Snap-in electrical terminals

Claim 2

A terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; said center portion being formed with a recess having an underside which is in contact with the film when the terminal is installed on a substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion, each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, wherein said plurality of legs comprises two legs extending from opposite sides of the center portion, one of the legs having a recess extending from its lower edge along its longitudinal axis.

Claim 3

The terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; said center portion being formed with a recess havingan underside which is in contact with the film when the terminal is installed on a substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion, each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, wherein said plurality of legs comprises three legs, two legs being on one side of the center portion and the third leg being on the other side with a space between the two legs on the same side such that the third leg may be twisted 90° and have a portion of one of its edges in the space between the other two legs whereby when the terminal is installed on a substrate the third leg remains twisted in position with its tab extending away from the other two legs.

Claim 4

The terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; said center portion being formed with a recess havingan underside which is in contact with the film when the terminal is installed on a substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion, each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, wherein said plurality of legs comprises three legs, two legs being on one side of the center portion and the third leg being on the other side with a space between the two legs on the same side such that the third leg may be twisted 90° and have a portion of one of its edges in the space between the other two legs whereby when the terminal is installed on a substrate the third leg remains twisted in position with its tab extending away from the other two legs.

Claim 5

The terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, each of said tabs being pointed at its tip and shaped like a barb, wherein said plurality of legs comprises two legs extending from opposite sides of the center portion, each leg having a single tab in the same plane as the leg, the tabs extending outwardly and in opposite directions.

Claim 6

The terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, each of said tabs being pointed at its tip and shaped like a barb, wherein said plurality of legs comprises two legs extending from opposite sides of the center portion, each leg having a single tab in the same plane as the leg, the tabs extending outwardly and in opposite directions.

Claim 7

The terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; said center portion being formed with a recess having an underside which is in contact with the film when the terminal is installed on a substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, wherein said plurality of legs comprises two legs, both legs extending from the same side of the center portion, and each tab being formed by bending a terminal portion of each leg about 90°.

Claim 8

The terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; said center portion being formed with a recess having an underside which is in contact with the film when the terminal is installed on a substrate; and a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate, wherein said plurality of legs comprises two legs, both legs extending from the same side of the center portion, and each tab being formed by bending a terminal portion of each leg about 90°.

Claim 9

A terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion, each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate; a nonconductive substrate supporting a conductive film thereon, the substrate having a slot having a shoulder contiguous with the film, the terminal being installed in the slot with the rearward extension in electrical contact with the film, the forward extension of said terminal extending beyond an edge of the substrate.

Claim 10

A terminal for providing electrical connection between an external conductor and a conductive film deposited on a nonconductive substrate, the terminal being fabricated from a single, flat sheet of resilient, conductive material and comprising: a center portion having a forward extension to which the external conductor may be attached and a rearward extension curved downwardly into electrical contact with the film on the substrate; a plurality of legs extending from the center portion and bent downward substantially 90° from the center portion, each leg having at its terminus a tab, with the legs inserted into a corresponding slot in the substrate, so that the tabs guide the legs into the slot and then snap out and lock in place as they emerge from the slot at the bottom of the substrate, thereby securing the terminal to the substrate; a nonconductive substrate supporting a conductive film thereon, the substrate having a slot having a shoulder contiguous with the film, the terminal being installed in the slot with the rearward extension in electrical contact with the film, the forward extension of said terminal extending beyond an edge of the substrate.