US5794336A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector having improved contact retention means
Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
•
Filing: 1997-02-03
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Granted: 1998-08-18
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Expires: 2017-02-03
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector housing includes a deformable contact retention plate for accommodating the tails of electrical contacts. Contact tails are supported within slots in the retention plate both at a closed end of the slot as well as at an intermediate location therealong. The contact retention plate may be deformed about the contacts so as to captively retain the contact tails within the slots. Such deformation may be achieved by ultrasonically swaging the plastic forming the contact retention plate about the contact tails.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark G. Hopson
- 👤 Scott C. Roland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 00:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/40; H01R13/405; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/49218
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of retentively supporting an electrical contact in an electrical connector housing comprising the steps of: providing a connector housing having a contact retention plate defining an elongate contact accommodation slot therein, said slot having an open end, an opposed closed end and an intermediate slot portion therebetween; providing an electrical contact having a retention extent including opposed extent surfaces; inserting said contact into said connector housing so that said retention extent is non-captively resident within said intermediate slot portion; deforming said retention plate adjacent said intermediate slot portion about two opposed surfaces of said retention extent of said contact to captively confine said retention extent of said contact within said intermediate slot portion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of retentively supporting an electrical contact in an electrical connector housing comprising the steps of: providing a connector housing having a contact retention plate defining an elongate contact accommodation slot therein, said slot having an open end, an opposed closed end and an intermediate slot portion therebetween; providing an electrical contact having a retention extent including opposed extent surfaces; inserting said contact into said connector housing so that said retention extent is non-captively resident within said intermediate slot portion; deforming said retention plate adjacent said intermediate slot portion about two opposed surfaces of said retention extent of said contact to captively confine said retention extent of said contact within said intermediate slot portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said deforming step includes: swaging said plate around said retention extent of said contact.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said deforming step includes: ultrasonically deforming said plate around said retention extent of said contact.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said connector housing providing step includes: providing said retention plate having a pair of elongate, substantially parallel side walls defining said slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of claim 4 wherein said inserting step includes: inserting said retention extent of said contact into said slot with substantial non-engagement between said retention extent and said walls of said slot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said connector housing providing step includes: providing said retention plate being formed of a plastic material capable of plastic flow upon application of a source of energy thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of claim 6 wherein said deforming step includes: applying an energy source to said plastic retention plate to cause flow of plastic material about said retention extent to captively retain said retention extent in said retention plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 7 wherein said applying step further includes: applying an ultrasonic force to said plastic retention plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said inserting step includes inserting a plurality of contacts into said slot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of claim 9 wherein said plural contact insertion step includes inserting said plurality of said contacts into said slot with at least one of said contact retention extents being resident within said intermediate slot portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of claim 1, wherein said slot has substantially uniform sidewalls prior to the deforming step.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of retentatively supporting an electrical contact in an electrical connector housing comprising the steps of: providing a connector housing having a contact retention plate, the contact retention plate including a plurality of contact receiving slots formed therein, each contact receiving slot having an open end, an opposed closed end and substantially uniform parallel sidewalls defining an intermediate slot portion therebetween: providing an electrical contact having a retention extent including two opposed extent surfaces; inserting said contact into the contact retention plate so that said retention extent is non-captively resident within said intermediate slot portion; and deforming said retention plate at the two opposed contact extent surfaces thereby deforming the substantially uniform parallel sidewalls of the intermediate slot portion to captively retain the contact retention extent along the two opposed extent surfaces within said retention plate intermediate slot portion.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of retentatively supporting an electrical contact in an electrical connector housing comprising the steps of: providing a connector housing having a contact retention plate, the contact retention plate including a plurality of contact receiving slots formed therein, each contact receiving slot having an open end, an opposed closed end and substantially uniform parallel sidewalls defining an intermediate slot portion therebetween: providing an electrical contact having a retention extent including two opposed extent surfaces; inserting said contact into the contact retention plate so that said retention extent is non-captively resident within said intermediate slot portion; and deforming said retention plate at the two opposed contact extent surfaces thereby deforming the substantially uniform parallel sidewalls of the intermediate slot portion to captively retain the contact retention extent along the two opposed extent surfaces within said retention plate intermediate slot portion.
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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) | 2001-08-17 | 2002-02-16 | 2002-08-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-17 | 2006-02-16 | 2006-08-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-17 | 2010-02-16 | 2010-08-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |