Hermaphroditic L. I. F. mating electrical contacts

摘要

A low insertion force mating electrical contact structure includes a pair of hermaphroditic terminals. Each hermaphroditic terminal is provided with dual cantilevered contact beams disposed in spaced parallel relationship and extending from a common base. The terminals are stamped from flat metallic material to provide each beam with a plurality of opposite but symmetrical bends relative to its initial central plane. The bends define rear and front contact surfaces on each beam and with rear and front cam surfaces leading into the respective contact surfaces. Identical hermaphroditic terminals as described can be mated with low insertion forces initially achieved by sliding cam interaction between the respective rear and front cam surfaces of two such terminals. The normal forces and deflection gradually increase as the terminals approach their fully mated condition. The rear and front contact surfaces move into sliding contacting relationship with desirably high normal forces at four distinct points of contact to achieve a high redundancy.