EP0302777A1 - Electrical contact terminal and manufacturing process thereof - Google Patents

Electrical contact terminal and manufacturing process thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0302777A1
EP0302777A1 EP88401982A EP88401982A EP0302777A1 EP 0302777 A1 EP0302777 A1 EP 0302777A1 EP 88401982 A EP88401982 A EP 88401982A EP 88401982 A EP88401982 A EP 88401982A EP 0302777 A1 EP0302777 A1 EP 0302777A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
barrel
contact
tube
tubular contact
terminal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP88401982A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0302777B1 (en
Inventor
Christian Mazelle
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FCI France SA
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Souriau et Cie
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Publication date
Application filed by Souriau et Cie filed Critical Souriau et Cie
Publication of EP0302777A1 publication Critical patent/EP0302777A1/en
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Publication of EP0302777B1 publication Critical patent/EP0302777B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/02—Contact members
    • H01R13/10—Sockets for co-operation with pins or blades
    • H01R13/11—Resilient sockets
    • H01R13/111—Resilient sockets co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electrical contact terminals used in connectors, and in particular in connectors with a large number of contacts intended for signal transmission, for example in aircraft construction.
  • the present invention aims to provide an electrical contact terminal which can be manufactured by the stamped-cut-rolled-folded technique, an economical technique and which better meets the requirements of the practice than the previously known solutions, in particular in that the barrel contact terminal is not cracked and thus guarantees an electrically reliable and safe fixing of an electrical conductor.
  • an electrical contact terminal comprising a body having a front tubular contact divided into contact fingers by slots and a rear shaft intended to receive an electrical conductor and comprising an external tube for protecting the front contact, characterized in that the barrel is continuous and in that it is separated from the body by a circumferential bulge trapped in a flared end portion of the outer tube.
  • the rear barrel Due to the fact that the rear barrel has no longitudinal slot, it allows secure and durable fixing by crimping or welding.
  • the contact terminal is in two parts only. Its manufacture is therefore particularly economical.
  • the tubular contact is separate from the barrel instead of being integral with it.
  • This solution makes it possible to use different materials for the tubular contact and for the barrel.
  • the material used for the barrel can have characteristics well suited to the production of the latter or the method of manufacturing the barrel can be adapted to the material.
  • this second solution makes it possible to optimize each material to take into account both the manufacturing process used and the specifications for using the contact (intensity, contact resistance).
  • the barrel and the tubular contact can be fixed to each other by any suitable method, such as for example welding or crimping.
  • the invention also provides a method of manufacturing a terminal of the type defined above, characterized in that the body is manufactured by cutting and rolling in a strip to form the front tubular contact and by cutting and stamping the barrel back.
  • the entire body is manufactured in the same strip, leaving the tubular contact connected to the part intended to constitute the barrel by a tongue. Finally, the tongue is bent to bring the tubular contact into alignment with the barrel before installing the external protection tube, which prevents unfolding and ensures electrical and mechanical continuity.
  • This outer tube is advantageously obtained by cold stamping.
  • the body When the body is in one piece, it will generally be made of an alloy based on ductile copper, bronze or a light alloy.
  • the external protection tube can be made of stainless steel and often will have a thickness significantly smaller than that of the strip, for example 0.1 mm instead of 0.25 mm.
  • the electrical contact terminal shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 comprises a body 10 surrounded in its front part by an external protection tube 12.
  • the contact terminal shown is intended to be mounted in an insulating block 14 and to be retained in this block by a split elastic ring 16.
  • the ring 16 is trapped in a recess of the block and has internal fingers 17 intended to maintain a bulged part of the terminal in abutment against one of the shoulders limiting the recess.
