Electrical connector with preloaded spring-like terminal with improved wiping action.

摘要

An electrical connector (10) includes a dielectric body (14) mounting a flexible leaf-type terminal (16) which has a spring contact portion (78) for surface engagement with a contact element (90) of a mating connector component. The body includes a partition-like wall (56) defining oppositely facing sides (58,60) and an end face (62) thereof. The terminal is fixed adjacent one side (58) of the wall, and the spring contact portion (78) of the terminal is bowed around the end face (62) of the wall and spaced therefrom for flexingly surface engaging the contact element of the mating connector component in a given direction (A) generally perpendicular to the end face of the wall. The terminal has a distal end (80) at the end of the spring contact portion (78) located in a recessed area (66) in the other side (60) of the wall. The distal end thereby preloads the spring contact portion and resists flexing of the spring contact portion (78) if engaged in a direction (B) generally toward the one side (58) of the wall (56). <IMAGE>