Electrical connector system with cylindrical terminal body

Abstract

A connector system for electrically connecting a power source to other power distribution components or assemblies, for example, in an automobile, includes a male connector assembly having an electrically conductive male terminal assembly having a male terminal body and an internal spring assembly. The male terminal body includes contact arms having an irregular perimeter configured to reduce insertion forces associated with the male terminal body. The internal spring assembly includes a spring member and a spring holder that ensures proper relative positioning of the internal spring member within the male terminal assembly. The connector system also includes a female connector assembly having a female terminal assembly that receives the male terminal assembly and the spring assembly.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Related applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 058,061, filed on 29 July 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0002] (Field of Invention) This disclosure relates to a connector system, more specifically to a connector system including a cylindrical terminal body, and most specifically to an electrical connector system including a cylindrical terminal body having an internal spring assembly. [Background technology]

[0003] Over the past several decades, the number of electrical components used in automobiles, as well as other on-road and off-road vehicles such as pickup trucks, commercial vans and trucks, truck trailers, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and sport utility vehicles (collectively, “automobiles”), has increased dramatically. Electrical components are used in automobiles for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, monitoring, improving, and / or controlling vehicle performance, emissions, and safety, and creating comfort for the vehicle's occupants. While considerable time, resources, and energy have been spent developing power distribution components to meet the diverse needs and complexities of the automotive market, conventional power distribution components have various shortcomings.

[0004] Automobiles present a challenging electrical environment for both electrical components and connector assemblies due to numerous conditions including space constraints that make initial installation difficult, harsh operating conditions, a wide ambient temperature range, long-term vibrations, heat loads, and lifespan, among others. These can all lead to component and / or connector failures. For example, incorrectly installed connectors, typically occurring at the assembler's site, and disconnected connectors, typically occurring in the field, are two major failure modes for electrical components and automobiles. Each of these failure modes results in significant repair and warranty costs. For instance, the total annual occurrence related to warranties by all automobile manufacturers and their direct suppliers is estimated to be between $50 billion and $150 billion worldwide. Given such a demanding electrical environment, significant time, cost, and effort have been expended to find power distribution components that meet the needs of these markets. This disclosure addresses the shortcomings of conventional power distribution components. A complete discussion of the features and advantages of this disclosure is left to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] This disclosure relates to a connector system for use in 24 - 48 volt systems for aircraft, automobiles, military vehicles (e.g., tanks, personnel carriers, heavy-duty trucks, and troop carriers), buses, locomotives, tractors, marine applications (e.g., cargo ships, tankers, pleasure boats, submarines, and sailboats), telecommunications hardware (e.g., servers), battery packs, high-current applications, high-voltage applications, and high-power applications.

[0006] The invention contemplated herein is a connector system that can be used to electrically connect a power source to other power distribution components or assemblies. This connector system includes a male connector assembly having a male terminal assembly with a male terminal body. The male terminal body includes a contact arm having an irregular outer perimeter configured to reduce the insertion force associated with the male terminal body. The connector system also includes an innovative spring assembly including a spring member and a spring holder that ensures proper relative positioning of the components of the connector system including the spring member and the male terminal. The connector system also includes a female connector assembly having a female terminal assembly that receives the male terminal assembly and the spring assembly, as will be discussed below.

[0007] In one embodiment of an electrical connector assembly for use in a power distribution assembly, the connector assembly includes a conductive male terminal body having sidewalls that define a spring receiving portion. The sidewalls have a substantially cylindrical configuration and include a first contact arm and a contact arm opening. The first contact arm has (a) a first lateral edge, (b) a second lateral edge, (c) a first extent having a first width that is coupled to the sidewall and extends between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, and (d) a second extent having a second width that is coupled to the first extent of the contact arm and extends between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, the second width being greater than the first width. The contact arm opening has (a) a first inner edge, (b) a second inner edge, (c) a first lateral extent having a first width that extends between the first edge of the contact arm and the first inner edge, (d) a second lateral extent having a second width that extends between the first edge of the contact arm and the first inner edge, and (e) the first width and the second width vary along the first lateral extent and the second lateral extent. The connector assembly also includes an internal spring member having a first spring arm sized to be present within the spring receiving portion of the male terminal body and configured to be positioned beneath the first contact arm.

[0008] In another embodiment of an electrical connector assembly for use in a power distribution assembly, the connector assembly includes (i) a spring receptacle, (ii) a receptacle, and (iii) a conductive male terminal body having a substantially cylindrical configuration. The connector assembly further includes an internal spring assembly having (i) an internal spring member having a first spring arm, and (ii) a spring holder sized to be located within the spring receptacle. The spring holder is configured in (a) a joined state J S (b) an alignment mechanism configured to be positioned within an alignment receptacle, wherein the alignment mechanism and the alignment receptacle function together to properly align an internal spring member within the male terminal body, and (b) a rear portion configured to receive and hold the internal spring member within a spring holder. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] The accompanying drawings, included to provide further understanding, incorporated herein and constituting part of herein, serve to illustrate the embodiments disclosed herein and to illustrate the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In these drawings, [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a component interface in which multiple connector systems are linked together, with each connector system including a male connector assembly and a female connector assembly. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the component interface and connector system, showing (i) one connector system in an exploded view, (ii) two connector systems in a disconnected state SD where the male connector assembly is disconnected from the female connector assembly, and (iii) one connector system in a connected state SC where the male connector assembly is connected to the female connector assembly and all of the female connector assembly is located within the component interface. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the male connector assembly of the connector system, showing the male connector assembly in a fully assembled (SFA) state. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a side view of the male connector assembly. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a bottom view of the male connector assembly. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a top view of the connector assembly. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is an exploded view of a male connector assembly, which includes a male housing and a male terminal assembly. [Figure 8] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the male terminal assembly of the male connector assembly, showing the male terminal assembly in the fully connected SFC state. [Figure 9] This is a partial top view of the male terminal assembly in the fully connected SFC (Single-Functional Cable) state shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 8 is a rear view of the male terminal assembly. [Figure 11] Figure 8 is a side view of the male terminal assembly. [Figure 12] Figure 8 is a bottom view of the male terminal assembly. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view of the male terminal assembly along line 13-13 in Figure 12. [Figure 14] Figure 8 is a bottom view of the male terminal assembly. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view of the male terminal assembly along line 15-15 in Figure 14. [Figure 16] Figure 8 is a partial side view of the male terminal assembly. [Figure 17] This is a cross-sectional view of the male terminal assembly along line 17-17 in Figure 16. [Figure 18] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the spring assembly of the male terminal assembly, showing the spring assembly in the joined state SJ. [Figure 19] Figure 18 is a bottom view of the spring assembly. [Figure 20] This is a cross-sectional view of the spring assembly along line 20-20 in Figure 19. [Figure 21A] Figure 18 is a perspective view of the spring holder. [Figure 21B]Figure 18 is a perspective view of the spring member. [Figure 22] This is a perspective view of a vehicle skateboard chassis with a battery pack and wheels and tires, including both first and second embodiments of the connector system. [Figure 23] Figure 22 is a perspective view of an automobile having a skateboard chassis and battery pack. [Figure 24] This is a block diagram showing the components of a connector system. [Figure 25A] This is a block diagram showing the components of a male connector. [Figure 25B] This is a block diagram showing the components of the side wall portion of the male connector. [Figure 25C] This is a block diagram showing the components of the contact arm of a male terminal. [Figure 25D] This is a block diagram showing the components of the contact arm opening of a male terminal. [Figure 26] This is a block diagram showing the components of a spring holder. [Figure 27] This is a block diagram showing the components of a male housing assembly. [Figure 28] This is a block diagram showing the components of a spring member. [Figure 29] This is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the connector system, which includes a male connector assembly and a female connector assembly. [Figure 30] Figure 29 is a side view of the connector system. [Figure 31] Figure 29 is an exploded view of the connector system, showing the male and female connector assemblies. [Figure 32] Figure 29 is a top view of the connector system. [Figure 33] This is a cross-sectional view of the connector system along line 33-33 in Figure 32. [Figure 34] Figure 29 is a side view of the connector system. [Figure 35] This is a cross-sectional view of the connector system along line 35-35 in Figure 34. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following detailed explanations provide numerous specific details as examples to ensure that the relevant teachings are fully understood. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these teachings can be carried out without such detailed explanations. To avoid unnecessarily obscuring the nature of these teachings, in other examples, well-known methods, procedures, components, and / or electronic circuits are described at a relatively general level, without detail.

[0011] While this disclosure includes many different forms of embodiments, the drawings illustrate specific embodiments, with the understanding that the disclosed methods and systems are intended to be illustrative of their principles and not intended to limit the broader aspects of the disclosed outline to the illustrated embodiments, which are described in detail herein. As can be realized, the disclosed methods and systems can be configured in other different ways, and some details can be modified in whole without departing from the scope of the disclosed methods and systems. For example, one or more of the following embodiments can be combined in whole or in part with the disclosed methods and systems. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description should be considered illustrative in nature, not restrictive or limiting.

[0012] The figures show two embodiments of connector systems 100, 4100 designed to mechanically and electrically connect one device or component to another device or component within a power distribution system or power distribution environment. For example, the device or component may be a current supply device or component (e.g., a power source such as an alternator or battery), and the other device or component may be a current draw device or component (e.g., a radiator fan, a heated sheet, a power distribution component, or another current draw component). The power distribution system or power distribution environment including the connector systems 100, 4100 may be installed in aircraft, automobiles, military vehicles (e.g., tanks, personnel carriers, heavy-duty trucks, and troop transports), buses, locomotives, tractors, boats, submarines, battery packs, and 24-48 volt systems for high-power, high-current, and high-voltage applications.

[0013] Exemplary applications of connector systems 100, 4100 are shown in Figures 28-29, in which the connector systems 100, 4100 are used in conjunction with a battery pack 200 installed on a vehicle skateboard S, which is installed on a vehicle V. The battery pack 200 (see Figures 22-23) is configured to be positioned within the vehicle skateboard S (see Figure 22), and both are configured to be positioned within the vehicle V (see Figure 23). In this application or other applications, the power distribution components are essential to meet industry standards, manufacturing and performance requirements for the power distribution system and the vehicle. It should be understood that multiple connector systems 100, 4100 may be used in a single application. Other embodiments, configurations, and uses of connector systems 100, 4100 are described herein and contemplated herein.

[0014] Various aspects of a first embodiment of the connector system 100 are disclosed herein. Specifically, the connector system 100 comprises (i) a male connector assembly 1000, (ii) a female connector assembly 2000, and (iii) a component header 3000. Figures 1 to 20 show various diagrams and components of the male connector assembly 1000. The male connector assembly 1000 mainly comprises (i) a male housing assembly 1100, (ii) a male terminal assembly 1430 having a male terminal body 1472 and an internal spring assembly 1455, and (iii) a tension relief assembly 1800. Figures 1 and 2 show various diagrams and components of the female connector assembly 2000 and the component header 3000. The female connector assembly 2000 mainly comprises a female terminal assembly 2430, and the component header 3000 mainly comprises a female housing assembly 3100.

[0015] Various aspects of a first embodiment of the connector system 4100 are disclosed herein. Specifically, the connector system 4100 comprises (i) a male connector assembly 5000 and (ii) a female connector assembly 6000. Figures 29 to 35 show various diagrams and components of the male connector assembly 5000. The male connector assembly 5000 mainly comprises (i) a male housing assembly 5100, (ii) a male terminal assembly 5430, and (iii) a tension relief assembly 5800. Figures 29 to 35 show various diagrams and components of the female connector assembly 6000. The female connector assembly 6000 mainly comprises (i) a female housing 6100 and (ii) a female terminal assembly 6430.

[0016] First Embodiment 1) Male connector assembly The male connector assembly 1000 includes a plurality of components designed to be positioned outside a component or device (e.g., a radiator fan, a heating sheet, a power distribution component, or another current draw component). The male connector assembly 1000 mainly consists of (i) a male housing assembly 1100, (ii) a male terminal assembly 1430, and (iii) a tension relief assembly 1800.

[0017] The male housing assembly 1100 encloses or surrounds a substantial range of other components housed within the male connector assembly 1000, as if boxing them. The male housing assembly 1100 generally includes (i) the male housing 1104 and (ii) the connector position assurance ("CPA") 1170. The male housing 1104 includes two arrangements of walls: (i) a first side wall arrangement 1106 having a tubular configuration and designed to accommodate a range of wires 1530; and (ii) a second side wall arrangement 1108 having a tubular configuration and designed to accommodate a substantial range of male terminal assembly 1430. The first side wall arrangement 1106 includes male housing coupling means 1110 designed to interact with an outer cap 1810, the outer cap 1810, which is discussed below and is part of the tension relief assembly 1800. The second wall arrangement 1108 extends from the side walls 1104a, 1108a and includes a CPA receiving portion 1160 designed to receive a range of CPA 1170. The two wall arrangements are typically formed from insulating material designed to isolate current flowing through the male connector assembly 1000 from other components. The CPA 1170 is generally designed to enable the connector system 100 to meet USCAR standards, including USCAR-12, USCAR-25, and USCAR-2. Further details regarding the male housing assembly 1100 including the CPA 1170 are described in International Applications PCT / US2019 / 36070 and PCT / US20 / 49870, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0018] In other embodiments, the housing assembly 1100 may be designed to allow mating from any direction. In other words, the male connector assembly 1000 is not fixed in such a way that it only allows the connector assembly 1000 to mate with the female terminal 2430 when the male connector assembly 1000 is in a specific orientation. In this alternative configuration, the CPA 1170 may be omitted or may have different structural components to allow this type of mating between components. Additionally, the housing assembly 1100 may be shielded, may have additional layers of non-conductive and / or conductive material, and / or may have a larger mounting area to accommodate multiple male terminal assemblies 1430.

[0019] Figures 2, 5, 7-20 provide various diagrams of the male terminal assembly 1430. Specifically, referring to the first embodiment, the male terminal assembly 1430 includes a spring member 1440a and a male terminal 1470. The male terminal 1470 includes a male terminal body 1472 and a male terminal connecting member or plate 1474. The male terminal body 1472 includes a male terminal sidewall arrangement 1482 configured to provide a spring receiving portion 1486 designed to receive an internal spring member or male spring member 1440a. Referring to Figures 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, and 18-20, the internal spring assembly or spring assembly 1455 includes an internal spring holder or spring holder 1456 and an internal spring member or spring member 1440a. The spring holder 1456 (i) receives and holds the range of the spring member 1440a, and (ii) connects the spring member 1440a to the male terminal body 1472 in a joined state S J (iii) The spring member 1440a is fixed in place and configured to help ensure that it is properly positioned, aligned, and / or centered within the male terminal body 1472.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, and 18 - 20, the spring holder 1456 is composed of a first part or head part 1457 and a second part or body part 1460. The head part 1457 includes (i) a first part or external part 1457a configured to be positioned outside or externally to the male terminal body 1472, (ii) a second part or internal part 1457b configured to be positioned inside or internally to the male terminal body 1472, and (iii) an alignment mechanism or anti - misalignment 1459. First, looking at the external part 1457a, the diameter D ESH of the external part 1457a is larger than the inner diameter D IMB of the male terminal body 1472, and the diameter D ESH of the external part 1457a is approximately equal to the outer diameter D OMB of the male terminal body 1472. The diameter D ESH of the external part 1457a (i) prevents the holder 1456 from being inserted excessively into the male terminal body 1472 due to the interaction between the external part 1457a and the front - part range of the male terminal body 1472, and (ii) since the female terminal 1430 is arranged at the front of the male terminal body 1472, it helps prevent foreign objects from contacting the female terminal 1430. Additionally, it should be understood that the diameter D ESH of the external part 1457a is preferably not larger than the outer diameter D OMB of the male terminal body 1472. This is because a larger diameter D ESH may prevent a proper fit between the male terminal assembly 1430 and the female terminal assembly 2430.

[0021] Now, looking at the internal part 1457b of the spring holder 1456, the diameter D ISH of the internal part 1457a is smaller than or substantially equal to the inner diameter D IMB of the male terminal body 1472. This smaller diameter D ISH of the internal part 1457b allows the insertion of the holder 1456 into the male terminal body​​​Larger than [the other diameter]. This larger diameter allows the range of holder 1456 to fit snugly into terminal 1430, while the smaller diameter helps ensure that holder 1456 does not obstruct the movement of spring 1440a during operation of connector system 100. It should be understood that other diameters and configurations of holder 1456 are contemplated by this disclosure.

[0022] External portion 1457a and internal portion 1457b and their associated diameter D ESH , D ISH The configuration forms a recess 1458 that is configured to receive the range of the male terminal body 1472 when the holder 1456 is connected to the male terminal body 1472 in a fully connected state. The alignment mechanism 1459 is positioned within the recess 1458. The alignment mechanism 1459 is designed to ensure that the holder 1456 is properly positioned within the male terminal body 1472, thereby ensuring that the proper positioning of the holder 1456 ensures that the spring member 1440a is properly positioned within the male terminal body 1472. Properly aligning the spring member 1440a within the male terminal body 1472 offers several advantages over terminals that do not have a properly aligned spring member, including (i) ensuring that the spring member 1440a applies appropriate biasing force to the male terminal body 1472 in order to provide a proper connection between the male terminal assembly 1430 and the female terminal assembly 2430, (ii) helping to improve the durability and service life of the terminal assemblies 1430 and 2430, and (iii) other beneficial features disclosed herein or that can be inferred from this disclosure by those skilled in the art.

[0023] In this embodiment, the alignment mechanism 1459 is an anti-rotation projection 1459a configured to be received by a receptacle 1476 formed in the front portion of the male terminal body 1472. The anti-rotation projection 1459a helps to align or center the spring member 1440a by limiting the amount by which the spring member 1440a can rotate or misalign within the male terminal body 1472. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the alignment mechanism 1459 may take other forms, such as (i) a projection extending inward from the male terminal body 1472, (ii) a projection extending outward from the spring member 1440a and being received by a recess, retainer, or opening within the male terminal body 1472, (iii) a projection extending inward from the contact arms 1494a to 1494d toward the center of the connector, or (iv) a range of projections, tabs, grooves, recesses, or other structures designed to help ensure that the spring member 1440a is aligned within the male terminal body 1472 and cannot rotate within the spring receiving portion 1486.

