Molex Corporation

Silvio Barbieri

Roberto Martucci

Mario Previato

A one-piece electrical terminal (10) includes a strip (44) of conductive metal material having a contact portion (14) and a terminating portion (16). The contact portion (14) is fabricated of a relatively soft metal drawn into a shaped contact (18). The terminating portion (16) is integral with the contact portion (14) and is fabricated of a relatively hard tempered metal formed into a spring arm (16) supporting the contact (18).

Electrical terminal

A mating terminal structure includes a generally box-shaped female terminal defining a receptacle with a flexible cantilevered contact beam formed from a bottom wall thereof. The beam includes a radiused contact portion. A male terminal is insertable into the receptacle in a given insertion direction (A) and includes a contact cam for deflecting the cantilevered contact beam and engaging the contact portion thereof. The contact cam has a leading ramp surface extending at a relatively small acute angle relative to the insertion direction for engaging the contact portion and gradually deflecting the cantilevered contact beam. The contact cam also has a trailing locking surface extending at a relatively larger acute angle relative to the insertion direction for providing locking interference between the contact portion of the cantilevered beam and the contact cam of the male terminal to thereby removably lock the male terminal to the female terminal.

Self-locking mating terminal structure

A reinforced latch structure for electrical connectors is provided. The latch structure comprises at least one latch on one connector in a mateable pair which is resiliently deflectable about a first axis and which is disposed to contact a cam on the opposed connector during mating. The deflectable latch and/or the cam on the opposed connector define a leading ramp surface, a trailing ramp surface and a locking surface. The leading ramp surface is disposed to resiliently deflect the latch arm and develop stored energy therein. The trailing ramp surface employs the stored energy developed in the latch arm to urge the connectors toward a fully mated condition. The latch arm includes a spring steel wire insert for reinforcement, such that the plastic latch arm does not become permanently deformed. The connectors may be disengaged from one another by biasing the latch arm about a second axis away from the associated connector a sufficient amount to clear the cam and enable disengagement of the connectors.

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Padova, Italy

Silvio Barbieri