Electrical connector
First Claim
1. An electrical connector for releasably connecting a substantially flat terminal to an electric wire, the connector comprising:
- a housing having a passageway extending substantially therethrough defining a longitudinal direction, and a first terminal-engaging surface in the housing defining at least a portion of the passageway;
an actuator having a second terminal-engaging surface complementary to the first terminal-engaging surface of the housing;
means for conductively attaching the electric wire to the connector; and
cooperable positioning means for slidably positioning the actuator along the passageway of the housing such that the actuator is slidable generally diagonally with respect to the passageway between an open position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are spaced apart a distance at least as large as the thickness of the terminal so that the terminal may be placed between the surfaces, and a wedged position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are sufficiently close to clamp the terminal between the surfaces with the actuator being wedged against the terminal to retain the terminal in the connector.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical connector for releasably connecting a flat terminal, such as the terminal of a biomedical electrode, to an electric wire. The connector comprises a housing having a passageway extending substantially therethrough, and an actuator in the passageway. The housing has a first terminal-engaging surface defining one side of the passageway, and the actuator has a second terminal-engaging surface complementary to the first terminal-engaging surface of the housing. The actuator is slidable generally diagonally of the passageway in the housing between an open position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are spaced apart a distance at least as large as the thickness of the electrode terminal so that the terminal may be placed between the surfaces, and a wedged position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are sufficiently close to clamp the terminal between the surfaces with the actuator being wedged against the terminal to retain the terminal in the connector.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An electrical connector for releasably connecting a substantially flat terminal to an electric wire, the connector comprising:
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a housing having a passageway extending substantially therethrough defining a longitudinal direction, and a first terminal-engaging surface in the housing defining at least a portion of the passageway; an actuator having a second terminal-engaging surface complementary to the first terminal-engaging surface of the housing; means for conductively attaching the electric wire to the connector; and cooperable positioning means for slidably positioning the actuator along the passageway of the housing such that the actuator is slidable generally diagonally with respect to the passageway between an open position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are spaced apart a distance at least as large as the thickness of the terminal so that the terminal may be placed between the surfaces, and a wedged position, wherein the first and second terminal-engaging surfaces are sufficiently close to clamp the terminal between the surfaces with the actuator being wedged against the terminal to retain the terminal in the connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification