Electrical terminal for a female connector

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical terminal for a female connector. The terminal includes a contact blade having a first sheet plane. The contact blade is configured to contact an electrical pin with a contact force when the terminal is mated with the electrical and a separate support blade having a second sheet plane. The support blade engages with a corresponding contact blade to increase the contact force. The first and second sheet planes are orientated substantially perpendicular to each other. The support blade includes an engaging portion configured to engage the corresponding contact blade transversely in a middle of the corresponding contact blade.

Claims

1. An electrical terminal for a female connector, said electrical terminal comprising: a terminal body having two opposed side walls; a contact blade attached to the terminal body configured to contact an electrical pin with a contact force when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin; and a support blade attached to the terminal body separately from the contact blade, wherein the support blade engages the contact blade to increase the contact force on the electrical pin, wherein the contact blade is centered between the two side walls, wherein a width of the support blade between the two opposed side walls is less than a width of the contact blade between the two opposed side walls, wherein the terminal body defines a longitudinal mating direction along which the contact blade and the support blade extend, and wherein the support blade comprises an engaging portion configured to engage the corresponding contact blade transversely in a middle of the corresponding contact blade.

2. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the support blade and the contact blade are arranged symmetrically between the two opposed side walls.

3. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact blade comprises a contact portion and a spring portion, wherein the contact portion is configured to contact the electrical pin when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin, and wherein the spring portion is arranged between the contact portion and the terminal body.

4. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 3, wherein the support blade comprises an engaging portion configured to engage the contact blade, wherein the contact blade comprises a corresponding engaging portion, adjacent to the contact portion and a support spring portion, and wherein the support spring portion is arranged between the engaging portion and the terminal body.

5. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein a geometrical shape of the support blade is designed to provide the contact force of at least 1 N.

6. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical terminal is formed from a metal sheet having a thickness of at most 0.2 mm.

7. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical terminal is integrally formed as one part.

8. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the terminal body has a width of at most 1.8 mm and a height of at most 2.3 mm.

9. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact blade comprises a contact portion configured to contact the electrical pin when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin and a spring portion and wherein the spring portion is arranged between the contact portion and the terminal body, wherein the terminal body comprises a body contact portion being configured to contact the electrical pin with a contact face when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin and wherein the contact portion of the contact blade is substantially parallel to the contact face and remains substantially parallel to the contact face when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin.

10. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the terminal body defines a longitudinal mating direction, wherein the contact blade extends from the terminal body along the mating direction, and wherein the support blade extends from the terminal body along a direction opposite to the mating direction.

11. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contact blade does not protrude beyond the terminal body and wherein the support blade does not protrude beyond the terminal body.

12. An electrical terminal for a female connector, said electrical terminal comprising: a terminal body having two opposed side walls; a contact blade attached to the terminal body configured to contact an electrical pin with a contact force when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin; and a support blade attached to the terminal body separately from the contact blade, wherein the support blade engages the contact blade to increase the contact force on the electrical pin, wherein a width of the support blade between the two opposed side walls is less than a width of the contact blade between the two opposed side walls.

13. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 12, wherein the support blade and the contact blade are arranged symmetrically between the two opposed side walls.

14. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 12, wherein the contact blade comprises a contact portion configured to contact the electrical pin when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin and a spring portion and wherein the spring portion is arranged between the contact portion and the terminal body.

15. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 14, wherein the support blade comprises an engaging portion configured to engage the contact blade, wherein the contact blade comprises a corresponding engaging portion adjacent to the contact portion and a support spring portion, and wherein the support spring portion is arranged between the engaging portion and the terminal body.

16. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 12, wherein the support blade is centered between the two side walls.

17. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 12, wherein the contact blade comprises a contact portion configured to contact the electrical pin when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin and a spring portion and wherein the spring portion is arranged between the contact portion and the terminal body, wherein the terminal body comprises a body contact portion being configured to contact the electrical pin with a contact face when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin and wherein the contact portion of the contact blade is substantially parallel to the contact face and remains substantially parallel to the contact face when the electrical terminal is mated with the electrical pin.

18. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 12, wherein the terminal body defines a longitudinal mating direction, wherein the contact blade extends from the terminal body along the mating direction, and wherein the support blade extends from the terminal body along a direction opposite to the mating direction.

19. The electrical terminal in accordance with claim 12, wherein the contact blade does not protrude beyond the terminal body and wherein the support blade does not protrude beyond the terminal body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) The present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1A is a schematic cut view of an electrical terminal according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 1B is a schematic cut view of an electrical terminal according to the prior art that is mated with an electrical pin;

(4) FIG. 2A is a schematic cut view of an electrical terminal according to one embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 2B is a schematic cut view of an electrical terminal that is mated with an electrical pin according to one embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 3A is a schematic longitudinal cut view of an electrical terminal according to one embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view of an electrical terminal according to one embodiment of the invention; and

(8) FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of an electrical terminal according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIGS. 2A and 2B show a non-limiting example of an electrical terminal in a schematic cut view of the electrical terminal 2 in which FIG. 2a shows the electrical terminal 2 without an inserted electrical pin 250. FIG. 2b shows the electrical terminal 2 with an inserted electrical pin 250. The electrical terminal 2 includes a body contact portion 230 for electrically contacting an electrical pin 250 when the electrical pin 250 is mated with the electrical terminal 2. Further, the electrical terminal 2 includes a contact blade 210 and an additional separate support blade 220. The support blade 220 and the contact blade 210 have the same material thickness, since they may be manufactured from the same kind of metal sheet. The contact blade 210 has a first sheet plane 218, and the support blade 220 has a second sheet plane 228. The first and second sheet planes 218, 228 are oriented substantially perpendicularly to each other.

