Wear-resistant terminal fittings

Abstract

To provide a more robust electrical connector that is easier to be assembled by reducing insertion forces and reducing or eliminating wear on the terminal contact surfaces.SOLUTION: A female receptacle terminal (10) for an electrical connector is disclosed. The female receptacle terminal includes a receptacle having an opening for receiving a male blade terminal in an insertion direction (M). A resilient contact beam extends from an upper portion of a receptacle to an opposing lower portion. An upper contact surface is provided on the resilient contact beam and a lower contact surface is provided on the lower portion. Each contact surface has a contact ridge for engaging the male blade terminal at a point contact interface and a guide portion that is linear in the width direction and parallel to the lower portion in a plane perpendicular to the width direction for engaging the male blade terminal along a line contact interface. There are also disclosed a male blade terminal, an electrical connector, and a method of forming an electrical connection.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of terminal fittings, and more particularly to terminal fittings used in electrical connectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, electrical connectors typically transmit power and signals through a contact interface that includes a female receptacle terminal and a male blade terminal. The terminals are comprised of a conductive substrate, such as a copper-based alloy. The substrate has a plating layer deposited on at least the contact portion of the terminal system. Plating materials include, but are not limited to, gold, silver, tin, and nickel. These terminal systems are prone to wear and chipping of the plating material during mating and unmating. This degradation increases insertion force and electrical resistance.

[0003] There is a need for an improved terminal system that has increased wear resistance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An important factor to control in the design of electrical terminals is the force required to mate a female receptacle terminal with a male blade terminal. This factor is particularly important in connector configurations including multiple female receptacle terminals configured to simultaneously mate with a corresponding number of male blade terminals, since the total insertion force is a multiple of the single insertion force required for a single set of male and female terminals. Another important factor is the repeatability of the insertion force over several matings and unmatings, i.e., over several connection and disconnection cycles. In known electrical connectors, the inventors have determined that a significant amount of wear occurs when a male blade terminal is inserted into a female receptacle terminal. As this wear worsens over use of the electrical connector, insertion forces can become large and / or unpredictable over time. The inventors have devised a solution to this problem, as outlined below.

[0005] According to one embodiment, there is provided a female receptacle terminal for an electrical connector, the female receptacle terminal having any or all of the following features: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal within the receptacle in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle; and at least one contact surface configured to engage with the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the at least one contact surface including: a contact ridge provided on at least one of the resilient contact beam and the lower portion, protruding laterally into the receptacle and having a curved profile in both the insertion direction and the width direction of the receptacle; and a guide portion protruding laterally into the receptacle and having a profile that is linear in the width direction in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction and parallel to the lower portion, the guide portion being positioned adjacent to the contact ridge and closer to the opening than the contact ridge, and which engages the male blade terminal prior to the contact ridge during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle.

[0006] By providing a contact surface having the above configuration, a male blade terminal inserted into a receptacle first encounters the guide portion before encountering the contact bumps as it moves toward its fully inserted position. The guide portion can be configured to have a profile that is linear in its width in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction and parallel to its bottom, thereby providing line contact at the interface between the contact surface and the male blade terminal. This distributes force across a significant percentage of the width of the male blade terminal. By configuring the contact bumps to have a curved profile in both the insertion direction and the width of the receptacle, a point contact interface is provided between the contact surface and the male blade terminal. In this way, as the male blade terminal is inserted into the receptacle, it engages the guide portion along a linear contact interface before engaging the contact bumps at a point contact interface. The inventors have determined that this advantageously distributes pressure across the male blade terminal while reducing significant wear during mating, while still providing a good electrical connection via the contact bumps when the male blade terminal is fully inserted. Overall, this configuration provides an easier to assemble and more robust electrical connector by reducing insertion forces and reducing or eliminating wear on the terminal contact surfaces.

[0007] At least one contact surface may comprise an upper contact surface on a resilient contact beam. In such an embodiment, both the contact ridge and the guide portion of the contact surface project downwardly transversely into the receptacle, i.e., toward the bottom of the receptacle. The resilient contact beam may extend along the insertion axis. The resilient contact beam may have a linear main shape. The resilient contact beam may have a main shape including a front portion that may extend toward the bottom in the insertion direction. In such an embodiment, the front portion flares outward toward the opening to facilitate insertion of the male blade terminal. The resilient contact beam may further comprise a rear portion that may extend away from the bottom in the insertion direction. The resilient contact beam may further comprise a beam apex that may be located between the front and rear portions. This may provide an advantageous configuration in which the guide portion is provided by bending of the resilient contact beam. Alternatively or additionally, the guide portion may be provided by additional surface features on the resilient contact beam.

[0008] The contact beam may have a ridge apex rearward of the beam apex in the insertion direction. The ridge apex may be located at least 0.05 mm rearward of the beam apex. The ridge apex may preferably be located at least 0.1 mm rearward of the beam apex. For example, the ridge apex may be located at least 0.1 mm, at least 0.15 mm, at least 0.2 mm, at least 0.25 mm, at least 0.3 mm, or at least 0.35 mm rearward of the beam apex in the insertion direction. Such an offset may provide an advantageous distance at which a transition between the line contact provided by the guide portion and the point contact provided by the contact ridge is achieved. The beam apex may define a leading edge of the guide portion. The beam apex may have a partial cylindrical outer surface shape. The radius of curvature of the partial cylindrical outer surface shape may be 0.2 mm to 2 mm, preferably 0.2 mm to 1.2 mm.

[0009] At least one contact surface may have a lower contact surface at a lower portion. The guide portion may have a sloped portion. The sloped portion may have a front end that may be adjacent to the lower portion. The sloped portion may have a rear end that may be adjacent to the ridge apex of the contact ridge. By providing the guide portion as a sloped surface, the contact interface between the male blade terminal and the contact surface can gradually transition from line contact at the front end of the sloped surface to point contact at the ridge apex. Providing the sloped portion also allows the lower contact surface to be formed by a simple manufacturing process such as stamping.

[0010] The upper surface of the ramp portion may define a slope angle that is substantially constant from the front end to the rear end in the insertion direction. The upper surface of the ramp portion may linearly increase in height from the front end to the rear end. The upper surface of the ramp portion may have a first width at the front end and a second width at the rear end. The first width may be greater than the second width. This allows the contact interface between the male blade terminal and the lower contact surface to gradually transition from a line contact at the front end of the ramp portion to a narrower line contact at the rear end of the ramp portion, thereby facilitating a transition to a point contact at the apex of the ridge. The upper surface of the ramp portion may linearly taper from the first width to the second width. The first width may extend over at least 40% of the width of the lower portion, preferably at least 50% of the width of the lower portion. The slope angle may be any suitable angle. In certain embodiments, the slope angle is 20 degrees or less from the insertion axis.

[0011] The guide portion may be spaced apart from the contact ridge. The guide portion may be continuous with the contact ridge. The guide portion may intersect with a front region of the contact ridge. The guide portion may intersect with the front region at an intersection boundary where the contact ridge has a first slope in the insertion direction and the guide portion has a second slope in the insertion direction. The first slope and the second slope may be substantially the same. In other words, the guide portion may extend from the contact ridge at a tangent to the contact ridge at the intersection boundary. This may provide a smooth transition between the guide portion and the contact ridge. The outer shape of the contact ridge may be partially spherical.

[0012] The at least one contact surface may comprise a single contact surface in the form of a lower contact surface provided on the lower portion according to any of the above-described embodiments. The at least one contact surface may comprise a single contact surface in the form of an upper contact surface provided on the resilient contact beam according to any of the above-described embodiments. In certain configurations, the at least one contact surface includes both a lower contact surface provided on the lower portion according to any of the above-described embodiments and an upper contact surface provided on the resilient contact beam according to any of the above-described embodiments.

[0013] The female receptacle terminal may include a body having a connecting section. The connecting section may be configured to couple to a conductor. The body may further include a contact section, which may be configured to provide an electrical connection to a mating male blade terminal. The contact section may include a resilient contact beam. The female receptacle terminal may further include a cover. The contact section of the body may be received within the cover to define a receptacle of the female receptacle terminal. In other embodiments, the female receptacle terminal may have a single, integral structure.

[0014] The contact section of the body may further comprise a stationary beam. The stationary or stationary beam may extend in the insertion direction and may oppose the resilient contact beam. The stationary or stationary beam may define at least a portion of the lower portion of the receptacle. The lower contact surface may be provided on the stationary beam.

[0015] The lower portion of the receptacle may be at least partially defined by a bottom wall of the receptacle. If the female receptacle terminal includes a cover, the bottom wall of the receptacle may be defined by a bottom wall of the cover. The lower contact surface may be provided on the bottom wall.

[0016] The top of the receptacle may be at least partially defined by a top wall of the receptacle. When the female receptacle terminal includes a cover, the top wall of the receptacle may be defined by a top wall of the cover. The cover may further include a reinforcing beam formed on the top wall. The reinforcing beam may be cantilevered from a point on the top wall and bent downward toward the resilient contact beam. The reinforcing beam may be configured to increase resistance to upward deflection of the resilient contact beam during mating. The reinforcing beam may be configured to increase the normal force provided by the resilient contact beam to provide a good electrical connection. The cover may further include a support beam formed on the top wall and located directly above the reinforcing beam. The support beam may be cantilevered from a point on the top wall and bent downward toward the resilient contact beam. The support beam may be configured to further increase resistance to upward deflection of the resilient contact beam during mating. The support beam may be configured to further increase the normal force provided by the resilient contact beam to provide a good electrical connection.

[0017] At least one contact surface may include a conductive substrate and a plating layer deposited on the conductive substrate. The plating layer may be formed of any suitable material. For example, the plating layer may be a tin plating layer, a silver plating layer, or a gold plating layer.

[0018] The plating layer can have any suitable thickness. In some configurations, the plating layer is a tin plating layer having a thickness of 2.5 microns to 4.0 microns.

[0019] The conductive substrate may be formed from any suitable conductive material. The conductive substrate may include copper. The conductive substrate may include a copper alloy, or may consist solely of a copper alloy. At least one contact surface may include an intermediate layer between the conductive substrate and the plating layer. The intermediate layer may be formed from any suitable material. The intermediate layer may include nickel. In some configurations, the intermediate layer may consist solely of nickel or a nickel alloy.

[0020] According to another embodiment, a female receptacle terminal for an electrical connector is provided, the female receptacle terminal comprising any or all of the following features: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal within the receptacle in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle; and at least one contact surface configured to engage a male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the at least one contact surface comprising: a guide portion on at least one of the resilient contact beam and the lower portion, the guide portion projecting laterally into the receptacle and configured to engage the male blade terminal along a line contact interface during insertion of the male blade terminal, and a contact ridge projecting laterally into the receptacle and configured to engage the male blade terminal at a point contact interface when the male blade terminal is mated with the female receptacle terminal.

[0021] The guide portion may be positioned closer to the opening than the contact bumps so that, during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the guide portion may engage the male blade terminal before the contact bumps, thereby allowing the contact surfaces to engage the male blade terminal at a linear contact interface before engaging the male blade terminal at a point contact interface.

[0022] According to another embodiment, a female receptacle terminal for an electrical connector is provided, the female receptacle terminal comprising any or all of the following features: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal having a predetermined tip shape within the receptacle in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposite lower portion of the receptacle and having a contact ridge protruding into the receptacle; and at least one contact surface configured to engage the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the resilient contact beam configured to engage the predetermined tip shape at an initial contact interface having an angle of 20 degrees or less relative to the insertion axis during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the angle at the contact interface, or "angle of attack," is 16 degrees or less relative to the insertion axis. In certain embodiments, the angle is 10 degrees or less relative to the insertion axis. For a given normal force acting on the male blade terminal from at least one contact surface, the angle of attack can be optimized to reduce or eliminate wear depending on the particular application of the electrical connector.

[0024] According to another embodiment, a female receptacle terminal for an electrical connector is provided, the female receptacle terminal comprising any or all of the following features: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal within the receptacle in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle; and at least one contact surface configured to engage the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the at least one contact surface being on at least one of the resilient contact beam and the lower portion and configured to reduce wear on the male blade terminal during insertion.

[0025] The receptacle may be configured to receive a male blade terminal having a predetermined tip shape. At least one contact surface may be configured to engage the predetermined tip shape. The predetermined tip shape may have a flat upper contact surface and / or a flat lower contact surface. The surface of the predetermined tip shape may be flat in the sense that it has no curvature along the width of the male blade terminal, i.e., no curvature in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the male blade terminal. The predetermined tip shape may be tapered along a length of 1.5 mm or less. In some embodiments, the predetermined tip shape may be tapered along a length of 1.2 mm or less. As used herein, the term "tapered" means that the thickness of the male blade terminal gradually decreases in the height direction toward its front or tip end. The distance the taper extends is defined as the dimension in the insertion direction from the very tip to the point where the thickness of the male blade terminal no longer decreases. This may be the point where both the upper and lower contact surfaces of the male blade terminal are flat.

[0026] Also disclosed herein is a male blade terminal for an electrical connector, the male blade terminal comprising any or all of the following features: a conductive substrate; a tin-plated layer having a thickness of 2.5 microns to 7 microns, preferably 5 microns to 7 microns; and an intermediate layer between the conductive substrate and the tin-plated layer.

[0027] The male blade terminal may include a predetermined tip shape as described above. The predetermined tip shape may have a flat upper contact surface and / or a flat lower contact surface. The surface of the predetermined tip shape may be flat, meaning that it has no curvature along the width of the male blade terminal. The predetermined tip shape may be tapered along a length of 1.5 mm or less. In certain embodiments, the predetermined tip shape may be tapered along a length of 1.2 mm or less.

[0028] The conductive substrate may be formed from any suitable conductive material. The conductive substrate may include copper. The conductive substrate may be a copper alloy. The intermediate layer may include nickel. The intermediate layer may be formed from nickel or a nickel alloy. The intermediate layer may have a thickness of 1.0 microns to 1.8 microns.

[0029] According to a further embodiment, there is provided an electrical connector comprising a female receptacle terminal according to any of the above-described embodiments and a male blade terminal configured to be received in the receptacle.

[0030] According to another embodiment, a method of forming an electrical connection is provided, the method including any or all of the following steps: providing a female receptacle terminal, the female receptacle terminal comprising: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal therein in an insertion direction along the insertion axis, a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle, and at least one contact surface configured to engage the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the at least one contact surface being provided on at least one of the resilient contact beam and the lower portion; inserting the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the step being performed by engaging the male blade terminal with the at least one contact surface along a linear contact interface and thereafter engaging the male blade terminal with the at least one contact surface at a point contact interface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, and by reference to the drawings in which:

[0032] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a female receptacle terminal according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the terminal of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the terminal of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the terminal of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 2 is a bottom view of a contact beam of the terminal of FIG. 1; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a fixed beam of the terminal of FIG. 1; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is another cross-sectional view according to the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a male blade terminal according to the present disclosure. [Figure 9A] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a male blade terminal inserted into a female receptacle terminal in a first position. [Figure 9B] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a male blade terminal inserted into a female receptacle terminal in a second position. [Figure 10A] FIG. 1 illustrates force versus deflection of a typical electrical connector. [Figure 10B] 10A-10C illustrate force versus deflection of an electrical connector according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Where necessary, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are presented herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the specific details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0034] 1 and 2 illustrate a female receptacle terminal 10. The female receptacle terminal 10 comprises a receptacle having an insertion axis 35 and an opening 20. The opening 20 is configured to receive a male blade terminal (not shown) within the receptacle in a mating or insertion direction M along the insertion axis 35. In the illustrated configuration, the terminal 10 comprises a body 80 having a connection section 84 at an end of the terminal 10 for coupling to a conductor, a contact section 82 for providing an electrical connection to the male blade terminal, and a cover 30 surrounding the contact section 82 of the body 80. The cover 30 provides retention and reinforcement for the body 80 when the body 80 is inserted therein. While these components are shown as separable, it will be understood that the body 80 and cover 30 may instead be formed as a single, integral component to provide the terminal 10.

[0035] Body 80 is formed longitudinally along axis 35. The termination of connection portion 84 is generally positioned at the rear or first end of body 80, and contact portion 82 is located at the front or second end of body 80. Body 80 may be stamped and formed from a single piece of conductive material, such as copper or any other copper-based alloy or similar material having equivalent conductive properties. In the illustrated configuration, connection portion 84 is "U" shaped and includes a first pair of wings 88 positioned adjacent contact portion 82 and a second pair of wings 89 positioned adjacent first pair of wings 88. First pair of wings 88 may be used to secure the bare conductor of a cable (not shown), and second pair of wings 89 may be used to secure the insulation of the cable.

[0036] The cover 30 may be stamped and formed from a flat plate and include a generally rectangular perimeter. The perimeter may include a lower section 22, a pair of side walls extending from the lower section 22, and an upper section 24. In the configuration of FIG. 2, the cover 30 includes an intermediate wall 26 that defines the upper section 24 and the lower section 22. One end of the lower section 22 may include an opening 20 for receiving a mating male terminal. In the configuration shown, both the lower section 22 and the upper section 24 extend along an insertion axis 35 and along the length of the cover 30.

[0037] Female receptacle terminal 10 includes a resilient contact beam 100 that extends from the top of the receptacle toward the bottom of the receptacle. In the illustrated configuration, the top is provided by upper section 24 and the bottom is provided by lower section 22. As best shown in FIG. 2 , resilient contact beam 100 extends from body 80 and can be configured to be slidably received by cover 30 when connection portion 82 of body 80 is inserted therein.

[0038] At least one contact surface is provided for engaging the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle. In the illustrated configuration, contact surface 103 is provided on resilient contact beam 100. In particular, the contact surface is disposed on the underside of resilient contact beam 100 so as to face the bottom of the receptacle.

[0039] Alternatively, or in addition, another contact surface may be provided on the lower portion of the receptacle. In the illustrated configuration, contact surface 113 is provided on an upper side of the lower portion of the receptacle, more specifically, on stationary or fixed beam 110 of female receptacle terminal 10. Fixed beam 110 may extend from body 80 and may be configured to be slidably received by cover 30 when connecting portion 82 of body 80 is inserted therein. In this manner, contact surfaces 103, 113 may be provided on one or both sides of the receptacle for engaging with a male blade terminal received by the receptacle.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2 , contact beam 100 and fixed beam 110 extend along insertion axis 35 and are formed from base 83. Fixed beam 110 extends flat forward from base 83 along insertion axis 35, and resilient contact beam 100 extends from the top of the base opposite fixed beam 110. A sidewall of base 83 extends above resilient contact beam 100 and includes stop edge 85. Stop edge 85 defines a surface perpendicular to insertion axis 35 to limit the extent to which body 80 can be inserted into cover 30 along insertion axis 35.

[0041] 1, the body 80 may be slidably received in the lower section 22 of the cover 30 at the end opposite the opening 20. Once inserted, the fixed beam 110 may be positioned on the lower section 22 of the cover 30.

[0042] A retention beam 40 may be formed within the cover 30. In the illustrated configuration, the retention beam 40 extends outward and is bent and cantilevered from the upper section 24 of the cover 30. The cover 30 may also include a reinforcing beam 50 formed from the mid-wall 26 to provide additional support for the resilient contact beam 100. The cover 30 may also include a support beam 52 stacked on the reinforcing beam 50 to provide additional support for the resilient contact beam 100. This increases resistance to deflection during mating and increases the normal force. The normal force can be further increased by using a material with a higher tensile strength for the cover 30.

[0043] 3-6 show further details of the resilient contact beam 100 and the fixed beam 110 according to one embodiment. In the configuration shown, when the body 80 is inserted into the cover 30, the fixed beam 110 defines a lower portion of the receptacle adjacent the lower section 22 of the cover 30. Additionally, the resilient contact beam 100 extends along the receptacle in the insertion direction M and may have a main shape including a front portion, a rear portion, and a beam apex.

[0044] The front portion 100a extends downward in the insertion direction M. In the illustrated configuration, the front portion 100a is disposed at the free end of the cantilevered contact beam 100 and extends toward the fixed beam 110 in the insertion direction M. In other words, the resilient contact beam 100 has the front portion 100a that slopes downward relative to the insertion direction M toward the fixed beam 110.

[0045] The rear portion 100b extends away from the bottom of the receptacle in the insertion direction M. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the rear portion 100b extends away from the fixed beam in the insertion direction M. In other words, the resilient contact beam 100 has a front portion 100b that slopes upwardly away from the fixed beam 110 relative to the insertion direction M.

[0046] The beam apex 100c connects the front portion 100a and the rear portion 100b. As shown in Figures 3-5, the beam apex 100c can provide a smooth transition between the downwardly sloping front portion 100a and the upwardly sloping rear portion 100b of the contact beam 100. In this way, the resilient contact beam 100 can have a convex shape relative to the bottom of the receptacle.

[0047] In the equilibrium position of the resilient contact beam 100, i.e., when not displaced by the male blade terminal, the front portion 100a may be angled upward from the beam apex 100c toward the opening 20 at any suitable angle relative to the insertion axis 35, e.g., between 5 and 70 degrees, and the rear portion may extend upward from the beam apex 100c in the insertion direction M at any suitable angle, e.g., between 2 and 30 degrees. In the illustrated configuration, the front portion 100a extends at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the insertion axis 35, and the rear portion 100b extends at an angle of approximately 10 degrees relative to the insertion axis 35. In the illustrated configuration, the front portion 100a is closer to the opening 20 than the rear portion 100b.

[0048] The contact surface 103 of the resilient contact beam 100 includes a contact ridge 105. The contact ridge 105 protrudes into the receptacle and has a curved profile in both the insertion direction M and the width direction of the receptacle. That is, the contact ridge is non-linear in both the insertion direction M and the width direction that is perpendicular to the insertion direction M and parallel to the plane of the bottom of the receptacle. In the illustrated configuration, the contact ridge 105 has an at least partially spherical surface. In other configurations, the surface may be at least partially elliptical or oval.

[0049] The contact ridge 105 may have a ridge apex 106 located rearward of the beam apex 100c in the insertion direction M. The ridge apex 106 may be provided as the outermost point on the contact ridge 105 relative to the rear portion 100c. In other words, the ridge apex 106 is the point on the surface of the contact ridge 105 that is the greatest vertical distance from the outer surface of the rear portion 100a of the resilient contact beam 100. The ridge apex 106 may be located at least 0.25 mm rearward of the beam apex 100c. Preferably, the ridge apex 106 is located at least 0.35 mm rearward of the beam apex 100c.

[0050] The contact surface 103 may also include a guide portion 101. In the illustrated configuration, the guide portion 101 protrudes into the receptacle and has an outer shape that is linear in the width direction and parallel to the bottom of the receptacle in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction M. In other words, the guide portion 101 does not have a curve in the width direction and is not inclined about the insertion axis 35.

[0051] Beam apex 100c may define the leading edge of guide portion 101. In the illustrated configuration, beam apex 100c has a partial cylindrical outer surface shape. The radius of curvature of the partial cylindrical surface shape is preferably 0.2 mm to 2 mm, and more preferably 0.2 mm to 1.2 mm. Guide portion 101 may be positioned closer to opening 20 than contact bumps 105. In this manner, during insertion of the male terminal blade into the receptacle through opening 20, guide portion 101 engages with the male blade terminal before engaging contact bumps 105.

