Patent ID: 7014515

Claim:
A female terminal for receiving a flat male terminal with a terminal tab ( 5 ), having a rectangular cross-section and a predetermined width (B) and thickness (D), comprising: a contact element ( 1 , 101 ), forming a longitudinal axis ( 2 , 102 ), having two elastic contact tabs ( 3 , 103 ) approaching each other along the longitudinal axis ( 2 , 102 ), said contact tabs having, respectively, opposing contact zones ( 4 , 104 ) for contacting in a clamped manner the terminal tab ( 5 ) therebetween; a tubular and rectangular support element ( 16 , 116 ) connected to the contact element, said support element being defined by four walls ( 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ; 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 ), enclosing the contact element ( 1 , 101 ) and in which the elastic contact tabs ( 3 , 103 ) are accommodated; and means ( 13 , 113 ) for electrically connecting a conductor, wherein a first pair of the walls ( 19 , 21 ; 119 , 121 ) oppose each other and cover the contact tabs ( 3 , 103 ) and a second pair of the four walls ( 20 , 22 ; 120 , 122 ) oppose each other and are substantially perpendicular to the first pair of opposed walls, said second pair of walls having an elastic locking tab ( 26 , 126 ) connected thereto at an end arranged close to a first end ( 17 , 117 ) of the support element ( 16 , 116 ), wherein the elastic locking tabs ( 26 , 126 ) engage between the elastic contact tabs ( 3 , 103 ) and hold the contact zones ( 4 , 104 ) of the contact tabs in a pre-tensioned and contact free manner at a distance (A) from each other, which is smaller than the thickness (D) of the terminal tab ( 5 ), in a condition in which the flat male terminal is not inserted, wherein the locking tabs ( 26 , 126 ) have a free distance (C) therebetween before the insertion of the terminal tab ( 5 ), which is smaller than the width (B) of the terminal tab ( 5 ) and wherein the locking tabs ( 26 , 126 ) contact the terminal tab ( 5 ) in the inserted position along the longitudinal axis ( 2 , 102 ) in a contact area which is off-set further from the first end ( 17 , 117 ) of the support element ( 16 , 116 ) than the contact zones ( 4 , 104 ) of the contact tabs ( 3 , 103 ).