Patent Publication Number: US-6709300-B1

Title: Female connectors for use with male electrodes

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to female connectors used with electrical circuitry and more particularly in fusing and similar circuitry where the conductivity when utilizing male “spade” electrodes, is a significant factor. 
     The automotive industry has responded to the public&#39;s demand for a variety of additional accessories by increasing battery and alternator outputs. However, the resulting volume of space required to hold the larger batteries, fuse blocks, and additional circuit wiring has created problems with respect to siting these components. The need to reduce component weight has also resulted in fuse block connectors and fuse size reductions which result in higher operating temperatures. 
     Circuit operating temperatures are often high enough that 15 amp fuses are substituted in 10 amp circuits to reduce fuse failure rates. Overheating and vibration causes metal fatigue to occur in the connectors which ultimately leads to looser fits between the electrodes resulting in higher resistance at the connections. This phenomenon is particularly apparent as the connectors and/or fuse electrodes age. 
     The connectors of this invention have two elements. The first is a female element designed to receive a spade electrode. The second element can be connected to cables, wires, circuit board traces and all other inputs or outputs. In the description of the invention, the second element can be in any one of the forms used in circuitry required to adapt the first element to a particular application. 
     The connectors of this invention overcome some of the problems facing industry by providing rolled male electrode receivers which apply more uniformly distributed pressure on spade-type electrodes. The male electrode receiver designs increase the contact area, in the preferred designs, by providing more surface contact to the spade electrodes. This additional contact area increases both the electrical and thermal conduction, reducing the heat produced at the junction between the electrodes and increasing the transfer of generated heat away from the junction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The connector units have a power part and a male electrode receiver. The power part connects to one or more circuits and/or power sources, e.g., bars and/or wires, and can be small where it is to be connected to a circuit board. The male electrode receiver is preferably rolled, but can be folded, to provide uniform spring pressure on the opposed surfaces which receive a spade electrode. The combination can include one or more mechanisms for attachment to a support where required, e.g., for connection to a circuit board, a bus bar or in a module. No support may be needed where the connectors are part of a wiring bundle or where a single wire is involved. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred model of a female connector of this invention having a rolled section. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second preferred model where the curves form a rolled section which is centrally integrated with a flat portion. 
     FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of a third model. 
     FIG. 4 depicts a side view of a model similar to that of FIG. 1 having a side mounted, crimpable power part for attaching a wire. 
     FIG. 5 depicts a front view of another model which is folded into the configuration of FIG. 1 except that the tubular wire power part is positioned perpendicular to the male contact insertion axis. 
     FIG. 6 depicts a front view of a model mounted on a circuit board with mechanically twistable attachment elements. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are end views of the folded connectors of FIGS. 5-6, respectively. 
     FIG. 9 depicts a rolled male electrode receiver connected to bus electrode by a bar having a quarter twist. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 depicts a female electrode having a tubular power part  9  which extends downwardly and outwardly to form a male electrode receiver  10  having, on one side, a short right angled part  11  and a first flat section  12  between the right-angled part  11  and the arced section  13  which, for the most part, is continuously bent in a series of changing radii to form an irregular arc which recurves to form a second flat section  14  opposite and parallel to the first flat section  12 . 
     FIG. 2 depicts a preferred model of a female electrode with a tubular power part  15  which broadens out at its bottom (as viewed) to form a male electrode receiver  16  with a first flat section  17  which expands into a right angled pat  18  on one side and to a rolled regular arc section  19  which is bent into a flat portion  20 . Flat portion  20  then bends to form a second flat section  21  parallel to and opposite the first flat section  17 . These units are designed to provide a well equalized spring-loaded pressure on a male electrode (not shown) inserted into the male electrode receiver  16 . 
     FIG. 3 depicts a female electrode with a tubular power part  23  for solder connection or crimping to a wire or cable. The base of connector  23  flattens and extends downwardly to form a male electrode receiver  24  with a first flat section  25  and bent to form a right angled part  26  on one side and, on the other side, a rolled arced section  27  having continuously changing radii, leading to a substantially flat area  28  in the irregular arc before recurving sharply to form a second flat section  29 . Section  29  also bends at its end to form a right-angled part  30  for better insertion guidance. Right-angled part  30  must have less depth than the thickness of the connecting male electrode (not shown) to avoid interference within the connector. 
     FIG. 4 depicts a female connector  32  which utilizes the folded cross section  33 , shown in FIG. 7 and a commonly utilized, crimpable wire receiver  34 , which is attached to the upper edge of the right angled part  11  (see FIG.  1 ). The right-angled part  11  is lengthened to accommodate a wire or cable receiver  34 . The power part is fused to the male electrode receiver at point  35 . 
     The connector  24  of FIG. 3 is modified in FIG. 5 to have the tubular wire receiving power part  37  located along the top of the first flat section (not shown) of the male electrode receiver  38  with the folded cross section shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 6 depicts a model utilizing two twistable ear connectors  40  which attach the male electrode receiver  41  to a support, e.g., a circuit board or bus bar  42 . A minimal height power part (not shown) is soldered to a trace  43  on the circuit board  42 . This model has the folded male electrode receiver  41  configuration shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 depict, respectively, a view of the lower ends of the male electrode receivers of FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     FIG. 9 shows a male electrode receiver  46  with a rolled arced section  47  and a right-angled part  48 . It has a power part in the form of a bar  49  connected to a “Y” electrode  50  for carrying large electrical power loads. The connecting bar  49  can be of any length and the electrode  50  can be of any shape. The dashed line  51  shows that the bar can be short enough for the connector to act as a male/female connector. 
     GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The parts of the connectors can be, as shown in the Figures, in one piece, or more and the connectors can be employed wherever terminals/connectors can be used. While the preferred forms are taught in FIGS. 1-3, other forms are useful, e.g., those of FIGS. 4-8. The female electrodes will generally be of an appropriate, annealed material, generally copper, brass or bronze. Where required, the electrodes can have a spring-type clamping mechanism for a non-soldered and non-crimped attachment to a wire or other conductor. 
     The male electrode receiver will generally be of the same material as the circuit connector portion, preferably acting as a spring to ensure a tight fit on both sides of a male electrode inserted into the male electrode receiver. The male electrode receivers are drawn with first and second flat surfaces but these surfaces can be curved or of another shape that will produce the required full double surface contact. Preferably, the insertion edges of the receivers will be chamfered or angled outwardly. The size of the male electrode receivers and the thickness of the metal depend upon the circuit parameters of the application where the male electrode receivers are used.