Clamp type contact and method of manufacture thereof

Claim 1

A clamp type contact comprising: a thin upper end at which first and second elongate contact pieces are defined each of which extend from a common base end at an end of said thin upper end to respective free ends thereof, said second elongate contact piece having a base portion extending from said base end at a predetermined angle thereto and a bent portion extending from said base portion to said respective free end thereof, the respective free end of the second elongate contact member facing the respective free end of the first elongate contact member, and the free end of said first elongate contact piece comprising an expanded portion having a surface area that is increased and a thickness that is reduced with respect to the portion of the first elongate contact piece from which the free end thereof extends.

Claim 7

A method of manufacturing clamp type contacts, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a sheet having been subjected to cutting treatment in its lengthwise direction so as to form an upper thin section and a lower thick section, (b) punching a plurality of blank members out of said sheet so that each of said blank members has an upper thin piece and a lower thick piece which constitutes a male contact piece, (c) subjecting the end of the upper thin piece of said blank member to a bending treatment with a press to form an arcuate portion, (d) punching the upper thin piece of said blank member from a position immediately below said arcuate portion in a downward direction with a joint portion left existing to form a first elongate contact piece having a free end and a second elongate contact piece having a free end corresponding to said arcuate portion and a base end integrally joined to the base end of said first elongate contact piece through said joint portion, (e) bending said second elongate contact piece at the base end thereof so as to extend sideways and apart from said first elongate contact piece at a predetermined angle thereto, (f) subjecting the free end of said first elongate contact piece to forging pressure to form an expanded portion having an increased surface area and a reduced thickness, (g) bending said expanded portion of said first elongate contact piece to form an arcuate portion, and (h) bending said second elongate contact piece extending sideways to form a substantially L-shape bent portion with bottoms of said arcuate portions of said first elongate contact piece and said second elongate contact piece facing each other.

Claim 8

A method of manufacturing clamp type contacts, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a sheet having been subjected to cutting treatment in its lengthwise direction so as to form an upper thin section and a lower thick section, (b) punching a plurality of blank members out of said sheet so that each of said blank members has an upper thin piece and a lower thick piece which constitutes a male contact piece, (c) subjecting the end of the upper thin piece of said blank member to a bending treatment with a press to form an arcuate portion, (d) punching the upper thin piece of said blank member from a position immediately below said arcuate portion in a downward direction with a joint portion left existing to form a first elongate contact piece having a free end and a second elongate contact piece having a free end corresponding to said arcuate portion and a base end integrally joined to the base end of said first elongate contact piece through said joint portion, (e) bending said second elongate contact piece at the base end thereof so as to extend sideways and apart from said first elongate contact piece at a predetermined angle thereto, (f) subjecting the free end of said first elongate contact piece to forging pressure to form an expanded portion having an increased surface area and a reduced thickness, (g) bending said expanded portion of said first elongate contact piece to form an arcuate portion, and (h) bending said second elongate contact piece extending sideways to form a substantially L-shape bent portion with bottoms of said arcuate portions of said first elongate contact piece and said second elongate contact piece facing each other.