Hermaphroditic connector assembly

Claim 2

A hermaphroditic contact formed from sheet metal and comprising a channel-shape section having at one end a connecting section, a base of the channel-shaped section having an extension at the other end of the channel-shaped section defining a flat tab, sides of the channel-shaped section are extended generally parallel to the flat tab to define a pair of arms overlying the tab on a side of the channel-shaped section remote from the connecting section, the arms presenting edges spaced from the tab by a distance less than the tab thickness for receiving the tab of a complementary contact by deflection of the arms, the tab being formed centrally with a longitudinal ridge projecting on a side of the tab opposite to the arms, the arms concerging from the channel sides towards a middle portion of the tab and having end portions extending longitudinally of the tab and spaced apart by a distance less than the width of the ridge for receiving and resiliently gripping the ridge of a complementary identical contact between them.

Claim 3

A contact as claimed in claim 1, in which the leading end of the ridge is convexly curved widthwise of the tab and the leading end of the tab is chamfered in width and thickness.

Claim 4

A contact as claimed in claim 1, in which the leading end of the tab projects beyond leading ends of the edges of the arms and the ridge terminates between the ends of the edges of the arms and the leading end of the tab.

Claim 5

A contact as claimed in claim 1, in which the arms are stiffened by longitudinal indentations formed at adjacent faces of the arms and projecting outwards, the indentations extending between remote parts of the convergent parts and the generally parallel end portions of the arms.

Claim 6

A contact as claimed in claim 1, in which the cannel section is formed in its base with an aperture from which the metal is pushed up between the channel sides away from the arms, to define a wire stop for a wire-crimping section forming the connecting section.

Claim 7

An electrical connector assembly comprising in combination a dielectric housing and an electrical contact, said housing having a passageway extending therethrough, said passageway having at an insertion end thereof a flange partly closing this end, said electrical contact having a channel-shaped section, a conductor-engaging portion extending outwardly from one end of said channel-shaped section, a base of said channel-shaped section having an extension defining a tab, a longitudinal ridge extending along an outer surface of said tab, sides of said channel-shaped section having extensions defining arms extending in the same direction as said tab, said arms having edges extending along an inner surface of said tab, said arms having middle portions extending parallel to each other and spaced apart a distance slightly less than the width of said ridge, ends of said arms being in alignment with said flange to limit movement of said contact in one direction in said passageway and to maintain said tab spaced from an inside surface of said passageway and exposed to the open part of the passageway at the insertion end thereof, and means provided by said housing and said contact to limit movement of said contact in said passageway opposite to that of the one direction.

Claim 8

An electrical connector assembly comprising in combination a dielectric housing and an electrical contact, said housing having a passageway extending therethrough, said passageway having at an insertion end thereof a flange partly closing this end, said electrical contact having a channel-shaped section, a conductor-engaging portion extending outwardly from one end of said channel-shaped section, a base of said channel-shaped section having an extension defining a tab, a longitudinal ridge extending along an outer surface of said tab, sides of said channel-shaped section having extensions defining arms extending in the same direction as said tab, said arms having edges extending along an inner surface of said tab, said arms having middle portions extending parallel to each other and spaced apart a distance slightly less than the width of said ridge, ends of said arms being in alignment with said flange to limit movement of said contact in one direction in said passageway and to maintain said tab spaced from an inside surface of said passageway and exposed to the open part of the passageway at the insertion end thereof, and means provided by said housing and said contact to limit movement of said contact in said passageway opposite to that of the one direction.

Claim 9

A hermaphroditic contact formed from sheet metal and comprising a channel-shaped section having at one end a connecting section, a base of the channel-shaped section having an extension at the other end of the channel-shaped section defining a flat tab, sides of the channel-shaped section having extensions defining a pair of arms generally parallel to and overlying the tab, the arms presenting edges spaced from the tab by a distance less than the tab thickness for receiving the tab of a complementary contact by deflection of the arms, the arms being formed at their leading ends with extensions stepped away from the tab and flared apart.

