US3251019A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

May 10, 1966 P. ciMlNo 3,251,019

' ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed oct. s, 1965 INVENT OR PQSqruMe Cx'mno 'BY RM Wg @am ATTORNEY 'through repeated usage.

United States Patent Office l lPatented May 10,` 1966 3,251,019 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Pasquale Cimino, 670 W. Woods Road, Hamden, Conn. Filed Oct. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 313,613 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-64) This invention relates to electrical connectors, and

more particularly relates to electricalconnectors which are used to repeatedly make and break electrical circuits.

The invention is particularly adapted for use as a test socket in testing electrical devices and components and will therefore be disclosed in such environment. An electrical connector in the form of a test socket adapted to receive the terminals or pins of an electronic or electrical device for testing of such device, should have terminals which will withstand repeated making and breaking of electrical contact with the pins of the devices to be tested and which do not become deformed or lose resiliency Additionally, the terminals or contacts yof such test sockets must be lirmly secured in a body of insulating material in a predetermined arrangement to receive the pins of thevdevice to be tested without displacement of the terminals. However, it is desirable that some movement of the terminals of the test socket be allowed in order to compensate for any slight misalignment of the pins of the device to be tested.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector which will withstand repeated making and breaking of electrical connections.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector having terminals securely locked in an insulating body and adapted to receive pins of a second device therein wherein the terminals are provided with some iloating motion to compensate for any irregularity of the pins of the second device.

Another lobject of this invention is to provide a new and improved electrical contactor connector which cornprises an insulating body having terminals therein in a predetermined arrangement wherein the terminals 4are secured within the insulating body in a new and improved manner which firmly secures the terminals within the body, yet allows movement of the terminals within the body to compensate for any irregularities in the pins to which the terminals are to be connected.

The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are pointed out with particularly and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, the invention, both as to its organization and operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be appreciated by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an electrical connector embodying the invention, and also showing an eX- emplary device with which the terminals of the connector are designed to make electrical contact;

FIG. 2 is asection seen along line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view seen along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a is an end View of the device shown in FIG. 3 seen from the right-hand side;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 -but with the terminal shown in FIG. 3 removed therefrom;

FIG. 5 illustrates a terminal which may be used in a connector embodying the invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates another terminal construction which may be used in a connector embodying the invention.

A connector embodying the invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, comprises a body of insulating material 11 having a plurality of passages 12 therethrough which receive therein electrical connector terminals 13. The terminals 13 are connected at one end thereof to lead wires 14 which are in turn connectable to some utilization device, not shown. device may be a test instrument adapted to test the circuits or other elements of an electrical device 15 such as a relay, which may comprise a cover member 16 sealed l to a header 17, and having a plurality of terminal pins 18 extending therethrough, the terminal pins 18 being connected to circuits or other electrical elements within the cover 16. i

In the mentioned application of the invention the devices to be tested may be relays which must be tested subsequent to manufacture thereof. In such case, each relay has its terminal pins 18, which may be of various form, inserted into a test socket as illustrated by the connector 10 and then various tests made 'on the electrical circuits within the vcover 16 to determine the operability of the relay. The terminal pins 18 will be in a predetermined alignment, Within manufacturing tolerances. Therefore, the passages 12 with the terminals 13 therein are arranged in a similar predetermined arrangement adapted to receive the terminal pins 18. The terminal pins 18 may take the rectangular cross-section form shown or they may be of other types well known to those skilled in the art, such as turret, hoop, flattened or pierce and hook types.

FIG. 2 illustrates the connector terminals 13 received and positioned in the passages 12 delined in the body 11. As shown in FIG. 2 the connector terminals 13 may be rectangular in cross-section, and have bifurcated end por-V tions 19 adapted to receive and engage therebetween a terminal pin 18. The connector terminals 13 are preferably of a material which resists abrasion and is rela tively hard, as conductive material, to provide a spring action between bifurcated end portions 19 so therewill be some compressive engagement between the portions 19 of a terminal 13 and the terminal pins 18. In the relaxed position, the dimension between the facing surfaces of the portions 19 is designed to be slightly less than the thickness of the pins 18 received therein to insure good engagement and electrical contact therebetween. The opposite ends of the connector terminals are provided with a solder well 20 adapted to receive therein a lead and solder for connecting the connector terminal t-o the lead, not shown in FIG. 2.

In manufacturing the connector the passages 12 are rst drilled or `otherwise dened' in insulating body 11 in'a predetermined pattern and of predetermined sizes depending upon the sizes of the terminals to be received therein. The end of the passage receiving the bifurcated portions 19 of the connector terminals are then counter-bored to a larger size which provides a predetermined amount of clearance 22'between the bifurcated portion of the terminal connector and the counter-bored walls of passage 12 to allow for lateral movement of portions 19 when a pin 18 is inserted therebetween. If rectangular cross- The utilization section connector terminals are used. a rectangular broaching tool is then used to make portion 23 of passage 12 rectangular in cross-section substantially congruent with the cross-section of the terminal connectors but slightly larger by a predetermined dimension. The connector terminals 13 are formed with an aperture 24 therethrough which receives therein a pin member 25 of lesser dimension than aperture 24. The ends of pin 25 which are chosen to extend beyond the connector terminal a predetermined dimension are then rolled down as illustrated in FIG. 3, and the connector terminals 13 are inserted into passages 12. This may be accomplished by inserting a tool between the bifurcated end portions 19 at the bight portion 26 of the connector terminals and tapping the tool to drive the connector terminal into the passage a predetermined distance until the ends 27 of the terminal coincide or bear a predetermined dimensional relationship with the surface 28 of the insulating body.

It will be noted that rolled down ends or ears 29 of pins 25 have a span thereacross which is greater than the dimension across walls 23 of the passage 12. It will further be noted that the ears 29 are inclined with respect to the length of the terminal member and extend into the insulating body beyond the walls 23 thereof to lock the terminal to the body 11. The inclination of the ears is in a direction opposed to withdrawal of the terminal member from the passage from the direction of inclination. With this arrangement terminals 13 may have a small amount of pivotal motion about pin 25 and further in view of the clearance between the various wall portions of passage 12 and the exterior surfaces of the terminals 13, may have a floating movement within passage 12. In practice this clearance may be on the order of 1&2. This freedom of the connector terminals to float while in passages 12, while at the same time being securely retained therein by pin 25, allow the connector terminals to adjust to terminal pins 18 and compensate for any irregularities or tolerances in the spacing thereof.

The insulating body 11 is selected to be a material which may be distorted or cold-owed, and has a memory characteristic which will cause the material to return to its original shape, `or essentially original shape, subsequent to such distortion or cold-owing; One such material which is used in the invention as an insulating body is tetrafiuoroethylene which is commercially available under the trademark Teflon, the registered trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company for nuoro-carbon resins. Tetrauoroethylene has cold-iiowing qualities such that it may be distorted under pressure up to about 35 percent of the original shape of an object from which it `will relax to a distortion of less than l5 percent when the distorting pressure is relieved. Therefore, when the terminal connector 13 with the pin 25 therein is forced into the pas sage 12 in the manner described, the ears 29 will produce grooves or gouges in the walls 21 and 23 of passage 12 while the connector terminal is forced therein. Subsequently, however, the material of the insulating body due to the memory characteristic o-f the material will return substantially to its original shape, leaving the ears 29 of pin 25 embedded in the material through the Walls 23 to lock the terminal connector securely in a passage 12 yet allow each terminal connector to have a floating movement within the connector body. The insulating body 11 may be formed in any convenient or desired shape.

If desired, the terminals may be formed from round stock as exemplified by the terminal 13', FIG. 5. Terminal 13 may be formed substantially the same as terminal 13 with bifurcated end portions 19 and a solder well 20' and also provided with an aperture 24 to receive a locking pin 25 therein. Terminal connector 13 is formed from a section of round stock that has a portion stamped out to define the bifurcated end portions 19 in a similar manner to connector terminal 13. It is preferred that the connector terminals, regardless of form, be made from beryllium copper to insure high abrasion resistance, and hardness which provides the spring action of the bifurcated end portions 19 and 19'. If it should be desired the connector terminals 13 and 13 may be formed in such a manner as to provide thereon ears corresponding to the ears 29 of pin 25. This may be done at the same time that the connector terminal stock is stamped or otherwise acted upon to define bifurcated end portions 19.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, integral ears 30 may be provided on a terminal 31 which correspond in function to ears 29, FIG. 3, on terminal 13. The ears 30 may be for-med by using a chiseling tool to strike ears 30 from corners of terminal 31 at a desired angle. Terminal 31 is otherwise similar to terminal 13.

While for purposes of disclosure a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated and further embodiments and modilications thereof pointed out, other embodiments of the invention as well as modifications to the disclosure embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended toV cover in the appended claims all embodiments of the invention as well as modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a body of insulating material having at least one terminal receiving passage dened therethrough, an elongated terminal member in the passage, said terminal member and the passage being so relatively dirnensioned as to allow limited lateral movement of said terminal member therein, securing means carried by said terminal member extending transversely therefrom into and being embedded in said material beyond the surface of the walls defining said passage, the dimension across said securing means being greater than the dimension across said passage, said insulating material possessing a physical characteristic which allows recovery thereof after cold iiow deformation thereof so that said terminal member with said securing means thereon may be drawn through said passage to a predetermined position therein and said material recovers about said securing means to lock said terminal member in a predetermined position in said passage, said securing means comprising integral ears struck from -Said terminal member, said ears being inclined with respect to the length of said terminal member in a direction to resist withdrawal of said terminal member from said passage from the direction of inclination.

2. An electrical connector comprising a body of insulating material having at least one terminal receiving passage defined therethrough, an elongated terminal mem- 'ber in said passage, said terminal member and the associated passage being so relatively dimensioned as to allow limited lateral movement of said terminal member in their passage, securing means carried by said terminal member extending transversely therefrom into and being embedded in said material beyond the surfaces defining the Walls of said passages in said material, the dimension across said securing means being greater than the maximum dimension across said passage, said insulating material possessing a physical characteristic which allows recovery thereof after cold ow deformation thereof so that said terminal member with said securing 'means thereon may be drawn through -said passage to a predetermined position therein, andsaid material recovers about said securing means to lock said terminal member in its passage, said securing means comprising -a pin loosely received in a transverse aperture in said terminal member and extending from both sides of said terminal member.

3. An electrical connector comprising -a body of insulating material having a plurality of terminal receivingpassages defined therethrough, an elongated terminal member in each of said passages, said terminal members and the associated passages being so relatively dimensioned as to allow limited lateral movement of said terminal members in their passages, said terminals being bifurcated at one end thereof within said l passages to provide spaced apart contact arms adapted to receive an electrical contact therebetween, said terminal members being of a resilient material to allow spreading of said contact arms when an electrical contact is inserted therebetween, securing means carried by each of said terminal members extending transversely therefrom into and being embedded in said material beyond the surfaces deining the walls of said passages in said material, the dimension across said securing means being greater than the maximum dimension across said passage, said securing means comprising integral ears struck from said terminal meminclination, said insulating material possessing a physical i characteristic which allows recovery thereof after cold flow deformation thereof so that said terminal members with said securing means thereon may be drawn through said passage-s to predetermined positions therein and said material recovers about said securing means to lock said terminal member in its passage.

4. The connector of claim 2 wherein the extending ends of inclination.

5 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 465,430 12/1891 Desant 339-24 1,157,026 10/1915 Meschenmoser 339-64 10 1,222,721 4/1917 Bissen et al. 339-64 2,231,347 2/1941 Renner 339-62 2,469,397 5/1949 Mezek 339-217 2,701,869 2/1955 Hobson 339-221 1 2,790,153 4/1957 Arsen 339-184 5 2,944,240 7/1960 Barber 339-64 2,944,325 7/1960 clark 339-218 2,972,730 2/1961 Abrams 339-221 3,027,537 3/1962 Hess et al 339-191 20 3,058,091 10/1962 Heuschen 339-217 3,083,351 3/1963 Nielsen 339-217 3,086,074 4/1963 Justetal 339-221 PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

25 I. D. SEERS, W. D. MILLER, Assistant Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPRISING A BODY OF INSULATING MATERIAL HAVING AT LEAST ONE TERMINAL RECEIVING PASSAGE DEFINED THERETHROUGH, AN ELONGATED TERMINAL MEMBER IN THE PASSAGE, SAID TERMINAL MEMBER AND THE PASSAGE BEING SO RELATIVELY DIMENSIONED AS TO ALLOW LIMITED LATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TERMINAL MEMBER THEREIN, SECURING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID TERMINAL MEMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREFROM INTO AND BEING EMBEDDED IN SAID MATERIAL BEYOND THE SURFACE OF THE WALLS DEFINING SAID PASSAGE, THE DIMENSION ACROSS SAID SECURING MEANS BEING GREATER THAN THE DIMENSION ACROSS SAID PASSAGE, SAID INSULATING MATERIAL POSSESSING A PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC WHICH ALLOWS RECOVERY THEREOF AFTER COLD FLOW DEFORMATION THEREOF SO THAT SAID TERMINAL MEMBER WITH SAID SECURING MEANS THEREON MAY BE DRAWN THROUGH SAID PASSAGE TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION THEREIN AND SAID MATERIAL RECOVERS ABOUT SAID SECURING MEANS TO LOCK SAID TERMINAL MEMBER IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION IN SAID PASSAGE, SAID SECURING MEANS COMPRISING INTEGRAL EARS STRUCK FROM SAID TERMINAL MEMBER, SAID EARS BEING INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO THE LENGTH OF SAID TERMINAL MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TO RESIST WITHDRAWAL OF SAID TERMINAL MEMBER FROM SAID PASSAGE FROM THE DIRECTION OF INCLINATION.

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