An improved electrical contact (10) for an electrical connector is disclosed. A first version of the contact comprises an elongated deep-drawn holder (11) having an axial holder passage (14) and an enlarged shoulder (12). The contact also includes a plurality of axially aligned electrical conducting fine wires (50) assembled together in a brush wire bundle. An elongated deep-drawn sleeve member (40) having an axial passage (46) extending therethrough is positioned over the holder to transform the first version into a second version of the contact. An intermediate flange (20) of the holder disposed rearward the shoulder is bent radially inwardly from the inner surface (22) of the holder passage to a position immediately adjacent the opposite inner surface (24) of the holder passage to provide an aperture (30) rearward the flange. The wire bundle, the sleeve and the holder are crimped together at a position forward the shoulder by four dies (64, 66, 68, 70) spaced apart in a circular arrangement.
A contact terminal is disclosed which comprises a terminal portion of a high voltage resistor wire and an engagement portion formed integrally with a gripper portion for engaging an electrode of a spark plug or the like. A pressure contact tab is integrally formed in an intermediate portion between the gripper portion and the engagement portion. The pressure contact tab may be bent at a right angle relative to an axis of the terminal.
A pin plug includes a hollow conductive pin having an opening at one end, an insulation member secured around the pin, a conductive member attached to the insulation member so as not to be contacted with the pin, and a conductor lead of the coaxial cable type and having a core wire which is inserted into the pin through the opening and is electrically and mechanically connected to the pin and shield lines which are electrically connected to the conductive member. A hollow conductive insert is inserted into the pin, and the core wire is inserted into the insert. The insert is crimped and deformed by crimping a predetermined portion of the pin, thereby integrally securing the core wire, insert and pin together and providing an electrical and mechanical connection therebetween.
A method of crimping contact wires (24) into a holder (26) of a brush contact (24) in which a converging series of indentors (16) each having a Vee-shaped tip (72) are advanced into the holder by a cam sleeve (30) engaging cam surfaces (18) on each indentor, to form valley-shaped crimp recess (78) forcing the holder material between adjacent pairs of contact wires (24), which arrange themselves in a symmetrical pattern during the crimping. A series of flats (70) are also formed on the holder (26) end to tightly bundle the contact wires (24) projecting from the holder (26). The indentors (16) and holder (26) are mounted in a nest (14) during the crimping process.
A socket contact (10) for electrical connectors and method of manufacture comprised of a contact liner (12), a front guide sleeve (14), and a rear sleeve (16) each of said guide sleeve (14) and rear sleeve (16) interfit over the contact liner (12) with a slight overlap (42) at the approximate midsection of the contact liner (12). The guide sleeve (14) is enabled to be interfit with both the contact liner (12) and the rear sleeve (16) by a crimp (44) formed adjacent the rear end (40) of the guide sleeve (14). A fillet weld (48) is applied at the shoulder (46) created by the guide sleeve (14) overlapping the rear sleeve (16) which weld reinforces the midsection of the socket contact (10).
A crimped terminal (or splice) has a housing (10) including a barrel (11) receiving an insert sleeve (13). The barrel (11) has a lug (12) received in a complementary notch (14) formed in the insert sleeve (13), thereby circumferentially keying the insert sleeve (13) to the barrel (11), preventing relative rotation therebetween, and reinforcing the housing (10) during the crimping process. This eliminates cracking of the housing (10) during crimping while improving heat dissipation.