Claim 10

A hermaphroditic contact formed from sheet metal and comprising a channel-shaped section having at one end a connecting section, a base of the channel-shaped section having an extension at the other end of the channel-shaped section defining a flat tab, sides of the channel-shaped section having extensions defining a pair of arms generally parallel to and overlying the tab, the arms presenting edges spaced from the tab by a distance less than the tab thickness for receiving the tab of a complementary contact by deflection of the arms, the arms being formed at their leading ends with extensions stepped away from the tab and flared apart.

Claim 11

An electrical connector assembly comprising in combination a dielectric housing and an electrical contact, said housing having a passageway extending therethrough, said passageway having at an insertion end thereof a flange partly closing this end, said electrical contact having a channel-shaped section, a conductor-engaging portion extending outwardly from one end of said channel-shaped section, a base of said channel-shaped section having an extension defining a tab, sides of said channel-shaped section having extensions defining arms extending in the same direction as said tab, said arms having edges extending along an inner surface of said tab, ends of said arms being in alignment with said flange to limit movement of said contact in one direction in said passageway and to maintain said tab spaced from an inside surface of said passageway and exposed to the open part of the passageway at the insertion end thereof, and means provided by said housing and said contact to limit movement of said contact in said passageway opposite to that of the one direction, said movement limiting means comprising an integral latching arm extending outwardly from a wall of said passageway and having a latch head disposed in an opening of said channel-shaped section.

Claim 12

An electrical connector assembly comprising in combination a dielectric housing and an electrical contact, said housing having a passageway extending therethrough, said passageway having at an insertion end thereof a flange partly closing this end, said electrical contact having a channel-shaped section, a conductor-engaging portion extending outwardly from one end of said channel-shaped section, a base of said channel-shaped section having an extension defining a tab, sides of said channel-shaped section having extensions defining arms extending in the same direction as said tab, said arms having edges extending along an inner surface of said tab, ends of said arms being in alignment with said flange to limit movement of said contact in one direction in said passageway and to maintain said tab spaced from an inside surface of said passageway and exposed to the open part of the passageway at the insertion end thereof, and means provided by said housing and said contact to limit movement of said contact in said passageway opposite to that of the one direction, said movement limiting means comprising an integral latching arm extending outwardly from a wall of said passageway and having a latch head disposed in an opening of said channel-shaped section.

Claim 13

An electrical connector assembly comprising in combination a dielectric housing and an electrical contact, said housing having a passageway extending therethrough, said passageway having at an insertion end thereof a flange partly closing this end, said electrical contact having a channel-shaped section, a conductor-engaging portion extending outwardly from one end of said channel-shaped section, a base of said channel-shaped section having an extension defining a tab, said base having an aperture formed therein from which metal is pushed into said channel-shaped section in alignment with said conductive-engaging portion thereby defining a stop limiting the movement of a conductor into said conductor-engaging portion, sides of said channel-shaped section having extensions defining arms extending in the same direction as said tab, said arms having edges extending along an inner surface of said tab, ends of said arms being in alignment with said flange to limit movement of said contact in one direction in said passageway and to maintain said tab spaced from an inside surface of said passageway and exposed to the open part of the passageway at the insertion end thereof, and means provided by said housing and said contact to limit movement of said contact in said passageway opposite to that of the one direction.

Claim 14

An electrical connector assembly comprising in combination a dielectric housing and an electrical contact, said housing having a passageway extending therethrough, said passageway having at an insertion end thereof a flange partly closing this end, said electrical contact having a channel-shaped section, a conductor-engaging portion extending outwardly from one end of said channel-shaped section, a base of said channel-shaped section having an extension defining a tab, said base having an aperture formed therein from which metal is pushed into said channel-shaped section in alignment with said conductive-engaging portion thereby defining a stop limiting the movement of a conductor into said conductor-engaging portion, sides of said channel-shaped section having extensions defining arms extending in the same direction as said tab, said arms having edges extending along an inner surface of said tab, ends of said arms being in alignment with said flange to limit movement of said contact in one direction in said passageway and to maintain said tab spaced from an inside surface of said passageway and exposed to the open part of the passageway at the insertion end thereof, and means provided by said housing and said contact to limit movement of said contact in said passageway opposite to that of the one direction.