초록 ▼

An electrical connector assembly has a first connector including at least one female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis, a terminal, and a socket body defining a socket. The socket body has an axial opening and a radial opening. A second connector has at least one male electrical contact

An electrical connector assembly has a first connector including at least one female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis, a terminal, and a socket body defining a socket. The socket body has an axial opening and a radial opening. A second connector has at least one male electrical contact having a mating portion with a diameter for engagement with the female contact to produce an electrical connection between the first contact and second contact. A clip is formed separately from the female contact and includes a contact arm. The clip is mounted on the female contact so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body. The contact arm is positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector having at least one female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis, a terminal, and a socket body defining a socket having a diameter, the socket body having an axial opening and a radial opening providing ac

What is claimed is: 1. An electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector having at least one female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis, a terminal, and a socket body defining a socket having a diameter, the socket body having an axial opening and a radial opening providing access to the socket, the socket body comprising two external surfaces forming edges in opposed to each other in a circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis of the contact; a second connector having at least one male electrical contact including a mating portion having a diameter and being adapted to be received through the axial opening into the socket of the female electrical contact for engagement of the male contact with the female contact to produce an electrical connection between the first contact and second contact, a clip formed separately from the female contact and including a contact arm, the clip being constructed and shaped for mounting on the female contact so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body, the contact arm defining a contact surface closest to the longitudinal axis of the female contact when the clip is mounted thereon, the contact arm being free of formations projecting from the contact surface into the socket, the contact surface extending generally from one of the circumferentially opposed edges of the radial opening in the socket body to the opposite circumferentially opposed edge of the radial opening and being positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts, the maximum spacing between the contact surface and a radially opposed portion of the socket body within the socket being less than the diameter of the mating portion of the male contact when received in the socket, the clip comprising a curved attachment portion, the contact arm and curved attachment portion being sized and shaped for extending around an exterior circumferentially extending surface of the socket body to attach the clip to the socket body. 2. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein the clip is adapted for snap-on connection to the socket body. 3. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein the contact surface lies in a plane extending from one of the circumferentially opposed edges of the radial opening to the opposite circumferentially opposed edge thereof when the clip is mounted on the female contact. 4. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 1 further comprising plural female contacts in the first connector and plural male contacts in the second connector, each of the female contacts having the same construction and including a clip having the same construction as the clip of claim 1. 5. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein the two external surfaces defining the circumferentially opposed edges of the radial opening are substantially co-planar. 6. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein the contact arm further comprises a flat portion including the contact surface and a flared portion including a forward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the flared portion extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted thereon. 7. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 6 wherein the flared portion constitutes a first flared portion, and wherein the contact arm further comprises a second flared portion including a rearward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the second flared portion extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted thereon. 8. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 6 wherein said flared portion has an axial length, the axial length being less than or equal to approximately 40 percent of the socket diameter. 9. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein the clip is made of a first material and the socket body is made of a second material, the first material being more resilient than the second material. 10. The electric connector assembly set forth in claim 9 wherein the second material has a greater electrical conductivity than the first material. 11. The electrical connector assembly set forth in claim 9 wherein the clip is made of beryllium copper and said socket body is made of copper alloy. 12. A female electrical contact for an electrical connector assembly, the female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a terminal, a socket body defining a socket and having an axial opening and a radial opening providing access to the socket, the axial opening being adapted to receive at least one male electrical contact for engagement of the male contact with the female contact to produce an electrical connection therebetween, the socket body comprising two external surfaces forming edges in opposed to each other in a circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis of the contact; a clip formed separately from the socket body and including a contact arm, the clip being constructed and shaped for mounting on the socket body so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body, the contact arm defining a contact surface closest to the longitudinal axis of the female contact when the clip is mounted thereon, the contact arm being free of formations projecting from the contact surface into the socket, the contact surface extending generally from one of the circumferentially opposed edges of the radial opening in the socket body to the opposite circumferentially opposed edge of the radial opening and being generally free of discontinuities, the contact surface being positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts, the clip comprising a curved attachment portion, the contact arm and curved attachment portion being sized and shaped for extending around an exterior circumferentially extending surface of the socket body to attach the clip to the socket body. 13. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 12 wherein the clip is generally C-shaped in cross section and is adapted for snap-on connection to the socket body. 14. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 12 wherein the contact surface lies in a plane extending from one of the circumferentially opposed edges of the radial opening to the opposite circumferentially opposed edge thereof when the clip is mounted on the socket body. 15. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 12 wherein the male contact has a diameter and wherein a maximum spacing between the contact surface and the socket body within the socket is less than the diameter of the male contact. 16. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 12 wherein the contact arm further comprises a flat portion including the contact surface and a flared portion including a forward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the flared portion extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted on said socket body. 17. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 16 wherein the flared portion constitutes a first flared portion, and wherein the contact arm further comprises a second flared portion including a rearward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the second flared portion extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted on said socket body. 18. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 16 wherein said socket has a diameter and said flared portion has an axial length, the axial length being less than or equal to approximately 40 percent of the socket diameter. 19. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 12 wherein the clip is made of a first material and the socket body is made of a second material, the first material being more resilient than the second material. 20. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 19 wherein the second material has a greater electrical conductivity than the first material. 21. The female electrical contact set in claim 19 wherein the clip is made of beryllium copper and said socket body is made of copper alloy. 22. A female electrical contact for an electrical connector assembly, the female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a terminal, a socket body defining a socket having a diameter, the socket body having an axial opening and a radial opening providing access to the socket, the axial opening being adapted to receive at least one male electrical contact for engagement of the male contact with the female contact to produce an electrical connection therebetween; a clip formed separately from the socket body and including a contact arm, the clip being constructed and shaped for mounting on the socket body so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body, the contact arm defining a contact surface closest to the longitudinal axis of the female contact when the clip is mounted thereon and being positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts, the clip having a flared portion including a forward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the clip comprising a curved attachment portion, the contact arm and curved attachment portion being sized and shaped for extending around an exterior circumferentially extending surface of the socket body to attach the clip to the socket body, wherein said contact surface comprises a flat portion of the clip, the flared portion extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted on the socket body. 23. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 22 wherein the contact surface extends generally from one edge of the radial opening in the socket body to an opposite edge of the radial opening and is generally free of discontinuities and formations projecting from the contact surface into the socket. 24. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 22 wherein the clip is adapted for snap-on connection to the socket body. 25. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 22 wherein the clip is made of a first material and the socket body is made of a second material, the first material being more resilient than the second material. 26. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 25 wherein the second material has a greater electrical conductivity than the first material. 27. The female electrical contact set forth in claim 25 wherein the clip is made of beryllium copper and said socket body is made of copper alloy. 28. A female electrical contact for an electrical connector assembly, the female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a terminal, a socket body defining a socket having a diameter, the socket body having an axial opening and a radial opening providing access to the socket, the axial opening being adapted to receive at least one male electrical contact for engagement of the male contact with the female contact to produce an electrical connection therebetween; a clip formed separately from the socket body and including a contact arm, the clip being constructed and shaped for mounting on the socket body so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body, the contact arm defining a contact surface closest to the longitudinal axis of the female contact when the clip is mounted thereon and being positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts, the clip having a flared portion including a forward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the clip comprising a curved attachment portion, the contact arm and curved attachment portion being sized and shaped for extending around an exterior circumferentially extending surface of the socket body to attach the clip to the socket body, wherein said flared portion has an axial length, the axial length being less than or equal to approximately 40 percent of the socket diameter. 29. An electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector having at least one female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis, a terminal, and a socket body defining a socket having a diameter, the socket body having an axial opening and a radial opening providing access to the socket; a second connector having at least one male electrical contact including a mating portion having a diameter and being adapted to be received through the axial opening into the socket of the female electrical contact for engagement of the male contact with the female contact to produce an electrical connection between the first contact and second contact, a clip formed separately from the female contact and including a contact arm, the clip being constructed and shaped for mounting on the female contact so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body, the contact arm defining a contact surface closest to the longitudinal axis of the female contact when the clip is mounted thereon, the contact surface extending generally from one edge of the radial opening in the socket body to an opposite edge of the radial opening and being positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts, the maximum spacing between the contact surface and a radially opposed portion of the socket body within the socket being less than the diameter of the mating portion of the male contact when received in the socket, the contact arm comprising a flat portion including the contact surface, a first flared portion including a forward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, and a second flared portion including a rearward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the first and second flared portions extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted thereon. 30. A female electrical contact for an electrical connector assembly, the female electrical contact having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a terminal, a socket body defining a socket and having an axial opening and a radial opening providing access to the socket, the axial opening being adapted to receive at least one male electrical contact for engagement of the male contact with the female contact to produce an electrical connection therebetween; a clip formed separately from the socket body and including a contact arm, the clip being constructed and shaped for mounting on the socket body so that the contact arm of the clip projects into the socket through the radial opening in the socket body, the contact arm defining a contact surface closest to the longitudinal axis of the female contact when the clip is mounted thereon, the contact surface extending generally from one edge of the radial opening in the socket body to an opposite edge of the radial opening and being generally free of discontinuities, the contact surface being positioned for engaging the male contact upon reception in the socket for use in making electrical connection between the female and male contacts, the contact arm comprising a flat portion including the contact surface, a first flared portion including a forward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, and a second flared portion including a rearward longitudinal edge of the contact arm, the first and second flared portions extending out of plane with the flat portion and generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the female contact when mounted thereon.