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(11) | EP 0 991 142 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Socket contact element |
(57) The invention relates to a socket contact element (1) for receiving a pin contact
element (4) having a small diameter, in particular a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug
element, having an elongated, substantially flat lower basic element (5),
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[0001] The present invention relates to a socket contact element for receiving a pin contact element having a small diameter, in particular a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element, having an elongated, substantially flat lower basic element,
- from which there extends upwards, at the front narrow side, a first spacing element which has an opening for introducing the pin contact element into the socket contact element,
- in which, behind the first spacing element there is formed a spring tongue which presses the pin contact element introduced from below against a contact area which is formed on the first spacing element above the opening, and
- from which a second spacing element extends upwards behind the spring tongue.
[0002] In addition, the invention relates to a method for producing a socket contact element for receiving a pin contact element having a small diameter, in particular a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element, having an elongated, substantially flat lower basic element,
- from which there extends upwards, at the front narrow side, a first spacing element which has an opening for introducing the pin contact element into the socket contact element,
- in which, behind the first spacing element there is formed a spring tongue which presses the pin contact element introduced from below against a contact area which is formed on the first spacing element above the opening, and
- from which a second spacing element extends upwards behind the spring tongue.
[0003] Such socket contact elements are known in the prior art in a variety of embodiments. Normally, a plurality of them is disposed in a front face of a PCMCIA plug-in card and forms a socket element in the front face of the PCMCIA plug-in card. The socket element can be plugged into a mating PCMCIA plug element which is accessibly disposed on the outside of a computer.
[0004] To arrange the socket elements in the PCMCIA plug-in card, outwardly opening receiving channels are formed in the latter in the region of a front face. The socket contact elements are introduced from the inside into said receiving channels. The spacing elements serve to position the socket contact element inside the receiving channel so that the basic element always extends at the base of the receiving channel. Specifically, the receiving channel would be blocked by a basic element disposed at an angle in the receiving channel and the introduction of a pin contact element would be made difficult or even prevented.
[0005] With socket contact element introduced into the receiving channel, the first spacing element is disposed in the opening of the receiving channel in the front face of the PCMCIA plug-in card. A mating pin contact element can be introduced into the socket contact element through the opening of the receiving channel and the opening in the first spacing element. The pin contact element introduced is held between the spring tongue and the contact area. An electrical contact is thereby made between the pin contact element and the socket contact element.
[0006] A socket contact element of the known type is normally punched out of a metal sheet. Both the outer contour of the socket contact element and the opening in the first spacing element are punched out. In the punching operation, the second spacing element and the spring tongue, except for the side with which they are joined to the basic element, are also punched out of the basic element. The punched part is then bent into the shape of the finished socket contact element. Thus, for example, the spring tongue is bent slightly upwards relative to the basic element so that it projects into that region of the socket contact element into which the pin contact element is introduced. In addition, the first spacing element is bent upwards relative to the basic element and the contact area is formed by bending yet again relative to the first spacing element opposite the spring element. Finally, the second spacing element is bent steeply upwards relative to the basic element.
[0007] The known socket contact elements have the disadvantage that they can exert via the spring tongue and the contact area only relatively low clamping forces on the pin contact element introduced. Consequently, a reliable electrical contact between the socket contact element and the pin contact element cannot be ensured in every situation.
[0008] It is therefore one object of the present invention to design and develop a socket contact element of the type mentioned at the outset so that greater clamping forces can be exerted via the spring tongue and the contact area on a pin contact element introduced.
[0009] To achieve this object, the invention proposes, proceeding from the socket contact element of the type mentioned at the outset, that the first spacing element has reinforcing elements.
[0010] In the socket contact elements, the contact area is attached to the first spacing element above the opening. The spring tongue is attached either directly (in the case of a spring tongue joined at the front) or indirectly via the base element (in the case of a spring tongue joined at the back) to the first spacing element. A pin contact element introduced is clamped between the spring tongue and the contact area. Clamping forces act on the pin contact element, on the one hand, from below via the spring tongue and, on the other hand, from above via the contact area. Said clamping forces result in a bending moment in the first spacing element. It has been discovered that, with pin contact element clamped in, the first spacing element is a highly loaded area and that the robustness of the first spacing element has a decisive influence on the magnitude of the clamping forces which can act via the spring tongue and the contact area on the pin contact element introduced.
[0011] As a result of the reinforcement of the socket contact element according to the invention in the region of the first spacing element, the latter can advantageously be loaded substantially better with respect to bending moment. Consequently, substantially greater clamping forces can be exerted via the spring tongue and the contact area on a pin contact element introduced so that a reliable electrical contact can always be ensured between the plug contact element and the socket contact element.
[0012] The reinforcing elements in the region of the first spacing element can be formed in a variety of ways. In accordance with an advantageous development of the invention, it is proposed that the reinforcing elements are formed as supporting regions extending backwards. As a result of said supporting regions extending backwards, that is to say transversely to the extension of the first spacing element, the first spacing element can absorb substantially greater bending moments. As a result, the clamping forces acting on the pin contact element introduced can be decisively increased by a more rigid design of the spring tongue.
[0013] Advantageously, the supporting regions are formed so that the peripheral regions of the first spacing element are drawn back at the side of the opening. In this way, the supporting regions can be produced in a particularly simple way during the production of the socket contact element according to the invention by a deep-drawing operation.
[0014] The robustness of the first spacing element can be increased further in that the reinforcing elements are formed as material aggregations. The material aggregations are specifically formed in those regions of the first spacing element which are subject to a particularly high bending moment loading with the pin contact element clamped in. The material aggregations can be formed separately or in combination with the supporting regions in the region of the first spacing element.
[0015] In accordance with an advantageous development of the present invention, it is proposed that the contact area is formed as a further spring tongue. Such a design of the socket contact element becomes possible only as a result of the reinforcement, according to the invention, of the first spacing element. Only the reinforced first spacing element is robust enough to absorb the forces of the further spring tongue with the pin contact element clamped in. Preferably, this results in no, or only a very low, elastic deformation of the first spacing element. Forming the contact area also as a spring tongue facilitates the introduction of a pin contact element into the socket contact element since resilient spring tongues are disposed on two opposite sides in the receiving channel.
[0016] The design, according to the invention, of the socket contact element with a reinforced first spacing element has great advantages, in particular, if the spring tongues are mounted at their front ends and the rear ends have contact points which are connected in an electrically conducting manner with the pin contact element introduced. With a socket contact element designed in this way, the magnitude of the clamping forces acting via the spring tongues or via the spring tongue and the contact area on the pin contact element introduced can be very decisively influenced by the robustness of the first spacing element since the spring tongues or the spring tongue and the contact area are directly joined to the first spacing element without regions of the basic element or other intermediate elements being disposed in between.
[0017] The socket contact element is preferably composed of a copper/beryllium alloy. Said alloy is particularly advantageous in relation to spring properties and electrical conductivity properties.
[0018] A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of the type mentioned at the outset, with which a socket contact element which can exert greater clamping forces via the spring tongue and the contact area on a pin contact element introduced can be produced in a simple way.
[0019] To achieve this object, the invention proposes, proceeding from the method of the type mentioned at the outset, a method which is characterized by the following steps:
- the socket contact element is punched out of a metal sheet, it being punched out with larger dimensions in the region of the first spacing element than the dimensions of the first spacing element of the finished socket contact element,
- during a reshaping process in the region of the first spacing element, the punched part is brought to the dimensions of the finished socket contact element, the excess material being reshaped to form reinforcing elements of the first spacing element,
- the reshaped punched part is bent into the shape of the finished socket contact element.
[0020] In accordance with an advantageous development of the present invention, it is proposed that, during the reshaping operation, the peripheral regions of the first spacing element at the side of the opening are deep-drawn backwards as reinforcing elements.
[0021] In accordance with another advantageous development, during the reshaping operation, material aggregations are impressed as reinforcing elements on the surface of the first spacing element.