[0024] Instead of utilizing a mechanically based alignment mechanism 1459, it should be further understood that the alignment mechanism 1459 can be force-based, and such force that can be used may be magnetic or chemical. In this example, the holder 1456 may be welded to the male terminal body 1472. In contrast to the mechanically or force-based alignment mechanism 1459, the alignment mechanism 1459 may be a method or process for forming the male terminal assembly 1430. For example, the alignment mechanism 1459 may not be a structure, but instead may be the simultaneous printing of the spring member 1440a within the male terminal body 1472 in a manner that does not require assembly. In other words, the alignment mechanism 1459 can take many forms (e.g., mechanically, force-based, or process-based) to achieve the objective of aligning the spring member 1440a within the male terminal body 1472.

[0025] The second part or body part 1460 extends from the internal part 1457b of the first part or head part 1456 and is formed integrally with it. The body part 1460 includes a number of feature parts (e.g., apertures, members, and structures) that assist in positioning and holding the spring member 1440a. In particular, the body 1460 includes spring apertures 1461a to 1461d that form positioning structures 1462a to 1462d. These spring apertures 1461a to 1461d are joined to the spring member 1440a when it is positioned within the spring holder 1455. J When forming the spring apertures, they are designed to accommodate at least the range of spring arms 1494a to 1494d, preferably the entire range of spring arms 1494a to 1494d. Therefore, the spring apertures 1461a to 1461d have sufficient length and width to accommodate at least the range of spring arms 1494a to 1494d, preferably the entire range of spring arms 1494a to 1494d. In other words, it is preferable that the length and width of the spring apertures 1461a to 1461d are greater than the length and width of the spring arms 1494a to 1494d.

[0026] The spring apertures 1461a to 1461d have a first portion or front portion 1463a to 1463d and a second portion or rear portion 1464a to 1464d. The front portions 1463a to 1463d have a first width and extend rearward from the head portion 1457 of the holder 1456, and the second portions 1464a to 1464d have a second width and extend rearward from the first portions 1463a to 1463d to either (i) the rear end 1456b of the holder 1456 or (ii) the retaining means 1465. The first width associated with the first portions 1463a to 1463d is greater than the second width associated with the second portions 1464a to 1464d. In other words, the range of positioning structures 1462a to 1462d positioned adjacent to the first portions 1463a to 1463d is smaller than the range of positioning structures 1462a to 1462d positioned adjacent to the second portions 1464a to 1464d. This enlarged range of spring apertures 1461a to 1461d or the reduced range of positioning structures 1462a to 1462d helps ensure that the holder 1456 does not interfere with the omnidirectional contraction / expansion of the spring member 1440a during insertion and operation of the connector system 100. In other embodiments, it should be understood that the change in the width of spring apertures 1461a to 1461d may be omitted or reversed, or the difference between the first and second portions may be increased or decreased.

[0027] The positioning structures 1462a to 1462d are designed to align, position, and hold the spring member 1440a within the male terminal body 1472. The positioning structures 1462a to 1462d extend at least along the range of the spring arms 1494a to 1494d, preferably along the entire length of the spring arms 1494a to 1494d. The positioning structures 1462a to 1462d have a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape, with the outermost part of the triangle being curved. In other words, the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d have two straight sides and one curved side connecting the two straight sides. As described above, the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d formed by the spring apertures 1461a to 1461d have (i) first ranges 1465a to 1465d extending along first portions 1463a to 1463d of the spring apertures 1461a to 1461d, and (ii) second ranges 1466a to 1466d extending along second portions 1464a to 1464d of the spring apertures 1461a to 1461d. The first ranges 1465a to 1465d have a first cross-sectional area and a first depth (extending from the outer surface of the holder 1456 toward the center), and the second ranges 1466a to 1466d have a second cross-sectional area and a second depth. Both the first cross-sectional area and the first depth are smaller than the second cross-sectional area and the second depth. In other embodiments, it should be understood that the changes in the cross-sectional area and depth of the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d may remain constant and may have greater or lesser variability. It should also be understood that the cross-sectional shapes of the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d may differ, as shown in the following figures, and / or may vary across the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d.

[0028] The retaining means 1465 is designed and configured to hold the spring member 1440a within the holder 1456. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the retaining means 1465 is a transverse beam 1467a to 1467b extending between the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d. Specifically, the transverse beam 1467a is positioned near the rear end 1456b of the holder 1456 and extends between the positioning structures 1462a to 1462b, and the transverse beam 1467b is positioned near the rear end 1456b of the holder 1456 and extends between the positioning structures 1462c to 1462d. The rearmost surfaces of the transverse beams 1467a to 1467b are sloped to facilitate the connection between the holder 1456 and the spring member 1440a. Specifically, these sloping walls 1468a to 1468b help to center the spring member 1440a and push the first pair of positioning structures 1462a to 1462b away from the second pair of positioning structures 1462c to 1462d. Therefore, the user or assembler must simply apply a forward force to the spring member 1440a to temporarily deform the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d in order to allow the insertion of the spring member 1440a. Once the spring member 1440a is positioned within the holder 1456, the positioning structures 1462a to 1462d can return to their normal or non-deformed positions. In the non-deformed position, the lateral beams 1467a to 1467b are positioned behind the spring member 1440a to hold the spring member 1440a within the holder 1456. It should be understood that uncoupling the spring member 1440a from the holder 1456 requires the user or installer to apply force in the opposite direction to further deform the pair of positioning structures 1462a-1462d sufficiently to allow the spring member 1440a to be removed from the holder 1456. Since deforming the positioning structures 1462a-1462d to the required extent may be difficult, if not impossible, it should be understood that the lateral beams are not connected across each of the positioning structures 1462a-1462d (for example, between 1462b and 1462c).

[0029] It should be understood that in other embodiments, the retaining means 1465 may take other forms, such as (i) a locking rear wall, (ii) a projection extending from the spring member 1440a and received by the holder 1456, (iii) an opening in the spring member 1440a that receives the range of the holder 1456, or (iv) any other method of retaining / connecting one structure to another, which may include the use of projections, tabs, grooves, recesses, or ranges. It should be further understood that, instead of utilizing a mechanically based retaining means 1465, the retaining means 1465 may be force-based, and such force that may be utilized may be magnetic or chemical. In this example, the holder 1456 may be welded to the male terminal body 1472. In contrast to the mechanically or force-based retaining means 1465, the retaining means 1465 may be a method or process of forming the male terminal assembly 1430. For example, the retaining means 1465 may not be a structure, but instead may be the simultaneous printing of the spring member 1440a within the holder 1456 in a manner that does not require assembly. In other words, the retaining means 1465 can take many forms (e.g., mechanical, force-based, or process-based) to achieve the objective of fixing the spring member 1440a to the holder 1456.

[0030] The spring member 1440a includes the arrangement of spring member side walls 1442a to 1442d and the rear spring wall 1444. Each spring member side wall 1442a to 1442d consists of (i) a first section or curved spring section 1448a to 1448d and (iii) a second section or spring arm 1452a to 1452d. The curved spring sections 1448a to 1448d extend between the rear spring wall 1444 and the spring arms 1452a to 1452d, positioning the spring arms 1452a to 1452d substantially perpendicular to the rear spring wall 1444. In other words, the outer surfaces of the spring arms 1452a to 1452d are substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the rear spring wall 1444.

[0031] As shown in Figure 21B, the spring arms 1452a to 1452d extend from the first section or curved spring section 1448a to 1448d of the spring member 1440a away from the rear spring wall 1444 and terminate at the free end 1446. The spring arms 1452a to 1452d are not connected to each other, and thus a spring arm gap 1450a to 1450d is formed between the spring arms 1452a to 1452d of the spring member 1440a. The spring arm gap 1450a to 1450d facilitates the omnidirectional extension of the spring arms 1452a to 1452d, which facilitates the mechanical connection between the male terminal 1470 and the female terminal assembly 2430.

[0032] The spring arms 1452a–1452d are generally flat and are positioned such that their outer surfaces are substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the rear wall 1444. Unlike the spring arm 31 disclosed in Figures 4–8 of International Application PCT / US2018 / 019787, the free ends 1446 of the spring arms 1452a–1452d do not have curved components. Instead, the spring arms 1452a–1452d have substantially flat outer surfaces. This configuration is beneficial because it ensures that the force associated with the spring 1440a is applied substantially perpendicular to the free end 1488 of the male terminal body 1472. In contrast, the curved components of the spring arm 31 disclosed in Figures 4–8 of International Application PCT / US2018 / 019787 do not apply force in this manner.

[0033] The internal spring member 1440a is typically formed from a single piece of material (e.g., metal). Therefore, the spring member 1440a is either a single unit or has integrally formed features. In particular, the features (i) curved spring sections 1448a to 1448d and (ii) spring arms 1452a to 1452d are integrally formed. To integrally form these features, the spring member 1440a is typically formed using a die forming process. The die forming process mechanically forces the spring member 1440a into shape. As will be discussed in more detail below and in international application PCT / US2019 / 036010, the spring member 1440a is formed from a metal plate, installed in the male terminal 1472 and connected to the female receptacle 2472, and when exposed to high temperatures, the spring member 1440a attempts to return to its plate shape, which in turn causes the spring member 1440a to exert an outward spring thermal force S on the contact arms 1494a to 1494d. TF Apply the following. However, it should be understood that other types of methods for forming the spring member 1440a, such as molding or the use of additive manufacturing processes (e.g., 3D printing), may also be used. In other embodiments, the feature portions of the spring member 1440a may not be formed from a single piece, or may not be formed from a single piece, but instead may be formed from separate parts that are welded together.

[0034] In alternative embodiments not shown, the spring member 1440a may include a recess and associated reinforcing ribs. As discussed in International Application PCT / US2019 / 036010, these modifications to the configuration of the spring member 1440a change the forces associated with the spring 1440a. In particular, the spring biasing force S BFS is the amount of force applied by the spring member 1440a to resist the inward deflection of the free end 1446 of the spring member 1440a when the male terminal assembly 1430 is inserted into the female terminal assembly 2430. Specifically, this inward deflection occurs during the insertion of the male terminal assembly 1430 due to the fact that the extent of the outer surface of the male terminal body 1472 is slightly larger than the interior of the female receptacle 2472. Therefore, when the male terminal assembly 1430 is inserted into the female terminal assembly 2430, the extent of the outer surface is pushed toward the center 1490 of the male terminal 1470. This inward force on the outer surface displaces the free end 1446 of the spring member 1440a inward (i.e., toward the center 1490). The spring member 1440a has a spring biasing force S F This resists inward displacement by providing [a certain feature]. In other embodiments, the spring arms 1452a to 1452d may be connected to other structures to restrict their omnidirectional expansion. The number and width of the individual spring arms 1452a to 1452d and the openings may vary. Furthermore, the widths of the individual spring arms 1452a to 1452d are typically equal to each other. However, in other embodiments, one of the spring arms 1452a to 1452d may be wider than the others.

[0035] Figures 8 to 17 show a male terminal 1470 including a male terminal body 1472 and a male terminal connection plate 1474. Specifically, the male terminal connection plate 1474 is connected to the male terminal body 1472 and is configured to receive a range of structures (e.g., leads or wires) for connecting the male terminal assembly 1430 to a device outside the connector system 100 (e.g., an alternator). The wire 1530 is typically welded to the connection plate 1474, but other methods of connecting the wire 1530 to the connection plate 1474 (e.g., forming the wire 1530 as part of the connection plate 1474) are contemplated in this disclosure. For example, crimp connections may be used instead of the disclosed welding process.

[0036] As shown in Figures 8 to 17, the terminal sidewall arrangement 1482 provides the terminal body 1472 with a substantially cylindrical terminal configuration. The male terminal sidewall 1482 includes (i) sidewall portions 1492a to 1492d, (ii) contact arms 1494a to 1494d, and (iii) a plurality of contact arm openings 1510a to 1510d. As best shown in Figures 9 to 17, the sidewall portions 1492a to 1492d are substantially curved and include four segments 1498, 1500, 1502, and 1504. In particular, the four segments are (i) the first segment or end segments 1498a to 1498d, (ii) the second segment or rear segment or intermediate segment 1500a to 1500d, (iii) the third segment or opposing end segment 1502a to 1502d, and (iv) the fourth segment or front segment 1504a to 1504d. Both the second segment, rear segment or intermediate segment 1500a to 1500d and the fourth segment or front segment 1504a to 1504d are connected to (i) the first segment or end segments 1498a to 1498d and (ii) the third segment or opposing end segment 1502a to 1502d. It should be understood that the present disclosure intends to include more or fewer segments and / or other configurations of the side wall portions 1492a to 1492d.

[0037] The contact arm openings 1510a to 1510d are integrally formed with the side wall portions 1492a to 1492d, and the side wall portions 1492a to 1492d define the contact arms 1494a to 1494d and the four segments 1498, 1500, 1502, and 1504 of the side wall portions 1492a to 1492d. In other words, the contact arm openings 1510a to 1510d surround three sides of the contact arms 1494a to 1494d, preventing the contact arms 1494a to 1494d from being laterally connected to any structure other than (i) another contact arm 1494a to 1494d, or (ii) a second segment, rear segment, or intermediate segment 1500a to 1500d to which the contact arms 1494a to 1494d are connected. As best shown in Figures 10, 11, and 17, the contact arm openings 1510a to 1510d include lateral ranges 1512a to 1512h that extend along the elongated edges of the contact arms 1494a to 1494d. For example, one contact arm opening 1510a includes (i) a first lateral range 1512a positioned between the contact arm 1494a and the first segment 1498a of the sidewall portion 1492a, and (ii) a second lateral range 1512b positioned between the contact arm 1494a and the third segment 1502a of the sidewall portion 1492a. In particular, the first lateral range 1512a extends between the first lateral edge 1524a of the contact arm 1510a and the first inner edge 1518a of the contact arm opening 1510, and the second lateral range 1512b extends between the second lateral edge 1524b of the contact arm 1510a and the second inner edge 1518b of the contact arm opening 1510.

[0038] Considering the above configuration, the lateral range 1512a to 1512h of the contact arm openings 1510a to 1510d extending along the contact arms 1494a to 1494d does not have a uniform width. Therefore, the lateral range 1512a to 1512h is such that (i) the first portion 1514a to 1514h has a first lateral width W L1 (ii) The second portion 1516a to 1516h has a second lateral width WL2 It has a first section 1514a-1514h and is positioned to abut against the first section 1514a-1514h and terminate at the front segments 1504a-1504d of the side wall sections 1492a-1492d. The first width associated with the first section 1514a-1514h is different from the second width associated with the second section 1516a-1516h. In particular, the first lateral width W L1 In the embodiment shown in the figure, the second lateral width W L2 It is larger than that. For example, the first width in the shown embodiment is approximately 0.95 mm and the second width is approximately 0.45 mm. Due to these varying widths, it should be understood that the first and second lateral edges 1524a, 1524b of the contact arm 1510a are not substantially straight. In addition, the male terminal assembly 1430 is in a fully connected state S FC When in this configuration, the range of the contact arm openings 1510a to 1510d is aligned with the spring arm gaps 1450a to 1450d. This configuration forms four spring arms 1452a to 1452d and four contact arms 1494a to 1494d. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the number of spring arms 1452a to 1452d may not match the number of contact arms 1494a to 1494d. For example, there may be one less spring arm 1452a to 1452d.

[0039] As best shown in Figures 10-11 and 15, the contact arms 1494a-1494d extend (i) from the intermediate segments 1500a-1500d of the side wall portions 1492a-1492d, (ii) across the contact arm openings 1510a-1510d, and (iii) terminate just before the fourth segment or front segments 1504a-1504d. This configuration is beneficial to the terminal configurations shown in Figures 9–15, 18, 21–31, 32, 41–42, 45–46, 48, and 50 of international application PCT / US2018 / 019787, for the following reasons: (i) the overall length can be shortened, which means that less metal material is required for formation and the male terminal 1470 can be installed in a narrower confined space; (ii) it has a higher current capacity; (iii) it is easier to assemble; (iv) it has improved structural rigidity because the contact arms 1494a–1494d are positioned inside the first male terminal sidewall portions 1492a–1492d; (iv) it has the advantages disclosed in connection with international application PCT / US2019 / 036010; and (v) it has other beneficial features disclosed herein or that can be inferred from this disclosure by those skilled in the art.

[0040] As best shown in Figures 15 and 17, the contact arms 1494a to 1494d include (i) a first range or rear range 1495a to 1495d extending from the second segment, rear segment, or intermediate segment 1500a to 1500d; (ii) a second range or intermediate range 1496a to 1496d extending between the first range 1495a to 1495d and the third range 1497a to 1497d; and (iii) a third range or curved range 1497a to 1497d extending between the second range 1496a to 1496d and the free end 1488. The ranges 1495a to 1495d, 1496a to 1496d, and 1497a to 1497d have non-uniform widths, and these widths are (i) the first contact arm width W that extends between the first portion 1514a to 1514h of the lateral range 1512a to 1512h of the contact arm opening 1510a to 1510d, where the first range or rear range 1495a to 1495d extends.C1 (ii) The second contact arm width W has second and third ranges 1496a to 1496d and 1497a to 1497d that extend between the second portion 1516a to 1516h of the lateral range 1512a to 1512h of the contact arm opening 1510a to 1510d C2 This includes having the following: As described above, the widths of portions 1514a-1514h and 1516a-1516h vary, and therefore the widths of contact arms 1494a-1494d vary.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first contact arm width W extends from the first lateral edge 1524a to the second lateral edge 1524b and relates to the first range 1495a to 1495d of the contact arms 1494a to 1494d. C1 It extends from the first lateral edge 1524a to the second lateral edge 1524b and relates to the second contact arm width W of the second and third ranges 1496a to 1496d and 1497a to 1497d of the contact arms 1494a to 1494d. C2Smaller. This reduction in the width of the first range 1495a-1495d forms contact arms 1494a-1494d having an irregular outer circumference, with first notches 1520a-1520d and opposing second notches 1522a-1522d formed in the contact arms 1494a-1494d and extending along the length of the first range 1495a-1494d. In one embodiment, the first width is approximately 1.9 mm and the second width is approximately 2.9 mm. Thus, each notch 1520a-1520d, 1522a-1522d has a width of approximately 0.5 mm. In other embodiments, it should be understood that (i) the width of the curved range 1497a-1497d may not be equal to the width of the intermediate range 1496a-1496d; (ii) the variability of the widths of ranges 1495a-1495d, 1496a-1496d, and 1497a-1497d may be greater or less; (iii) there may be additional ranges with additional different widths (e.g., 10 ranges with different widths); (iv) the number, depth, or configuration of notches 1520a-1520d and 1522a-1522d may not be equal for each contact arm 1494a-1494d; and (v) the widths of each range may be substantially equal.

[0042] The smaller first width of the contact arms 1494a-1494d, i.e., the rear range 1495a-1495d of the contact arms 1494a-1494d, reduces the force required to bend or displace the contact arms 1494a-1494d inward and toward the center 1490 of the male terminal 1470 when connecting the male terminal assembly 1430 to the female terminal assembly 2430. This is beneficial because it reduces the insertion force associated with the male terminal body 1472 and increases the insertion force associated with the internal spring member 1440a, while maintaining the same combined insertion force level. In other words, the disclosed connector system 100 utilizes the same insertion force requirements that would be associated with a similar connector system including contact arms with linear edges. However, the forces associated with the components contributing to the insertion force are redistributed so that they depend more strongly on the spring member 1440a and less strongly on the male terminal body 1472. It is beneficial for designers to rely so heavily on the internal spring member 1440a, as this allows them to easily modify the characteristics of the connector system without requiring changes to the terminal body 1472. For example, a designer can insert a more rigid spring member 1440a into the spring receptacle 1486 to increase the current capacity of the system 100. Alternatively, if there are specific customer requirements defining a target insertion force, the designer can simply select a spring member 1440a that meets these requirements without having to redesign the male terminal body 1472. This modularity and flexibility of the connector system 100 represents a substantial improvement over the prior art, reducing the number of product SKUs, increasing the ability to meet customer requirements without redesigning or overhauling the connector, and / or limiting the testing and other processes required to utilize new / different connectors. For these reasons and for additional reasons that will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on this disclosure, the connector system 100, specifically the male terminal assembly 1430, offers substantial advantages over the male terminal assembly 430 shown and disclosed in international application PCT / US19 / 36010.

[0043] The contact arms 1494a to 1494d extend outward at an angle away from the forward range of the second segment, rear segment, or intermediate segments 1500a to 1500d. In particular, the outward angle alpha between the outer surface of the male terminal sidewall range 1492a to 1492d and the outer surface of the first range of the contact arms 1494a to 1494d, which can be 179.9 to 172 degrees, is preferably 6 to 12 degrees, most preferably 8 to 10 degrees. This outward angle is shown in several figures but can be best visualized in relation to Figure 15. With this configuration, when the male terminal assembly 1430 is inserted into the female terminal assembly 2430, the contact arms 1494a to 1494d can bend or displaced inward toward the center 1490 of the male terminal 1470 by the female terminal receptacle 2472. This inward bending is best illustrated in Figure 25. This inward deflection helps ensure that proper mechanical and electrical connections are made by ensuring that the contact arms 1494a to 1494d are positioned in contact with the female terminal receptacle 2472.

[0044] As shown in Figures 10-11 and 15, the ends of the contact arms 1494a-1494d are positioned (i) within the contact arm openings 1510a-1510d, (ii) substantially parallel to the male terminal sidewalls 1492a-1492d, and (iii) in contact with the flat outer surface of the spring arms 1452a-1452d when the spring member 1440a is inserted into the spring receiving portion 1486. ​​This configuration is advantageous over the configuration shown in Figures 3-8 of international application PCT / US2018 / 019787, as it eliminates the need for the assembler of the male terminal assembly 1430 to apply a large force to deform most of the contact arms 1494a-1494d outward to receive the spring member 1440a. The required deformation is best seen in Figure 6 of International Application PCT / US2018 / 019787, which is due to the gradient of the contact arm 11 and the fact that the outer surface of the spring arm 31 and the inner surface of the contact arm 11 are adjacent to each other without any gap being formed between them. In contrast to Figures 3 to 8 of International Application PCT / US2018 / 019787, Figure 7 of this application shows a very small gap formed between the outer surface of the spring member 1440a and the inner surfaces of the contact arms 1494a to 1494d. Therefore, the force required to insert the spring member 1440a into the spring receiver 1486 is very small, because the assembler does not need to push and deform the contact arms 1494a to 1494d significantly during the insertion of the spring 1440a.

[0045] The male terminal 1470 is typically formed from a single piece of material (e.g., metal). Therefore, the male terminal 1470 is a one-piece male terminal 1470 with integrally formed features. To integrally form these features, the male terminal 1470 is typically formed using a die-cutting process. However, it should be understood that other types of methods for forming the male terminal 1470, such as molding or additive manufacturing processes (e.g., 3D printing), may also be utilized. In other embodiments, the features of the male terminal 1470 may not be integrally formed, or may instead be formed from separate parts that are welded together. It should be understood that when forming the male terminal 1470, any number (e.g., 1 to 100) of contact arms 1494a to 1494d may be formed within the male terminal 1470.

[0046] The positioning of the internal spring member 1440a within the male terminal assembly 1430 is performed in multiple steps or stages. Figure 7 shows the non-joined state S. UJ A first embodiment of the spring assembly 1455 is provided, and Figures 18 to 20 show the joined state S J A first embodiment of the spring assembly is shown. As described above, the spring assembly 1455 is in a disjointed state S UJ From joint state S J To move the spring member 1440a, i.e., the spring arms 1452a-1452d, align with the spring arm apertures 1461a-1461d of the spring holder 1456. After these components are aligned, the user applies a compressive force to these components to temporarily elastically deform the positioning structures 1462a-1462d so that the spring member 1440a can overcome the retaining means 1465. Once the spring member 1440a is positioned within the holder 1456, the positioning structures 1462a-1462d return to their undeformed / original state, thereby securing the spring member 1440a within the holder 1456 via the retaining means 1465.

[0047] Next, the joined SJ The spring assembly 1455 is inserted into the male terminal body 1472. This positions the body portion 1460 within the spring receiving portion 1486 of the male terminal body 1472, and the insertion force F pushes both of these components toward each other. I This is achieved by applying this insertion force F. I While the power is applied, the user or assembler may leave the male terminal assembly in the unconnected state S UC From fully connected state F C To move it, the alignment mechanism 1459 must be aligned with the alignment receptacle 1476. To align the alignment mechanism 1459 with the alignment receptacle 1476, the assembler may need to twist the spring assembly 1455 inside the male terminal body 1472. When the rear range of the outer portion 1457a is positioned adjacent to the end of the male terminal body 1472, the male terminal assembly 1430 is in a fully connected state F C It will become.

[0048] The tension relief assembly 1800 includes several components, such as a tension relief cap 1810 designed to relieve the tension on the connection between the male terminal assembly 1430 and the wire 1530. Additional details of this tension relief assembly are disclosed in connection with International Application PCT / US2019 / 36070, which are incorporated herein by reference in full.

[0049] 2) Female connector assembly The female connector assembly 2000 mainly consists of a female terminal assembly 2430. The female terminal assembly 2430 includes a side wall arrangement 2434 that forms a female receptacle 2472 designed to accept the range of the male terminal assembly 1430 in order to electrically and mechanically connect the device connected to the male connector assembly 1000 to the device connected to the component header 3000. The cross-sectional shape of the female receptacle 2472 is substantially circular, and its diameter is approximately 10.3 mm. Thus, this diameter is approximately 5% smaller than the outer diameter of the male terminal assembly 1430 (measured over the widest range of the contact arms 1494a-1494d, which is approximately 10.8 mm). As discussed in international applications PCT / US2019 / 36070 and PCT / US2019 / 36010, this positional relationship compresses the spring member 1440a when the male terminal assembly 1430 is inserted into the female terminal assembly 2430, ensuring that the male terminal assembly 1430 makes proper electrical and mechanical connections with the female terminal assembly 2430. Additional details relating to the female terminal assembly 2430 are generally discussed in international applications PCT / US2019 / 36127, PCT / US2019 / 36070 and PCT / US2019 / 36010, and therefore these details will not be repeated here. However, generally speaking, the female terminal assembly 2430 may be made of a conductive material (e.g., copper) and may be manufactured by punching, pressing, drawing, modeling, molding, printing, or similar manufacturing methods may be used.

[0050] 3) Component headers The component header 3000 mainly consists of a female housing assembly designed to protect and insulate the female terminal assembly 2430 from external structures. To achieve this, the intermediate housing assembly 2100 receives the female terminal assembly 2430 within a receiving portion formed by a wall 2160. The wall 2160 extends rearward from the front edge of the housing 2100 and includes an inclined or sloped wall arrangement 2162 designed to compress the contact arm 1494 of the terminal assembly 1430 during mating between the male terminal assembly 1430 and the female terminal assembly 2430. The configuration and design of these inclined or sloped wall arrangements 2162 are described in detail in international application PCT / US2019 / 36070, which is incorporated herein. These inclined or sloped walls 2162 have a rear edge configured to abut against the front edge of the female terminal assembly 2430 when the female terminal assembly 2430 is properly positioned within the component header 3000.

[0051] 4) Connecting the connector system Figures 1 and 2 show the high-power connector system 100 in the disconnected state S. DCON From full connection state S FCON This shows how it can move. Next, the high-power connector system 100 is in this disconnected state S. DCON From this point, the contact arms 1494a-1494d of the male connector assembly 1000 can move to a partially connected state in which they are about to contact the inclined or tapered surface 2162 of the female connector assembly 2000. This inclined or tapered surface 2162 gently and smoothly compresses the contact arms 1494a-1494p until they can easily slide and contact the inner surface of the female receptacle 2472. This process is described in detail in international application PCT / US2019 / 36070, which is incorporated herein by reference. When the male connector assembly 1000 is fully connected to the female connector assembly 2000, the high-power connector system 100 moves from a partially connected state S PCON From full connection state S FCONIt is moving. Finally, force is applied to the CPA1170, causing it to interact with the range of the component header 3000. Once this is done, the male connector assembly 1000 is locked into the female connector assembly 2000. Finally, the installer can scan the range of the CPA1170 visible through the opening in the housing, as described in international application PCT / US20 / 49870.

[0052] Second Embodiment As shown in Figures 29 to 35, a second embodiment of the connector system 4100 includes a plurality of components designed to electrically and mechanically connect one device or component to another device or component in a power distribution environment. The second embodiment of the connector system 4100 mainly consists of (i) a male connector assembly 5000 and (ii) a female connector assembly 6000. The male connector assembly 5000 includes (i) a housing assembly 5100, (ii) a male terminal assembly 5430 including a male terminal 5470 and an internal spring assembly 5455 including a spring holder 5456 and a spring member 5440a, (iii) a male interlocking assembly 5600, (iv) a tension relief assembly 5800, and (v) a wire 5495. The female connector assembly 6000 includes (i) a housing assembly 6100 and (ii) a female terminal assembly 6430 including a female terminal body 6434 having a female receptacle 6472. The only difference between the first and second embodiments of the connector systems 100, 4100 is the configuration of (i) housings 1100, 5100, 3000, 6100 and (ii) male terminal connection plates 1474, 5474. In other respects, terminal assemblies 1430, 2430, 5430, 6430 are identical across embodiments 100, 4100.

[0053] Given the substantial overlap between these embodiments, it should be understood that reference numerals shown in the drawings may be omitted from this specification for the sake of brevity, as similar structures have similar numerals. For example, the disclosure relating to spring member 1440a is not repeated herein, but applies to spring member 5440a as if it were repeated herein. In other words, the omission of reference numerals from the specification or specific disclosures of the function of its structures should not limit the disclosures of this application. Instead, references should be made to disclosures of similar structures that may be considered in other sections of this application or other applications incorporated herein by reference.

[0054] 5) Characteristics and functions of the terminal Figures 33-34 show the fully connected state S. FC The diagram shows a cross-section of the male connector assembly 5000 connected to the female connector assembly 6000 located in [location]. The following disclosures are considered in relation to the second embodiment of system 4100, but it should be understood that these disclosures are equally applicable to the first embodiment of system 100. As best shown in Figure 33, one or more of the outer surfaces of the spring arms 5452a to 5452d are in contact with the free ends 5488 of the respective contact arms 5494a to 5494d. As considered above, the outermost extent of the contact arms 5494a to 5494d is slightly larger than the inner extent of the female terminal body 6434. Therefore, when these components are mated together, the spring member 5440a is compressed. This compression of the spring member 5440a creates an outward biasing force S on the contact arms 5494a to 5494d, causing them to move away from the interior of the spring member 5440a. BF Generates.

[0055] The male terminal body 5472, including the contact arms 5494a to 5494d, may be formed from a first material such as copper, a highly conductive copper alloy (e.g., C151 or C110), aluminum, and / or another suitable conductive material. The first material preferably has a conductivity greater than 80% of the IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard, i.e., an empirically derived standard value of the conductivity of commercially available copper). For example, C151 is pure copper that typically conforms to the IACS and has a conductivity of 95% of the standard. Similarly, C110 has a conductivity of 101% of the IACS. In certain operating environments or technical applications, C151 may be preferred because it has corrosion resistance desirable for high-stress and / or harsh weather applications. The first material of the male terminal body 5472 is C151, which, according to ASTM B747, has an elastic modulus (Young's modulus) of approximately 115-125 gigapascals (GPa) at room temperature, and a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of 17.6 ppm / degrees Celsius (20-300 degrees Celsius) and 17.0 ppm / degrees Celsius (20-200 degrees Celsius).

[0056] The spring member 5440a may be formed from a second material such as spring steel, stainless steel (e.g., 301SS, 1 / 4 hardness), and / or another suitable material having greater stiffness (e.g., measured by Young's modulus) and greater elasticity than the first material of the male terminal body 5472. The second material preferably has a lower conductivity than the first material. The second material also has a Young's modulus that can be about 193 GPa at room temperature and a terminal expansion coefficient (CTE) of 17.8 ppm / °C (0 to 315°C) and 16.9 ppm / °C (0 to 100°C). For intended high-voltage applications, the cross-sectional area of ​​the copper alloy forming the first connector is balanced with the conductivity of the selected copper alloy. For example, if a copper alloy with lower conductivity is selected, the contact arms 5494a to 5494d formed therefrom have a larger cross-sectional area to conduct electricity effectively. Similarly, the selection of a first material with higher conductivity may allow for contact arms 5494a to 5494d having a relatively smaller cross-sectional area while still meeting conductivity standards.

[0057] In exemplary embodiments, the CTE of the second material may be greater than that of the first material, i.e., the CTE of the spring member 5440a is greater than that of the male terminal body 5472. Therefore, when the assembly of the male terminal body 5472 and the spring member 5440a is exposed to the high voltage and high temperature environment typical of the use of the electrical connector described herein, the spring member 5440a expands relatively more than the male terminal body 5472. Thus, the outward force S generated by the spring member 5440a on the contact arms 5494a to 5494d of the male terminal body 5472 BF This increases with increasing temperature, and this is the thermal spring force S below TF It is called that.

[0058] Exemplary applications of this disclosure, such as those used in vehicle alternators, are well-suited for deployment in Class 5 automotive environments, such as those found in passenger and commercial vehicles. Class 5 environments are often found in vehicles, for example, under the hood of an alternator, exhibiting ambient temperatures of 150°C and routinely reaching 200°C. When copper and / or highly conductive copper alloys are exposed to temperatures above approximately 150°C, the alloys become malleable and lose their mechanical elasticity, i.e., the copper material softens. However, the steel forming the spring member 5440a retains its hardness and mechanical properties when exposed to similar conditions. Therefore, when both the male terminal body 5472 and the spring member 5440a are exposed to high temperatures, the first material of the male terminal body 5472 softens, the structural integrity of the spring member 5440a formed from the second material is maintained, and the force applied to the softened contact arms 5494a-5494d by the spring member 5440a is maintained in the fully connected position S FC In this configuration, the softened contact arms 5494a to 5494d are more effectively displaced outward relative to the interior of the male terminal body 5472.

[0059] The male terminal body 5472, spring member 5440a, and female terminal body 6434 are configured to maintain conductivity and mechanical engagement while withstanding the high temperatures and thermal cycling resulting from the high-power, high-voltage applications to which the connector assembly is exposed. Furthermore, the male terminal body 5472 and female terminal body 6434 may undergo thermal expansion as a result of the high temperatures and thermal cycling resulting from the high-voltage, high-temperature applications, which increases the outward force applied by the male terminal body 5472 to the female terminal body 6434. The configuration of the male terminal body 5472, spring member 5440a, and female terminal body 6434 increases the outward connecting force between them, while the connector system 4100 maintains connection position P C It can withstand thermal expansion resulting from thermal cycling in [the system].

[0060] Based on the exemplary embodiment above, the Young's modulus and CTE of the spring member 5440a are greater than those of the male terminal body 5472. Therefore, if the male terminal body 5472 is used in a high-power application where the connector system 4100 is subjected to repeated thermal cycling at high temperatures (e.g., about 150°C), (i) the male terminal body 5472 becomes malleable and loses some mechanical elasticity, i.e., the copper material within the male terminal body 5472 softens, and (ii) the spring member 5440a does not become malleable or loses significantly more mechanical rigidity compared to the male terminal body 5472.

[0061] Therefore, when using a spring member 5440a that has been mechanically cold-forced into shape (for example, by using a die forming process), the spring member 5440a is exposed to high temperatures, and the spring member 5440a returns to at least its uncompressed state, which occurs before the male terminal assembly 5430 is inserted into the female terminal assembly 6430, and preferably returns to its original flat state, which occurs before the formation of the spring member 5440a. In this way, the spring member 5440a exerts a generally outward thermal spring force S on the free ends 5488 of the contact arms 5494a to 5494d. TF (Figure 36 "S TF Apply this thermal spring force S (as indicated by the arrow labeled "). TF The spring biasing force S depends on local temperature conditions, including high and / or low temperatures, in the environment in which the system 4100 is installed. BF and thermal spring force S TF The combination with the resulting biasing force S RBF This provides that when the male terminal assembly 2430 is inserted into the female terminal 6430 and during the operation of the system 4100, the outer surfaces of the contact arms 5494a to 5494d are pressed against the inner surface of the female terminal body 6434, ensuring an electrical and mechanical connection. Additionally, in repeated thermal cycling events, the male terminal assembly 5430 is oriented outward as a result of the resulting spring force S RBFThis causes an increase, which is applied to the female terminal assembly 6430 during repeated operation of system 4100.

