Abstract:
A one piece blank including a configurable and combination sleeve and spring cage, defining a first female connector, and which is interengageable with a male connector having an extending male terminal pin insertable within an opposing open end of the female connector, such that both a greater area of electrical contact and increased normal holding forces are established therebetween. The female terminal further includes a plurality of interiorly extending and elongated beams, accessible through said open end, and which are configured in a combined angled and torsional manner in order to achieve a three dimensional and substantially hourglass shaped configuration.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation in part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/079,206, filed Feb. 21, 2002, and entitled “Electrical Terminal Socket Assembly Including 90° Angled and Sealed Connectors”, as well as U.S. application Ser. No. 09/951,012, filed Sep. 14, 2001, and also entitled “Electrical Terminal Socket Assembly Including Both T-Shaped and 90° Angled and Sealed Connectors”; which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/271,776, filed Feb. 27, 2001, entitled “Power Feed Attachment”; and U.S. Provisional Application 60/232,698, filed Sep. 15, 2000, entitled “Power Feed Attachment”. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to interengageable male to female terminals, such as are typically incorporated into sealed connector assemblies. More particularly, the present invention discloses a blank configurable and combination sleeve and spring cage for small terminal systems, defining a first female terminal, and which is interengageable with a male terminal having an extending male terminal portion, which is insertable within an opposing open end of the female terminal and such that both a greater area of electrical contact and increased normal holding forces are established therebetween. The present invention further discloses a method for configuring a metal and suitably electrically conductive blank into a female terminal.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Electrical terminal sockets are well known in the art, one primary application of which being in the automotive field for establishing connections between an output cable and related components. The frictional grip imparted by the terminal must be of sufficient strength to maintain firm mechanical and adequate electrical connection, yet must permit relatively easy manual withdrawal or insertion of a prong into the socket.  
           [0004]    According to application Ser. No. 10/079,206, filed Feb. 21, 2002 and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/951,012, filed Sep. 14, 2001, they provide a line contact between male and female terminals because of the manner in which the angled and hourglass contact beams are constructed. These applications demonstrated many significant advantages for these angled and hourglass beams.  
           [0005]    The Ser. No. 10/079,206 application discloses a two piece design and in which the spring cage usually exhibits a thickness in the range of 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, and a sleeve thickness in the range of 1.0 mm to 1.8 mm. Pin size ranges from 6.0 mm to 14.0 mm for high current applications. Due to differences in thickness, it has been found that the two piece design is unavoidable for high current applications. For medium and low current round pin terminals, however, the sleeve thickness can be reduce to the same thickness as its spring cage, therefore a one piece design is possible, especially for terminal sizes ranging from 0.40 mm to 4.30 mm diameters.  
           [0006]    Additionally, these size terminals typically have a conventional round pin design, usually in two or more pieces, and which increases the manufacturing complexity and number of components. Therefore, the cost is high and also the point of contact from each spring beam between male and female reduces the current carry capability of the terminal.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention discloses a female terminal for use with an interengaging male terminal and in order to create a secure and multiple contact connection therebetween. Each of the female and interengageable male terminals include an elongated body, a selected end of each terminating in bendable crimping portions for engaging associated ends of electrically conducting wire or cable. The elongated male terminal further includes an extending pin at a further associated end.  
           [0008]    The female terminal is, in a preferred embodiment, originally provided as a substantially flattened and planar shaped blank, constructed of a metallic and electrically conductive material, and including a planar shaped main body, a plurality of elongated and spaced apart beams extending angularly from a stem portion interconnecting a first end of the main body, and wire crimping portions extending from a second end of the main body. An associated method of producing a female terminal forms a part of the present invention and includes the steps of folding the angled, elongated and spaced apart beams inwardly and over the planar shaped main body, bending the main body into a three dimensional and elongated configuration (either rectangular or circular, and not fully closed) and bending in inward and opposing fashion the wire crimping portions. Finally, the main body is formed into the desired shape, this further being either rectangular or circular.  
           [0009]    In the preferred embodiment, the elongated beams are accessible through an open inserting end of the configured main body of the female terminal and are defined in a substantially three dimensional and helix (or hourglass) shape for engaging the inserting male pin along increased surface area and with a greater degree of normal holding forces. An insert tool assists in forming the desired array of the contact beams, such a tool including a shank end and a square shaped end (for a square terminal) or a round shaped end (for a round terminal) for engaging the open inserting end of the female terminal. The two insert tools, such as upon being engaged with interior facing surfaces of the angled beams, are served as mandrels to hold both ends and to avoid metal walking out along beams in a longitudinal direction during forming of the beams into an hourglass shape, and so as to impart a combined angular and torsional configuration to the angled beams and in order to increase both the contact area established with the male terminal pin as well as again increasing the normal holding forces between the male and female terminals.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a square female terminal constructed according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1B is a further perspective view of a round female terminal constructed according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2A is a plan view of a metal blank which is configurable into the square female terminal of FIG. 1A and according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2B is a side view illustration of the blank illustrated in FIG. 2A and showing its pre-configured and arcuate side profile;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2C is an illustration of an intermediate assembly condition of the metal blank of FIG. 1A;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2D is partial elevational view of the blank also shown in FIG. 2C and illustrating a still further and substantially completed assembly step of the square female terminal;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2E is a plan view, similar to that shown in FIG. 2A, and illustrating a metal blank configurable into the round female terminal of FIG. 1B;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2F a side view illustration of the blank illustrated in FIG. 2E and showing its pre-configured and arcuate side profile;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2G is an illustration of an intermediate assembly condition of the metal blank of FIG. 1B;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2H is partial elevational view of the blank also shown in FIG. 2G and illustrating a still further and substantially completed assembly step of the round female terminal;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3A is a cutaway illustration of the square female terminal illustrated in FIG. 1A, and further showing the combined torsioned and angled contact beams in interengaging fashion with a square cross sectional male inserting pin;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3B is a cutaway illustration of the round female terminal illustrated in FIG. 1B, and further showing the combined torsional and angled contact beams in interengaging fashion with a square cross sectional male inserting pin;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4A is a further cutaway illustration of the square female terminal illustrated in FIG. 1A and further showing the combined torsioned and angled contact beams in interengaging fashion with a round cross sectional male inserting pin;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4B is a further cutaway illustration of the round female terminal shown in FIG. 1B, and further showing the combined torsional and angled contact beams in interengaging fashion with a round cross sectional male inserting pin;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5A is an open end view of the female terminal illustrated in FIG. 3A and showing the manner in which the male square pin interengages the female terminal;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5B is an open end view of the female terminal illustrated in FIG. 3B and showing the manner in which the square pin interengages the female terminal;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5C is an open end view of the female terminal illustrated in FIG. 4A and showing the manner in which the male round pin interengages the female terminal;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5D is an open end view of the female terminal illustrated in FIG. 4B and showing the manner in which the male round pin interengages the female terminal;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6A is an elongated cutaway view of the female terminal illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 4A and showing, in plan cutaway, the combined angling and torsioning of the contact beams;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 6B is an elongated cutaway view of the female terminal illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 4B and showing, in plan cutaway, the combined angling and torsioning of the contact beams;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of an interengaging male terminal according to the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 8 is a plan view of the male terminal as substantially illustrated in FIG. 7;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 9 is perspective view of a male terminal exhibiting a square shaped inserting pin;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 10A is an open end view of a square cross sectional and female terminal according to the present invention;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 10B is an open end view of a round cross sectional and female terminal according to the present invention; and  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 11 is an end view of the male terminal illustrated in FIG. 9;  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]    Referring now to FIG. 1A, a perspective illustration is shown at  10  of a rectangular female terminal constructed according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As explained previously, the present invention discloses a blank configurable and combination sleeve and spring cage.  
         [0038]    The construction of the female terminal is further such that both a greater area of electrical contact and increased normal holding forces are established with an associated and inserting pin of the male terminal. As will be also subsequently described, the present invention further discloses a method for configuring a metal and suitably electrically conductive blank into a female terminal.  
         [0039]    Prior to engaging into a detailed description of the female terminal  10  and is associated method of manufacture, a brief description will be made of the associated and interengaging male terminal according to the present invention. The male terminal can be constructed in a number of varying configurations and reference is made to a first variant  12  of the male terminal in FIGS. 7 and 8 and a second variant  14  as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 9 and succeeding front end view of FIG. 11.  
         [0040]    While it is contemplated that a given male terminal can be constructed in particular fashion for use with the female terminal according to the present invention, such male terminals, with inserting pins, are generally known in the art. That said, the variant  12  of male terminal (again FIGS. 7 and 8) exhibits an elongated and round cross sectional body largely consisting of a pin  18  with a pointed end  20  and an enlarged annular intermediate location  22 . Wire crimping portions  22  and  24  extend from a further associated end of the male terminal and, upon being bent in inwardly opposing fashion, forcibly engage over an extending end of a wire or cable, see as illustrated at  26  in FIG. 7.  
         [0041]    The succeeding variant  14  of male terminal, shown again in FIGS. 9 and 11, exhibits a substantially rectangular (square) cross sectional body again largely consisting of a pin  28  with a pointed end  30  and an enlarged annular intermediate location  32 . Wire crimping portions  34  and  36  again extend from a further associated end of the male terminal and, upon being bent in inwardly opposing fashion, forcibly engage over an extending end of a wire or cable, not shown in these illustrations but substantially as seen as illustrated at  26  in the alternate variant of FIG. 7. The male terminal pin portions, according to any of the previously disclosed embodiments, can range in cross sectional dimension to include such at 4.3 mm, 2.8 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.64 mm and 0.45 mm pin diameters among such possible sizes.  
         [0042]    Having provided an adequate explanation of the features of the male terminals according to the several variants disclosed herein, reference is again made to the female terminal  10  according to the first disclosed embodiment of the present invention. At this point, it would also be convenient to provide an explanation of the associated method employed according to a preferred embodiment and for producing the female terminal  10 .  
         [0043]    Referring to the plan view of FIG. 2A, a metal blank  48  is indicated and which is configurable into the female terminal  10  of FIG. 1A. In particular, the metal blank  48  is constructed of an electrically conductive material, such as a copper alloy, and includes a planar shaped main body  50 , a plurality of angled, elongated and spaced apart beams  52  (see also carrier tab portions  51  and  53  and which in a preferred embodiment separate and support at opposite ends a plurality of at least three extending beams, here showing four beams by example) extending from a stem portion  54  interconnecting a first end of said main body  50 , and wire crimping portions  56  and  58  extending from a second end of said main body  50  and interconnected by a further portion  60 .  
         [0044]    A side view illustration of the blank  48 , illustrated in FIG. 2B, shows its pre-configured and arcuate side profile of the beams  52 . Referring also to FIGS. 2C and 2D, the progressive method steps for forming the three dimensional female terminal (see again by example at  10  in FIG. 1A) are shown. As shown in FIG. 2C, the carrier tab portions  51  and  53  and spaced apart beams  52  are configured in the three dimensional and square shaped manner illustrated. The torsioning and angling of the beams  52 , after the carrier tab portions  51  and  53  are initially bent into their three dimensional cross section, is further accomplished by inserting mandrels  55  and  57 , exhibiting square shaped inserting portions, into tab portions  51  and  53 . In the preferred variant, a series of forming tools (not shown) bend the tab portions  51  and  53  in the manner shown in FIG. 2A along bending lines  70 , in a certain forming sequence (the forming tools not being shown but understood to exist), until achieving a final square shape  51  and  53  in FIG. 2C. The preconfigured and arcuate side profile of the beams  52  are further constructed into an hourglass shape after the series of forming stations. In the preferred variant, the mandrels  55  and  57  (again FIG. 2C) exit at every forming station, the purpose for which being to hold the two ends of the female terminal to avoid metal walking out along a longitudinal direction during forming of the beams into an hourglass shape, effectuating the combined angling and torsioning of the beams  52 .  
