Electrical connector contact retention system
US4941847A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 24, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jul 17, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01R13/41
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A connector is provided which retains its contacts in a simple, reliable, and low cost manner, without requiring retaining clips. A housing that holds the contacts includes two insulative layers with aligned contact-receiving holes, the first layer (50 in FIG. 2) formed of rigid material and the second layer (52) formed of elastomeric material. Each contact has a rearwardly-facing first shoulder (66) that engages a first abutment (74) formed in the first rigid layer, to withstand large mating forces as the connector is moved forwardly to mate with another connector. Each contact also has a second forwardly-facing shoulder (72) that engages a second abutment (76) in the second elastomeric layer, to withstand the lower unmating forces. The contact has forward and rearward parts (66, 70), one forming the first shoulder and the other forming the second shoulder. The hole (54) in the forwardmost layer is large enough to readily pass the rearwardmost one of the contact parts (70) to enable installation and removal of the contacts from the front of the housing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.