[0052] As best shown in Figures 4 and 6, a contact surface 113 on the bottom of the receptacle may be provided on a fixed beam 110. The contact surface 113 may include a contact ridge 115 that protrudes into the receptacle and has a curved profile in both the insertion direction and the width direction of the receptacle. That is, the contact ridge is non-linear in both the insertion direction M and the width direction that is perpendicular to the insertion direction M and parallel to the plane of the bottom of the receptacle. In the illustrated configuration, the contact ridge 115 has an at least partially spherical surface. In other configurations, the surface may be at least partially elliptical or oval.

[0053] The contact ridge 115 may have a ridge apex 116. The ridge apex 116 may be provided as the outermost point on the contact ridge 115 relative to the surface of the fixed beam 110. In other words, the ridge apex 116 is the point on the surface of the contact ridge 115 that is the greatest perpendicular distance from the plane of the fixed beam 110.

[0054] The contact surface 113 may also include a guide portion 111. In the illustrated configuration, the guide portion 111 protrudes into the receptacle and has an outline that is linear in the width direction and parallel to the bottom of the receptacle in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction M. In other words, the guide portion 111 does not have a curve in the width direction and is not inclined about the insertion axis 35.

[0055] As best shown in FIG. 6 , the illustrated configuration of the guide portion 111 includes a ramp having a front end 111a adjacent the front end of the fixed beam 110 and a rear end 111b adjacent the ridge apex 116 of the contact ridge 115. The top surface of the ramp increases in height linearly from the front end 111a to the rear end 111b. The angle of the ramp relative to the insertion direction is preferably less than 20 degrees, and may be less than 15 degrees or less than 10 degrees. In the illustrated configuration, the slope angle is approximately 7 degrees. The top surface of the ramp has a first width at the front end 111a and a second width at the rear end 111b, the first width being greater than the second width. The first and second widths are measured in a width direction perpendicular to the insertion direction M. The top surface of the ramp tapers linearly from the first width to the second width. In the illustrated configuration, the ramp has a substantially triangular top surface. The first width may extend across at least 40%, preferably at least 50%, of the width of the lower portion.

[0056] At least a portion of the guide portion 111 may overlap the axial extent of the contact ridge 115. In particular, the sloped portion of the guide portion 111 may overlap the contact ridge 115. In the illustrated configuration, the rear end 111b of the sloped portion 111 is positioned at a position at least 20% along the axial extent of the contact ridge 115 in the insertion direction M. In other examples, the rear end 111b of the sloped portion 111 may be positioned at a position at least 30% or at least 40% along the axial extent of the contact ridge 115 in the insertion direction M. With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6 , the upper surface of the guide portion 111 is tangent to the spherical surface of the contact ridge 115. In other words, the slope of the spherical surface at the point where the contact ridge 115 meets the rear end 111b of the guide portion 111 may be the same as the slope of the upper surface of the guide portion 111 to provide a smooth transition between the guide portion 111 and the contact ridge 115.

[0057] 3 (perpendicular to insertion axis 35), the minimum gap between contact bumps 105 of resilient contact beam 100 and contact bumps 115 of fixed beam 110 can be any suitable distance depending on several factors, including, but not limited to, the desired application of the connector, the size of the corresponding male blade terminal, and / or the stiffness of resilient contact beam 100. In some configurations, the minimum gap between opposing contact bumps is in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, e.g., 0.17 mm.

[0058] The ridge apex 116 of the fixation beam 110 can be axially offset (i.e., offset toward the insertion axis 35) from the ridge apex 106 of the resilient contact beam 100 by any suitable distance according to the factors discussed above. The offset can be in the insertion direction or the removal direction along the insertion axis 35. In the configuration shown in FIG. 3 , the apex of the contact ridge 105 of the resilient contact beam 100 is offset in the insertion direction M (i.e., away from the opening 20) from the apex of the contact ridge 115 of the fixation beam 110. In other configurations, the apex of the contact ridge 115 of the fixation beam 110 is offset in the insertion direction M from the apex of the contact ridge 105 of the resilient contact beam 100. In some configurations, the ridge apexes 106, 116 can be offset by a distance between 0 mm and 1 mm, e.g., between 0 mm and 0.5 mm. The offset can be approximately 0.2 mm. It will be understood that when the offset is 0 mm, the ridge apexes are axially aligned.

[0059] The front end of the fixed beam 110, i.e., the end closest to the opening 20, may have a chamfered edge 90. At least one of the contact surfaces 103, 113 of the female receptacle terminal 10 includes a conductive substrate and a plating layer deposited on the conductive substrate. In one embodiment, the plating layer includes tin and preferably has a thickness of 2.5 microns to 4 microns. The plating layer is preferably formed by a matte plating process. The conductive substrate may be made of copper or a copper alloy, and a nickel intermediate layer may be formed between the conductive substrate and the plating layer. It may be preferable that the plating layer be coated with a lubricating layer.

[0060] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a female receptacle terminal including a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening 20 configured to receive a male blade terminal (not shown) within the receptacle in an insertion direction M along the insertion axis. The female receptacle terminal of FIG. 7 is similar in structure and operation to the female receptacle terminal embodiments described above in connection with FIGS. 1-6, and like reference numerals are used to indicate like features. As with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the receptacle includes a resilient contact beam 200 extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle. The lower portion may be defined by a fixed or stationary beam 210. In the illustrated configuration, the resilient contact beam 200 includes a front portion 200a extending toward the lower portion of the receptacle in the insertion direction M, a rear portion 200b extending away from the lower portion in the insertion direction M, and a beam apex 200c located between the front and rear portions 200a and 200b. The terminals include at least one contact surface configured to engage a male blade terminal during insertion into a receptacle. The at least one contact surface is provided on at least one of the resilient contact beam 200 and the bottom. In the illustrated configuration, a contact surface 203 is provided on the resilient contact beam 200 and another contact surface 213 is provided on the fixed beam 210. The description of contact surfaces 103, 113 with respect to Figures 3-6 is applicable to this embodiment.

[0061] The main difference between this configuration and the configurations of Figures 1-6 is that in the configuration of Figure 7, the free end of the resilient contact beam 200 is located at the end of the rear portion 200b, which is the opposite end of the resilient contact beam 200 from the front portion 200a. The resilient contact beam 200 is secured to the top of the receptacle by a mounting portion 200d. In the illustrated configuration, the mounting portion 200d is connected to the front end of the front portion 200a, which is adjacent to the opening 20.

[0062] FIG. 7 also illustrates several dimensions of the receptacle configuration when in an equilibrium position, i.e., when no male blade terminal is inserted into the receptacle. The height of the gap between the contact surface 203 of the resilient contact beam 200 and the contact surface 213 of the fixed beam 210 is indicated by the label L1. Specifically, L1 is the height of the gap measured vertically (i.e., perpendicular to the insertion direction M) from the apex 206 of the contact ridge on the contact surface 203 to the apex 216 of the contact ridge on the opposing contact surface 213. The gap L1 can be any suitable distance depending on the desired application. In some configurations, L1 is 0.35 mm to 0.50 mm, or 0.40 mm to 0.45 mm. L1 can be approximately 0.43 mm. This dimension of L1 is equally applicable to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6.

[0063] 7, the ridge apex 206 is located behind the beam apex 200c. The distance from the beam apex 200c to the ridge apex 206 in the insertion direction M is indicated by the symbol L2. Preferably, L2 is at least 0.25 mm, and more preferably, L2 is at least 0.35 mm. That is, in some embodiments, the ridge apex 206 may be located at least 0.25 mm behind the beam apex 200c, and preferably at least 0.35 mm behind the beam apex 200c.

[0064] 7, dimension L3 indicates the vertical gap (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction M and the width direction) between the top of the receptacle and the upper surface of the free end of the resilient contact beam 200. Preferably, L3 is 0.06 mm to 0.25 mm, and more preferably, L3 is approximately 0.18 mm. As explained below, dimension L3 is a factor that determines the normal force applied by the resilient contact beam 200 to a male blade terminal inserted therein.

[0065] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the tip 302 of a male blade terminal 300 configured to mate with a female receptacle terminal 10. The tip 302 has a predetermined tip shape, which in the illustrated configuration includes a smoothly converging portion with a truncated end face 304 at its distal end. Proximal to the tip 302 is a portion of the male blade terminal 300 along which the outer surface of the male blade terminal is parallel to its longitudinal axis. It will be appreciated that when the male blade terminal 300 is inserted into a female receptacle, the longitudinal axis of the male blade terminal 300 becomes substantially parallel to the insertion axis. Thus, the converging portion provides a taper along the length of the male blade terminal toward the end face 304, along which the thickness, i.e., the maximum vertical dimension, of the male blade terminal decreases. The predetermined tip shape may taper along its length by less than 1.5 mm.

[0066] The outer contact surface of tip 302 is configured to contact contact surfaces 103, 113 of the female receptacle terminal. Although not shown, male blade terminal 300 is preferably of a rectangular or square cross-section, with upper surface 305 configured to contact first contact surface 103 of the female receptacle terminal and lower surface 306 opposite the first surface configured to contact second contact surface 113. The predetermined tip shape may have a flat upper contact surface and / or a flat lower contact surface. The surface of the predetermined tip shape may be flat in the sense that it has no curvature along the width of the male blade terminal, i.e., no curvature in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the height of the male blade terminal. Specifically, the upper and lower contact surfaces may be linear in the width direction within a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the male blade terminal and parallel to each other.

[0067] The steepest slope of surfaces 305, 306 is formed at the tip of male blade terminal 300 shown in FIG. 8, i.e., the point where surfaces 305, 306 intersect with end face 304. At the tip, upper surface 305 and lower surface 306 each form an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of male blade terminal 300. The angle is preferably less than 30 degrees or less than 25 degrees. In the illustrated configuration, the angle is approximately 20 degrees. The slope of surfaces 305, 306 gradually decreases away from end face 304 until they are parallel to insertion axis 35, at which point the slope of each surface 305, 306 is zero.

[0068] In the illustrated configuration, male blade terminal 300 includes a conductive substrate 310, which may include copper or a copper alloy. A plating layer 314, preferably including tin, is provided on at least a portion of the outer surface of tip 302. Male blade terminal 300 further includes an intermediate layer 312, preferably including nickel. Intermediate layer 312 is disposed between conductive substrate 310 and plating layer 314. A lubricating layer may also be provided on the plating layer.

[0069] 9A and 9B schematically illustrate the interaction between outer surfaces 305, 306 of a male blade terminal 300 and contact surfaces 103, 113 of a female receptacle terminal 10 as the male blade terminal 300 is inserted into the female receptacle terminal 10. While the mating interaction will be described with reference to the configurations of FIGS. 3-6, it will be understood that the male blade terminal 300 interacts in substantially the same manner as the female receptacle terminal of FIG. 7. When the male blade terminal 300 is inserted into the receptacle opening 20, its outer surfaces 305, 306 contact the corresponding contact surfaces 103, 113 of the female terminal. As clearly shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the height of the gap between the contact ridges 105, 115 is too small to allow the entire height of the blade 300 to mate therethrough. While fixed beam 110 remains fixed in position relative to receptacle lower section 22, the normal force exerted by blade 300 on resilient contact beam 100 deflects resilient contact beam 100 upward relative to its equilibrium position. The deflection of resilient contact beam 100 gradually increases as blade 300 is inserted into the receptacle. Contact surfaces 103, 113 exert a force on blade surfaces 305, 306, which is a normal force perpendicular to the interface between each pair of contact surfaces.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 9A and described above, one or more contact surfaces of a female receptacle terminal can include a guide portion that is linear and horizontal in the width direction (in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction) and a contact ridge that is curved in both the width direction and the insertion direction. Also, a male blade terminal has a generally rectangular cross-section with an inclined surface, and can be inserted into a receptacle so that its outer surface in the width direction conforms to the guide portion. Therefore, when a surface, such as the upper surface 305, contacts the guide portion 101 of the contact beam 100, the contact interface therebetween is linear because it is linear in the width direction in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction and parallel to the bottom of the receptacle. In other words, the male blade terminal engages the contact surface 103 along the linear contact interface. This initially distributes the normal force along a line instead of concentrating the force at a single point. The same is true for the guide portion 111 of the fixed beam 110. Thus, in the illustrated configuration, this line contact is established when the upper surface 305 engages with the guide portion 101 of the resilient contact beam 100 and the lower surface 306 engages with the guide portion 111 of the fixed beam 110 provided at the bottom of the receptacle.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 9B and described above, one or both of the contact bumps on the contact surfaces 103, 113 engage the male blade terminal after the guide portion. The contact bumps are curved in both the width direction and the insertion direction, thereby providing a convex outer surface shape for the receptacle. Therefore, when a surface, such as the top surface 305, contacts the contact bump 105 of the resilient contact beam 100, the contact interface therebetween is a single point, considering the linear shape of the outer surfaces 305, 306 of the blade 300 in the width direction compared to the curved shape of the contact bump 105. In other words, the male blade terminal engages with the contact surface 103 at a point contact interface. Similarly, the outer surface 306 engages with the contact bump 115 of the fixed beam 110 at a point contact interface.

