US3867008A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact spring
Assignee: Hubbell Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-25
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1992-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A double wiping female contact for engagement with straight male contacts of varying thickness, particularly where very high contact pressures must be developed between such contacts. Cooperatively configured spring members are disposed on the female contact to achieve a deflection bias which magnifies the contact pressure developed when the spring members are forced to separate by any distance. Contact pressures proportional to the magnitude of separation are attained beyond the elastic limit of the spring members by incorporating sufficient deflection bias to compensate for the permanent set incurred.
Inventors
- 👤 Jr Albert J Gartland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R13/10; H01R13/11; H01R13/113
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
An electrical female contact comprising; spring members disposed to deflect in opposite directions away from a central plane as straight male contacts are slideably engaged therebetween, each said spring member having a contact surface and presenting an inclined tip across the full width of engagement, said inclined tips being complementarily oriented to create a guided entrance for the male contacts along said central plane, said contact surfaces being separated across the thickness of the male contacts upon engagement thereby and bearing against the male contacts under a contact pressure of proportional magnitude to the deflection incurred by said spring members, each said spring member including at least one advanced section and at least one retracted section, said advanced and retracted sections being juxtaposed on each said spring member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of male contact engagement along said central plane, said advanced section of each spring member meshing across said central plane into said retracted section of said other spring member, said contact surfaces being disposed on said advanced sections at an offset distance from said central plane and deflecting thereacross through said offset distance during engagement by male contacts, whereby the total deflection at said contact surfaces of said spring members away from each other during engagement is the sum of said offset distances plus the thickness of the male contact and thereby said contact pressure is magnified proportionally to the sum of said offset distances.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
An electrical female contact comprising; spring members disposed to deflect in opposite directions away from a central plane as straight male contacts are slideably engaged therebetween, each said spring member having a contact surface and presenting an inclined tip across the full width of engagement, said inclined tips being complementarily oriented to create a guided entrance for the male contacts along said central plane, said contact surfaces being separated across the thickness of the male contacts upon engagement thereby and bearing against the male contacts under a contact pressure of proportional magnitude to the deflection incurred by said spring members, each said spring member including at least one advanced section and at least one retracted section, said advanced and retracted sections being juxtaposed on each said spring member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of male contact engagement along said central plane, said advanced section of each spring member meshing across said central plane into said retracted section of said other spring member, said contact surfaces being disposed on said advanced sections at an offset distance from said central plane and deflecting thereacross through said offset distance during engagement by male contacts, whereby the total deflection at said contact surfaces of said spring members away from each other during engagement is the sum of said offset distances plus the thickness of the male contact and thereby said contact pressure is magnified proportionally to the sum of said offset distances.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The female contact of claim 1 wherein said spring members are deflected beyond the elastic limit of their material, said offset distance being reduced in magnitude by the permanent set resulting therefrom, said contact pressure exerted by said contact surfaces being proportional thereafter to deflection of said spring members beyond the deflection at which the elastic limit occurred.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The female contact of claim 2 wherein said spring members are configured to engage with male contacts of a particular thickness range, said spring members being deflected beyond the elastic limit of their material on engagement by the male contact of maximum thickness.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
212 words
An electrical female contact comprising; cantilevered spring members having free ends for deflecting in directly opposite directions from a plane disposed therebetween, said free ends being mutually opposed with each said free end having an inclined tip across the full width of each said spring member, said inclined tips being complementarily oriented to provide a guided entrance for insertion of the male contact, said spring members each including at least one first section and at least one second section, each said first section having a surface portion which extends a distance through said plane, each said second section accommodating one said surface portion of said other spring member, said surface portions on each said spring member deflecting outwardly of said plane through said distance upon insertion of the male contact, said first and second sections being juxtaposed on each said spring member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of male contact engagement along said plane, the total deflection at said surface portions of said free ends away from each other during insertion being substantially equal to the sum of said distances across said plane plus the thickness of the male contact, whereby the pressure exerted on the inserted male contact by said free ends is increased proportionally to said distances.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
212 words
An electrical female contact comprising; cantilevered spring members having free ends for deflecting in directly opposite directions from a plane disposed therebetween, said free ends being mutually opposed with each said free end having an inclined tip across the full width of each said spring member, said inclined tips being complementarily oriented to provide a guided entrance for insertion of the male contact, said spring members each including at least one first section and at least one second section, each said first section having a surface portion which extends a distance through said plane, each said second section accommodating one said surface portion of said other spring member, said surface portions on each said spring member deflecting outwardly of said plane through said distance upon insertion of the male contact, said first and second sections being juxtaposed on each said spring member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of male contact engagement along said plane, the total deflection at said surface portions of said free ends away from each other during insertion being substantially equal to the sum of said distances across said plane plus the thickness of the male contact, whereby the pressure exerted on the inserted male contact by said free ends is increased proportionally to said distances.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The female contact of claim 4 wherein each said spring member is configured to have an askewed bend, each said askewed bend being dislocated from and divergent relative to said other askewed bend, said askewed bends being overlapped across said plane to provide said first section and said second section on each spring member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The female contact of claim 4 wherein said spring members are deflected beyond the elastic limit of their material, said distance being reduced in magnitude by the permanent set resulting therefrom, the pressure exerted by said free ends being proportional thereafter to deflection of said spring members beyond the deflection at which the elastic limit occurred.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The female contact of claim 6 wherein said spring members are configured and disposed to engage with male contacts of a particular thickness range, said spring members being deflected beyond the elastic limit of their material when the male contact of maximum thickness is inserted.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |