Electrical terminal having a contact made of a first metal and a coupling member of a second metal
View Patent ↗An electrical terminal is disclosed. The electrical terminal has a first contact made of a first metal and a coupling member made of a metal fixed to the first contact. The coupling member has a cantilever extending along the first contact with a free end extending toward the first contact. The cantilever presses a second contact made of the first metal against the first contact.
1. An electrical terminal, comprising:
a first contact made of a first metal; and
a coupling member made of a second metal fixed to the first contact, the coupling member having a cantilever with a free end extending toward the first contact, the cantilever pressing a second contact made of the first metal and fixed to a mating electrical terminal against the first contact, the second contact disposed between the cantilever and the first contact.
2. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the mating electrical terminal is formed identically to the electrical terminal.
3. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is fixed to the first contact by spot welding or swaging.
4. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first contact has an elongated rectangular shape or a rod-like shape.
5. The electrical terminal of claim 4 , wherein the first contact has a projection extending from a side face of the first contact.
6. The electrical terminal of claim 4 , wherein the first contact has a catch disposed approximately centrally on a side of the first contact.
7. The electrical terminal of claim 6 , wherein the coupling member has a latch disposed approximately centrally on a side of the coupling member engaging the catch.
8. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member has a crimping portion crimped to press the first contact against an electrical wire made of the first metal.
9. The electrical terminal of claim 8 , wherein the coupling member is fixed to the first contact independently of crimping at the crimping portion.
10. The electrical terminal of claim 9 , wherein the coupling member has a sheath crimping portion disposed on a rear end of the coupling member.
11. The electrical terminal of claim 10 , wherein the coupling member has a core crimping portion disposed adjacent the sheath crimping portion.
12. The electrical terminal of claim 11 , wherein the sheath crimping portion is crimped to a sheath of the electrical wire.
13. The electrical terminal of claim 12 , wherein the core crimping portion is crimped to a core of the electrical wire.
14. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein a front end of the first contact extends from a front end of the coupling member.
15. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein a front end of the first contact is aligned with a front end of the coupling member in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the electrical terminal.
16. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the first metal is alumel or chromel.
17. The electrical terminal of claim 16 , wherein the second metal is a copper alloy.
18. The electrical terminal of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever extends from a top wall of the coupling member and the first contact is disposed along an opposite bottom wall of the coupling member.
19. The electrical terminal of claim 18 , wherein the cantilever directly abuts the second contact.