  • the body 10 can be viewed as comprising a rear barrel 18 in the form of a continuous barrel, that is to say not split, and a front tubular contact 20 connected by a bulge 22.
  • the contact has a stepped shape and its front part is split by slots 24 into elastic fingers bearing on a male contact, not shown.
  • the body of the terminal shown in Figure 1 also has stop tabs 26 located between the slotted front part and the bulge 22, intended to limit the fully inserted position of the electrical conductor.
  • the outer protection tube 12 has a constant diameter over most of its length. It rests on the widest part of the contact and surrounds the fingers 24, the radial expansion of which it limits. It overflows from these fingers at the front. At the rear, the protective tube 12 has a bulge formed by successive folds and constituting a ring trapping the bulge 22 of the body.
  • the barrel and the contact are connected to each other by a tongue 32 constituting a hinge, in the region of the bulge.
  • This tongue is delimited by a circumferential slot 34 originating from the folding over one another of the barrel and of the contact, as will be seen below. Due to the confinement of the bulge 22 by the tube 12, the contact terminal in its final state cannot fold back, which would lead to a misalignment of the barrel and of the contact.
  • In the barrel 18 can be formed one or more holes 36 for connecting a conductor by welding.
  • the body of the contact terminal of FIG. 1 is manufactured by cutting, deep drawing and rolling of a strip according to the sequence shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3 and 4. This sequence is given only by way of example and the distribution of operations between successive workstations could be modified.
  • a strip is cut with the press so as to leave two edge strips 38 connecting blanks having a part 40 intended to constitute the contact and an approximately circular part 42 intended to constitute the barrel (FIG. 3 ).
  • a tongue 32 remains between the parts 40 and 42 to constitute a hinge.
  • a notch 43 is cut to give birth to one of the slots 24 (the other slot resulting from the approximation of the edges of the part 40).
  • the retaining tabs 26 are cut out.
  • a first stamping pass using a punch constitutes a blank 44 of the barrel.
  • one of the edge strips 38 is cut; the part 40 is rolled to form the contact 20 and the tabs 26 are deformed inward.
  • the blank 44 is stretched to give it the final shape of the barrel 18.
  • the part 40 has two lateral tabs 46 which are finally placed side by side and serve to ensure the retention using the tube 12.
  • the tubular contact is folded around the tongue 32 until the tabs 46 rest on the terminal rim of the barrel. It is desirable to give these legs an important peripheral development to improve support.
  • the body 10 is then detached from the remaining edge strip 38, the tube 12 is put in place and one of its ends is crimped onto the bulge 22 formed by the terminal rim of the barrel, the tongue 32 forming hinge and legs 46.
  • the end of the tube 12 is not completely crimped but simply has a double bend. But the legs 46 are also folded over the end of the barrel, without a rim, instead of constituting a simple flat support.
  • the material constituting the body will generally be one of those commonly used in connectors, in particular copper alloys or light alloys sufficiently ductile to allow the drawing of the barrel 18.
  • the body once completed will be subjected to surface heat treatments or to the core, for example to a coating of ductile and non-porous nickel a few microns thick, followed by a deposit of gold of thickness less than one micron.
  • the protective tube generally two or three times thinner than the body, may be made of ferrous material and in particular stainless steel. There are indeed stainless steels with sufficient ductility to allow the tube 12 to be manufactured by cold stamping, stamping, direct or reverse spinning.
  • the front tubular contact is produced by cutting and rolling a strip of material with high mechanical characteristic.
  • the barrel is produced separately by stamping a strip of material suitable for stamping, such as copper alloys with high cold deformation.
  • the barrel and the tubular contact are positioned and then fixed to each other.
  • the assembly is maintained by the external protection tube.
  • the lugs 46 are for example replaced by a flange extending all around the contact.
  • the invention is in no way limited to the limits of female contacts described as examples. It has a much wider scope and can be applied regardless of the constitution of the front part, especially if the latter is a male contact.

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  • Manufacturing Of Electrical Connectors (AREA)
  • Connections Effected By Soldering, Adhesion, Or Permanent Deformation (AREA)

Abstract

The terminal, used in connectors having a large number of contacts, comprises a body (10) having a forward tubular contact divided by longitudinal slits (24) into contact fingers and a rear barrel (18) intended to receive an electrical conductor and comprising an external protective tube. The barrel (18) is continuous and separated from the body by a circumferential enlarged region (22) imprisoned in a flared- out end portion of the external protective tube. …<IMAGE>…

Description

La présente invention concerne les bornes de contact électrique utilisées dans des connecteurs, et en particulier dans des connecteurs à grand nombre de contacts destinés à la transmission de signaux, par exemple en construction aéronautique.The present invention relates to electrical contact terminals used in connectors, and in particular in connectors with a large number of contacts intended for signal transmission, for example in aircraft construction.

On connaît déjà de très nombreux types de contacts destinés à cette fonction. Etant donné le très grand nombre de bornes utilisées et les impératifs de sécurité, il est souhaitable que ces bornes répondent à deux impératifs souvent contradictoires : leur coût unitaire doit être faible et elles doivent assurer des liaisons fiables et durables entre borne et conducteur. Longtemps on a privilégié le second résultat et en conséquence utilisé surtout des bornes de contact fabriquées par décolletage, solution très fiable mais coûteuse.We already know many types of contacts for this function. Given the very large number of terminals used and the security requirements, it is desirable that these terminals meet two often contradictory requirements: their unit cost must be low and they must ensure reliable and durable connections between terminal and conductor. For a long time, the second result was favored and consequently mainly used contact terminals manufactured by bar turning, a very reliable but expensive solution.

Un autre moyen d'obtention des bornes de contact est la fabrication par découpé-roulé d'un feuillard métallique, cette technique permettant de former le fût de fixation d'un conducteur et le contact tubulaire avant de la borne. Mais les nombreuses solutions proposées, telles que celles décrites dans le document FR-A-2 498 827 obligent à constituer la borne de contact en trois pièces et surtout conduisent à une borne dont le fût arrière est fendu, ce qui est défavorable à la tenue à long terme de la liaison électrique et mécanique avec le conducteur.Another means of obtaining contact terminals is the manufacture by cut-rolled of a metal strip, this technique making it possible to form the barrel for fixing a conductor and the tubular contact before the terminal. But the numerous solutions proposed, such as those described in document FR-A-2 498 827 oblige to constitute the contact terminal in three parts and above all lead to a terminal whose rear shaft is split, which is unfavorable to the holding long-term electrical and mechanical connection with the conductor.

La présente invention vise à fournir une borne de contact électrique pouvant être fabriquée par la technique d'embouti-découpé-roulé-plié, technique écono­mique et qui répond mieux que les solutions antérieure­ment connues aux exigences de la pratique, notamment en ce que le fût de la borne de contact n'est pas fendu et de ce fait garantit une fixation électriquement fiable et sûre d'un conducteur électrique.The present invention aims to provide an electrical contact terminal which can be manufactured by the stamped-cut-rolled-folded technique, an economical technique and which better meets the requirements of the practice than the previously known solutions, in particular in that the barrel contact terminal is not cracked and thus guarantees an electrically reliable and safe fixing of an electrical conductor.

Dans ce but l'invention propose notamment une borne de contact électrique comportant un corps présen­tant un contact tubulaire avant fractionné en doigts de contact par des fentes et un fût arrière destiné à recevoir un conducteur électrique et comportant un tube externe de protection du contact avant, caractérisée en ce que le fût est continu et en ce qu'il est séparé du corps par un renflement circonférentiel emprisonné dans une partie terminale évasée du tube externe.To this end, the invention proposes in particular an electrical contact terminal comprising a body having a front tubular contact divided into contact fingers by slots and a rear shaft intended to receive an electrical conductor and comprising an external tube for protecting the front contact, characterized in that the barrel is continuous and in that it is separated from the body by a circumferential bulge trapped in a flared end portion of the outer tube.

Du fait que le fût arrière est dépourvu de fente longitudinale, il permet d'assurer une fixation sûre et durable par sertissage ou soudage.Due to the fact that the rear barrel has no longitudinal slot, it allows secure and durable fixing by crimping or welding.

Dans un mode avantageux de réalisation, la borne de contact est en deux piéces seulement. Sa fabrication et alors particulièrement économique.In an advantageous embodiment, the contact terminal is in two parts only. Its manufacture is therefore particularly economical.

Dans un autre mode de réalisation, le contact tubulaire est distinct du fût au lieu d'en être solidai­re. Cette solution permet d'utiliser des matériaux différents pour le contact tubulaire et pour le fût. Le matériau utilisé pour le fût peut avoir des caractéris­tiques bien adaptées à la réalisation de ce dernier ou le procédé de fabrication du fût peut être adapté au matériau. En résumé, cette seconde solution permet d'optimiser chaque matériau pour tenir compte à la fois du procédé de fabrication utilisé et des spécifications d'utilisation du contact (intensité, résistance de contact). Le fût et le contact tubulaire peuvent être fixés l'un à l'autre par tout procédé approprié, tel que par exemple soudage ou sertissage.In another embodiment, the tubular contact is separate from the barrel instead of being integral with it. This solution makes it possible to use different materials for the tubular contact and for the barrel. The material used for the barrel can have characteristics well suited to the production of the latter or the method of manufacturing the barrel can be adapted to the material. In summary, this second solution makes it possible to optimize each material to take into account both the manufacturing process used and the specifications for using the contact (intensity, contact resistance). The barrel and the tubular contact can be fixed to each other by any suitable method, such as for example welding or crimping.

L'invention propose également un procédé de fabrication d'une borne du type ci-dessus défini, carac­térisé en ce qu'on fabrique le corps par découpage et roulage dans un feuillard pour constituer le contact tubulaire avant et par découpage et emboutissage du fût arrière.The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a terminal of the type defined above, characterized in that the body is manufactured by cutting and rolling in a strip to form the front tubular contact and by cutting and stamping the barrel back.

Dans le premier mode de réalisation mentionné plus haut, l'ensemble du corps est fabriqué dans un même feuillard, en laissant le contact tubulaire raccordé à la partie destinée à constituer le füt par une lan­guette. On plie finalement la languette pour amener le contact tubulaire en alignement avec le fût avant de mettre en place le tube externe de protection, qui interdit le dépliement et assure la continuité élec­trique et mécanique. Ce tube extérieur est avantageuse­ment obtenu par frappe à froid.In the first embodiment mentioned above, the entire body is manufactured in the same strip, leaving the tubular contact connected to the part intended to constitute the barrel by a tongue. Finally, the tongue is bent to bring the tubular contact into alignment with the barrel before installing the external protection tube, which prevents unfolding and ensures electrical and mechanical continuity. This outer tube is advantageously obtained by cold stamping.

Lorque le corps est d'une seule pièce, il sera généralement en alliage à base de cuivre ductile, en bronze ou en alliage léger. Le tube externe de protec­tion peut être en acier inoxydable et souvent aura une épaisseur nettement plus faible que celle du feuillard, par exemple 0,1 mm au lieu de 0,25 mm.When the body is in one piece, it will generally be made of an alloy based on ductile copper, bronze or a light alloy. The external protection tube can be made of stainless steel and often will have a thickness significantly smaller than that of the strip, for example 0.1 mm instead of 0.25 mm.

L'invention sera mieux comprise à la lecture de la description qui suit d'un mode particulier de réalisation, donné à titre d'exemple non limitatif. La description se réfère aux dessins qui l'accompagnent dans lesquels :

  • - la figure 1 montre une borne de contact femelle suivant un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, en coupe suivant un plan passant par son axe ;
  • - la figure 2, similaire à une fraction de la figure 1, montre une variante de réalisation,
  • - les figures 3 et 4 sont des schémas montrant des étapes successives de fabrication du corps de la borne de la figure 1.
The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example. The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which:
  • - Figure 1 shows a female contact terminal according to a particular embodiment of the invention, in section along a plane passing through its axis;
  • FIG. 2, similar to a fraction of FIG. 1, shows an alternative embodiment,
  • - Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams showing successive stages in the manufacture of the body of the terminal in Figure 1.

La borne de contact électrique montrée schémati­quement en figure 1 comprend un corps 10 entouré dans sa partie avant par un tube externe 12 de protection. La borne de contact représentée est destinée à être montée dans un bloc isolant 14 et à être retenue dans ce bloc par une bague élastique fendue 16. La bague 16 est emprisonnée dans un chambrage du bloc et présente des doigts internes 17 destinés à maintenir une partie renflée de la borne en appui contre un des épaulement limitant le chambrage.The electrical contact terminal shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 comprises a body 10 surrounded in its front part by an external protection tube 12. The contact terminal shown is intended to be mounted in an insulating block 14 and to be retained in this block by a split elastic ring 16. The ring 16 is trapped in a recess of the block and has internal fingers 17 intended to maintain a bulged part of the terminal in abutment against one of the shoulders limiting the recess.

Le corps 10 peut être regardé comme comprenant un fût arrière 18 en forme de fût continu, c'est-à-dire non fendu, et un contact tubulaire avant 20 reliés par un renflement 22. Le contact présente une forme étagée et sa partie avant est fractionnée par des fentes 24 en des doigts élastiques d'appui sur un contact mâle non représenté. Le corps de la borne montrée en figure 1 présente de plus des pattes de butée 26 situées entre la partie avant fendue et le renflement 22, destinées à limiter la position de plein enfoncement du conducteur électrique.The body 10 can be viewed as comprising a rear barrel 18 in the form of a continuous barrel, that is to say not split, and a front tubular contact 20 connected by a bulge 22. The contact has a stepped shape and its front part is split by slots 24 into elastic fingers bearing on a male contact, not shown. The body of the terminal shown in Figure 1 also has stop tabs 26 located between the slotted front part and the bulge 22, intended to limit the fully inserted position of the electrical conductor.

Le tube externe de protection 12 présente un diamètre constant sur la majeure partie de sa longueur. Il s'appuie sur la partie la plus large du contact et entoure les doigts 24 dont il limite l'expansion radiale. Il déborde de ces doigts à l'avant. A l'arrière le tube de protection 12 présente un renflement formé par des plis successifs et constituant une bague emprisonnant le renflement 22 du corps.The outer protection tube 12 has a constant diameter over most of its length. It rests on the widest part of the contact and surrounds the fingers 24, the radial expansion of which it limits. It overflows from these fingers at the front. At the rear, the protective tube 12 has a bulge formed by successive folds and constituting a ring trapping the bulge 22 of the body.

Sur la figure 1 le fût et le contact sont reliés l'un à l'autre par une languette 32 constituant char­nière, dans la région du renflement. Cette languette est délimitée par une fente circonférentielle 34 provenant du repliement l'un sur l'autre du fût et du contact, comme on le verra plus loin. Du fait de l'emprisonnement du renflement 22 par le tube 12, la borne de contact dans son état final ne peut se replier, ce qui condui­rait à un défaut d'alignement du fût et du contact.In Figure 1 the barrel and the contact are connected to each other by a tongue 32 constituting a hinge, in the region of the bulge. This tongue is delimited by a circumferential slot 34 originating from the folding over one another of the barrel and of the contact, as will be seen below. Due to the confinement of the bulge 22 by the tube 12, the contact terminal in its final state cannot fold back, which would lead to a misalignment of the barrel and of the contact.

Dans le fût 18 peuvent être ménagés un ou plusieurs trous 36 permettant de raccorder un conducteur par soudage.In the barrel 18 can be formed one or more holes 36 for connecting a conductor by welding.

Le corps de la borne de contact de la figure 1 est fabriqué par découpage, emboutissage profond et roulage d'un feuillard suivant la séquence montrée schématiquement en figures 3 et 4. Cette séquence n'est donnée qu'à titre d'exemple et la répartition des opérations entre postes de travail successifs pourrait être modifiée.The body of the contact terminal of FIG. 1 is manufactured by cutting, deep drawing and rolling of a strip according to the sequence shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3 and 4. This sequence is given only by way of example and the distribution of operations between successive workstations could be modified.

A un premier poste de travail, un feuillard est découpé à la presse de façon à laisser subsister deux bandes de rive 38 reliant des ébauches présentant une partie 40 destinée à constituer le contact et une partie approximativement circulaire 42 destinée à constituer le fût (figure 3). Une languette 32 subsiste entre les parties 40 et 42 pour constituer charnière. Au poste ou aux postes de travails suivants, une encoche 43 est découpée pour donner naissance à l'une des fentes 24 (l'autre fente résultant du rapprochement des bords de la pièce 40). Les pattes de retenue 26 sont découpées. Une première passe d'emboutissage à l'aide d'un poinçon constitue une ébauche 44 du fût.At a first work station, a strip is cut with the press so as to leave two edge strips 38 connecting blanks having a part 40 intended to constitute the contact and an approximately circular part 42 intended to constitute the barrel (FIG. 3 ). A tongue 32 remains between the parts 40 and 42 to constitute a hinge. At the following post or work stations, a notch 43 is cut to give birth to one of the slots 24 (the other slot resulting from the approximation of the edges of the part 40). The retaining tabs 26 are cut out. A first stamping pass using a punch constitutes a blank 44 of the barrel.

Aux postes suivants (figure 4), une des bandes de rive 38 est découpée ; la partie 40 est roulée pour constituer le contact 20 et les pattes 26 sont déformés vers l'intérieur. L'ébauche 44 est étirée pour lui donner la forme définitive du fût 18. Il faut remarquer que la partie 40 présente deux pattes latérales 46 qui sont finalement placées côte à côte et servent à assurer la retenue à l'aide du tube 12. Enfin le contact tubu­laire est replié autour de la languette 32 jusqu'à ce que les pattes 46 s'appuient sur le rebord terminal du fût. Il est souhaitable de donner à ces pattes un déve­loppement périphérique important pour améliorer l'appui.At the following stations (Figure 4), one of the edge strips 38 is cut; the part 40 is rolled to form the contact 20 and the tabs 26 are deformed inward. The blank 44 is stretched to give it the final shape of the barrel 18. It should be noted that the part 40 has two lateral tabs 46 which are finally placed side by side and serve to ensure the retention using the tube 12. Finally the tubular contact is folded around the tongue 32 until the tabs 46 rest on the terminal rim of the barrel. It is desirable to give these legs an important peripheral development to improve support.

Le corps 10 est alors détaché de la bande de rive restante 38, le tube 12 est mis en place et l'une de ses extrémités est sertie sur le renflement 22 constitué par le rebord terminal du fût, la languette 32 formant charnière et les pattes 46.The body 10 is then detached from the remaining edge strip 38, the tube 12 is put in place and one of its ends is crimped onto the bulge 22 formed by the terminal rim of the barrel, the tongue 32 forming hinge and legs 46.

Dans la variante de réalisation montrée en figure 2, l'extrémité du tube 12 n'est pas sertie complètement mais présente simplement un double pliage. Mais les pattes 46 sont elles aussi repliées sur l'ex­trémité du fût, dépourvue de rebord, au lieu de consti­tuer un simple appui à plat.In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the end of the tube 12 is not completely crimped but simply has a double bend. But the legs 46 are also folded over the end of the barrel, without a rim, instead of constituting a simple flat support.

Le matériau constitutif du corps sera générale­ment l'un de ceux couramment utilisés en connectique, notamment les alliages de cuivre ou alliages légers suf­fisamment ductiles pour permettre l'étirage du fût 18. Le corps une fois achevé sera soumis à des traitements thermique de surface ou à coeur, par exemple à un revêtement de nickel ductile et non poreux de quelques microns d'épaisseur, suivi d'un dépôt d'or d'épaisseur inférieure au micron. Le tube de protection, généra­lement deux ou trois fois moins épais que le corps, pourra être en matériau ferreux et notamment en acier inoxydable. Il existe en effet des aciers inoxydables présentant une ductibilité suffisante pour permettre de fabriquer le tube 12 par frappe à froid, emboutissage, filage direct ou inverse.The material constituting the body will generally be one of those commonly used in connectors, in particular copper alloys or light alloys sufficiently ductile to allow the drawing of the barrel 18. The body once completed will be subjected to surface heat treatments or to the core, for example to a coating of ductile and non-porous nickel a few microns thick, followed by a deposit of gold of thickness less than one micron. The protective tube, generally two or three times thinner than the body, may be made of ferrous material and in particular stainless steel. There are indeed stainless steels with sufficient ductility to allow the tube 12 to be manufactured by cold stamping, stamping, direct or reverse spinning.

Dans une variante de réalisation, le contact tubulaire avant est fabriqué par découpage et roulage d'un feuillard d'un matériau à caractéristique mécanique élevée. Le fût est fabriqué séparément par emboutissage d'un feuillard de matériau se prêtant à l'emboutissage, tel que les alliages de cuivre à haute déformation â froid. Le fût et le contact tubulaire sont positionnés puis fixés l'un à l'autre. L'assemblage est maintenu par le tube externe de protection. Pour permettre un sertis­sage garantissant une bonne solidarisation, les pattes 46 sont par exemple remplacées par une collerette s'étendant tout autour du contact.In an alternative embodiment, the front tubular contact is produced by cutting and rolling a strip of material with high mechanical characteristic. The barrel is produced separately by stamping a strip of material suitable for stamping, such as copper alloys with high cold deformation. The barrel and the tubular contact are positioned and then fixed to each other. The assembly is maintained by the external protection tube. To allow crimping ensuring good connection, the lugs 46 are for example replaced by a flange extending all around the contact.

L'invention ne se limite nullement aux bornes de contact femelles décrites â titre d'exemples. Elle pré­sente une portée beaucoup plus large et peut s'appliquer quelle que soit la constitution de la partie avant, no­tamment si cette derniére est un contact mâle.The invention is in no way limited to the limits of female contacts described as examples. It has a much wider scope and can be applied regardless of the constitution of the front part, especially if the latter is a male contact.

Claims (11)

