US6135785A — Small pitch electrical connector having narrowed …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 216 words

An electrical connector for mating with a complementary component, said connector comprising: an insulative housing having a receptacle for receiving a portion of said complementary component and a plurality of terminal receiving cavities for receiving terminals therein, a plurality of generally planar conductive terminals stamped from sheet metal material of a predetermined thickness, each terminal having a predetermined thickness generally equal to the thickness of the sheet metal material from which it is stamped and being mounted in one of said cavities, the terminal including a generally rigid base having a base width parallel to the plane of said terminal, a solder tail extending from said base, a retention section for securing the terminal within said housing and an L-shaped contact portion extending from said base, said L-shaped contact portion including first and second legs connected at a juncture portion, said first leg having a first width parallel to the plane of said terminal and including a contact portion for contacting a conductive portion of said complementary component, said second leg extending from said base, said juncture portion having a juncture width parallel to the plane of said terminal, said base width and said first width being greater than said thickness of said terminal and said juncture width being less than said thickness of said terminal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 216 words

An electrical connector for mating with a complementary component, said connector comprising: an insulative housing having a receptacle for receiving a portion of said complementary component and a plurality of terminal receiving cavities for receiving terminals therein, a plurality of generally planar conductive terminals stamped from sheet metal material of a predetermined thickness, each terminal having a predetermined thickness generally equal to the thickness of the sheet metal material from which it is stamped and being mounted in one of said cavities, the terminal including a generally rigid base having a base width parallel to the plane of said terminal, a solder tail extending from said base, a retention section for securing the terminal within said housing and an L-shaped contact portion extending from said base, said L-shaped contact portion including first and second legs connected at a juncture portion, said first leg having a first width parallel to the plane of said terminal and including a contact portion for contacting a conductive portion of said complementary component, said second leg extending from said base, said juncture portion having a juncture width parallel to the plane of said terminal, said base width and said first width being greater than said thickness of said terminal and said juncture width being less than said thickness of said terminal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 51 words

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said housing is elongated includes a pair of component receiving slots extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said housing and a plurality of terminal receiving cavities with terminals therein adjacent each slot, said contact portions of said terminals projecting into said slots.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said retention section comprises a generally rigid retention arm extending from said base and said contact portion projects toward the retention arm.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein sides of the contact arm at said contact portion being stepped so that the thickness of the contact portion is less than said predetermined thickness of the terminal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 126 words

An electrical terminal for mounting in a circuit board mounted electrical connector requiring a fine pitch, the terminal being adapted for contacting one of a plurality of closely spaced terminals of a complementary mating terminal, the electrical terminal being generally U-shaped and comprising: a generally rigid retention arm and a flexible contact arm joined to the retention arm by a generally rigid base, the contact arm having a given thickness in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the U-shaped terminal and a contact portion projecting toward the retention arm for engaging said one terminal, sides of the contact arm at said projecting contact portion being stepped so that the thickness of the contact portion is less than said given thickness of the contact arm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 126 words

An electrical terminal for mounting in a circuit board mounted electrical connector requiring a fine pitch, the terminal being adapted for contacting one of a plurality of closely spaced terminals of a complementary mating terminal, the electrical terminal being generally U-shaped and comprising: a generally rigid retention arm and a flexible contact arm joined to the retention arm by a generally rigid base, the contact arm having a given thickness in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the U-shaped terminal and a contact portion projecting toward the retention arm for engaging said one terminal, sides of the contact arm at said projecting contact portion being stepped so that the thickness of the contact portion is less than said given thickness of the contact arm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The electrical terminal of claim 5 wherein said contact arm has a width in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the U-shaped terminal that is greater than said given thickness of the contact arm.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The electrical terminal of claim 6 wherein said base has a width in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the U-shaped terminal that is greater than said given thickness of the contact arm.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

The electrical terminal of claim 7 wherein said contact arm is joined to the base at a juncture which has a width in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the U-shaped terminal that is less than said given thickness of the contact arm.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

The electrical terminal of claim 8 wherein said terminal is stamped from sheet metal material to define sides and edges, with the projecting contact portion of the contact arm being at an edge of the stamped sheet metal material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 207 words

A conductive terminal for mounting in an electrical connector housing, said terminal comprising: a generally planar structure stamped from sheet metal material of a predetermined thickness and having a predetermined thickness generally equal to the thickness of the sheet metal material from which it is stamped, a generally rigid base having a base width parallel to the plane of said terminal, a solder tail extending from said base, a retention section for securing the terminal within said housing and an L-shaped contact portion extending from said base, said L-shaped contact portion including first and second legs connected at a juncture portion, said first leg having a first width parallel to the plane of said terminal and including a contact portion for contacting a conductive portion of a complementary mating component, said second leg extending from said base, said juncture portion having a juncture width parallel to the plane of said terminal, said base width and said first width being greater than said thickness of said terminal and said juncture width being less than said thickness of said terminal and sides of the contact arm at said contact portion being stepped so that the thickness of the contact portion is less than said predetermined thickness of the terminal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 207 words

A conductive terminal for mounting in an electrical connector housing, said terminal comprising: a generally planar structure stamped from sheet metal material of a predetermined thickness and having a predetermined thickness generally equal to the thickness of the sheet metal material from which it is stamped, a generally rigid base having a base width parallel to the plane of said terminal, a solder tail extending from said base, a retention section for securing the terminal within said housing and an L-shaped contact portion extending from said base, said L-shaped contact portion including first and second legs connected at a juncture portion, said first leg having a first width parallel to the plane of said terminal and including a contact portion for contacting a conductive portion of a complementary mating component, said second leg extending from said base, said juncture portion having a juncture width parallel to the plane of said terminal, said base width and said first width being greater than said thickness of said terminal and said juncture width being less than said thickness of said terminal and sides of the contact arm at said contact portion being stepped so that the thickness of the contact portion is less than said predetermined thickness of the terminal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

The electrical connector of claim 10 wherein said retention section comprises a generally rigid retention arm extending from said base and said contact portion projects toward the retention arm.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-10-24	2004-04-24	2004-10-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-10-24	2008-04-24	2008-10-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-10-24	2012-04-24	2012-10-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Small pitch electrical connector having narrowed portion

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