Patent ID: 7856712
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: H01R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a female terminal for receiving a male terminal, the method comprising: blanking a strip of conductive material to provide a pre-formed terminal cutout having a wire connecting portion at one end, a terminal connecting portion at another end, and a contact arm extending from the terminal connecting portion, at a shoulder, toward the wire connecting portion at an angle permitting the contact arm to reside adjacent the wire connecting portion; forming the wire connecting portion upwards to form a claw for receiving a core conductor and a sheath of an electrical wire; straightening the contact arm at the shoulder so that the contact arm's longitudinal axis is generally parallel to the female terminal's longitudinal axis, wherein the claw forming step provides a vacancy for the contact arm to reside after the straightening step; folding the contact arm at the shoulder along the longitudinal axis of the contact arm toward a front edge of the terminal connecting portion; bending the terminal connecting portion into a tubular member having opposing side walls and an upper portion opposing a bottom portion defining a terminal insertion opening, the contact arm being folded to cantilever from the upper portion into the tubular member toward the terminal insertion opening forming a resilient spring that contacts the male terminal upon insertion.