The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 07, 2001
Edward M. Bungo, Cortland, OH (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A zero terminal insertion force electrical connection assembly. A female terminal features a barrel having a floor, a roof and an opening. Connected to the floor is a tongue which curves inwardly and upwardly into the barrel, and has an interface surface located adjacent the roof when the tongue is in a relaxed state. A boss feature is connected to the tongue and passes though an aperture in the roof when the tongue is in its relaxed state. A zero insertion force member is slidably interfaced with the barrel such that at a first position, the boss feature projects fully through the aperture. However, when slid to a second position, the zero insertion force member presses upon the boss feature so as to cause the tongue to be resiliently depressed toward the floor and allow a male terminal to be slid receivingly into the barrel without any contact with the tongue. Yet, when the zero insertion force member is returned to the first position the tongue resiliently rebounds such that the interface surface of the tongue is in good abutting electrical contact with the male terminal by virtue of the resilient normal force of the tongue.