IP Library Granted Patent US 12712303
Granted Patent B2
US 12712303 · App. 18/163,342 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Electrical circuit board-plug contact device

Inventors: Daniel Rosan (Bensheim, DE); Willi Dietrich (Bensheim, DE); Rajesh Kumar (Bensheim, DE); Stefan Masak (Bensheim, DE)
Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
H01R13/112H01R12/585H01R13/15H01R43/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12712303
App. No.
18/163,342
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrical contact device includes a first electrical contact portion mechanically fixing and electrically connecting the electrical contact device to a circuit board by press-fitting, a second electrical contact portion forming an electrical plug contact matable with an electrical mating contact element, and a spring portion arranged between the first and second electrical contact portions in a longitudinal direction of the electrical contact device. The second electrical contact portion has a fork structure with a pair of fork elements mechanically clamping and fixing the electrical mating contact element on the electrical contact device. The spring portion electrically connects the first and second contact portions. The spring portion permits an elastic variation of a spacing between the first and second electrical contact portions in the longitudinal direction.

Claims (36)

1 . An electrical contact device, comprising:

a first electrical contact portion mechanically fixing and electrically connecting the electrical contact device to a circuit board by press-fitting;

a second electrical contact portion forming an electrical plug contact matable with an electrical mating contact element, the second electrical contact portion has a fork structure with a pair of fork elements mechanically clamping and fixing the electrical mating contact element on the electrical contact device, the first electrical contact portion and/or the second electrical contact portion has a stop element, the stop element faces the other of the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion; and

a spring portion arranged between the first and second electrical contact portions in a longitudinal direction of the electrical contact device, the spring portion electrically connects the first and second contact portions, the spring portion permits an elastic variation of a spacing between the first and second electrical contact portions in the longitudinal direction.

2 . The electrical contact device of claim 1 , wherein the spring portion has a curved element with a first curved portion.

3 . The electrical contact device of claim 2 , wherein the first curved portion has a curvature about a first axis of curvature oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the curved element can be elastically deformed along the longitudinal axis.

4 . The electrical contact device of claim 3 , wherein the curved element has a second curved portion with a curvature about a second axis of curvature oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis.

5 . The electrical contact device of claim 4 , wherein the curved element in the first curved portion and/or in the second curved portion has a curvature of 180° about the first axis of curvature or the second axis of curvature.

6 . The electrical contact device of claim 3 , wherein the curved element has a pair of first curved portions with opposing directions of curvature about the first axis of curvature.

7 . The electrical contact device of claim 2 , wherein the curved element transmits an electrical current between the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion.

8 . The electrical contact device of claim 2 , wherein the curved element is a curved bar element.

9 . The electrical contact device of claim 2 , wherein a width of the curved element corresponds to a smallest width of one of the fork elements.

10 . The electrical contact device of claim 2 , wherein the spring portion has a first base portion contacting the first electrical contact portion and a second base portion contacting the second electrical contact portion.

11 . The electrical contact device of claim 10 , wherein the curved element is connected to the first base portion and the second base portion.

12 . The electrical contact device of claim 11 , wherein the first base portion and the second base portion each have a contact element respectively protruding from the first base portion and the second base portion, the first curved portion is contacted by the contact element.

13 . The electrical contact device of claim 4 , wherein the first curved portion and/or the second curved portion is formed by bending.

14 . The electrical contact device of claim 1 , wherein the spring portion has a pair of curved elements with curvatures in opposing directions.

15 . The electrical contact device of claim 1 , wherein the spring portion is integrally connected to the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion.

16 . The electrical contact device of claim 1 , wherein the spring portion is integrally configured on the first electrical contact portion and connected to the second electrical contact portion by a latching connection and/or a joint.

17 . The electrical contact device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact portion and the second electrical contact portion are arranged laterally offset to one another relative to the longitudinal direction.

18 . An electrical contact system, comprising:

an electrical circuit board; and

a pair of electrical contact devices adjacently arranged on the electrical circuit board and comprising a plug contact with a mating contact element, each of the electrical contact devices include:

a first electrical contact portion mechanically fixing and electrically connecting the electrical contact device to the electrical circuit board by press-fitting;

a second electrical contact portion forming an electrical plug contact matable with an electrical mating contact element, the second electrical contact portion has a fork structure with a pair of fork elements mechanically clamping and fixing the electrical mating contact element on the electrical contact device; and

a spring portion arranged between the first and second electrical contact portions in a longitudinal direction of the electrical contact device, the spring portion electrically connects the first and second contact portions, the spring portion permits an elastic variation of a spacing between the first and second electrical contact portions in the longitudinal direction.

19 . The electrical contact system of claim 18 , wherein the mating contact element is configured as a tab and clamped between the pair of fork elements of the fork structure of the second contact portion.

20 . The electrical contact system of claim 18 , wherein the spring portion has a pair of curved elements arranged opposite one another on two opposing edges of each of the pair of electrical contact devices.

21 . The electrical contact system of claim 18 , wherein the first electrical contact portion includes a fixing opening and a pair of latching teeth on opposing edges of each of the pair of electrical contact devices.

22 . An electrical contact device, comprising:

a first electrical contact portion mechanically fixing and electrically connecting the electrical contact device to a circuit board by press-fitting;

a second electrical contact portion forming an electrical plug contact matable with an electrical mating contact element, the second electrical contact portion has a fork structure with a pair of fork elements mechanically clamping and fixing the electrical mating contact element on the electrical contact device; and

a spring portion arranged between the first and second electrical contact portions in a longitudinal direction of the electrical contact device, the spring portion electrically connects the first and second contact portions, the spring portion permits an elastic variation of a spacing between the first and second electrical contact portions in the longitudinal direction, the spring portion including:

a first base portion contacting the first electrical contact portion;

a second base portion contacting the second electrical contact portion, the first base portion and the second base portion each have a contact element respectively protruding from the first base portion and the second base portion; and

a curved element with a first curved portion, the curved element is connected to the first base portion and the second base portion and the first curved portion is contacted by the contact element.