1. Borne de contact électrique comportant un corps (10) présentant un contact tubulaire avant fractionné par des fentes longitudinales (24) en des doigts de contact et un fût arrière (18) destiné à recevoir un conducteur électrique et comportant un tube externe de protection du contact, caractérisée en ce que le fût (18) est continu et en ce qu'il est séparé du corps par un renflement circonférentiel (22) emprisonné dans une partie terminale évasée du tube externe de protection.1. Electrical contact terminal comprising a body (10) having a front tubular contact divided by longitudinal slots (24) into contact fingers and a rear shaft (18) intended to receive an electrical conductor and comprising an external protection tube contact, characterized in that the barrel (18) is continuous and in that it is separated from the body by a circumferential bulge (22) trapped in a flared end portion of the outer protective tube. 2. Borne selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que la borne est en deux pièces seulement, le contact tubulaire avant étant relié au fût arrière par une languette (32) pliée.2. Terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the terminal is in two parts only, the front tubular contact being connected to the rear shaft by a folded tongue (32). 3. Borne selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que le renflement (22) est constitué par une languette (32) repliée reliant le fût au contact tubulaire et par des pattes terminales (46) du contact tubulaire en appui contre le fût.3. Terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the bulge (22) is constituted by a folded tongue (32) connecting the barrel to the tubular contact and by end tabs (46) of the tubular contact in abutment against the barrel. 4. Borne selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le contact tubulaire avant et le fût arrière sont distincts et reliés par le tube externe.4. Terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that the front tubular contact and the rear barrel are separate and connected by the outer tube. 5. Borne selon l'une quelconque des revendica­tions 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que la partie terminale évasée du tube externe de protection est constituée par des replis à angle droit emprisonnant au moins partiellement le renflement circonférentiel du corps.5. Terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the flared end portion of the external protection tube is constituted by folds at right angles trapping at least partially the circumferential bulge of the body. 6. Borne selon l'une quelconque des revendica­tions précédentes, caractérisée en ce que le corps est en alliage à base de cuivre ou en alliage léger et le tube en acier inoxydable est d'épaisseur comprise entre le tiers et la moitié de l'épaisseur du corps.6. Terminal according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body is of copper-based alloy or light alloy and the stainless steel tube is of thickness between one third and half the thickness from the body. 7. Procédé de fabrication de borne selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'on fabrique le corps par découpage et roulage, dans un feuillard, d'une partie (40) destinée à consti­tuer le contact tubulaire et par découpage et emboutis­sage du fût arrière (18) et en ce qu'on maintient le contact tubulaire et le fût en alignement par sertissage du tube externe sur eux.7. A method of manufacturing a terminal according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body is manufactured by cutting and rolling, in a strip, of a part (40) intended to constitute the tubular contact and by cutting and stamping the rear barrel (18) and in that the tubular contact and the barrel are kept in alignment by crimping the external tube on them . 8. Procédé selon la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce que le contact tubulaire et le fût arrière sont constitués dans un même feuillard en les maintenant raccordés par une languette (32) qui est ensuite pliée pour ramener le contact tubulaire en alignement avec le fût.8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the tubular contact and the rear barrel are formed in the same strip by maintaining them connected by a tongue (32) which is then folded to bring the tubular contact in alignment with the barrel. 9. Procédé de fabrication de borne selon la re­vendication 8, caractérisé en ce qu'on fabrique le corps par découpage d'un premier feuillard et roulage et le fût arrière par découpage et emboutissage d'un autre feuillard de matériau différent du premier et en ce qu'on maintient le contact tubulaire et le fût en ali­gnement par sertissage ou soudage du tube externe sur eux.9. A terminal manufacturing method according to claim 8, characterized in that the body is manufactured by cutting a first strip and rolling and the rear barrel by cutting and stamping another strip of material different from the first and in what maintains the tubular contact and the barrel in alignment by crimping or welding the outer tube on them. 10. Procédé selon la revendication 7, 8 ou 9, caractérisé en ce que le tube est fabriqué par frappe à froid.10. Method according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the tube is produced by cold stamping. 11. Procédé selon la revendication 10, caracté­risé en ce que le tube est fixé sur le corps par sertis­sage de sa partie terminale arrière sur le renflement de façon à retenir le fût et le contact en alignement et à interdire le déroulage du contact.11. The method of claim 10, characterized in that the tube is fixed to the body by crimping its rear end portion on the bulge so as to retain the barrel and the contact in alignment and to prohibit the unwinding of the contact.
EP88401982A 1987-08-03 1988-07-29 Electrical contact terminal and manufacturing process thereof Expired - Lifetime EP0302777B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8711001 1987-08-03
FR8711001A FR2619256B1 (en) 1987-08-03 1987-08-03 ELECTRIC CONTACT TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH A TERMINAL

Publications (2)

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EP0302777A1 true EP0302777A1 (en) 1989-02-08
EP0302777B1 EP0302777B1 (en) 1992-10-14

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EP88401982A Expired - Lifetime EP0302777B1 (en) 1987-08-03 1988-07-29 Electrical contact terminal and manufacturing process thereof

Country Status (4)

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US (1) US4934964A (en)
EP (1) EP0302777B1 (en)
DE (1) DE3875304T2 (en)
FR (1) FR2619256B1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2619256A1 (en) 1989-02-10
EP0302777B1 (en) 1992-10-14
DE3875304T2 (en) 1993-02-25
DE3875304D1 (en) 1992-11-19
FR2619256B1 (en) 1989-12-22
US4934964A (en) 1990-06-19

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