Electrical connector

Abstract: An electrical connector (1) comprises multiple electrical contacts (4) within corresponding contact receiving cavities (3), each corresponding cavity (3) being in a housing (2), and overhangs (7) along lateral walls (8) of each cavity (3). Each contact (4) comprises an elongated contact section (11) having been formed with an arch (13) and lateral sides (12, 12) along each corresponding contact (4) being confined by the overhangs (7), and the arch (13) projecting between said overhangs (7) for mating engagement with a contact of another mating electrical connector.

Description: The invention relates to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector having thin blade contacts of exceptional strength and retention in a housing. An electrical connector according to US-A-5 017 156 discloses thin and horizontal portions of electrical contacts supported along their entire flat lengths by respective stepped grooves in an insulating housing. Accordingly, the horizontal portions are adapted to withstand the contact pressures generated when coming into contact with the contacts of another mating electrical connector. GB-A-900 332 describes a multicontact electrical connector for printed circuit boards and comprising a multiplicity of contact arms each of which is associated with a separate leaf spring member for imparting resilience to the contact arm. The contact arms and associated leaf springs are disposed in elongated cavities in an insulating housing and have inner extremities mounted in the housing. The outer extremities the contact arms are spoon-shaped with the convexity so directed as to contact an inserted plug-in member. The cavities have overhanging shoulders along lateral walls and, at the outermost part of their spoon-shaped extremities, the contact arms have lateral projections which are urged, under the action of the leaf springs, against the overhanging shoulders of the associated cavities. The present invention consists in an electrical connector comprising multiple electrical contacts having elongated contact sections disposed respectively in elongated contact receiving cavities of a housing, each cavity having overhangs along lateral walls thereof and each contact section having laterally projecting parts confined by the overhangs extending along the corresponding contact receiving cavity, characterized in that each elongated contact section is formed along its length as an arch which extends from one lateral side along the elongated contact section to an opposite lateral side, the lateral sides along each elongated contact section are confined along the length of the contact section within the corresponding contact receiving cavity by the overhangs, and an elongated apex of the arch projects between the overhangs along the corresponding contact receiving cavity and forms an elongated contact surface for mating engagement with a contact of a mating electrical connector. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an isometric view of an electrical connector including a housing and a shield assembly connected on an electrical cable; FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of an insulating housing of the connector shown in Fig. 1; FIGURE 3 is a section view of the housing shown in Fig. 3, together with a conductive shield of the connector shown in Fig. 1; FIGURE 4 is a section view taken through a portion of the housing as shown in Fig. 2; FIGURE 5 is a section view taken through a portion of the housing as shown in Fig. 2; FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of an electrical contact of the connector shown in Fig. 1; FIGURE 7 is a top view of four electrical contacts; FIGURE 8 is a side view of one of the electrical contacts as shown in Fig. 7; FIGURE 9 is a side view of one of the electrical contacts as shown in Fig. 7; FIGURE 10 is a front view of a portion of the housing and two electrical contacts of the connector as shown in Fig. 1; and FIGURES 11 and 12 are section views of the housing and shield assembly of the connector as shown in Figure 1. With more particular reference to Figs. 1-5, an electrical connector 1 comprises, an insulating housing 2 , contact receiving cavities 3 in the housing 2 , and multiple electrical contacts 4 , Figs. 11 and 12, in corresponding cavities 3. With reference to Figs. 2-5, the housing 2 is, for example, of unitary molded plastic construction, and comprises a front section 5 and a rear section 6 . With reference to Fig. 10, overhangs 7 extend along lateral walls 8 of each corresponding cavity 3. Each corresponding cavity 3 is dovetail in cross section. The overhangs 7 on each corresponding cavity 3 comprise said lateral walls 8 beginning at a wider bottom 9 of the cavity 3 and inclining toward each other to a narrower elongated opening 10 between the overhangs 7. With reference to Figs. 6-10, each corresponding contact 4 is constructed, for example, of a stamped and formed unitary thin metal blank. A front section 11 of the contact 4 is of thin blade construction, and has elongated lateral sides 12 confined by the overhangs 7 in the corresponding cavities 3. Each contact 4 is constructed with an arch 13 extending from one lateral side 12 to the other lateral side 12. The arch 13 strengthens the otherwise weak and thin blade shape, and further provides the lateral sides 12 that can be confined under the corresponding overhangs 7. An elongated apex of each arch 13 projects in the opening 10 between the overhangs 7 of a corresponding cavity 3. Each apex projects outwardly above