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(11) | EP 1 096 612 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Male contact |
| (57) A male contact (100) which has a base section (20) and an contact section (10) that
engages with a female contact, and which is formed by the bending of a single metal
plate. The contact section (10) is formed by two plate members (11, 12) extending
separately from the base section (20) each being superimposed and joined together
at bends in the base section (20). The contact section (10) has opposed flat sections
(15), which are raised and extend in the mating direction. |
[0001] The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to a male contact which has a base section and an contact section which is formed by the bending of a single metal plate.
[0002] Known male contacts are manufactured by the stamping and bending of a single metal plate. They typically have an contact section at one end of a base section and an termination portion at the other end of this base section. The base section is used to fasten the male contact to a housing. The contact section engages a female contact, and makes electrical contact with an elastic contact part of the female contact that has a specified width. The termination portion serves to connect the male contact with an electrical wire.
[0003] Figures 10 (a) through (e) are diagrams which illustrate the respective contact sections of such known male contacts.
[0004] Figure 10 (a) is a sectional view of the contact section of a male contact as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 8-162191.
[0005] This contact section 10a is formed by folding back both end portions 51a of a single plate member 50a as shown by arrows "a" causing these end portions 51a to abut each other at the center of the plate member.
[0006] Figure 10 (b) is a sectional view of the contact section of another male as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 7-192793.
[0007] This contact section 10b is formed by respectively rolling back both end portions 51b of a single plate member 50b and causing these end portions to abut each other at the center of the plate member. This contact section 10b differs from the contact section 10a in that the ends are rolled instead of folded back toward each other.
[0008] Figure 10 (c) is a sectional view of the contact section of still another male contact as shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. HEI 8-162191.
[0009] In this contact section 10c, a single plate member 50c is folded over with the central axis of the plate member 50c extending in the mating direction as indicated by the arrow "c" so that the end portions of the plate member 50c abut each other at one side to form a hollow part 52c.
[0010] Figures 10 (d and e) illustrate embodiments of other male contacts as shown in Japanese Patent Publication HEI 9-147947.
[0011] The contact section is formed by folding back a single plate member 50d toward the base section 20d at an intermediate bend line 53d of the plate member as indicated by the arrow "d" to form the tip end of the contact section.
[0012] The contact section 10e is formed by folding back both end portions 51e as shown by the arrows "e1" so that these end portions abut each other at the center of the plate member 50e, and then folding back the tip end of the tip end portion 54d as shown by the arrow "e2".
[0013] Currently, depending on the application involved, there may be a demand for a reduction in the size of male contacts from the standpoints of standards and saving of space. However, in the case of plate members with a thickness that satisfies strength requirements, it may be difficult to manufacture contact sections of the conventional configurations as shown in Figure 10 so that such contact sections have a compact size. Specifically, in cases where an contact section 10a formed by folding back both ends as shown in Figure 10 (a) is formed using a plate member with a thickness that satisfies strength requirements, the folding back of both ends tends to become difficult as the required width w (see Figure 10 (a)) of the contact section becomes smaller. Furthermore, even if both ends are folded back, an contact section with a circular cross section tends to be formed, so that the contact area between the male contact and the elastic contact part of the female contact tends to be reduced, causing a diminished reliability of electrical contact. Furthermore, in the case of an contact section 10b formed by rolling back both ends as shown in Figure 10 (b), there are no flat parts on the upper surface, and the area of contact between the male contact and the elastic contact part of the female contact is therefore small, so that the reliability of electrical contact is reduced. In cases where an contact section 10c formed by folding back a plate member with the central axis of the plate member as the fold line as shown in Figure 10 (c) is formed using a plate member having a thickness that satisfies strength requirements, the fold-line side of the plate member tends to form a circular arc shape as the width w of the contact section becomes smaller, so that the contact area between the male contact and the elastic contact part of the female contact is reduced, thus resulting in a reduced reliability of electrical contact. Furthermore, in the case of an contact section formed by bending in which a portion of the plate member is folded back toward the base section as illustrated in Figure 10 (d), a plate member whose length is twice the length of the contact section is required. As a result, problems arise in that although a sufficient contact area is guaranteed, the production efficiency is poor, and the yield is also poor. Moreover, in the case of an contact section 10e formed by folding back a plate member in three places as shown in Figure 10 (e), the basic problems of an increase in the number of folding processes required and poor production efficiency arise. In addition, there is a danger that the elastic contact part of the female contact will be damaged by the joint on the upper surface of the contact section.
[0014] An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable male contact being manufacturable with a high yield rate. The contact has a relatively small contact section that can be formed using plate members with a plate thickness that satisfies strength requirements.
[0015] This and other objects have been achieved by providing a male contact which has a base section and an contact section that engages with a female contact, and which is formed by the bending of a single metal plate. The contact section is formed by two plate members extending separately from the base section, each being superimposed and joined together by bends in the base section. The contact section has flat parts which extend in the direction of engagement, and which are formed with a flat shape on opposing surfaces of the two superimposed and joined plate members.
[0026] Figure 10 shows diagrams which illustrate the contact sections of conventional male contacts.
[0027] The invention will now be described in greater detail. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a male contact according to the present invention. This male contact 100 is formed by the bending of a single metal plate, and has an contact section 10 on one end of a base section 20, and an termination portion 30 on the other end of the base section 20. An electrical wire (not shown in the figures) is electrically connected at the termination portion 30. The male contact 100 is engaged with a female contact (not shown in the figures) in the mating direction P, such that the contact section 10 is electrically connected with an elastic contact part on the female contact. A plurality of these male contacts 100 are mounted in a housing (not shown in the figures) and used as a connector.
[0028] The contact section 10 will be described in greater detail with reference to Figures 2 through 9. As is shown in Figure 9, the plate member 10p that forms the contact section 10 has two tab sections 11 and 12 that extend separately from the base portion 20p that forms the base section 20. These two tab sections 11 and 12 have the same size and shape, and extend separately in the mating direction P (see Figure 1). The contact section 10 is formed by bending the two tab sections 11 and 12 along the centerline X and superimposing these tab sections 11 and 12 onto each other. Since the thickness of the contact section 10, which is the most slender part of the male contact 100, is kept to a value of approximately twice the thickness of the tab sections to satisfy strength requirements, the size of the contact section 10 can be reduced.
[0029] As is shown in Figure 6, flat sections 15 are formed on the surfaces 11-1 and 12-1 of the two superimposed tab sections 11 and 12. As a result of these flat sections 15, contact between the flat sections 15 and the elastic contact part of the female contact is guaranteed even in cases where the engagement with the female contact is shifted somewhat in the left-right direction. As a result, the reliability of electrical contact with the elastic contact part of the female contact is improved. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional dimensions of the contact section 10 are 0.64 mm × 0.64 mm, and flat sections 15 are 0.3 mm. In order to minimize plate thickness and also satisfy the minimum width and height requirements for contact section, opposing raised sections 18 protrude along the plate members 11 and 12. The inclined surfaces 18-1 of these respective raised sections 18 are angled toward the respective flat parts 15 and serve to prevent damage to the female contact during mating. Furthermore, when these leg parts 18 are formed, a hollow portion 19 is formed in the vicinity of the central axis of the contact section 10 extending in the mating direction P (see Figure 1).
[0030] As shown in Figure 9, protruding parts 13 and 14 that protrude in the mating direction P (see Figure 1) are disposed on the respective tip ends of the two tab sections 11 and 12. These protruding parts 13 and 14 have respective inside surfaces 13-1 and 14-1 that extend along respective center lines Y1 and Y2, and the outside surfaces 13-2 and 14-2 that form the outside of the contact section 10. The outside surfaces 13-2 and 14-2 are tapered toward the center lines Y1 and Y2 as they approach the tip ends of the protruding parts 13 and 14. Accordingly, when the tab sections 11 and 12 are superimposed on each other by bending along the centerline X, the protruding parts 13 and 14 lie adjacent to each other and are shifted relative to each other, as shown in Figure 5.
[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the protruding parts 13 and 14 are bent at an angle toward the opposite tab sections 11 and 12. Specifically, in Figure 2, the protruding part 13 of the upper tab section 11 is bent at an angle toward the lower tab section 12. Protruding part 14 of the lower tab section 12 is bent at an angle toward the upper plate member 11. This is done in order to prevent the two tab sections 11 and 12 from opening even if the tip end of the contact section 10 should stub against the housing of the female contact while mating.
[0032] Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, inclined parts 13-3 and 14-3 are constructed so that the thickness of these parts decreases to form a tapered lead in toward the tip ends of the protruding parts 13, 14. The taper is formed on the surfaces of the protruding parts 13 and 14 opposite the sides of the two plate members 11 and 12 that contact each other (see also Figures 2 and 8).
[0033] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a projection 16 protrudes from the lower plate member 12 toward the upper plate member 11 and is formed in the vicinity of the center line Y2 (see Figure 9). Furthermore, a recess 17 is formed in the vicinity of the plate member center line Y1 (see Figure 9). This recess 17 engages the projection 16 engages formed in the upper plate member 11. Engagement of projection 16 and recess 17 prevents the shifting of the two plate members 11 and 12 relative to each other in the direction perpendicular to the mating direction P (see Figure 1). As an alternative, it would also be possible to form a projection that protrudes toward the lower plate member 12 in the upper plate member 11, and to form a recess with which this projection engages in the lower plate member 12.
[0034] As is shown in Figure 2, the base section 20 has a lance 21 that is used to fasten the male contact 100 to a housing (not shown in the figures), and a stabilizer 22 that stabilizes the male contact 100 inside the housing. Furthermore, the termination portion 30 has an insulation barrel 31 that presses against the insulation of the electrical wire (not shown in the figures), and a wire barrel 32 that electrically connects the core wire. The insulation barrel 31 and wire barrel 32 are bent so that these parts respectively clamp and retain the insulation and core wire of the electrical wire.
[0035] An advantage of the invention is that the amount of material used to create the contact is minimized since the plate members are thin. Furthermore, since manufacture of the male contact is also easy, the male contact 10 can be manufactured using plate members which have the minimum thickness that satisfies strength requirements. The minimum width and height requirements of the contact section are also maintained despite the use of relatively thin material. The present invention therefore makes it possible to provide a highly reliable male contact which is mass produceable, and which has an contact section that can be formed using relatively thin plate members while satisfying strength requirements.
1. A male contact formed by the bending of a metal plate having a base section and a
contact section which is engageable with a female contact, the male contact comprising:
two plate members extending separately from the base section being superimposed and joined together,
wherein the contact section has flat parts which extend in a mating direction and which are formed with a flat shape on the respective opposite surfaces of the superimposed and joined plate members from the surfaces of the plate members that contact each other.
2. The male contact of claim 1, wherein the contact section further comprises protruding
parts that respectively protrude in the mating direction from the respective tip ends
of the two plate members
3. The male contact of claim 2 wherein the protruding parts are positioned adjacent and
shifted from eachother.
4. The male contact of claim 2 or 3 wherein the protruding parts are each bent at an
angle toward the opposite plate member.
5. The male contact of any preceding claim wherein one of the two plates has a projection
that protrudes toward the other plate member, and the other plate member has a recess
for receiving the projection.