[0022] Two preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:
- Figure 1
- shows a socket contact element according to the invention in accordance with a first embodiment with a PCMCIA plug-in card, shown cut away, and a pin contact element;
- Figure 2
- shows the socket contact element according to the invention from Figure 1 which is disposed in the PCMCIA plug-in card and into which the plug contact element has been introduced;
- Figure 3
- shows the socket contact element according to the invention from Figures 1 and 2 on an enlarged scale and in a perspective view; and
- Figure 4
- shows a socket contact element in accordance with a second embodiment on an enlarged scale and in a perspective view.
[0023] In Figure 1, a socket contact element according to the invention is characterized in its totality by the reference symbol 1. The socket contact element 1 is disposed in a receiving channel 2 of a PCMCIA plug-in card 3 shown cut away. The socket contact element 1 serves to receive a pin contact element 4 which is formed in Figure 1 as a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element of a computer. The pin contact element 4 has a diameter of about 0.5 mm. The receiving channel 2 opens outwards at the front face of the PCMCIA plug-in card 3. The socket contact element 1 is introduced into the receiving channel 2 from the inside and mounted therein. The pin contact element 4 is then introduced from the outside into the socket contact element 1 and held therein.
[0024] In Figure 2, the socket contact element 1 is shown when introduced into the receiving channel 2 of the PCMCIA plug-in card 3. The pin contact element 4 is likewise shown in a state in which it is introduced into the socket contact element 1.
[0025] The socket contact element 1 has an elongated, substantially flat lower basic element 5. The basic element 5 is about 5.6 mm long. At the front narrow end of the basic element 5, a first spacing element 6 extends upwards. The first spacing element is about 0.86 mm high and equally wide. The first spacing element 6 has an opening 7 for introducing the pin contact element 4 into the socket contact element 1. The opening 7 has a diameter of about 0.52 mm. Behind the first spacing element 6, a spring tongue 8 is formed in the basic element 5. The spring tongue 8 presses the pin contact element 4 introduced against a contact area 9 which is formed on the first spacing element 6 above the opening 7 and opposite the spring tongue 8. From the basic element 5, a second spacing element 10 extends upwards behind the spring tongue 8. The socket contact element 1 is held in a defined position at the base of the receiving channel 2 when it is introduced into the receiving channel 2 by the spacing elements 6, 10 so that a sufficiently large space is left free in the receiving channel 2 for it to be possible to introduce the pin contact element 4 without difficulty.
[0026] The peripheral regions of the first spacing element 6 to the side of the opening 7 are drawn backwards as supporting regions 11. As a result, the first spacing element 6 can be loaded substantially better with regard to bending moments without an appreciable elastic or a plastic deformation of the first spacing element 6 resulting. As a result, the spring tongue 8 and the contact area 9 can exert substantially greater clamping forces on the pin contact element 4 and a more reliable electrical contact is always ensured between the socket contact element 1 and the pin contact element 4.
[0027] In the case of the socket contact element 1 from Figures 1 to 3, the spring tongue 8 is joined at its rear end 12 to the basic element 5. Formed at the front end 13 of the spring tongue 8 is a contact point 14 at which the socket contact element 1 is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the pin contact element 4 introduced.
[0028] In the case of the socket contact element 1 from Figure 4, the contact area is formed as a further spring tongue 15. The spring tongues 8, 15 are joined at their front ends 13 to the first spacing element 6. The rear ends 12 of the spring tongues 8, 15 each have a contact point 14 which is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the pin contact element 4 introduced. In the case of the socket contact element 1 from Figure 4, the spring tongues 8, 15 project from their joining point at the first spacing element 6 into the receiving channel 2 at a very shallow angle. This substantially facilitates the introduction of a pin contact element 4 into the socket contact element 1. Because of the special reinforcement of the first spacing element 6, particularly high clamping forces can be exerted via the spring tongues 8, 15 on the pin contact element 4 introduced.
