wall surface; said lead radius portion of first spring member extending upwardly from said radius surface portion through and beyond said front opening in said top wall to a point tangent to a horizontal plane, which plane is parallel to said bottom wall but spaced above said top wall; said weakened section at said tangent point interconnecting said first spring member and said contact surface; said contact surface being at a slight downward angle with respect to said horizontal plane, said contact surface overlying bu t spaced above said intervening surface of said top wall; said second spring member extending downwardly from said contact surface through said rear opening of said top wall into the interior of the terminal; said foot terminating said second spring member and contacting said bottom wall; and gripper means extending from said back edge of said bottom wall for securing a lead to the terminal.

Claim 10

An electrical terminal formed from a single, metal strip which comprises: a bottom wall having front, back and side edges; a pair of wall forming elements having side, top and front wall portions, each of said side wall portions extending upwardly from an opposed side edge of said bottom wall; each of said top wall portions extending inwardly from an opposed edge of an associated one of said side side wall portions to form at least half of the entire top wall of the terminal, each of said top wall portions having notches therein providing openings in both the front and the rear of said entire top wall, the surfaces of said top wall portions forming both an intervening surface between said openings and an initial top wall surface adjacent the front of the terminal; each of said front wall portions extending forwardly and downwardly from a respective one of said top wall portions which forms said initial said top wall surface to provide a terminal nose surface; a terminal element extending from said front edge of said bottom wall, said terminal element having, in order, a first spring member with a radius surface portion and a lead radius portion, a weakened section, a contact surface, a second spring member, and a foot; said radius surface portion of said first spring member curving upwardly and inwardly of said front edge of said bottom wall to a point engaging the rear edge of said initial top wall surface; said lead radius portion of first spring member extending upwardly from said radius surface portion through and beyond said front opening in said top wall to a point tangent to a horizontal plane, which plane is parallel to said bottom wall but spaced above said top wall; said weakened section at said tangent point interconnecting said first spring member and said contact surface; said contact surface being at a slight downward angle with respect to said horizontal plane, said contact surface overlying bu t spaced above said intervening surface of said top wall; said second spring member extending downwardly from said contact surface through said rear opening of said top wall into the interior of the terminal; said foot terminating said second spring member and contacting said bottom wall; and gripper means extending from said back edge of said bottom wall for securing a lead to the terminal.

Claim 11

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 8 wherein: an upwardly facing projection is formed on said intervening surface, said projection engaging the underside of said contact surface when said surface is deformed a determined amount to prevent overstressing of said terminal element, the height of said projection above said intervening surface controlling the degree to which said terminal element may be stressed.

Claim 12

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 8 wherein: said slight downward angle of said contact surface with respect to said horizontal plane is no more than 3*.

Claim 13

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 8 wherein: said weakened section is formed by deforming a portion of the metal of said terminal element to a thickness less than the thickness of said metal strip.

Claim 14

The electrical terminal as defined in claim 8 wherein: said second spring member tapers inwardly from said contact surface to said foot.