Contact with an improved locking element

(19)

(11)

EP 1 289 071 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	21.04.2004 Bulletin 2004/17

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	05.03.2003 Bulletin 2003/10

(21)	Application number: 02018121.0

(22)	Date of filing: 14.08.2002

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: H01R 13/20

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30)

Priority:

30.08.2001 EP 01120857

(71)	Applicant: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
	64625 Bensheim (DE)

(72)	Inventor:
	Hotea, George 64347 Griesheim (DE)

(74)	Representative: Patentanwaltskanzlei WILHELM & BECK
	Nymphenburger Strasse 139 80636 München 80636 München (DE)

(54)	Contact with an improved locking element

(57) A contact (2) having a contact spring (12), a contact positioner (11), and a locking element (5). The contact spring (12) having resilient contacts (40). The contact positioner (11) receives the contact spring (12) for connection to an electrical conductor (9). The locking element (5) has a guide face (10) with a locking side (13) that maintains the contact (2) in a housing (1). A cover (19) covers the locking side (13) to form a closed surface. A guide plate (28) is integrally formed with cover (19) and covers the lateral side of the guide face (10) to form a closed surface. The cover (19) and guide plate (28) enlarge a seal opening (18) of the housing (1) to prevent the seal (4) from damage by the locking element (5) when the contact (2) is inserted and withdrawn from the housing (1).

Search report