the overhangs 7 and provides a smooth, elongated, wiping contact surface. Each apex provides a wiping contact surface for mating engagement with another mating electrical connector, not shown. A front edge 14 , Fig. 6, on the apex of the arch 13 is beveled so as to slope from rear to front where the apex projects outwardly of the corresponding contact receiving cavity 3. The beveled front edge 14 prevents stubbing of the contact 4 against another mating electrical connector during mating connection of the connector 1 with another mating electrical connector, not shown. Each corresponding rear section 15 of the corresponding contact 4 comprises a first connection which is a crimp barrel 16 formed by a first pair of wings 17 by forming an open barrel for crimp connection to a conductor portion 18 , Figs. 11 and 12, of an insulated wire 19 of an electrical cable 20 , Fig. 1. A second connection is a second crimp barrel 21 formed by a second pair of wings 22 by forming an open barrel for crimp connection to insulation of the insulated wire 19. With reference to Figs 2-5, each corresponding contact receiving cavity 3 widens toward the rear section 6 to receive different sizes of the rear sections 15 of the contacts 4. The rear sections 15 may vary in size and material mass to conduct different amounts of electrical energy without excessive resistance to conduction. For example, a larger size and mass will provide less resistance to conduction of electrical energy than a smaller size and mass. A contact 4 of smaller size is less costly, and allows closer spacing of the cavities 3 in the housing 2, and requires less insulation surrounding the contact 4. The overhangs 7 extend lengthwise an equal length along the respective contact receiving cavities 3. The elongated contact sections 11 of the contacts 4 of smaller size are identically formed, with said arch 13 of each of said contact sections 11 extending from one lateral side 12 along the elongated contact section 11 to another lateral side 12 along the elongated contact section 11, to be mounted interchangeably in any of the contact receiving cavities 3. With reference to Figs. 1, 11 and 12, a conductive shield 23 encircles the housing 2. A passage 24 has an opening 25 in a front end of the shield 23. The passage 24 extends along an interior of the shield 23 from the front of the housing 2 to the rear section 6 of the housing 2. The passage 24 spaces the interior of the shield 23 away from the apex of each corresponding contact 4. A tab 26 , Fig. 12, projecting from the shield 23 is bent downward and extends into a tab receiving recess 27 in a front end of the housing 2 to resist movement of the housing 2 forwardly with respect to the shield 23. The recess 27 extends from an outer periphery of the housing 2 that is against the shield 23. With reference to Figs. 11 and 12, an inclined front lip 28 on the housing 2 projects in front of each corresponding cavity 3 and in front of a contact 4 in each corresponding cavity 3. The inclined front lip 28 provides a funnel that biases mating electrical contacts, not shown, into the passage 24 for wiping engagement with each corresponding apex of the corresponding ones of the contacts 4. Each corresponding cavity 3 communicates with a corresponding groove 29 in the front lip 28. Each corresponding groove 29 is aligned with the apex of a corresponding contact 4 in the corresponding cavity 3. When the lip 28 biases mating electrical contacts, not shown, the lip 28 wipes insulation material against the mating electrical contacts. It is desired to prevent wiping of the mating contacts against insulation material of the lip 28, particularly at the same place where the contacts 4 engage the mating contacts. Such wiping against the insulative material would tend to apply insulative material on the mating contacts and would be between the contacts 4 and the mating contacts. The presence of the applied insulative material where the contact 4 and the mating contacts engage one another during mating would reduce electrical conductivity undesireably. Accordingly, the grooves 29 allow unwiped portions of the mating electrical contacts 4 to traverse along the grooves 29 prior to connection to respective apices cf the contacts 4. First portions 30 of the lip 28 are shorter in front of selected ones of the corresponding contact receiving cavities 3 than second portions 32 of the lip 28 in front of selected other ones of the corresponding contact receiving cavities 3. The selected ones of the corresponding contact receiving cavities 3 begin closer to the front end of the housing 2 than the selected other ones of the corresponding contact receiving cavities 3. The contacts 4 in the cavities 3 advantageously mate in sequence with mating contacts of a mating electrical connector, not shown, depending upon their respective spacings in the cavities 3 from the front end of the housing 2. With reference to Figs. 3-12, a corresponding projection 33 is on a corresponding interior wall 34 in each corresponding contact receiving cavity 3. A corresponding internal sloped wall 35 is on a rear of each corresponding projection 33 to bias a corresponding front edge 14 on a corresponding contact 4. A corresponding front facing shoulder 36 is on each corresponding projection 33. Each corresponding contact 4 has a rear projecting, resilient tine 37 facing a corresponding front facing shoulder 36. The tine 37 is resiliently deflectable to pass beyond the projection 33 as the contact 4 traverses the front section 11 of the corresponding cavity 3. The tine 