Electrical connector with latch terminal

• US 4,452,501 A
• Filed: 04/30/1982
• Issued: 06/05/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Gladd, Joseph H., Plyler, Robert G., Suverison, Lyle B.
• Primary Examiner(s): McQuade, John
• Application Number:
  US06/373,408
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 339/91 R, 339/97 R, 339/97 P, 339/113 R
• US Class Current: 439/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2416 the contact members having insulation-cutting edges, e.g. of tuning fork type

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises a pair of mating dielectric connector bodies each having a plurality of electrical contacts which engage the electrical contacts of the other when the connector bodies are coupled. The coupled connector bodies are locked together by a projection on one connector body and a cooperating lock arm which is part of a resilient metal clip which is attached to the other connector body and which engages an electrical contact on the one connector body when the coupled connector bodies are locked together. The resilient metal clip has a central slot for attaching a conductor to the clip and for disengaging the lock arm with a screwdriver or the like.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a pair of mating dielectric connector bodies,

a plurality of electrical contacts in each connector body which engage the electrical contacts in the other connector body when the connector bodies are coupled,

a projection on one connector body and a cooperating lock arm on the other connector body having a hook at a free end thereof engaging the projection to lock the coupled connector bodies together,

an electrical contact on the one connector body immediately behind the projection which is engaged by the hook when it engages the projection, and

a resilient metal clip which includes said lock arm and a tab connected to the lock arm,

said resilient metal clip being attached to the other connector body by the tab and having a central slot beginning rearwardly of the hook for attaching a conductor to the clip.

2. An electrical connector comprising:

a pair of mating dielectric connector bodies,

a plurality of electrical contacts in each connector body which engage the electrical contacts in the other connector body when the connector bodies are coupled,

a projection on one connector body and a cooperating elongated lock arm on the other connector body having a hook at a free end thereof engaging the projection to lock the coupled connector bodies together,

an electrical contact on the one connector body immediately behind the projection which is engaged by the hook when it engages the projection, and

a resilient metal clip which includes said lock arm and a tab connected to the lock arm by a round bend of approximately 180°

,

said resilient metal clip being attached to the other connector body by the tab and having a central slot beginning rearwardly of the hook and ending in the bend for attaching a conductor to the clip.

3. An electrical connector comprising:

a pair of mating dielectric connector bodies,

a plurality of electrical contacts in each connector body which engage the electrical contacts in the other connector body when the connector bodies are coupled,

a projection on one connector body and a cooperating elongated lock arm on the other connector body having a hook at a free end thereof engaging the projection to lock the coupled connector bodies together,

a conductive strip mounted on the one connector body to provide an electrical contact immediately behind the projection which is engaged by the hook when it engages the projection, and

a resilient metal clip which includes said lock arm and a tab connected to the lock arm by a round bend of approximately 180°

,

said resilient metal clip being attached to the other connector body by the tab and having a central close-ended slot beginning rearwardly of the hook and ending in the bend for attaching a conductor to the clip,

said central slot having a wide end near the hook and converging toward the bend into a narrow insulation piercing portion which extends approximately half-way round the bend.