Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having contact-receiving passageways in which electrical contacts are secured therein by primary latch members; a secondary latch member movably mounted on said housing and having holes corresponding to said contact-receiving passageways extending therethrough; retaining means on said housing and said latch member for retaining said latch member in a contact-insertion position so that the contacts can be inserted through said holes into said contact-receiving passageways and a contact-latching position latching the contacts in the passageways; and interengaging means of said housing and said latch member to move said latch member inwardly as said latch member moves from the contact-insertion positon to the contact-latching position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
An electrical connector, comprising: a dielectric housing having contact-receiving passageways in which electrical contacts are secured therein by primary latch members; a secondary latch member movably mounted on said housing and having holes corresponding to said contact-receiving passageways extending therethrough; retaining means on said housing and said latch member for retaining said latch member in a contact-insertion position so that the contacts can be inserted through said holes into said contact-receiving passageways and a contact-latching position latching the contacts in the passageways; and interengaging means of said housing and said latch member to move said latch member inwardly as said latch member moves from the contact-insertion positon to the contact-latching position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes side walls between which the secondary latch member is movably mounted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said interengaging means comprise grooves on inside surfaces of said side walls which extend into narrow bottom sections with projections on the secondary latch member being disposed in and movable along the grooves and narrow bottom sections, and projections of said side walls disposed in recesses of said secondary latch member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the narrow bottom sections, projections and recesses have matable tapered surfaces that serve to cam the latch member inwardly during the movement of the latch member from the contact-insertion position to the contact-latching position so that the inner surface of the latch member engages the rear surface of the housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the retaining means on the housing are flexible members as part of the side walls having ratchet teeth and the retaining means on the latch member are in the form of ratchet teeth engagable with the ratchet teeth of said flexible members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rear and inner surfaces are stepped.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing rear surfaces have upper and lower projections and the latch member has upper and lower recesses that are mated when the latch member is at the contact-latching position.