BELT STRIP FOR CONTACT ELEMENTS

Abstract

Provided is a belt strip for contact elements, which includes of a flat metal strip, from which individual tabs are angle by approximately 90, wherein the tabs each have two retaining arms which are bent towards one another, wherein the retaining arms each have a constant direction of curvature, and wherein the radius of curvature is greater in the direction of the ends of the respective retaining arms.

Claims

1-5. (canceled)

6. A belt strip for contact elements, said belt strip comprising a flat metal strip, from which a plurality of individual tabs are bent at approximately 90, wherein two of said tabs are arranged opposite one another and together form a tab pair, said of same tab pair tabs each having two retaining arms curved toward one another, and, wherein the retaining arms each have a constant direction of curvature in which a radius of said curvature decreases in a direction of the ends of their corresponding retaining arms.

7. The belt strip as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flat metal strip has a plurality of recesses arranged in succession, which recesses are arranged between the tab pairs.

8. The belt strip as claimed in claim 6, said belt strip further comprising at least one contact element.

9. The belt strip as claimed in claim 8, wherein the contact element has a radially protruding and peripheral thickened portion.

10. A method for equipping a belt strip as claimed in claim 1 with contact elements, comprising the steps of: (1) inserting a contact element between each of the curved retaining arms of a tab pair, and (2) curving the ends of the retaining arms further in their original bending direction by using a punch until the contact element is surrounded by the retaining arms in a friction-free manner.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0018] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. In the drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a belt which is not yet finished,

[0020] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of the belt with inserted contact elements, and

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a forming process for forming a retaining arm of the belt.

[0022] The figures contain schematic illustrations which are partially simplified. Like reference signs are sometimes used for elements which are similar, but potentially not identical. Different views of the same elements can be scaled differently.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a belt 1 which is not yet finished. The belt 1 consists fundamentally of a flat metal strip 2, from which individual tabs 3 protrude. An oval recess 4 is punched out from the tabs 3. Due to the punching out, two retaining arms 5 are created in each case. For reasons of clarity, only some of the retaining arms 5 have been provided with a reference sign in FIG. 1.

[0024] The tabs 3 are folded away perpendicularly (approximately by 90) from the main body of the metal strip 2. As a result, two tabs 3 in each case extend parallel to one another and form what is known as a tab pair 6.

[0025] Contact elements 7 are inserted into the tab pair 6. This can be performed either parallel to the orientation of the retaining arms 5, i.e. from the side, or perpendicularly to the retaining arms 5, i.e. from above.

[0026] The flat metal strip 2 has a plurality of recesses 9 arranged in succession. The belt 1 can thus be driven forward in a component inserting machine.

[0027] In FIG. 3 the schematic illustration of an individual retaining arm 5 can be seen. It is clearly visible that the retaining arm 5 has a constant direction of curvature. In this case the retaining arm 5 is curved to the left. The radius of curvature increases in the direction of the end 5a of the retaining arm 5; the bend thus becomes less prominent.

[0028] In FIG. 3 a section of a contact element 7 and of a punch 8 can be seen. The section of the contact element has an approximately circular shape. The punch presses the end 5a of the retaining arm 5 further in its original bending direction.

[0029] The contact element 7 has, in the upper third, a radially protruding and peripheral thickened portion 10. The end 5a of the retaining arm 5 is curved in the direction of the contact element 5 by the punch 8. As a result, the contact element 7 is surrounded by the retaining arms 5 in a force-free and/or friction-free manner. The contact element 7 is also surrounded rotatably by the retaining arms 5. The contact element rests on the retaining arms 5 by the radially protruding thickened portion. The contact element 7 is thus securely held and can be machine processed.

[0030] The surface coating of contact elements 7 processed in this way remains undamaged, which increases the quality of the finished plug connectors.

BELT STRIP FOR CONTACT ELEMENTS

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0031] 1 belt strip

[0032] 2 flat metal strip

[0033] 3 tab

[0034] 4 oval recess

[0035] 5 retaining arm

[0036] 5a end of the retaining arm

[0037] 6 tab pair

[0038] 7 contact element

[0039] 8 punch

[0040] 9 recess

[0041] 10 thickened portion