[0072] In some conventional configurations, initial contact between the male blade terminal and the female receptacle terminal occurs at a point contact interface near the end face of the male blade terminal, i.e., at a location with a greater surface gradient. This can cause higher shear stresses on the contact surface, leading to increased buildup of plating material on the male blade terminal, ultimately resulting in increased wear and an associated increase in and / or unpredictable insertion forces for subsequent mating operations.

[0073] By configuring the female receptacle terminal and male blade terminal according to the present disclosure, the normal force is distributed across the surfaces 305, 306 of the male blade terminal 300 at the first contact point, thereby reducing degradation of the contact surface. However, in shallower or flatter portions of the male blade terminal (i.e., toward the right side of the male blade terminal 300 in FIGS. 9A and 9B ), a point contact interface is less detrimental to the plating layer. Furthermore, in shallower or flatter portions, it is desirable for the normal force to be applied through a single point rather than a line, because electrical connections are made in these portions of the male blade terminal. Increasing the local pressure applied to the contact surfaces 305, 306 facilitates improved electrical connection between the male and female components of the electrical connector. This is especially important when a lubricant is used, because higher pressure allows electrons to more easily penetrate the lubricant layer. However, if the normal force is too high at the point contact, it can lead to increased wear as the male blade terminal is slid further into the receptacle.

[0074] FIG. 7 illustrates one way in which the normal force can be controlled. As the male blade terminal is inserted into the opening 20 and contacts the resilient contact beam 200, the resilient contact beam 200 deflects upward. The normal force applied to the blade terminal is primarily determined by the stiffness of the mounting portion 200d. Eventually, as the male blade terminal is inserted further along the insertion direction M, the resilient contact beam 200 deflects upward to the point where its free end contacts the top. At this point, the resilient contact beam 200 is in contact with the top of the receptacle at both ends, and further upward deflection requires pressing the beam apex 200c upward between the two ends of the resilient contact beam 200. It will be appreciated that such deflection requires a greater force, thereby increasing the normal force applied to the male blade terminal. By adjusting the dimension L3 in FIG. 7, the point at which increased force is required can be appropriately modified to control the normal force throughout the insertion process.

[0075] 9B, another factor that can determine the degree of wear at a contact interface is the angle of attack. The angle of attack can be defined as the angle between a tangent at the contact interface and the insertion axis 35. In the top surface of the male blade terminal 300 shown in FIG. 9B, the angle of attack AA is the angle between a tangent T at the contact interface (between the top surface 305 and the corresponding contact ridge 105) and the insertion axis 35. Preferably, the angle of attack AA is an acute angle of 20 degrees or less, preferably 16 degrees or less. In the configuration shown, the angle of attack AA is approximately 10 degrees.

[0076] 10A and 10B show graphs of insertion force F versus insertion distance d. In other words, these graphs show the amount of force required to insert and remove a given male blade terminal into a female receptacle terminal as a function of how deeply the male blade terminal is inserted into the female receptacle terminal. FIG. 10A shows the force characteristics for a known electrical connector, and FIG. 10B shows the force characteristics for an electrical connector according to the present disclosure, based on data from experimental measurements. The graphs are drawn to the same scale to allow for direct comparison of magnitudes. With respect to the length of the male blade inserted into the receptacle, each graph shows a plot of the force required to insert the blade (shown above the horizontal axis) and the force required to remove the blade (shown below the horizontal axis) for the first and tenth mating / unmating cycles of the given connector.

[0077] In FIG. 10A, plot X1 shows the insertion and removal forces for the first insertion / removal cycle of the known connector, and plot X10 shows the insertion and removal forces for the tenth insertion / removal cycle. In FIG. 10B, plot Y1 shows the insertion and removal forces for the first insertion / removal cycle of the connector according to the present disclosure, and plot Y10 shows the insertion and removal forces for the tenth insertion / removal cycle. This shows that, as a result of the reduced wear achieved by using the electrical connector assembly of the present disclosure, the insertion and removal forces are lower than those of the known connector for the initial and tenth cycles. Furthermore, while plots Y1 and Y10 follow substantially the same force profiles as each other, it can be seen that plots X1 and X10 exhibit significant deviations during both insertion and removal. Thus, the electrical connector configurations disclosed herein, in addition to enabling reduced insertion forces, have more predictable, consistent, and repeatable force profiles.