(10) The support blade 220 contacts or engages the contact blade 210 in its middle. An engaging portion of the support blade 220 is adapted to engage the contact blade in the transverse middle of the contact blade. The terminal body contact portion 230 comprises a longitudinal mating direction A along which the contact blade 210 and the support blade 220 extend. The longitudinal mating direction A is perpendicular to the schematic cut view of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The support blade 220 comprises an engaging portion, wherein the engaging portion engages the corresponding contact blade 210 in the transverse middle of the corresponding contact blade 210. In other words, said engaging portion is contacting or engaging the corresponding contact blade 210 in a middle of the corresponding contact blade seen in a cross sectional plane as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. This is a plane transverse with respect to the longitudinal mating direction A. Even in other words, the engaging portion extends in line with, and contacts at least partially, a longitudinal center line of the corresponding contact blade 210. This has as advantage that it allows a reduction of torsional deformation, as the engaging portion may now exert a force on the longitudinal center line of the contact blade 210.

(11) Thus, when the electrical pin 250 is inserted into the electrical terminal 2, the contact blade 210 is lifted upwardly without being twisted. It remains parallel to its initial position after lifting. Therefore, a large contact area can be provided between the contact blade 210 and the electrical pin 250. Further, a high contact force can be achieved, since the shape of the additional separate support blade 220 can be designed to provide high contact forces. Thereby, the contact force being applied, is not limited by the material thickness of the support blade 220, but by the geometrical shape.

(12) FIG. 3A shows an electrical terminal 3 in a longitudinal cut view. Electrical terminal 3 includes a contact blade 310, a separate support blade 320 and a terminal body 330. An electrical pin could be inserted into the electrical terminal 3 along the mating direction A. Thereby, the electrical pin would lift the contact blade 310 while contacting the contact blade 310 electrically. When the contact blade 310 would be lifted, it abuts support blade 320 and engages it, so that an increased contact force would be applied on the electrical pin when the electrical pin would be mated with the electrical terminal 3.

(13) The contact blade 310 includes a spring portion 312 that allows to resiliently bend the contact blade 210. Further, the contact blade 310 includes a contact portion 314 for contacting the electrical pin and a corresponding engaging portion 316 for engaging with the support blade 320. The support blade 320 includes a support spring portion 322 that is designed (i.e. shaped) to apply a desired contact force onto the contact blade 310.

(14) The support blade 320 engages with the contact blade 310 at the engaging portion 326.

(15) Further, the terminal body 330 includes a body contact portion 334 being provided with a contact face 335. The contact portion 314 of the contact blade 310 is substantially parallel to the contact face 335 before, during and after mating the electrical terminal 3 with an electrical pin.

(16) FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the electrical terminal 3 as shown in FIG. 3A. The terminal includes a terminal body 330, surrounding the contact blade 310 and the separate support blade 320 (not shown). The terminal body 330 has two side walls 336 and 338 and may be integrally formed form one metal sheet.

(17) FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of the electrical terminal 3, seen from the front face, opposite to the mating direction A. Electrical terminal 3 is integrally formed from a metal sheet having the sheet thickness d, e.g. the sheet thickness d is 0.15 mm. The metal sheet is cut to form a preform of the terminal, which preform is bend to build the terminal body 330, having two side walls 336 and 338. Further, a body contact portion 334 is provided within the terminal body 330, having a contact face 335 for contacting an electrical pin.

(18) Further, a contact blade 310 having a first sheet plane 318, and a support blade 320 having a second sheet plane 328 are provided. The first and second sheet planes 318, 328 are oriented perpendicularly to each other. Further, the contact blade 310 is centered between the first and second side walls 336, 338. The support blade 320 is arranged symmetrically to the contact blade 310. To avoid a twisting of the contact blade, the contact blade 310 is provided with a contact portion 314 that is oriented parallel to the contact face 335.

(19) While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, primary secondary, etc. does not denote any order of importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(20) 1, 2, 3 electrical terminal

(21) 10 contact blade

(22) 12 contact portion

(23) 14 spring portion

(24) 30 contact portion

(25) 50 electrical pin

(26) 210 contact blade

(27) 220 support blade

(28) 230 body contact portion

(29) 218, 318 first sheet planes

(30) 228, 328 second sheet planes

(31) 250 electrical pin

(32) 310 contact blade

(33) 312 spring portion

(34) 314 contact portion

(35) 316 corresponding engaging portion

(36) 318 first sheet plane

(37) 320 support blade

(38) 322 support spring portion

(39) 326 engaging portion

(40) 328 second sheet plane

(41) 330 terminal body

(42) 334 body contact portion

(43) 335 contact face

(44) 336, 338 side walls

(45) d sheet thickness

(46) A mating direction