         [0045]    Referring again to FIG. 2B, a succeeding assembly step is illustrated and in which the planar shaped main body  50  is bent along a bending line  71  (see again FIG. 2A) in a pre-opening fashion  50  in FIG. 2C. Referring further to FIG. 2D, a succeeding assembly step is illustrated and in which the angled, elongated and spaced apart beams  52  are folded inwardly along a bending line  73  (again FIG. 2C) and seated inside the main body  50 , the body  50  then being folded around the beams  52  in a likewise square shaped fashion and in order to define an open inserting end (generally shown at  62  in FIG. 1A) and within which is encased the angled, elongated and spaced apart beams  52 . Completing the initial assembly operation is the step of bending in inward and opposing fashion the wire crimping portions  56  and  58 , as well as the intermediate and interconnecting portion  60  separating the wire crimping portions with the rectangularly configured main body  50 . As is also shown in FIG. 1A, a further wire or cable (see at  64  in phantom) is grippingly engaged by the inwardly folding of the crimping portions  56  and  58  and in order to electrically communicate the female terminal  10  in the same fashion as the cable  26  described in FIG. 8 likewise electrically communicates the associated male terminal  12 .  
         [0046]    Referring to the plan view of FIG. 2E, a metal blank  48 ′ is indicated, which is a variant of the blank  10  forming the square shaped terminal  10  in FIG. 1A, and which is configurable into a round cross sectional female terminal  10 ′ as shown in FIG. 1B. In particular, the metal blank  48 ′ is again constructed of an electrically conductive material, such as a copper alloy, and includes a planar shaped main body  50 ′, a plurality of angled, elongated and spaced apart beams  52 ′ (see also carrier tab portions  51 ′ and  53 ′ and which in a preferred embodiment separate and support at opposite ends a plurality of at least three extending beams, here again showing four beams by example) extending from a stem portion  54 ′ interconnecting a first end of the main body  50 ′, and wire crimping portions  56 ′ and  58 ′ extending from a second end of said main body  50 ′ and interconnected by a further portion  60 ′.  
         [0047]    A side view illustration of the blank  48 ′, illustrated in FIG. 2F and similar to that illustrated in the previously disclosed variant of FIG. 2B, shows its pre-configured and arcuate side profile of the beams  52 ′. Referring also to FIGS. 2G and 2H, the progressive method steps for forming the three dimensional round female terminal (see again by example at  10 ′ in FIG. 1B) are shown. As shown in FIG. 2G, the carrier tab portions  51 ′ and  53 ′ and spaced apart beams  52 ′ are configured in the three dimensional and round shaped manner illustrated. The torsioning and angling of the beams  52 ′, after the carrier tab portions  51 ′ and  53 ′ are initially bent into their three dimensional and round cross section, is further accomplished by inserting mandrels  55 ′ and  57 ′, exhibiting round shaped inserting portions, into tab portions  51 ′ and  53 ′.  
         [0048]    In the preferred variant, a series of forming tools (not shown) bend the tab portion  51 ′ and  53 ′ in FIG. 2E in a certain forming sequence (the forming tools again not being shown but exist as known in the art), until achieving the final round shape  51 ′ and  53 ′, see further FIG. 2G. The preconfigured and arcuate side profile of the beams  52 ′ are further constructed into an hourglass shape after the series of forming stations.  
         [0049]    In another preferred variant, the mandrels  55 ′ and  57 ′ (corresponding to mandrel  57  in the previously disclosed embodiment) exist at every forming station, the purpose for which is to hold the two ends and to avoid metal walking out along a longitudinal direction during forming the beams into an hourglass shape, further effectuating the combined angling and torsioning of the beams  52 ′.  
