Patent ID: 6453552
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: H01R,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a terminal module, comprising the steps of:stamping from a blank of metal material in a plane a plurality of elongated terminals having a single contact portion at a first end and a single terminal portion at a second end, the elongated terminals joined by a tie bar intermediate the first and second ends, each single terminal portion having a specific lateral distance in relation to another single terminal portion, the single contact portions of the elongated terminals are separated from each other by said stamping, and the single terminal portions of the plurality of elongated terminals joined by a carrier strip; shearing said blank to separate said single terminal portions by forming edges defining lateral ends of each of said single terminal portions, each edge sharing a same shear line with other edges of the single terminal portions; forming at least one of the single terminal portions in a second plane out of the plane of the blank of metal material while each of the single terminal portions maintain the specific lateral distance; overmolding a dielectric housing about the terminals between the first end and the tie bar thereof, with the tie bar being located outside the housing; and cutting the tie bar to separate the elongated terminals.