[0078] Various modifications, either by addition, deletion, and / or substitution, may be made to all of the above-described embodiments to provide further embodiments, any and / or all of which are intended to be encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A female receptacle terminal for an electrical connector, comprising: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle; an upper contact surface provided on the resilient contact beam; a lower contact surface provided on the lower portion, The upper and lower contact surfaces are configured to engage the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, and each of the upper and lower contact surfaces comprises: a contact protrusion having an outer shape that protrudes vertically into the receptacle and curves in both the insertion direction and the width direction of the receptacle to form a protrusion apex that defines a point contact interface; a guide portion protruding vertically into the receptacle, linear in the width direction in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction, parallel to the lower portion, and having an outer shape defining a line contact interface extending in the width direction, the guide portion being positioned adjacent to the contact bump and closer to the opening than the contact bump, and engaging with the male blade terminal along the line contact interface before the contact bump engages with the male blade terminal at the point contact interface during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, a guide portion of the lower contact surface including a sloped portion having a front end adjacent the lower portion and a rear end adjacent the apex of the raised portion of the lower contact surface, the front end being linear in width in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction and parallel to the lower portion, defining a first line contact interface of the guide portion; Female receptacle terminal.

2. 2. The female receptacle terminal of claim 1, wherein the resilient contact beam has a main shape extending along the insertion axis and including a front portion extending toward the lower portion in the insertion direction, a rear portion extending away from the lower portion in the insertion direction, and a beam apex located between the front and rear portions.

3. 3. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 2, wherein the apex of the raised portion of the upper contact surface is located at the rear of the resilient contact beam, rearward of the apex of the beam in the insertion direction.

4. 4. The female receptacle terminal of claim 3, wherein the ridge apex of the upper contact surface is located at least 0.1 mm rearward from the beam apex, preferably at least 0.35 mm rearward from the beam apex.

5. 5. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 3, wherein the beam apex defines a front edge of a guide portion of the upper contact surface.

6. 6. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 2, wherein the beam apex has a partially cylindrical outer surface shape with a radius of curvature of at least 0.2 mm to 2 mm.

7. 2. The female receptacle terminal of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of said ramp defines a ramp angle that is substantially constant from said front end to said rear end in an insertion direction.

8. 8. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the inclined portion has a first width at the front end and a second width at the rear end, the first width being greater than the second width.

9. 9. The female receptacle terminal of claim 8, wherein the upper surface of said ramp portion linearly tapers from said first width to said second width.

10. 10. A female receptacle terminal according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the first width extends across at least 40 percent of the width of the lower portion, preferably at least 50 percent of the width of the lower portion.

11. 8. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 7, wherein the inclination angle of the upper surface of said inclined portion is 20 degrees or less with respect to said insertion axis.

12. 12. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper contact surface and the lower contact surface is configured so that the guide portion is continuous with the contact protuberance.

13. 13. The female receptacle terminal of claim 12, wherein the guide portion intersects the front region of the contact ridge at an intersection boundary where the contact ridge has a first slope in the insertion direction and the guide portion has a second slope in the insertion direction, the first slope and the second slope being substantially the same.

14. 14. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 1, wherein the outer shape of at least one of the contact bumps on the upper and lower contact surfaces is partially spherical.

15. a body having a connection section for coupling to a conductor and a contact section for providing an electrical connection to a mating male blade terminal, said contact section comprising said resilient contact beam; A female receptacle terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising: a cover that receives the contact section of the body to define the receptacle of the female receptacle terminal.

16. 16. The female receptacle terminal of claim 15, wherein the contact section of the body further includes a stationary beam extending in the insertion direction and opposing the resilient contact beam, the stationary beam defining at least a portion of the lower portion of the receptacle.

17. 17. The female receptacle terminal of claim 16, wherein the contact surface of the lower portion is provided on the fixed beam.

18. The female receptacle terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein at least one of the upper contact surface and the lower contact surface includes a conductive substrate and a plating layer deposited on the conductive substrate.

19. 19. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 18, wherein the plating layer is a tin plating layer, a gold plating layer, or a silver plating layer.

20. 20. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 19, wherein the plating layer is a tin plating layer having a thickness of 2.5 microns to 4.0 microns.

21. The female receptacle terminal according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the conductive substrate is a copper alloy.

22. 22. The female receptacle terminal according to claim 19, wherein at least one contact surface further includes an intermediate layer between the conductive substrate and the plating layer, the intermediate layer being formed from nickel or a nickel alloy.

23. 1. A female receptacle terminal for an electrical connector, comprising: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle; an upper contact surface provided on the resilient contact beam; a lower contact surface provided on the lower portion, The upper and lower contact surfaces are configured to engage the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, and each of the upper and lower contact surfaces comprises: a guide portion projecting vertically into the receptacle and configured to engage the male blade terminal along a line contact interface during insertion of the male blade terminal; a contact ridge protruding upward and downward into the receptacle and configured to engage the male blade terminal at a point contact interface when the male blade terminal is mated with the female receptacle terminal; a guide portion of the lower contact surface comprising an inclined portion having a front end adjacent the lower portion and a rear end adjacent the apex of the raised portion of the lower contact surface, the front end being linear in width in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction and parallel to the lower portion, defining a first line contact interface of the guide portion; The female receptacle terminal has a guide portion positioned closer to the opening than the contact bump, such that during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, the guide portion engages with the male blade terminal along the line contact interface before the contact bump engages with the male blade terminal at the point contact interface.

24. 1. An electrical connector, comprising: A female receptacle terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 23; a male blade terminal configured to be received within the receptacle.

25. 1. A method of forming an electrical connection, comprising: Providing a female receptacle terminal, the female receptacle terminal comprising: a receptacle having an insertion axis and an opening configured to receive a male blade terminal in an insertion direction along the insertion axis; a resilient contact beam extending from an upper portion of the receptacle toward an opposing lower portion of the receptacle; an upper contact surface provided on the resilient contact beam; a lower contact surface provided on the lower portion, the upper and lower contact surfaces are configured to engage the male blade terminal during insertion of the male blade terminal into the receptacle, and a guide portion of the lower contact surface includes a sloped portion having a front end adjacent the lower portion and a rear end adjacent a ridge apex of the lower contact surface, the front end being linear in width in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction and parallel to the lower portion, defining a first line contact interface of the guide portion; inserting the male blade terminal into the receptacle; Including, The method wherein the inserting step is performed by engaging the male blade terminal with the upper and lower contact surfaces along a line contact interface, and then engaging the male blade terminal with the upper and lower contact surfaces at a point contact interface.

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