Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector of electrically conductive material, said connector being characterised in that it comprises a conductor connection portion (40,12,14,16) extending in one direction and having a base portion (40) at one end for receiving at least one electrical conductor in electrical connection therewith; an intermediate portion (34) having two ends, one of said ends being connected to said conductor connection portion at said base portion and being unitary therewith, said intermediate portion extending from said conductor connection portion in a direction which is substantially opposite the direction in which said conductor connection portion extends; and spring means (32) having a predetermined length and connected at one end to said intermediate portion at the other of the two ends of said intermediate portion in a manner such that said spring means extends outwardly therefrom toward said base portion of the conductor connection portion, said predetermined length being such that said spring means terminates at its free end (32a) short of said base portion of said conductor connection portion.

Claim 3

A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical conductor is made from sheet material which is electrically conductive and wherein said spring means (32) lies in a plane which is at a shallow acute angle with respect to the plane in which said conductor connection portion lies.

Claim 4

A connector as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said connector further includes a further conductor connection portion (30) connected to said intermediate portion at said other end thereof and unitary therewith and extending in a direction which is substantially opposite the direction in which said first-mentioned conductor connection portion extends.

Claim 5

A connector as claimed in claim 3 wherein said second-mentioned conductor connection portion (30) lies in a plane which is at a shallow acute angle with respect to the plane in which said first-mentioned conductor connection portion lies.

Claim 6

A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said-first mentioned conductor connection portion includes: i) a generally planar base portion (40) having two ends, one of which is connected to said intermediate portion (34); ii) a double fork connection portion which is connected to the other of said ends of said generally planar base portion (40), said double fork connection portion being generally coplanar and unitary with said generally planar base portion and comprising: a) a central arm (14); and b) two resiliently movable side arms (12,16) with conductor receiving elongated slots (22,24) between said central arm and said side arms, the other of said ends being connected to said intermediate portion (34).

Claim 7

A connector assembly comprising a supporting block of electrically insulative material having an aperture (50) therein in which a connector according to any preceding claim is mounted with said spring means positioned inside and engaged within a cavity (56) of said aperture.

Claim 8

A connector assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said supporting block is made of a plastics material and has a plurality of connector receiving generally rectangular shaped apertures (50) that are arranged in a predetermined geometrical pattern and which open to the top and bottom surfaces (60a, 60b) of said block, said cavity (56) of each of said apertures being a windowless cavity which extends in a direction laterally of the width of said apertures, said cavity extending from said bottom surface (60b) towards said top surface (60a) a predetermined distance which is less than the thickness of said block and wherein a plurality of electrical connectors (10) is provided, each being mounted in one of said apertures, said spring means cooperating with portions of said supporting block which defines said cavity of the aperture in which said connector is mounted to prevent substantially movement of said connector along the width of said first-mentioned conductor connection portions and to allow substantial portions of said first-mentioned conductor connection portion to extend beyond said top surface while anchoring said connector when an electrical conductor is connected to said first-mentioned conductor connection portion, said spring means further being adapted to be movable in order to disengage said spring means from its associated cavity and thereby enable said connector to be removed from said aperture in which it is mounted.