Electrical contact terminal having improved wire-receiving slot

Abstract

Connecting device, which may be used for the spring member of a flexible hose, comprises a web having parallel sidewalls extending therefrom. Wire-receiving slot means extend inwardly from the free edges of the sidewalls and contact portion extends forwardly from the web so that when a wire spring in a flexible hose is inserted into the slot, the connecting device will extend from the end of the hose and parallel to the axis thereof. The wire-receiving slot means has features which make it particularly suitable for spring steel wires.

What is claimed is:  .[.1. A flexible hose in combination with electrical conductor means: 
       said hose comprising a tubular casing of thin-walled supple material having a helical wire spring member therein, said spring being in supporting relationship to said tubular casing, 
       said spring member constituting said conductor means, said conductor means having a terminal on one end thereof, said terminal having a generally U-shaped conductor-receiving portion which has a bight and sidewalls, said sidewalls having parallel free ends which are remote from said bight, wire-receiving slot means extending inwardly from said free edges towards said bight, said terminal having contact means integral with, and extending from, said conductor receiving portion, said conductor being received in said slot means whereby edge portions of said slot means are in electrical contact with said conductor..].  .[.2. The combination set forth in claim 1, each of said sidewalls being folded along a fold line extending parallel to said bight to define a fold, said folds constituting said free edges and each sidewall comprising a pair of parallel side-by-side plate-like sections, said slot means in each sidewall comprising a slot in each of said plate-like sections..].  .[.3. The combination set forth in claim 2, said slots in each of said plate-like sections in each of said sidewalls being displaced in their own planes by said wire, said fold in each of said sidewalls being resiliently stressed and serving as a spring urging edge portions of said slots into engagement with said wire..].  .[.4. The combination set forth in claim 3, said slot means in one of said sidewalls being offset with respect to said slot means in the other one of said sidewalls..].  .[.5. The combination set forth in claim 1, said contact portion extending from said conductor-receiving portion in a direction parallel to the axis of said hose..].  .[.6. The combination set forth in claim 5, and a second helical wire spring member in said tubular casing, said second spring member constituting a second conductor, said second conductor being displaced in the direction of the axis of said hose from said conductor, and a second terminal which is similar to said terminal, said second terminal being connected to said second conductor at said one end of said hose..].  .[.7. First and second electrical conductors in combination with a flexible hose: 
       said hose comprising a tubular casing, said casing being of a thin-walled supple material, 
       said first and second conductors comprising first and second wire coil springs, each of said springs having spaced apart coils, said springs being disposed in said casing and supporting said casing, the coils of said first spring being between the coils of said second spring. 
       said first conductor having an end coil which defines one end of said hose, said first and second conductors each having a tip portion at said one end of said hose, said tip portion of said second conductor being located beyond said tip portion of said first conductor in the direction which said one end coil extends towards said one end of said hose, and 
       first and second electrical contact terminals secured to said tip portions of said first and second conductors respectively, said terminals extending from said tip portions away from said one end and parallel to the axis of said hose, 
       each of said terminals having a generally U-shaped conductor receiving portion, said conductor-receiving portion having a bight and sidewalls, said sidewalls having parallel free edges which are remote from said bight, each of said sidewalls having a slot means extending from its free edge towards said bight, said tip portions of said conductors being received in said slot means..].  .[.8. An electrical contact terminal intended for application to one end of a coil spring conductor, said terminal comprising: 
       a conductor-receiving portion and a contact portion, said conductor-receiving portion being generally U-shaped in cross section and comprising a web and sidewalls, said contact portion extending from said web at one end thereof, 
       said sidewalls having parallel free edges which are remote from said web, each of said sidewalls having a wire-receiving slot means extending therein from its free edge towards said web whereby, upon insertion of an end portion of said coil spring into said slot means, edge portions of said slot means will engage, and establish electrical contact with said wire, and said contact portion will extend from said contact portion parallel to the axis thereof..]. .[.9. A terminal as set forth in claim 8, said sidewalls each being reversely folded along fold lines which extend parallel to said web thereby to provide a pair of parallel plate-sections connected by a fold, said fold in each sidewall constituting the free edges thereof, said slot means in each sidewall comprising a slot in each of said plate sections, said slots in each sidewall being offset from, and overlapping, each other..].  .[.10. The combination set forth in claim 1 said terminal being located interiorly of said hose..]. .Iadd. 11. In an electrical contact terminal of the type intended for application to one end of a coil spring conductor, said terminal being of the type comprising a conductor-receiving portion and a contact portion, said conductor-receiving portion being generally U-shaped in cross-section and comprising a web and sidewalls, said contact portion extending from said web at one end thereof, said sidewalls having parallel free edges which are remote from said web, each of said sidewalls having a wire-receiving slot means extending therein from its free edge towards said web, the improvement to said terminal comprising:   
       a reverse fold in each of said sidewalls extending parallel to the axis of said conductor-receiving portion whereby each of said sidewalls comprises a pair of parallel plate-sections connected by one of said folds, said fold in each sidewall constituting said free edge thereof, said slot means in each sidewall comprising a slot in each of said plate-sections, whereby, upon insertion of an end portion of said coil spring into said slot means, edge portions of said slot means will engage, and establish electrical contact with said wire, and said contact portion will extend from said contact portion parallel to the axis thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 12. A contact terminal as set forth in claim 11, said slot in each of said plate sections of each sidewall being offset from, and overlapping the slot in the other plate section of the same sidewall. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. An electrical contact terminal as set forth in claim 11, said slot means in each of said sidewalls being offset relative to said slot means in the other one of said sidewalls. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. A helical spring steel conductor in combination with an electrical contact terminal, said terminal having a generally U-shaped conductor-receiving portion which has a bight and sidewalls, said sidewalls having parallel free edges which are remote from said bight, wire-receiving slot means extending inwardly from said free edges towards and bight, said terminal having contact means integral with, and extending from, said conductor-receiving portion, said conductor being received in said slot means, the improvement to said terminal comprising:   
       a reverse fold in each of said sidewalls extending parallel to the axis of said conductor-receiving portion whereby each of said sidewalls comprises a pair of parallel plate-sections connected by one of said folds, said fold in each sidewall constituting said free edge thereof, said slot means in each sidewall comprising a slot in each of said plate-sections, said slot in each of said plate-sections of each sidewall being normally offset from, and overlapping, the slot of the other plate-section of the same sidewall, said slot in each plate-section of each sidewall being displaced relatively towards the slot in the other plate section of the same sidewall by said wire, and said folds of each sidewall being resiliently stressed whereby edge portions of said slot means are resiliently urged against said wire to maintain electrical contact therewith. .Iaddend.