[0029] To produce the socket contact element 1, it is first punched out of a metal sheet. The metal sheet is composed of a copper/beryllium alloy and is about 0.12 mm thick. Both the outer contour of the socket contact element 1 and the opening 7 are punched out in the first spacing element 6. In the punching operation, the second spacing element 10 and the spring tongue 8, except for the side with which they are joined to the basic element 5, are also punched out of the basic element 5. A plurality of socket contacts 1 are always punched out of the metal sheet in a grid of about 1.27 mm. In the region of the first spacing element 6, the socket contact element 1 is punched out of the metal sheet with a width of 1.27 mm although the width of the first spacing element 6 of the finished socket contact element 1 is only about 0.86 mm.
[0030] The punched part is then brought to the dimensions of the finished socket contact element 1 in the region of the first spacing element 6 during a reshaping operation, the excess material being reshaped to form reinforcing elements of the first spacing element 6. During the reshaping operation, the peripheral regions of the first spacing element 6 at the side of the opening 7 are deep-drawn backwards as supporting regions 11.
[0031] Finally, the punched part is bent into the shape of the finished socket contact element 1. Thus, for example, the spring tongue 8 is bent slightly upwards relative to the basic element 5 so that it projects into that region of the socket contact element 1 into which the pin contact element 4 is introduced. In addition, the first spacing element 6 is bent upwards relative to the basic element 5 and the contact area 9 is formed by bending once again relative to the first spacing element 6 opposite the spring element 8. Finally, the second spacing element 10 is bent steeply upwards relative to the basic element 5.
1. Socket contact element (1) for receiving a pin contact element (4) having a small
diameter, in particular a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element, having an elongated,
substantially flat lower basic element (5),
- from which there extends upwards, at the front narrow side, a first spacing element (6) which has an opening (7) for introducing the pin contact element (4) into the socket contact element (1),
- in which, behind the first spacing element (6) there is formed a spring tongue (8) which presses the pin contact element (4) introduced from below against a contact area (9) which is formed on the first spacing element (6) above the opening (7), and
- from which a second spacing element (10) extends upwards behind the spring tongue (8),
characterized in that the first spacing element (6) has reinforcing elements.2. Socket contact element (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing
elements are formed as supporting regions (11) extending backwards.
3. Socket contact element (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the peripheral
regions of the first spacing element (6) are drawn backwards at the side of the opening
(7) as supporting regions (11).
4. Socket contact element (1) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the reinforcing
elements are formed as material aggregations.
5. Socket contact element (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that
the contact area (9) is formed as a further spring tongue (15).
6. Socket contact element (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that
the spring tongues (8, 15) are joined at their front ends (13) and the rear ends (12)
have contact points (14) which are connected in an electrically conducting manner
with the pin contact element (4) introduced.
7. Socket contact element (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that
the socket contact element (1) is composed of a copper/beryllium alloy.
8. Method for producing a socket contact element (1) for receiving a pin contact element
(4) having a small diameter, in particular a contact pin of a PCMCIA plug element,
having an elongated, substantially flat lower basic element (5),
- from which there extends upwards, at the front narrow side, a first spacing element (6) which has an opening (7) for introducing the pin contact element (4) into the socket contact element (1),
- in which, behind the first spacing element (6) there is formed a spring tongue (8) which presses the pin contact element (4) introduced from below against a contact area (9) which is formed on the first spacing element (6) above the opening (7), and
- from which a second spacing element (10) extends upwards behind the spring tongue (8),
characterized by the following steps:- the socket contact element (1) is punched out of a metal sheet, it being punched out with larger dimensions in the region of the first spacing element (6) than the dimensions of the first spacing element (6) of the finished socket contact element (1),
- during a reshaping process in the region of the first spacing element (6), the punched part is brought to the dimensions of the finished socket contact element (1), the excess material being reshaped to form reinforcing elements of the first spacing element (6),
- the reshaped punched part is bent into the shape of the finished socket contact element (1).
9. Method according to Claim 8, characterized in that, during the reshaping operation,
the peripheral regions of the first spacing element (6) at the side of the opening
(7) are deep-drawn backwards as reinforcing elements.
10. Method according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, during the reshaping operation,
material aggregations are impressed as reinforcing elements on the surface of the
first spacing element (6).