Patent Publication Number: US-8113891-B1

Title: Connector terminal

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector terminal, and particularly to a connector terminal curved from a strip-shaped metal plate. 
     2. The Related Art 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a conventional connector terminal  100 ′ is of substantially lying-U shape and has a soldering plate  10 ′. One end of the soldering plate  10 ′ is bent upwards to form a bent portion  20 ′. A free end of the bent portion  20 ′ further extends towards a direction parallel to the soldering plate  10 ′ to form a flexible arm  30 ′ apart facing the soldering plate  10 ′. A free end of the flexible arm  10 ′ is arched opposite to the soldering plate  10 ′ to form a contacting end  40 ′. 
     However, when excessive press force acts on the contacting end  40 ′ repeatedly, the bent portion  20 ′ of the connector terminal  100 ′ is apt to deform as the press force is mainly centralized on the bent portion  20 ′. As a result, the deformation of the bent portion  20 ′ would cause the connector terminal  100 ′ fail to connect with an external connecting module stably. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector terminal. The connector terminal which is curved from a strip-shaped metal plate to form a substantial R-shape includes a soldering plate and a flexible arm gradually away from the soldering plate from one end of the flexible arm to the other end of the flexible arm and arching toward the soldering plate. One end of the flexible arm abuts against the soldering plate and the other end of the flexible arm is bent towards the soldering plate to form a contacting end. An arched bent portion connects the soldering plate and one end of the flexible arm, which abuts against the soldering plate, to make the connector terminal show a substantial R-shape. When an external force acts on the contacting end to press the contacting end towards the soldering plate, the contact area between the flexible arm and the soldering plate is gradually enlarged. 
     As described above, because the connector terminal is of substantial R-shape, when the external force acts on the contacting end, such structure can make the force be distributed over the flexible arm to overcome the defect of the press force being excessively centralized on the bent portion in the prior art. So it effectively avoids the deformation of the bent portion. Furthermore, such structure of the connector terminal can provide enough bounce forces to make the connector terminal returned to the initial state very well. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector terminal in accordance with the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is a lateral view showing that the connector terminal of  FIG. 1  is off working state and in working state; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a connector terminal of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a lateral view showing that the connector terminal of  FIG. 3  is off working state and in working state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the embodiment of the invention is embodied in a connector terminal  100 . The connector terminal  100  is curved from a strip-shaped metal plate to form a substantial R-shape, and has a strip-shaped soldering plate  10 , a flexible arm  30  and an arched bent portion  20  which connects the soldering plate  10  and the flexible arm  30 . The flexible arm  30  is gradually away from the soldering plate  10  from one end thereof to the other end thereof and arches towards the soldering plate  10  to show an arc shape along the extension direction thereof, with one end which is connected with the bent portion  20  abutting against the soldering plate  10 , the other end of the flexible arm  30  being slightly bent towards the soldering plate  10  to form a contacting end  40 . A contacting rib  41  is provided at a surface of the contacting end  40  opposite to the soldering plate  10  and further extends to traverse the junction of the contacting end  40  and the flexible arm  30 , for contacting a corresponding connecting module (not shown). 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  again, a hole  11  is opened at one end of the soldering plate  10  and apart from the bent portion  20 . A substantial middle portion of each side edge of the soldering plate  10  defines a gap  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  again, an electrical connector (not shown) with the connector terminal  100  fixed therein is mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown) by means of soldering the soldering plate  10  to the printed circuit board. Because of the structures of the hole  11  and the gaps  12  opened in the soldering plate  10 , excessive melting solder will be accumulated in the hole  11  and the gaps  12  to avoid the excessive melting solder spreading to the bent portion  20  and the flexible arm  30 , when the soldering plate  10  is soldered on the printed circuit board. When there is no external force acting on the contacting end  40 , one end of the flexible arm  30  connected with the bent portion  20  abuts against the soldering plate  10 . When an external force acts on the contacting rib  41  of the contacting end  40  to press the contacting end  40  towards the soldering plate  10 , the contacting area between the flexible arm  30  and the soldering plate  10  is gradually enlarged with the degree of the flexible arm  30  leaning towards the soldering plate  10 , so as to make the force be distributed over the flexible arm  30 . Meanwhile, in the process of the flexible arm  30  leaning towards the soldering plate  10 , the flexible arm  30  further drives the soldering plate  10  to be curved upward via the traction force thereof so as to make the force acting on the contacting end  40  be further shared by the soldering plate  10 . It effectively avoids the deformation of the bent portion  20  after overcoming the defect of the press force being excessively centralized on the bent portion  20 ′ in the prior art. Furthermore, such structure of the connector terminal  100  can provide enough bounce forces to make the connector terminal  100  returned to an initial state very well. 
     As described above, because the connector terminal  100  is of substantial R-shape, when the connecting module contacts the contacting rib  41  of the contacting end  40 , such structure can make the force acting on the connector terminal  100  be distributed by the flexible arm  30  and the soldering plate  10  to overcome the defect of the press force being excessively centralized on the bent portion  20 ′ in the prior art. So it effectively avoids the deformation of the bent portion  20 . Furthermore, such structure of the connector terminal  100  can provide enough bounce forces to make the connector terminal  100  returned to the initial state very well. 
     The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.