DOUBLE-FLEXIBLE-BLADE ELECTRIC TERMINAL

Abstract: An electric terminal (1) including a deformable portion (4) for connection to an electric cable (5); and a contact portion (2) presenting a first flexible contact blade (11) extending integrally from a front portion (12) of a wall (6) of the contact body (2) and bent rearwards towards the connecting portion (4), the first blade (11) cooperating elastically with a complementary contact element (3), and a second reinforcing blade (15) blanked in the same wall (6) of the contact body (2) and cooperating with the first blade (11) at least as of a predetermined degree of deformation of the first blade, for increasing the elastic load on the complementary contact element; the second blade (15) extending from the front portion (12) of the aforementioned wall of the contact body (2) towards the connecting portion (4) of the terminal (1); and the first (11) and second (15) blades cooperating mutually at the respective free ends (14, 16).

Description: DOUBLE-FLEXIBLE-BLADE ELECTRIC TERMINAL TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electric terminal, in particular, with a double flexible blade. BACKGROUND ART Electric terminals are known, formed by blanking and bending conductive sheet metal, and integrally comprising a deformable portion for connection to a cable, and a contact body cooperating with a complementary contact element, such as another electric terminal or a printed circuit. More specifically, such a terminal is described for example in US Patent n. 3,069,652, wherein the contact body presents a first flexible contact blade cooperating with the complementary contact element; and a second reinforcing blade cooperating with the first blade when this is deformed duri; .j connection to the complementary contact element, to increase the elastic load on the latter. The first blade extends integrally from one end of a wall of the contact body, and is bent rearwards towards the connecting portion, while the second blade is blanked in the same wall of the contact body and projects frontwards from a portion of said wall adjacent to the connecting portion. As such, the first and second blades project in opposite directions and cooperate with each other at a central portion of the contact body. The above mutual arrangement of the blades results in a limitation of the respective bending lengths, the total of which must obviously be less than the length of the contact body. This in turn results in severe flexural rigidity and, in use, in undesired peak insertion loads (i.e. the load required for connection to the complementary contact element) . What is more, the above blade arrangement also results in jamming. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric terminal designed to overcome the drawbacks typically associated with the above known terminals. According to the present invention, there is provided an electric terminal comprising a deformable portion for connection to an electric cable; and a_ contact portion cooperating with a complementary contact element; said contact portion comprising a first flexible contact blade extending integrally from the front portion of a wall of said contact body and bent towards said connecting portion, said first blade cooperating elastically with said complementary contact element; and a second reinforcing blade, blanked in said wall of said contact body and cooperating with said first blade at least as of a predetermined degree of deformation of said first blade, to increase the elastic load on said complementary contact element; characterized in that said second blade extends from said front portion of said wall of said contact body towards said connecting portion of said terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a female electric terminal in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the Figure 1 terminal; Figure 3 shows a section along line III-III in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a sheet metal blank for producing the Figure 1 terminal. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates a so-called "box" type female electric terminal. The terms "top", "bottom", "front", "rear" and similar used in the following description and claims are in no way limiting, and are used purely for description purposes with reference to the position of terminal 1 as illustrated in Figure 1 " . Terminal 1 is formed in one piece from conductive sheet metal by pressing and bending blank 1 ' in Figure 4. Terminal 1 substantially comprises a box type contact body 2 cooperating with a male blade terminal 3 (shown partially by the dotted line in Figure 3) ; and a deformable connecting portion 4 for connection to an electric cable 5. Body 2 substantially comprises a bottom wall 6, from a rear portion 7 of which connecting portion 4 originates; a pair of lateral walls 8a, 8b bent 90° upwards in relation to bottom wall 6; and a top wall 9 integral with one of the lateral walls (8a) and bent in relation to it in a plane substantially parallel to bottom wall 6. Body 2 presents a front opening 10 for insertion of male terminal 3. Terminal 1 also comprises a first flexible contact blade 11 (Figure 3) extending integrally from a front portion 12 of bottom wall 6, and bent inside body 2 towards connecting portion 4. Blade 11 presents a curved longitudinal profile with its convexity facing top wall 9, and comprises an intermediate contact portion 13 of maximum convexity facing top wall 9 and forming with wall 9 a clearance smaller than the thickness of terminal 3. Blade 11 also presents a free end 14 bent slightly towards top wall 9 and located close to the rear end of body 2. Transversely, blade 11 is conveniently slightly convex (Figure 2) to reduce the area of the portion contacting male terminal 3. Terminal 1 also comprises a second flexible 5 reinforcing blade 15 projecting from front portion 12 of bottom wall 6 towards connecting portion 4, and sloping inwards of the body so that its free end 16 is located close to and substantially parallel to the free end 14 of blade 11. 10 Blade 15 is in the form of a flat isosceles trapezium, and is formed in bottom wall 6 by means of a substantially U-shaped slot 17 (Figure 4) . From the opposite ends of lateral wall 8b of body 2, there extend upwards two tabs 18 bent substantially 15 in a U so that the free ends cooperate with top wall 9, to increase the structural rigidity of body 2. In actual use, when male terminal 3 is inserted inside box body 2 through front opening 10 and between contact blade 11 and top wall 9, it flexes contact blade 20 11 towards reinforcing blade 15 which remains idle until its free end 16 is contacted by the free end 14 of blade 11. Upon further insertion of male terminal 3, blades « 11 and 15 flex jointly, and the rigidity of blade 15 ■* 25 provides for increasing the contact pressure exerted by blade 11 on terminal 3. The advantages of terminal 1 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description. In particular, the fact that reinforcing blade 15 extends rearwards from the front end of body 2 enables the free bending length of the blade to be sized freely and so selected as to prevent peak insertion loads of the male terminal. Moreover, any possibility of jamming is prevented by the two blades 11, 15 extending substantially in the same direction and cooperating with each other at the respective free ends. Finally, the design of end 14 of blade 11, which is bent substantially parallel to blade 15, provides for minimizing deformation of the end portion of blade 11 by the elastic load of blade 15, and hence the portion of the elastic load of blade 15 absorbed by such deformation. Clearly, changes may be made to terminal 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, terminal 1 may be other than a box type, and may be connected to any type of complementary contact element, e.g. a male terminal of any design, or a printed circuit. Also, blades 11 and 15 may contact each other prior to deformation, to achieve immediate action of blade 15 upon blade 11 being deformed by the complementary contact element.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) An electric terminal (1) comprising a deformable portion (4) for connection to an electric cable (5) ; and a contact portion (2) cooperating with a complementary contact element (3) ; said contact portion (2) comprising a first flexible contact blade (11) extending integrally from the front portion (12) of a wall (6) of said contact body (2) and bent towards said connecting portion (4) , said first blade (11) cooperating elastically with said complementary contact element (3) ; and a second reinforcing blade (15) , blanked in said wall (6) of said contact body (2) and cooperating with said first blade (11) at least as of a predetermined degree of deformation of said first blade (11) , to increase the elastic load on said complementary contact element (3) ; characterized in that said second blade (15) extends from said front portion (12) of said wall (6) of said contact body (2) towards said connecting portion (4) of said terminal (1) . 2) A terminal as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said first and second blades (11, 15) cooperate mutually at the respective free ends (14, 16). 3) A terminal as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said first blade (11) presents a curved longitudinal profile so that an intermediate portion of the first blade cooperates with said complementary contact element (3); said free end (14) of said first blade (11) being bent " substantially parallel to said second blade (15) . 4) A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said contact body (2) is a box type, and presents a front opening (10) for receiving a male terminal (3) . 5) A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said first blade (11) presents a transversely convex profile. 6) A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said second blade (15) is flat.

Inventors: GENTA ALESSANDRO, GENTA, ALESSANDRO
Applicants: FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INT, GENTA ALESSANDRO, FRAMATOME CONNECTORS INTERNATIONAL S.A., GENTA, ALESSANDRO
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R4, H01R13