Electrical terminal with high conductivity core

An electrical terminal including a first member and a second member. The first member has a front end configured to receive a mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to an electrical conductor. The first member is adapted to contact a first side of the mating contact. The second member is located, at least partially, in the first member. The second member is made from a material which is more conductive than material of the first member. The second member includes a front end configured to electrically contact an opposite second side of the mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to the electrical conductor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an electrical terminal and, more particularly, to an electrical terminal with a high conductivity core.

2. Brief Description of Prior Developments

A problem exists with conventional electrical contact terminals in that there is a high and variable cost of material which is used to manufacture the terminals. A common material used in terminals is copper. Copper has a high and variable cost which can negatively impact the profitability of a manufacturer or seller of a traditional electrical terminal formed from copper alloys. There is a need to reduce the amount of copper used in a terminal to thereby reduce the effects of the high and variable cost of copper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an electrical terminal is provided including a first member and a second member. The first member has a front end configured to receive a mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to an electrical conductor. The first member is adapted to contact a first side of the mating contact. The second member is located, at least partially, in the first member. The second member is made from a material which is more conductive than material of the first member. The second member includes a front end configured to electrically contact an opposite second side of the mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to the electrical conductor.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an electrical terminal is provided comprising a first member and a second member. The first member comprises a front end forming a cage for receiving a male contact, and a rear end having a conductor receiving area with tabs configured to be crimped onto a conductor. The second member is connected to the first member in a general nested position along a substantially entire length of the second member. The second member comprises a front end located in the cage and a rear end located in the conductor receiving area. The front end of the second member comprises a first contact area for contacting the male contact received in the cage and the rear end of the second member comprises a second contact area for contacting the conductor crimped against the second contact area by the tabs.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of assembling an electrical terminal is provided comprising providing a first member having a front end configured to receive a mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to an electrical conductor, wherein the first member is adapted to contact a first side of the mating contact; providing a second member having a front end configured to electrically contact an opposite second side of the mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to the electrical conductor; and inserting the second member into the first member, wherein the second member is located in a general nested position in the first member along a substantially entire length of the second member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an electrical contact or terminal10incorporating features of the invention. Although the invention will be described with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be embodied in many alternate forms of embodiments. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used. The terminal10is preferably used in an electrical connector with the terminal mounted in a housing of the electrical connector.

The terminal10generally comprises a terminal body12and a high conductivity core14. In alternate embodiments the terminal could comprise more than two members. The body12can be comprised of any suitable material, such as stainless steel or plastic for example. Preferably, the body12is made of a material which is relatively less expensive and/or less volatile in cost than the material used to make the core14. Referring also toFIGS. 2-5, the core14is connected to the body12in a general nested position as shown.

In the embodiment shown the body12is comprised of a one-piece member made of metal, such as stainless steel, which has been stamped and formed. However, the body could be comprised of multiple members. The body12generally comprises a first connection section16at a rear end of the body and a second connection section18at a front end of the body. The first connection section16generally comprises a conductor receiving channel having first tabs20adapted to be crimped onto a conductive core of an electrical wire (not shown) and second tabs22adapted to be crimped onto electrical insulation of the wire. However, in alternate embodiments, any suitable type of first connection section16could be provided.

The second connection section18generally forms a female cage for removably receiving a mating male contact or pin (not shown) of a mating electrical connector (not shown). The cage is preferably formed by folding the material of the body12into the shape shown, but any suitable shape could be provided. As seen best inFIG. 5, in this embodiment the second connection section18includes a contact arm24and a contact arm restraint26. The contact arm24extends forward and downward from the top rear of the cage. The contact arm restraint26extends rearward and downward from the top front of the cage. The front end28of the arm24is restrained on top of the restraint26to limit its downward movement into the male contact receiving area30. The arm24is adapted to bias the male contact (not shown) in a direction towards the bottom side32of the cage. However, in alternate embodiments any suitable system or configuration for urging the male contact into contact with the core14could be provided. The cage includes two mounting holes34at corners of its bottom side and its lateral sides.

The core14is preferably comprised of a material which has a higher conductivity than the body12, such as a copper alloy for example. The core14is preferably a one-piece member which has been stamped and formed. The core14generally comprises a rear end36which forms a first conductor contact section and a front end38which forms a second conductor contact section. When the core14is mounted to the body12the rear end36is located at the first connection section16of the body and the front end38is located at the second connection section18of the body. The rear end36generally comprises a channel shape which is adapted to receive the conductor core of the wire (not shown) therein. The channel shape is adapted to nest on the body12at the base of the tabs20. Thus, when the tabs20are crimped onto the conductor core of the wire, the tabs20crimp the conductor core of the wire against the core14in the channel formed at its rear end36. The rear end36is preferably serrated to make contact with stands of the wire's conductor core. The tabs20,22form grips which mechanically join the wire to the terminal.

The front end38of the core14generally comprises contact rails40and mounting tabs42. The rails40comprise stamped protrusions which extend upward. The rails40create a stable electrical contact with the male contact when the male contact is inserted into the receiving area30. When the male contact is inserted into the receiving area30, the arm24pushes the male contact against the top sides of the rails40. The shape of the rails40also concentrate area of contact with the male contact for a better wiping contact. The tabs42are inserted into the mounting holes34of the body12and deformed to fixedly attach the core14to the body; similar to a stapled type of connection. By locating the core14in the cage, at the trough between the tabs20, and inside the trough of the transition zone44between the two connection sections16,18of the body12, the terminal body retains and protects the core14, as well as providing a locking surface. In alternate embodiments, any suitable type of connection of the core14to the body12could be provided.

Referring also toFIG. 6, in one exemplary type of method of manufacturing the core14, the core14is stamped and formed from an elongate strip46of material as a series of cores which are subsequently separated from each other. As can be seen, in this method the cores are fabricated with their longitudinal lengths aligned with the longitudinal length of the strip. The cores14are joined front to rear with adjacent cores. Very little scrap material from the strip46is generated because of the generally elongate strip-like shape of the final shape of the cores14. Because very little scrap material is generated, almost all of the strip64is used to form the cores14and, thus, the cores14are not as expensive to manufacture than if more of the material ended up as scrap material. In an alternate method, any suitable method for manufacturing the high conductivity core14could be provided.

As noted above, a problem exists with conventional electrical contact terminals in that there is a high and variable cost of material which is used to manufacture the terminals. A common material is copper used in terminals. Copper has a high and variable cost which can negatively impact the profitability of a manufacturer or seller of a traditional electrical terminal formed from copper alloys. There is a need to reduce the amount of copper used in a terminal to thereby reduce the effects of the high and variable cost of copper. A solution can comprise greatly reducing the amount of copper, and copper scrap in a terminal by limiting its use to an uninterrupted, direct path from the contact to the crimp. Use a low-cost, low-conductivity, high-strength alloy (such as Stainless steel for example) to form the body of the terminal and its spring can be used.

An electrical terminal with a high conductivity core can provide numerous advantages. The copper core does not require a carrier strip, and very little material is removed from the edges, so scrap is minimized. Because the copper core does not have any mechanical strength requirements, a very high conductivity and low cost alloy can be used. The high conductivity copper core material thickness can be varied independently of the body material to accommodate the total system conduction needs. The plating on the high conductivity copper core14(i.e. tin, gold, silver, etc.) can be changed without changing the material of the terminal body12.

With the invention, an electrical terminal can be provided with a first member having a front end configured to receive a mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to an electrical conductor, wherein the first member is adapted to contact a first side of the mating contact; and a second member located, at least partially, in the first member, wherein the second member comprises a material which is more conductive than material of the first member, and wherein the second member comprises a front end configured to electrically contact an opposite second side of the mating contact and a rear end configured to attach to the electrical conductor.

The front end of the first member can comprise a cage, and the rear end of the first member can comprise crimp tabs. The front end of the first member can comprise a spring to bias the mating contact in a direction towards the front end of the second member. The second member is preferably substantially straight with a conductor receiving channel at the rear end of the second member. The second member can comprise a top side contact rail and lateral side mounting tabs on the front end of the second member. The second member has a bottom side which is preferably located substantially entirely against a surface of the first member.

The invention can provide an electrical terminal comprising a first member comprising a front end forming a cage for receiving a male contact, and a rear end having a conductor receiving area with tabs configured to be crimped onto a conductor; and a second member connected to the first member in a general nested position along a substantially entire length of the second member, wherein the second member comprises a front end located in the cage and a rear end located in the conductor receiving area, wherein the front end of the second member comprises a first contact area for contacting the male contact received in the cage and the rear end of the second member comprises a second contact area for contacting the conductor crimped against the second contact area by the tabs.