Yazaki Europe Limited

Yazaki Europw Ltd.

Mario Lekic

Harald Michael Lutsch

Ranko Resman

Goran Petrovic-Poljak

Dragutin Vida

Dean Popovic

An improved electrical connector. The connector includes a first connector () having a housing () for receiving first contact elements () and a slider () slidably disposed on the housing () for receiving second contact elements (); a second connector () for receiving first counter contact elements () and second counter contact elements (); and a retainer () which allows displacement of the slider () such that the second contact elements () secured thereto contact the second counter contact elements () only when the first and second connectors are completely connected together by a locking device. During mating the first contact elements () and first connector contact elements () become fully engaged, but no current flow occurs. At this stage, springs () act to move the slider () forwardly to cause second contact elements () which move with the slider to engage second counter contact elements () to switch on current to contact elements () and to block release of lock arm ().

Connector arrangement with staggered mating

A female terminal for receiving a flat male terminal with a terminal tab (), having a rectangular cross-section and a predetermined width (B) and thickness (D). The female terminal includes a contact element () having two elastic contact tabs () approaching each other along a longitudinal axis (), the contact tabs opposing contact zones () for contacting the terminal tab (); a hollow, rectangular support element () defined by four walls (), enclosing the contact element () and in which the elastic contact tabs () are accommodated; and a device () for electrically connecting a conductor. A first pair of opposing walls () cover the contact tabs () and a second pair of opposing walls () have an elastic locking tab () connected thereto. The elastic locking tabs () engage between the elastic contact tabs () and hold the contact zones () of the contact tabs in a pre-tensioned and contact free manner at a distance (A) from each other, which is smaller than the thickness (D) of the terminal tab (), in a condition in which the flat male terminal is not inserted. The locking tabs () have a free distance (C) therebetween before the insertion of the terminal tab (), which is smaller than the width (B) of the terminal tab () and the locking tabs () contact the terminal tab () in the inserted position along the longitudinal axis () in a contact area which is off-set further from the first end () of the support element () than the contact zones () of the contact tabs ().

Female terminal for a flat male terminal

An electrical contact element including a base element () formed from a flat material with a high electrical conductivity and includes a conductor contact portion (), a base portion () integrally connected to the conductor contact portion () and formed box-like defined by an upper wall () with an opening (), a bottom wall () arranged opposite to the upper wall () and two side walls () connecting the upper wall () and the bottom wall (), and a flat terminal pin () integrally connected to the base portion () and extending away from the conductor contact portion () and having two vertically arranged pin portions (). The contact element also includes an elastic retaining element () formed from a sheet spring steel and including a flat pin-reinforcement portion () arranged between the two pin portions (), an intermediate portion () extending from the pin-reinforcement portion () and abutting an inner side of the bottom wall (), and an elastic retaining portion () angled relative to the intermediate portion () and projecting out of the opening () and forming a support edge ().

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Zagreb, Croatia

Mario Lekic