US4416504A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact with dual cantilevered arms with narrowed, complimentary tip portions
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1982-03-08
•
Granted: 1983-11-22
•
Expires: 2002-03-08
Abstract
Abstract For mating with a tubular female contact 12, a male contact 10, has two cantilevered arms (16, 18) extending from its body portion 14. The arms are each formed of sheet metal and each has a convex mating surface near its tip which faces outwardly, away from the other arm. The arms may have equal or unequal lengths, may be displaced laterally in the plane of the sheet metal, and may be shaped so that the tips either contact or are spaced when mated. In a preferred embodiment, the ends of the arms have a complementary stepped configuration 50 to reduce the volume of the contact's mating portions; the resultant narrower end portions of the arms, as well as the convex mating surfaces further down on the arms, may both mate with the female contact, providing two points of contact on each arm.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerzy R. Sochor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:06
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/02; H01R13/04; H01R13/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
An electrical contact comprising: a body portion, a pair of freestanding elongated cantilevered contact arms extending from said body portion in a first and mating direction, the end portion of each of said contact arms remote from said body portion having a convex mating surface facing away from the other contact arm in a second and flexing direction which is perpendicular to said first and mating direction, each of said contact arms comprising a bent sheet metal member whose width, as measured in a third and lateral direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, is substantially greater than its thickness, as measured generally in said second and flexing direction, each of said contact arms being flat when traversed in said third and lateral direction on either surface thereof at any location therealong, said contact arms each having a tip portion, at the free end thereof, that is narrower, in said third and lateral direction, than the rest of said contact arm, the tip portion of one arm being on the left side thereof and the tip portion of the other arm being on the right side thereof, when said contact arms are viewed in said second and flexing direction, so that said tip portions occupy complementary spaces in the width diemension of said contact when viewed in said second and flexing direction, the tip portion of each contact having a substantially uniform width in said third and lateral direction, said tip portions having a separation which, when viewed in said second and flexing direction, is substantially parallel to said first and mating direction, said contact arms also curving toward and overlapping each other at the tip portions thereof, when viewed is said third and lateral direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
287 words
An electrical contact comprising: a body portion, a pair of freestanding elongated cantilevered contact arms extending from said body portion in a first and mating direction, the end portion of each of said contact arms remote from said body portion having a convex mating surface facing away from the other contact arm in a second and flexing direction which is perpendicular to said first and mating direction, each of said contact arms comprising a bent sheet metal member whose width, as measured in a third and lateral direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, is substantially greater than its thickness, as measured generally in said second and flexing direction, each of said contact arms being flat when traversed in said third and lateral direction on either surface thereof at any location therealong, said contact arms each having a tip portion, at the free end thereof, that is narrower, in said third and lateral direction, than the rest of said contact arm, the tip portion of one arm being on the left side thereof and the tip portion of the other arm being on the right side thereof, when said contact arms are viewed in said second and flexing direction, so that said tip portions occupy complementary spaces in the width diemension of said contact when viewed in said second and flexing direction, the tip portion of each contact having a substantially uniform width in said third and lateral direction, said tip portions having a separation which, when viewed in said second and flexing direction, is substantially parallel to said first and mating direction, said contact arms also curving toward and overlapping each other at the tip portions thereof, when viewed is said third and lateral direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The contact of claim 1 wherein said narrowed tip portions each have a bight portion, such that each tip portion curves back toward and faces the other contact arm and said body portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The contact of claim 1 wherein said narrowed tip portions each have a reverse curve, such that the end of each narrowed tip portion faces outwardly and generally away from the arm of the other contact arm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The contact of claim 1 wherein said contact arms are spaced and shaped such that, when mated with a tubular female contact having a lumen of predetermined dimensions, said convex mating surface and said tip portion of each contact arm will both mate with said female contact, thereby to provide two points of contact between each contact arm and said female contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The contact of claim 2 wherein said contact arms are spaced and shaped such that, when mated with a tubular female contact having a lumen of predetermined dimensions, the convex mating surface and tip portion of each contact arm will both mate with said female contact, thereby to provide two points of contact between each contact arm and said female contact.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2517677A
Cited
US3238497A
Cited
GB1203421A
Cited
US3581272A
Cited
US3717841A
Cited
US3820061A
Cited
US3970356A
Cited
US4070088A
Cited
US4148547A
Cited
US4169654A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-21 | 1987-05-23 | 1987-11-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-21 | 1991-05-23 | 1991-11-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-21 | 1995-05-23 | 1995-11-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |