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(11) | EP 0 755 579 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
DOUBLE-FLEXIBLE-BLADE ELECTRIC TERMINAL ELEKTRISCHE ANSCHLUSSHÜLSE MIT DOPPELEN FLEXIBLEN KONTAKTZUNGEN BORNE ELECTRIQUE A DOUBLE LAME FLEXIBLE |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an electric terminal, in particular, with a double flexible blade.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Electric terminals are known, formed by blanking and bending conductive sheet metal, and integrally comprising a deformable portion for connection to a cable, and a contact body cooperating with a complementary contact element, such as another electric terminal or a printed circuit.
[0003] More specifically, such a terminal is described for example in US Patent n. 3,069,652, wherein the contact body presents a first flexible contact blade cooperating with the complementary contact element; and a second reinforcing blade cooperating with the first blade when this is deformed during connection to the complementary contact element, to increase the elastic load on the latter. The first blade extends integrally from one end of a wall of the contact body, and is bent rearwards towards the connecting portion, while the second blade is blanked in the same wall of the contact body and projects frontwards from a portion of said wall adjacent to the connecting portion.
[0004] As such, the first and second blades project in opposite directions and cooperate with each other at a central portion of the contact body.
[0005] The above mutual arrangement of the blades results in a limitation of the respective bending lengths, the total of which must obviously be less than the length of the contact body. This in turn results in severe flexural rigidity and, in use, in undesired peak insertion loads (i.e. the load required for connection to the complementary contact element). What is more, the above blade arrangement also results in jamming.
[0006] Alternatively, electric terminals of different type are known by French Patent n. 2565423, in which the first and second blade both extending integrally in a same direction from a same wall of the contact body. In particular, the contact blade presents a free end cooperating with a respective wall of the contact body to limit elastic movement of the same contact blade. Moreover, the reinforcing blade has a V-shape and forms a bump that cooperates with an intermediate zone of the blade contact.
[0007] Also in this case, the arrangement of the blades results in a limitation of the respective bending lengths, in a consequent severe flexural rigidity and, in use, in undesired peak insertion loads.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric terminal designed to overcome the drawbacks typically associated with the above known terminals.
[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided an electric terminal of the type described in claim 1.
[0010] Terminal 1 is formed in one piece from conductive sheet metal by pressing and bending blank 1' in Figure 4.
[0011] Terminal 1 substantially comprises a box type contact body 2 cooperating with a male blade terminal 3 (shown partially by the dotted line in Figure 3); and a deformable connecting portion 4 for connection to an electric cable 5. Body 2 substantially comprises a bottom wall 6, from a rear portion 7 of which connecting portion 4 originates; a pair of lateral walls 8a, 8b bent 90° upwards in relation to bottom wall 6; and a top wall 9 integral with one of the lateral walls (8a) and bent in relation to it in a plane substantially parallel to bottom wall 6.
[0013] Terminal 1 also comprises a first flexible contact blade 11 (Figure 3) extending integrally from a front portion 12 of bottom wall 6, and bent inside body 2 towards connecting portion 4. Blade 11 presents a curved longitudinal profile with its convexity facing top wall 9, and comprises an intermediate contact portion 13 of maximum convexity facing top wall 9 and forming with wall 9 a clearance smaller than the thickness of terminal 3. Blade 11 also presents a free end 14 bent slightly towards top wall 9 and located close to the rear end of body 2.
[0014] Transversely, blade 11 is conveniently slightly convex (Figure 2) to reduce the area of the portion contacting male terminal 3.
[0015] Terminal 1 also comprises a second flexible reinforcing blade 15 projecting from front portion 12 of bottom wall 6 towards connecting portion 4, and sloping inwards of the body so that its free end 16 is located close to and substantially parallel to the free end 14 of blade 11.
[0016] Blade 15 is in the form of a flat isosceles trapezium, and is formed in bottom wall 6 by means of a substantially U-shaped slot 17 (Figure 4).
[0017] From the opposite ends of lateral wall 8b of body 2, there extend upwards two tabs 18 bent substantially in a U so that the free ends cooperate with top wall 9, to increase the structural rigidity of body 2.
[0018] In actual use, when male terminal 3 is inserted inside box body 2 through front opening 10 and between contact blade 11 and top wall 9, it flexes contact blade 11 towards reinforcing blade 15 which remains idle until its free end 16 is contacted by the free end 14 of blade 11.
[0019] Upon further insertion of male terminal 3, blades 11 and 15 flex jointly, and the rigidity of blade 15 provides for increasing the contact pressure exerted by blade 11 on terminal 3.
[0020] The advantages of terminal 1 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description.
[0021] In particular, the fact that reinforcing blade 15 extends rearwards from the front end of body 2 enables the free bending length of the blade to be sized freely and so selected as to prevent peak insertion loads of the male terminal. Moreover, any possibility of jamming is prevented by the two blades 11, 15 extending substantially in the same direction and cooperating with each other at the respective free ends.
[0022] Finally, the design of end 14 of blade 11, which is bent substantially parallel to blade 15, provides for minimizing deformation of the end portion of blade 11 by the elastic load of blade 15, and hence the portion of the elastic load of blade 15 absorbed by such deformation.
[0023] Clearly, changes may be made to terminal 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.
1. An electric terminal (1) comprising a deformable portion (4) for connection to an
electric cable (5); and a contact portion (2) cooperating with a complementary contact
element (3); said contact portion (2) comprising a first flexible contact blade (11)
extending integrally from the front portion (12) of a wall (6) of said contact body
(2) and bent towards said connecting portion (4), said first blade (11) cooperating
elastically with said complementary contact element (3); and a second reinforcing
blade (15) blanked in said wall (6) of said contact body (2), extending from said
front portion (12) of said wall (6) towards said connecting portion (4) of said terminal
(1) and cooperating with said first blade (11) at least as of a predetermined degree
of deformation of said first blade (11), to increase the elastic load on said complementary
contact element (3); characterized in that said first and second blades (11, 15) cooperate
mutually at the respective free ends (14, 16), said free end (14) of said first blade
(11) being substantially parallel to said second blade (15).
2. A terminal as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said first blade (11) presents
a curved longitudinal profile so that an intermediate portion of the first blade cooperates
with said complementary contact element (3).
3. A terminal as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said contact body (2)
is a box type, and presents a front opening (10) for receiving a male terminal (3).
4. A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said
first blade (11) presents a transversely convex profile.
5. A terminal as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said
second blade (15) is flat.
1. Elektrischer Anschluß (1) mit einem verformbaren Abschnitt (4) zur Verbindung mit
einem elektrischen Kabel (5); und einem Kontaktabschnitt (2), der mit einem komplementären
Kontaktelement (3) zusammenwirkt; wobei der Kontaktabschnitt (2) eine erste verformbare
Kontaktzunge (11), die sich einstückig von dem vorderen Abschnitt (12) einer Wand
(6) des Kontaktkörpers (2) erstreckt und zu dem Verbindungsabschnitt (4) gebogen ist,
eine erste Zunge (11), die elastisch mit dem komplementären Kontaktelement (3) zusammenwirkt;
und eine zweite Verstärkungszunge (15) aufweist, die aus der Wand (6) des Kontaktkörpers
(2) ausgespart ist, wobei sie sich von dem vorderen Abschnitt (12) der Wand (6) zu
dem Verbindungsabschnitt (4) des Anschlusses (1) erstreckt und mit der ersten Zunge
(11) wenigstens von einem vorbestimmten Grad der Verformung aus der ersten Zunge (11)
zusammenwirkt, um die elastische Last auf das komplementäre Kontaktelement (3) zu
erhöhen; dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die erste und die zweite Zunge (11, 15) gegenseitig
an entsprechenden freien Enden (14, 16) zusammenwirken, wobei das freie Ende (14)
der ersten Zunge (11) sich im wesentlichen parallel zur zweiten Zunge (15) erstreckt.
2. Anschluß nach Anspuch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die erste Zunge (11) ein gekrümmtes
Längsprofil aufweist, so daß ein Zwischenabschnitt der ersten Zunge mit dem komplementären
Kontaktelement (3) zusammenwirkt.
3. Anschluß nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Kontaktkörper (2)
ein Gehäusetyp ist, und eine vordere Öffnung (10) aufweist, die zur Aufnahme eines
männlichen oder Steckanschlusses(3) dient.
4. Anschluß nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die
erste Zunge (11) in Querrichtung ein konvexes Profil aufweist.
5. Anschluß nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die
zweite Zunge (15) flach ausgebildet ist.
1. Borne électrique (1) comportant une partie déformable (4) destinée à être raccordée
à un câble électrique (5); et une partie de contact (2) coopérant avec un élément
de contact complémentaire (3); ladite partie de contact (2) comprenant une première
lame de contact flexible (11) s'étendant d'un seul tenant à partir de la partie avant
(12) d'une paroi (6) dudit corps de contact (2) et étant repliée en direction de ladite
partie de connexion (4), ladite première lame (11) coopérant élastiquement avec ledit
élément de contact complémentaire (3); et une seconde lame de renfort (15) découpée
dans ladite paroi (6) dudit corps de contact (2) et s'étendant depuis ladite partie
avant (12) de ladite paroi (6) en direction de ladite partie de connexion (4) de ladite
borne (1) et coopérant avec ladite première lame (11) au moins sous la forme d'un
degré prédéterminé de déformation de ladite première lame (11), pour accroître la
charge élastique appliquée audit élément de contact complémentaire (3); caractérisée
en ce que lesdites première et seconde lames (11,15) coopèrent réciproquement au niveau
des extrémités libres respectives (14,16), ladite extrémité libre (14) de ladite première
lame (11) étant essentiellement parallèle à ladite seconde lame (15).
2. Borne selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que ladite première lame (11) présente
un profil longitudinal courbe de sorte qu'une partie intermédiaire de la première
lame coopère avec ledit élément de contact complémentaire (3).
3. Borne selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisée en ce que ledit corps de contact
(2) est du type en forme de boîte et présente une ouverture avant (10) servant à recevoir
une borne mâle (3).
4. Borne selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que
ladite première lame (11) présente un profil qui est convexe transversalement.
5. Borne selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que
ladite seconde lame (15) est plate.