         [0050]    Referring further to FIG. 2F again, a succeeding assembly step is illustrated and in which the planar shaped main body  50 ′ is formed in a pre-opening fashion  50 ′ (FIG. 2G). Referring further to FIG. 2H, a succeeding assembly step is illustrated and in which the angled, elongated and spaced apart beams  52 ′ are folded inwardly along a bending line  73 ′ and seated inside the main body  50 ′, the body  50 ′ then being folded around the beams  52 ′ in a likewise round shaped fashion and in order to define an open inserting end (generally shown at  62 ′ in FIG. 1B) and within which is encased the angled, elongated and spaced apart beams  52 ′.  
         [0051]    In the fashion explained above, and again referring to FIG. 6A in the initial preferred embodiment, the rectangularly folded portions of the main body  50  of the female terminal main body, which encircle the beams  52 , cause in combination with the mandrels  55  and  57  the combined angling and torsioning of the beams  52  into a substantially helix or hourglass shape (see as generally represented at  72  in FIG. 6A). As further represented in each of the cutaway illustrations of FIGS. 3A and 4A, the combined angling and torsional relationship of the elongated beams  52  is again illustrated in three dimension and to thereby facilitate both increased contact area (see FIGS. 3A and 4A where beams  52  are wrapped along a male pin and therefore have lines of contact instead of points of contact) and normal holding forces established with the inserting pin end of the corresponding and interengaging male terminal.  
         [0052]    In particular, male terminal  14  having a rectangular (square) cross sectional inserting pin  28  is shown engaged within the open inserting end  62  of the female terminal  10  in FIG. 3 (see also end cutaway view of FIGS.  5 A and SC and open end view of FIG. 10A in which both contacting portions  52  of the angled beams are illustrated as well as additional angling and overlapping portions contributing to the helix/hourglass shaped). Whereas the further variant of the male terminal  12  in FIG. 4A, with the round inserting pin  18 , is illustrated in alternating fashion inserted into the open end  62  in FIG. 4.  
         [0053]    The purpose of the illustrations in FIGS. 3A and 4A is to stress that the design of the integral female terminal  10 , and in particular that of the combined angled and torsioned beams  52 , is such that a cross sectional configuration of any given male terminal pin (such as again has been previously described by example at 12, 14 or 16) is capable of being inserted into interengaging contact with the female terminal  10 .  
         [0054]    Referring further to the cutaway views of FIGS. 3B and 4B, and the open end view of FIG. 10B, round cross sectional female terminals illustrations are provided and which correspond to those presented at FIGS. 3A and 4A. Accordingly, the same reference numerals are indicated, including angled beams  52 ′, carrier tab portions  51 ′ and  53 ′, and outer body  50 ′. The round cross sectional male terminal  12 , with round inserting pin portion  18 , is further illustrated inserted within the open end  62 ′ of the female terminal.  
         [0055]    Referring to FIG. 6B (substantially identical to the previously described illustration of FIG. 6A) in the second preferred embodiment, the rounded and folded portions of the main body  50 ′ of the female terminal main body, which encircle the beams  52 ′, again cause in combination with the mandrels  55 ′ and  57 ′ the combined angling and torsioning of the beams  52 ′ into a substantially helix or hourglass shape (see as again generally represented at  72 ′).  
         [0056]    Finally, and as is also shown in FIGS. 5B, 5D and  10 B (corresponding to FIGS. 5A and 5C for the square cross sectional variant) the open end of the female terminal is illustrated and by which the angled and torsioned beams (corresponding to references  52 ,  52 ′ and  52 ″ in FIGS. 5A and 5C and repeated herein with the same reference numerals for ease of comparison) are shown in their ultimate configuration about a rectangular pin  28 , referring further to FIG. 5B and round pin  28  in FIG. 5D, and in order to maximize the area of contact (see FIGS. 3B and 4B where beam  52 ′ wrapped along male pin and have line contacts) and corresponding normal inserting forces.  
         [0057]    Having described the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.