Patent Publication Number: US-6905371-B2

Title: Terminal and connector using same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a terminal used in a connector, and more particularly to a wire connector used for connecting power lead wires, and having a single conductive terminal with at least two contact portions of equivalent voltage so as to enhance stability of electrical contact. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional wire connector  1 . The wire connector  1  includes an insulating housing  11  and a plurality of conductive terminals  12  that are received side by side in the insulating housing  11  such that the insulating housing  11  has an insert end  111  and a connecting end  112  disposed in an opposite direction, wherein the insert end  111  can be connected to a matching electrical connector (not shown) to enable one end of the conductive terminal  12  in the insert end  111  to electrically contact the corresponding terminal in the matching electrical connector, while the connecting end  112  can contact the first end portions  21  of a plurality of lead wires  2 , whereby the conductive terminals  12  in the connecting end  112  can respectively and electrically connect with the corresponding lead wires  2 . As the function of such a wire connector  1  generally is to provide connection of power signals of different voltages, a second end portion  22  at the other end of each lead wire  2  is secured in a connector  3 , and the connector  3  can be electrically coupled to a power supply device (not shown). Therefore, the lead wires  2  can respectively provide power signals of different voltages (such as 12V, 5V, 0V, etc.). Supply of different power signals can be integrated by means of the wire connector  1 . 
   However, as a general practice, since the power signals provided by a certain number of the conductive terminals  12  in the insulating housing  11  are of the same voltage, and since the conductive terminals  12  are independent of each other, the conductive core wires within the first end portions  21  of the lead wires  2  that provide the voltage power signals have to be first divided into strands of coupling ends that correspond in number to the conductive terminals  12  to be connected and then connected electrically to the conductive terminals  12 , respectively. Therefore, in terms of assembly, not only the conductive terminals  12  have to be disposed in the insulating housing  11  one by one, the conductive terminals  12  that provide the same voltage have to be connected electrically to the corresponding lead wires  2 , respectively. The assembly process is quite complicated and inconvenient. The manufacturing cost is also increased. On the other hand, since the respective conductive terminals  12  will exhibit different contact characteristics when they electrically contact the corresponding terminals of the matching electrical connector due to assembly or the material thereof, when contact of one of the conductive terminals  12  is defective so that the contact resistance value increases to result in a heat generation phenomenon, because the respective conductive terminals  12  are independent of each other, the heat generated is likely to concentrate to result in a temperature rise, thereby making the transmission of power signals unstable, which will affect the performance of the wire connector  1 . 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, the primary object of the invention is to provide a single conductive terminal having more than one contact portion of equivalent voltage so as to enhance assembly efficiency and distribute uniformly the heat generated as a result of contact to thereby lower temperature, and a connecter using such a terminal. 
   Accordingly, the connector of the invention includes an insulating housing and at least one conductive terminal. The insulating housing has an insert end, a connecting end opposite to the insert end, and at least one terminal passage extending through the insert end and the connecting end. The conductive terminal is received correspondingly in the terminal passage of the insulating housing, and has a securing portion that generates interference positioning with the insulating housing, a coupling portion connected to the securing portion and located proximate to the connecting end of the insulating housing, and at least two contact portions connected to the securing portion and located proximate to the insert end of the insulating housing such that the coupling portion connects electrically with an end portion of a corresponding lead wire, and the contact portion contacts electrically a corresponding terminal of a matching electrical connector. 
   The terminal may also include positioning segments received within grooves to retain the distal end of the terminal within the terminal passage. 
   The securing portion of the terminal may also be received within a groove to retain the securing portion of the terminal within the terminal passage. 
   The grooves receiving the positioning segments and the securing portions may be of different configurations. 
   The contact portion of the terminal may also include an abutting segment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conventional wire connection in a state of use; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a connector according to the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an assembled sectional view of the first embodiment, illustrating the assembly relationship of a conductive terminal received in a terminal passage of an insulating housing; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic sectional view taken along line I—I of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional view taken along line II—II of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of two conductive terminals formed on a metal material strip in the first embodiment, illustrating the configuration of the conductive terminal; 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of  FIG. 6  taken from another angle; 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connector according to the invention; 
       FIG. 9  is an assembled sectional view of the alternative embodiment, illustrating the assembly relationship of a conductive terminal received in a terminal passage of an insulating housing; 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic sectional view taken along line I—I of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic sectional view taken along line II—II of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a schematic view of two conductive terminals formed on a metal material strip in the alternative embodiment, illustrating the configuration of the conductive terminal; and 
       FIG. 13  is a schematic view of  FIG. 12  taken from another angle. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
   While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, certain embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , one embodiment of a wire connector  4  according to the present invention is shown to include an insulating housing  41  and more than one conductive terminal  42 . In this embodiment, the insulating housing  41  can accommodate five conductive terminals  42  therein at the same time. 
   The insulating housing  41  has an insert end  411 , a connecting end  412  opposite to the insert end  411 , and terminal passages  410  that correspond in number to the conductive terminals  42  and that extend through the insert end  411  and the connecting end  412 . The insert end  411  is disposed to couple with a matching electrical connector (not shown). The connecting end  412  is disposed to receive an end portion of a lead wire  5 . 
   Referring further to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the conductive terminal  42  is a sheet member that is formed on a metal material strip  420  by punching and then removed from the metal material strip  420 , and is received in the corresponding terminal passage  410  of the insulating housing  41 . The conductive terminal  42  has a securing portion  421 , a coupling portion  422  connected to one lateral edge of the securing portion  421 , and at least two contact portions  423  that are both connected to the other lateral edge of the securing portion  421 . In this embodiment, the securing portion  421  has two positioning protruding spikes  4211  that project inclinedly in the direction of the coupling portion  422 . The coupling portion  422  is formed with a pair of symmetrical securing clamp plates  4221  and a pair of symmetrical connecting clamp plates  4222 . Further, the contact portion  423  has a positioning segment  4231  that extends outwardly from the securing portion  421 , and an abutting segment  4232  that is bent from one end of the positioning segment  4231  which is proximate to the securing portion  421  at the middle in a direction away from the securing portion  421  such that the abutting segment  4232  has a protruding spaced-apart distance relative to the positioning segment  4231 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the contact portion  423  has a positioning segment  4231  that extends outwardly from the securing portion  421 , and an abutting segment  4232  that bends from a distal end of the positioning segment  4231  which is farthest away from the securing portion  421  in an opposite direction toward the securing portion  421  such that the abutting segment  4232  forms a protruding configuration relative to the positioning segment  4231 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , during assembly, the coupling portion  422  of each conductive terminal  42  is connected to the corresponding lead wire  5 , and is secured by means of the two opposing securing clamp plates  4221  that are bent to form a clamping ring that clamps tightly the outer surface of the end portion of the lead wire  5  with the insulating material, and by means of the two opposing connecting clamp plates  4222  that are bent to clamp securely the conductive core wire  51  within the lead wire  5  which is exposed after stripping of the insulating material, thereby establishing electrical connection between the conductive terminal  42  and the lead wire  5 . Referring once again to  FIG. 3 , the conductive terminal  42  is inserted via the connecting end  412  of the insulating housing  41  and is received in the corresponding terminal passage  410  in the insulating housing  41 , and the insulating housing  41  is provided with a positioning hole  413  corresponding to the positioning protruding spike  4211  in a substantially central portion thereof. 
   When the conductive terminal  42  is inserted into the terminal passage  410  at a specific position, the positioning protruding spike  4211  can extend into the corresponding positioning hole  413 . Due to the interference between the positioning protruding spike  4211  and the positioning hole  413 , the conductive terminal  42  is unable to withdraw from the connecting end  412  of the insulating housing  41  in an opposite direction, and can thus achieve the effect of positioning with the insulating housing  41 . After the conductive terminal  42  is received in the terminal passage  410 , the coupling portion  422  of the conductive terminal  42  is located in a position proximate to the connecting end  412 , and the contact portion  423  is located in a position proximate to the insert end  411 . 
   The abutting segment  4232  of the contact portion  423  forms an inclined protruding configuration relative to the positioning segment  4231  such that the abutting segment  4232  is capable of elastic deformation and is capable of electrical contact with the corresponding terminal of the matching electrical connector. Therefore, by virtue of providing two or more than two contact portions  423  on the conductive terminal  42 , power signals of equivalent voltage can be provided to two or more than two corresponding terminals of a matching electrical connector simultaneously, and the conductive terminals  42  per se can connect directly with the corresponding lead wires  5 , thereby eliminating the complicated process of having to divide the conductive core wires of the lead wires beforehand and connect the same with individual conductive terminals respectively thereafter as in the prior art. The assembly efficiency can thus be enhanced considerably. 
   In addition, once the contact between any of the contact portions  423  of the conductive terminal  42  and the corresponding terminal of the matching electrical connector is defective to result in the generation of heat, since the plurality of contact portions  423  are inter-connected on the same conductive terminal  42 , occurrence of heat concentration on a single conductive terminal as in the prior art is relatively unlikely. On the contrary, the heat can be distributed evenly all over the conductive terminal  42 . The probability of excessive rise in temperature can certainly be reduced to a large extent, and the stability of the electrical connector  4  in transmitting electric currents can be maintained. 
   Referring once again to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in order to enhance positioning of the conductive terminal  42  and the insulating housing  41  relative to each other, the terminal passages  410  of the insulating housing  41  is further provided with first insert grooves  414  that correspond in thickness to the two lateral edges of the securing portion  421  of the conductive terminal  42 . When the conductive terminal  42  is inserted into the terminal passage  410 , the two lateral edges of the securing portion  421  of the conductive terminal  42  can fit into the corresponding first insert grooves  414  so that the securing portion  421  is restrained by the first insert grooves  414  and will not deviate in upward and downward directions as in the Figures relative to the insulating housing  41 . Further, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the terminal passage  410  of the insulating housing  41  may be further provided with second insert grooves  415  corresponding to the two lateral edges of the individual positioning segments  4231  of the contact portion  423  of the conductive terminal  42 . When the conductive terminal  42  is inserted into the terminal passage  410 , in addition to the securing portion  421  that is positioned by the first insert grooves  414 , the two lateral edges of the positioning segment  4231  of each contact portion  423  can also fit into the corresponding second insert grooves  415 . By means of restraining the positioning segment  4231  by the second insert grooves  415 , the contact portion  423  is prevented from deviating in upward and downward directions as in the Figures relative to the insulating housing  41 . 
   Further, as shown in  FIG. 3 , since the abutting segment  4232  of the contact portion  423  of the conductive terminal  42  is a protruding configuration that bends from the end of the positioning segment  4231  that is proximate to the securing portion  421  in a direction away from the securing portion  421 , when the abutting segment  4232  contacts the corresponding terminal of the matching electrical connector, the part that protrudes to the farthest extent constitutes a major contact point, and the part of the abutting segment  4232  that connects with and that bends from the positioning segment  4231  constitutes a pivot point. When the contact point is subjected to a pressure, the abutting segment  4232  will rotate with the pivot point as center and deform. Since the linear distance from the contact point to the pivot point is relatively long, in actual application, the abutting segment  4232  can have a relatively large elastic deformation. Therefore, the abutting segment  4232  can have better elasticity when electrically contacting the corresponding terminal of the matching electrical connector, which can help enhancing the contact characteristics of both of them. 
   As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , since the abutting segment  4232  of the contact portion  423  of the conductive terminal  42  is a protruding configuration that bends from the distal end of the positioning segment  4231  that is remote from the securing portion  421  in a direction toward the securing portion  421 , when the abutting segment  4232  contacts the corresponding terminal of the matching electrical connector, the part of the abutting segment  4232  that protrudes to the farthest extent relative to the positioning segment  4231  constitutes a major contact point, and the part of the abutting segment  4232  that connects with and that bends from the positioning segment  4231  constitutes a pivot point. When the contact point is subjected to a pressure, the abutting segment  4232  will rotate with the pivot point as center and deform. Since the linear distance from the contact point to the pivot point is relatively long, in actual application, the abutting segment  4232  can have a relatively large deformation-resisting force. Therefore, the abutting segment  4232  can have a relatively large contact positive force when electrically contacting the corresponding terminal of the matching electrical connector, which can help enhancing the contact characteristics of both of them. 
   While the illustrated embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.