[0062] As further illustrated in Figures 33 and 35, the fully connected state S FC In this configuration, the male terminal assembly 5430 provides 360° compliance with the female terminal assembly 6430, ensuring that a sufficient amount of outward force F is applied by the male terminal assembly 5430 to the female terminal assembly 6430 for electrical and mechanical connectivity in all four principal directions. This attribute allows for the omission of fixing features and / or other features designed to ensure the desired orientation of the components during connection. The 360° compliance attribute of system 4100 also helps maintain mechanical and electrical connections under severe mechanical conditions, such as vibration. In conventional blade or fork-shaped connectors with 180° compliance, i.e., connections on only two opposing sides, vibration can generate harmonic resonances that cause the 180° compliant connector to vibrate with a larger amplitude at certain frequencies. For example, harmonic resonance in a fork-shaped connector can cause it to open. Fork-shaped connectors opening during conduction is undesirable because it can cause an electric arc discharge if the fork-shaped connector is momentarily mechanically separated from the associated terminals. Arc discharge can have a significant adverse effect on 180° compliant terminals and the entire electrical system in which 180° compliant terminals are components. However, the 360° compliance feature of this disclosure can prevent potential catastrophic failures caused by strong vibrations and electrical arc discharges.

[0063] 6) Related information regarding Systems 100 and 4100 System 100,4100 is T4 / V4 / S3 / D2 / M2 compliant, meaning (i) T4 is exposure of System 100 to 150°C, (ii) V4 is severe vibration, (iii) S1 is high-pressure spray, (iv) D2 is durability of 200k miles, and (v) M2 is that a force of less than 45 Newtons is required to connect male terminal assemblies 1430, 3430, 5430 to female terminal assemblies 2430, 6430. It should be understood that System 100,4100 meets and exceeds these requirements. In addition to being T4 / V4 / S3 / D2 / M2 compliant, System 100,4100 is also push, click, tug, scan (PCTS) compliant, and additional information on this standard is disclosed in international application PCT / US2020 / 049870.

[0064] The male terminal assemblies 1430, 5430 and female terminal assemblies 2430, 6430 disclosed herein have the following specifications for transport at 55°C, but are increased to rise over ambient temperature (RoA) or above 80°C, with an 80% reduction in rating, (i) the male terminal assembly 1430 has a diameter of 6 mm and a rating of 16 mm 2 (ii) Male terminal assembly 1430 with a diameter of 8 mm and 25 mm, carrying 153 amps via wire. 2 The wire has a rated current of 225 amps, and (iii) the male terminal assembly 1430 has a diameter of 10 mm and 50 mm. 2 The wire has a rated current of 300 amps, and the (iv) male terminal assembly 1430 has a diameter of 12 mm and 75 mm. 2 Please understand that the wire has a rated current of 375 amps. In comparison, conventional circular connectors sold by Amphenol have the following ratings with an 80% reduction in rating at 80°C: (i) Male terminal diameter is 6 mm, 16 mm 2 The wire has a rated current of 90 amps, and (ii) the diameter of the male terminal is 8 mm and 25 mm. 2 The wire has a rated current of 130 amps, and (iii) the diameter of the male terminal is 10 mm and 50 mm 2The wire has a rated current of 220 amps. Therefore, the disclosed connector system 100 provides a substantially higher current carrying capacity than the conventional circular connectors sold by Amphenol. In particular, the disclosed connector system 100 can carry 41% more current at 6mm terminals, 42% more current at 8mm terminals, and 27% more current at 10mm terminals. While meeting USCAR standards, these substantial increases in current carrying capacity provide a considerable advantage over prior art connectors.

[0065] The spring members 1440a and 5440a disclosed herein may be replaced with the spring members shown in International Application PCT / US2019 / 36010 or U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 058,061. Furthermore, it should be understood that alternative configurations are possible for connector assemblies 1000, 2000, 5000, and 6000. For example, any number (e.g., 2 to 30, preferably 2 to 8, most preferably 2 to 4) of male terminal assemblies 1430 and 5430 can be positioned within housings 1100 and 5100. In addition, alternative configurations are possible for connector systems 100 and 4100. For example, female connector assemblies 2000 and 6000 may be reconfigured to accept these multiple male terminal assemblies 1430 and 5430 into a single female terminal assembly 2430 and 6430.

[0066] It should also be understood that the male terminal assembly may have any number (e.g., 2 to 100, preferably 2 to 50, most preferably 2 to 8) contact arms 1494, 5494 and any number (e.g., 2 to 100, preferably 2 to 50, most preferably 2 to 8) spring arms 1452, 5452. As considered above, the number of contact arms 1494, 5494 may not be equal to the number of spring arms. For example, there may be more contact arms 1494, 5494 than spring arms 1452, 5452. Alternatively, there may be fewer contact arms 1494, 5494 than spring arms 1452, 5452.

[0067] Materials and disclosures incorporated by reference International applications PCT / US21 / 43686, PCT / US2021 / 033446, PCT / US2020 / 050018, PCT / US2020 / 049870, PCT / US2020 / 014484, PCT / US2020 / 013757, PCT / US2019 / 036127, PCT / US2019 / 036070, PCT / US2019 / 036010, and international application PCT / US2018 / 019787, U.S. Patent U.S. Provisional Patent Applications No. 16 / 194,891, No. 62 / 681,973, No. 62 / 792,881, No. 62 / 795,015, No. 62 / 897,658, No. 62 / 897,962, No. 62 / 988,972, No. 63 / 051,639, No. 63 / 058,061, No. 63 / 068,622, No. 63 / 109,135, No. 63 / 159,689, and No. 63 / 222,859 are all incorporated by reference and form part of this Specification.

[0068] The SAE standard J1742_201003, titled "Connections for High Voltage On-Board Vehicle Electrical Wiring Harnesses - Test Methods and General Performance Requirements," with its last revision in March 2010, is fully incorporated by reference and forms part of this specification.

[0069] ASTM standards, specifically (i) D4935-18, titled "Standard Test Method for Measuring the Electromagnetic Shielding Effectiveness of Planar Materials," and (ii) ASTM D257, titled "Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials," are fully incorporated by reference and form part of this specification.

[0070] The ANSI / ESD STM11.11 Surface Resistance Measurements of Static Dissipative Planar Materials standards of the American National Standards Institute and / or EOS / ESD Association, Inc. are each fully incorporated by reference and form part of this specification.

[0071] The DIN standard, Connectors for electronic equipment—Tests and measurements—Part 5-2: Current-carrying capacity tests; Test 5b: Current-temperature derating (IEC60512-5-2:2002), each of which is fully incorporated by reference and forms part of this specification.

[0072] These are USCAR standards, including (i) SAE / USCAR-2, 6th edition, revised February 2013, ISBN: 978-0-7680-7998-2, (ii) SAE / USCAR-12, 5th edition, revised August 2017, ISBN: 978-0-7680-8446-7, (iii) SAE / USCAR-21, 3rd edition, revised December 2014, (iv) SAE / USCAR-25, 3rd edition, revised March 2016, ISBN: 978-0-7680-8319-4, (v) SAE / USCAR-37, revised August 2008, ISBN: 978-0-7680-2098-4, and (vi) SAE / USCAR-38, 1st edition, revised May 2016. ISBN: 978-0-7680-8350-7, each of which is incorporated in full by reference, forms part of this specification.

[0073] Other standards, including Federal Test Method Standards 101C and 4046, are fully incorporated by reference and form part of this specification. While several implementations have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications can be conceived without substantially departing from the spirit of this disclosure, and the scope of protection is limited only to the scope of the appended claims. For example, the overall shape of the components described above can be modified to a triangular prism, pentagonal prism, hexagonal prism, octagonal prism, sphere, cone, tetrahedron, cube, dodecahedron, icosahedron, octahedron, ellipsoid, or other similar shapes.

[0074] The following terms used in this specification should generally be understood to mean the following: a. "High power" means (i) a voltage between 20 volts and 600 volts regardless of current, or (ii) any current of 80 amperes or more regardless of voltage. b. "High current" shall mean a current of 80 amperes or more, regardless of voltage. c. "High voltage" shall mean a voltage between 20 volts and 600 volts, regardless of current.

[0075] Where headings and subheadings exist, they are used solely for convenience and are not limiting. The word "example" is used to mean that it serves as an example or illustration. Where terms are included, used, and similar terms are used, such terms are intended to be included in the same manner as the term "includes" is interpreted when used as a transitional word in a claim. Relationship terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or suggesting any actual such relationship or order between entities or actions.

[0076] The phrases "one aspect," "that aspect," "another aspect," "several aspects," "one or more aspects," "one implementation," "that implementation," "another implementation," "several implementations," "one or more implementations," "one embodiment," "that embodiment," "another embodiment," "several embodiments," "one or more embodiments," "one configuration," "that configuration," "another configuration," "several configurations," "one or more configurations," "the subject art," "disclosure," "this disclosure," "other variations thereof," and similar phrases are for convenience only and do not imply that the disclosure relating to such phrases is essential to the subject art or that such disclosures apply to all configurations of the subject art. The disclosure relating to such phrases may apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. The disclosure relating to such phrases may provide one or more examples. The phrases "aspect" or "several aspects," etc., may refer to one or more aspects, and vice versa, as with the other aforementioned phrases.

