Yazaki North America, Inc.

Ewd, L.l.c.

James Dickinson Roberts

James Leroy Jones, Iii

Joseph Paul Kalisz

Kevin James Updike

Benjamin C Hulbert

Thomas Rumsey

Weizhen Brenda Wang

A male terminal has spring elements bent back from a rounded end above a flat portion of the terminal and separated by a centrally located opening. An aperture extends through the flat portion under the opening. Elongated ridges protrude from an underside of the flat portion. A female terminal has arms overhanging a base to form receptacles for the spring elements. Down-turned alignment ribs on the arms are received in the opening in the male terminal to properly align the terminals during electrical connection. Dimples protrude from the arms to contact the spring elements of the male terminal as the spring elements are inserted. The elongated ridges on the underside of the flat portion of the male terminal contact the base of the female terminal. A lock tab in the base between the ribs snaps into the aperture to latch the terminals together when the spring elements are fully inserted.

Push-lock terminal connection assembly

An electrical terminal connection system includes first and second terminals that are interlocked by placing the first terminal on top of the second terminal and rotating the first terminal. The first terminal has a planar ring section with an outer perimeter and a centrally located aperture. The perimeter has cut-out portions. Inclined spring elements extend from the ring section near the outer perimeter. The second terminal includes a semi-circular part with an outer periphery and a centrally located collar. Curved walls extend perpendicularly from the outer periphery. The walls have ledges projecting over the semi-circular part. Aligning the cut-out portions of the first terminal with the curved walls and ledges of the second terminal enables the planar ring section of the first terminal to be placed on the semi-circular part of the second terminal, with the aperture receiving the collar. Rotating or twisting the first terminal causes the spring elements to contact and slide under the ledges. Simultaneously, a catch extending from the second terminal moves behind a locking edge formed in one of the cut-out portions of the first terminal as a side of the first terminal abuts against one of the curved walls. This prevents further rotation in either direction, maintaining the spring elements in physical and electrical contact with the ledges and interlocking the terminals. Depressing the catch enables reverse rotation and separation of the terminals.

Twist-lock terminal connection system

An electrical terminal connection system has a first terminal for attachment to a high-current cable. The first terminal is formed to include a wire-connect section for direct attachment to the wire and an intermediate stem section joining the wire-connect section to a contact section. The contact section has two opposite sides and deflectable arms extending along each side in parallel relation to each other. The arms are raised from the contact section and extend to free ends adjacent to an end of the contact section. A second terminal extends from a device-side of the connection, such as from a power distribution module (PDM). The second terminal has an initial seating section joined to a bus bar extending from within the PDM and a retaining section having two opposite edges. A short wall extends perpendicularly from each edge of the retaining section and a ledge extends from a top of each wall to overhang part of the retaining section. Each ledge has a portion slanted toward the seating section. When the contact section of the first terminal is placed on the initial seating section of the second terminal and pulled toward the retaining section of the second terminal, the deflectable arms flex and slide under the ledges until they interlock with the ledges behind the slanted portions. A releasable latch projection and stop tabs on the retaining section of the second terminal then prevent further movement of the first terminal in either direction.

Pull-lock terminal connection system

A check fixture for electrical connectors, including a pin nest made of a rigid plastic such as Delrin, having parallel slots and bores contiguous with said slots formed therein to receive one piece contact pins in precise arrangements and orientations to fit a connector to be checked. The contact pins are spring biased into the bores with blade portions extending outwardly from the slots. Wires are soldered into the butt ends of the contact pins and run to a conventional indicator. The pin nest is held within an outer body having a keyed opening to accept the connector in the proper orientation to be checked.

Connector check fixture

A serviceable fused battery terminal comprising a disposable fused battery end containing a fuse link, the disposable fused battery end being initially integrated with a cable-connecting portion of the terminal which is secured to an electrical cable, for example by crimping in known manner. When the fuse blows, the battery end is removed from the cable-connecting end by breaking or separating it, while the cable-connecting end remains secured to the cable in its original fashion. A portion of the cable-connecting end is formed as a reattachment point for a replacement fused battery end , which is then secured to the remaining original cable-connecting end to create a new fused terminal. The inventive terminal allows for the easy replacement of blown fuses in the field without having to cut or otherwise remove the cable-connecting portion of the terminal from the cable.

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

James Dickinson Roberts