37 springs outward and faces the shoulder 36 to resist movement of each corresponding contact 4 rearward relative to the housing 2. Aligned and in front of the projection 33, a narrow channel 38 communicates with a front of the rear section 6. Walls on the channel 38 are spaced apart by the width of the channel 38. The spaced apart walls are as wide apart as to provide lateral support on opposite sides of the tine 38 to resist rotation of the contact 4 about its lengthwise axis. The sloped wall 35 of each corresponding contact receiving cavity 3 is sloped from rear to front, and faces the interior bottom wall 9 of the cavity 3. The interior bottom wall 9 in each corresponding cavity 3 is across the corresponding cavity 3 from both the internal sloped wall 35 and the overhangs 7. A corresponding contact 4 is inserted into the cavity 3 from the rear section 6. The contact 4 traverses along the cavity 3. The lateral edges 12 on the contact 4 must traverse against the bottom wall 9 for correct alignment along the cavity 3 in both the rear section 6 and the front section 5 of the housing 2. The bottom wall 9 guides the lateral edges 12 on the contact 4 under the corresponding overhangs 7. The sloped wall 35 and the bottom wall 9 bias opposite sides of the contact 4 toward the front section of the corresponding cavity 3. The apex 13 on the contact 4 is opposite the sloped wall 35. The sloped wall 35, being opposite the apex 13 of a corresponding contact 4, biases the beveled front edge 14 on the apex 13 to traverse beneath the rear ends of the overhangs 7. The rear ends are tapered from rear to front and funnel the contact 4 into axial alignment with the front section of the corresponding cavity 3. An advantage of the invention resides in an electrical connector comprising contact receiving cavities in an insulating housing, and overhangs along edges of the cavities to resist movement of electrical contacts confined beneath the overhangs. Another advantage of the invention resides in an electrical connector comprising electrical contacts with thin blades and an arch on each thin blade that strengthens the contact and provides a contact wiping surface.

Claims: An electrical connector (1) comprising multiple electrical contacts (4) having elongated contact sections disposed respectively in elongated contact receiving cavities (3) of a housing (2), each cavity having overhangs (7) extending along lateral walls (8) thereof, and each contact section (11) having laterally projecting parts confined by the overhangs (7) of the corresponding contact receiving cavity, characterized in that each elongated contact section (11) is formed along its length as an arch (13) which extends from one lateral side (12) along the elongated contact section to an opposite lateral side (12), the lateral sides (12) along each elongated contact section are confined along the length of the contact section within the corresponding contact receiving cavity (3) by the overhangs (7), and an elongated apex of the arch (13) projects between the overhangs (7) along the corresponding contact receiving cavity (3) and forms an elongated contact surface for mating engagement with a contact of a mating electrical connector. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein each contact receiving cavity (3) is dovetail in cross section and the overhangs (7) of the contact receiving cavity (3) comprise lateral walls (8) inclined towards each other. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein a front edge on the apex of each arch (13) is bevelled to slope from rear to front where the apex projects outwardly of the corresponding contact receiving cavity (3). An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein each contact receiving cavity (3) extends through a rear section (6) of the housing (2) and has an internal sloped wall (35) opposite the apex of a corresponding contact (4) for biasing the front edge on the apex of the arch beneath the overhangs (7). An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 including a rear section on the housing (2), each contact receiving cavity (3) extending through the rear section of the housing, a projection (33) on an interior wall in each contact receiving cavity (3), an internal sloped wall (35) on a rear of each such projection (33) to bias a front edge on a corresponding contact (4), a front facing shoulder (36) on each projection (33), and each corresponding contact (4)having a rear projecting tine (37) facing a corresponding front facing shoulder (36) to resist movement of each contact (4) rearwardly relative to the housing (2). An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim wherein selected ones of the contact receiving cavities (3) begin closer from a front end of the housing (2) than selected other ones of the contact receiving cavities (3), and a lip (28) on the housing (2) projects in front of each contact receiving cavity (3), and wherein first portions (30) of the lip (28) are shorter in front of said selected ones of the contact receiving cavities (3) than second portions (32) of the lip (28) in front of the selected other ones of the contact receiving cavities (3). An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim wherein edges of the lateral sides of each elongated contact section (12) are adjacent a bottom of the corresponding contact receiving cavity (3).

Inventors: DAVIS WAYNE SAMUEL, DAVIS, WAYNE SAMUEL
Applicants: WHITAKER CORP, THE WHITAKER CORPORATION
Application year: 1996
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13, H01R24, H01R4