Tuning fork electrical contact with prongs having non-rectangular shape

• Main Authors: KIRKWOOD RICHARD D, FLORES ADRIAN, BRANDON CHRISTOPHER ALAN, ROMERO FRANK
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 23.07.2014
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CURRENT COLLECTORS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; LINE CONNECTORS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR

An electrical contact (12) includes a pair of prongs (16a, 16b) that extend from a base (22) of the electrical contact (12) spaced apart by a gap (26) disposed therebetween. The gap (26) is configured to receive a mating electrical contact that mechanically and electrically communicates with the pair of prongs (16a, 16b). A plane (40) defined along respective exterior surfaces of the pair of prongs (16a, 16b) is such that a portion of one prong (16a) of the pair of prongs (16a, 16b) is bisected by the plane (40). A method (100) of making an electrical contact (12) includes a step of stamping out a piece from a sheet of electrically-conducting material (102) and another step of folding one or more portions of the piece to at least produce the pair of prongs (16a, 16b) of the electrical contact (12) spaced apart by the gap (26) (104). An electrical assembly (10) includes a printed circuit board (14) and at least one electrical contact (12) that contains the pair of prongs (16a, 16b).