Electrical connector contact element having multi-contact points to come into contact with a single mating contact element with independent contacting forces

摘要

A contact element (51) is made of an elastic metal plate and comprises a fixing portion (53) to be fixed to an insulator (230), an elastic arm portion (55) connected to the fixing portion (53), and a contacting elastic portion (57) connected to the elastic arm portion (55). The contacting elastic portion (57) has contact points (91, 93) to be brought into contact with a mating contact surface (501) of a mating contact element. The elastic arm portion (55) and the contacting elastic portion (57) have a plurality of elastic finger portions (101, 103) displaceable independently of each other. The elastic finger portions (101, 103) have different size in a width direction of the elastic metal plate. When the contact points (91, 93) are pressed by the mating contact element, the elastic arm portion (55) is deformed and displaced while the contacting elastic portion (57) is displaced under a predetermined load ratio kept between the elastic finger portions (101, 103) so that the contact points (91, 93) are brought into contact with the mating contact with a predetermined contacting force ratio maintained therebetween.