US3032741A - Electrical assembly - Google Patents

Description

May 1962 R. E. FITZ GERALD 3,032,741

ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY Filed April 15, 1959 Fig". 2.

Invenior. Ro'a'eawi E. fifi'l't'zlerahl,

tates ited This invention relates generally to lamp socket assemblies and has particular reference to wiring connectors adapted to be snapped into engagement with the terminal contacts assembled therewith.

Detachable wiring connectors heretofore used in industry and particularly in automotive wiring have been of the staked wire type and their particular configurations have required high insertion pressure but which could be withdrawn under pressures in the magnitude of twelve pounds. Difficulties have been experienced with existing wiring connections in that they are not vibration proof and result in faulty electrical connections and open circuits.

The object of my invention is to provide a wiring connector of a new and improved construction having high withdrawal pressures.

Another object of my invention is to provide a detachable wiring connector which will resist vibration and mechanical strain.

A further object of this invention is to provide a resilient wiring connector having means for snap engagement with a terminal contact.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of the male wiring con nector;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the connector as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation, partly in section illustrating the male connector snapped into engagement with a female terminal contact;

FIG. 4 is a view in section, partly in elevation, of the terminal contact carrying means with the wiring snapped into engagement therewith, prior to assembly with a lamp housing;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a lamp socket 145 of the type used in automotive illumination which is adapted to be snapped into an opening 12 in a support 14 and retained by means of spring fingers 16. The lamp socket comprising an open ended housing 18 for receiving the base of a lamp bulb 20 and terminal contact carrying means 22 extending rearwardly therefrom. The housing 18 has J-slots 24 for retention of the base of the lamp bulb 20.

The contact carrying means '22 are of the type which is fully described in my copending application, Serial No. 731,822, filed April 29, 1958, and now Patent No. 2,912,- 669, issued November 10, 1959, and comprises an insulated housing 26 having a pair of headed eyelets 28 disposed therein and retained in assembly by a flared opened end portion 30. The eyelets 28 are resiliently biased in the direction of the bulb 20 by spring means 32. A circumferential groove 34 is formed in the eyelet on the exterior lateral surface at a predetermined point for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The Wiring connector 36 as illustrated in FIGS. land 2 is formed from a resilient sheet metal blank rolled to form a generally tubular portion 38 having a longitudinal gap 40 on one surface. The tubular portion is tapered atent O toward one end 42 to provide lead for insertion within the eyelet 28. A series of circumferentially aligned peripheral slots 44 are formed on the tubular portion 38 above the taper and spaced from each other by ribs 46. A stop portion 48 is longitudinally spaced from the peripheral slots 44 and is of lesser diameter than the eyelet 28 but of greater diameter than the inner diameter of the circumferential grooves 34. Lugs or staking means 50 are formed on the free end of the wiring connector for attachment to suitable wiring 52.

To assemble the wiring connector 36 with the headed eyelet 28, the tapered end 42 is inserted into the end and continuous pressure applied so that the connector 36 will flex causing the longitudinal gap 40 to narrow and reducing the diameter of the connector. The inherent resilient characteristics of a connector of this construction will allow it to pass into the headed eyelet '28 to a point where the circumferentially aligned series of slots 44 enter into snap engagement with the walls of the circumferential grooves 34. The stop portions 48 are spaced from the slots 44 a predetermined distance to prevent excessive pressure being put on the connector 36 during insertion and to insure proper alignment of the slots 44 with walls of the circumferential groove 34. It will thus be seen that the tapered end 42 permits relatively easy insertion but when the walls of the circumferential groove 34 are retained within the slots 44, dislodgement by vibration in other means will be effectively reduced.

Since certain other obvious modifications may be made in this device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An electrical connector assembly for snap insertion into a lamp socket base comprising in combination a contact member consisting of a closed eyelet having an annular detent therein and a tapered tubular barrel, said barrel having an open slot on one lateral surface providing for radial flexibility, said slot widening at a point above the taper into a peripherally extending aperture, a stop portion spaced from said tubular barrel by said slot and connected therewith by depressed longitudinal bridges defining a peripheral groove, said peripheral groove cooperating with the annular detent of the eyelet for retention therein.

2. A removable terminal connector for insertion into a lamp socket base comprising in combination an improved contact member including a closed eyelet having a detent flange formed therein and a wire terminal, said wire terminal comprising a tubular male member tapered along the longitudinal axis to facilitate initial insertion within the eyelet member and being longitudinally divided by an open slot to provide radial flexibility, slots formed in the periphery of said tubular male member above the taper and separated from each other by longitudinal bridges, said bridges forming with the slots a peripheral groove adapted for cooperative engagement with the detent flange of said eyelet to secure the wire terminal with the contact after insertion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain May 10, 1950

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