[0077] Numerous modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Preferred embodiments of this disclosure, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out this disclosure, are described herein. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An electrical connector system for use in a power distribution assembly, the electrical connector system includes a conductive male terminal body, the conductive male terminal body having (i) a substantially cylindrical side wall arrangement defining a spring receiving portion, and (ii) a contact arm extending from a first side wall of the side wall arrangement, The aforementioned contact arm is (a) First lateral edge, (b) Second lateral edge, (c) A first contact arm range connected to the first side wall and having a first width extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, (d) A second contact arm range connected to the first contact arm range of the contact arm and having a second width extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, wherein the second width is greater than the first width. Furthermore, it has an internal spring member sized to be located within the spring receiving portion of the male terminal body, and the internal spring member includes at least one spring arm having a radially outward biasing force. An electrical connector system in which, when the internal spring member is inserted into the spring receiving portion, the at least one spring arm is positioned below at least a portion of the second contact arm range of the contact arm, causing a radially outward force to act independently on the contact arm.

2. The electrical connector system according to claim 1, wherein in a fully connected SFC where the internal spring member is positioned within the spring receiving portion of the male terminal body, the contact arm includes a free end that is in contact with the outer surface of the spring arm.

3. The electrical connector system according to claim 1, further comprising a spring holder having (i) a first portion configured to abut within the front segment of the male terminal body, and (ii) a second portion configured to receive the internal spring member, in a joined state JS in which the internal spring member is positioned within the male terminal body.

4. The first portion of the spring holder includes an alignment mechanism that is received by an alignment receptacle formed on the front segment of the male terminal body, The electrical connector system according to claim 3, wherein the alignment mechanism and the alignment receptacle interact with each other to align the internal spring member within the male terminal body.

5. The electrical connector system according to claim 3, wherein the second portion of the spring holder includes a retaining means configured to fix the internal spring member within the spring holder.

6. The electrical connector system according to claim 5, wherein the holding means includes two lateral beams configured to be positioned behind the rear wall of the internal spring member when the internal spring member and the spring holder are in the joined state JS.

7. The spring holder further includes having a spring aperture positioned between a first positioning structure of the spring holder and a second positioning structure of the spring holder, The electrical connector system according to claim 1, wherein when the internal spring member and the spring holder are in a joined state JS in which the internal spring member is positioned within the male terminal body, the first positioning structure is configured to be positioned on the first side of the spring arm, and the second positioning structure is configured to be positioned on the opposite side of the spring arm.

8. (i) a front portion, and (ii) a rear portion extending rearward from the front portion of the spring aperture, The electrical connector system according to claim 3, wherein the front portion of the spring aperture is larger than the rear portion of the spring aperture.

9. The electrical connector system according to claim 1, wherein the male terminal body has an outer diameter of 8 mm, a current carrying capacity of 225 amperes with an 80% reduction in rating at 80°C, and does not include lever assist.

10. The electrical connector system according to claim 1, wherein the male terminal body has an outer diameter of 10 mm, a current carrying capacity of 300 amperes with an 80% reduction in rating at 80°C, and does not include lever assist.

11. The connector system is an electrical connector system according to claim 1, which satisfies SAE / USCAR-2 revised edition 6.

12. An electrical connector system in a power distribution assembly, The electrical connector system has a conductive male terminal body having a spring receiving portion and a side wall, and the side wall is (i) A first notch is formed, and the first notch has a first lateral edge having a first portion and a second portion, (ii) A second opposing notch is formed, the second notch having a second lateral edge having a first portion and a second portion, (iii) The first contact arm range extends from the side wall to the first portion of the first and second notches, and the first contact arm range has a first width that extends between the first and second lateral edges, (iv) A contact arm having a second contact arm range that extends from the second portion of the first and second notches to the free end, the second contact arm range having a second width that extends between the first and second lateral edges, The internal spring member is sized to be completely contained within the spring receiving portion of the male terminal body and has at least one spring arm having a radially outward biasing force. An electrical connector system in a power distribution assembly, wherein when the internal spring member is inserted into the spring receiving portion, the at least one spring arm is positioned below the range of the contact arm, independently acting a radially outward force on the contact arm.

13. The electrical connector system according to claim 12, in a fully connected SFC where the internal spring member is positioned within the spring receiving portion of the male terminal body, the free end of the contact arm is in contact with the outer surface of the spring arm.

14. The side wall of the conductive male terminal body is (i) The opening width of the first contact arm extends between the range of the first contact arm and the first inner edge of the side wall, (ii) The opening width of the second contact arm extends between the first lateral edge of the second contact arm range and the first inner edge of the side wall, (iii) The electrical connector system according to claim 12, comprising a contact arm opening in which the opening width of the first contact arm is smaller than the opening width of the second contact arm.

15. The electrical connector system according to claim 14, wherein the conductive male terminal body includes a front segment connected to the side wall and positioned in front of the contact arm opening.

16. The electrical connector system according to claim 15, further comprising a spring holder having (i) a first portion configured to abut the front segment of the male terminal body, and (ii) a second portion configured to receive the internal spring member, in a joined state JS in which the internal spring member is positioned within the male terminal body.

17. The electrical connector system according to claim 12, further comprising a spring holder having (i) a first portion configured to be positioned outside the spring receiving portion in the connected state JS, and (ii) a second portion configured to be positioned inside the spring receiving portion in the connected state JS.

18. The first portion of the spring holder includes an alignment mechanism that, in the joined state JS, is received by an alignment receptacle formed within the male terminal body. The electrical connector system according to claim 17, wherein the alignment mechanism and the alignment receptacle function together to properly align the internal spring member within the male terminal body in the connected state JS.

19. The electrical connector system according to claim 18, wherein the second portion of the spring holder includes a retaining means configured to fix the internal spring member within the spring holder.

20. The electrical connector system according to claim 12, wherein the male terminal body has an outer diameter of 8 mm, a current carrying capacity of 225 amperes with an 80% rated reduction at 80°C, and does not include lever assist.

21. The electrical connector system according to claim 12, wherein the electrical connector system satisfies SAE / USCAR-2 Revision 6.

22. The electrical connector system according to claim 12, further comprising a male housing assembly configured to partially enclose the conductive male terminal body, wherein the male housing assembly further includes a connector position guarantee component.

23. An electrical connector system for use in a power distribution assembly, It includes a conductive male terminal body and an internal spring assembly, The male terminal body includes a side wall having a contact arm, defines a spring receiving portion and an alignment receptacle, and has a substantially cylindrical configuration. The aforementioned internal spring assembly is (i) Having at least one spring arm having a radially outward biasing force, and when the internal spring member is inserted into the spring receiving portion, the at least one spring arm is located below at least a portion of the contact arm and independently acts a radially outward force on the contact arm with respect to the internal spring member, (ii) An electrical connector system comprising: a spring holder having an alignment mechanism which is sized to be located within the spring receiving portion and which is positioned within an alignment receptacle in a joined state JS in which the internal spring member is positioned within the male terminal body in order to align the internal spring member within the male terminal body.

24. The electrical connector system according to claim 23, wherein the rear portion of the spring holder includes a retaining means configured to fix the internal spring member within the spring holder.

25. The electrical connector system according to claim 24, wherein the holding means includes two lateral beams configured to be positioned behind the rear wall of the internal spring member when the internal spring member and the spring holder are in the joined state JS.

26. The spring holder includes a spring holder having a spring aperture located between a first positioning structure of the spring holder and a second positioning structure of the spring holder. The electrical connector system according to claim 23, wherein when the internal spring member and the spring holder are in the joined state JS, the first positioning structure is configured to be positioned on the first side of the spring arm, and the second positioning structure is configured to be positioned on the opposite side of the spring arm.

27. The spring aperture further includes (i) a front portion located near the positioning mechanism and (ii) a rear portion extending rearward from the front portion of the spring aperture, The electrical connector system according to claim 26, wherein the front portion of the spring aperture is larger than the rear portion of the spring aperture.

28. The electrical connector system according to claim 23, wherein the conductive male terminal body includes a side wall having a contact arm that (i) separates from the rear portion of the conductive male terminal body, (ii) crosses the range of the contact arm opening, and (iii) extends toward the front portion of the conductive male terminal body.

29. The contact arm opening is (i) The width of the first contact arm opening extending between the first lateral edge of the contact arm and the first inner edge of the side wall, (ii) a second contact arm opening width extending between the first lateral edge of the contact arm and the first inner edge of the side wall, The electrical connector system according to claim 28, wherein the opening width of the first contact arm is smaller than the opening width of the second contact arm.

30. The contact arm, (i) A first notch is formed, and the first notch has a first lateral edge having a first portion and a second portion, (ii) A second opposing notch is formed, the second notch having a second lateral edge having a first portion and a second portion, (iii) The first contact arm range extends from the side wall to the first portion of the first and second notches, and the first contact arm range has a first width that extends between the first and second lateral edges, (iv) The electrical connector system according to claim 28, comprising a contact arm having a second contact arm range that extends from the second portion of the first and second notches to the free end, the second contact arm range having a second width that extends between the first and second lateral edges.

31. To define a fully connected state SFC, the device further includes a conductive female terminal body having a receptacle sized to receive a portion of both the male terminal body and the internal spring member located within the receiving portion of the male terminal body, The electrical connector system according to claim 23, wherein the free end of the contact arm is configured to be displaced inward from the original position of the free end when the connector system is in the fully connected state SFC.

32. The electrical connector system according to claim 23, wherein the male terminal body has an outer diameter of 8 mm, a current carrying capacity of 225 amperes with an 80% reduction in rating at 80°C, and does not include lever assist.

Images