Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
407 words
An electrical connector comprising a moulded sythetic resin body (ll), a plurality of parallel terminal receiving passages (l5) in the body, said passages (l5) being open at one face of the body (ll) to permit insertion of respective terminals (l6), and having abutment surfaces to limit movement of the terminals (l6) in the passages (l5) in the insertion direction, each of said passages (l5) having a shoulder (l9) intermediate the ends thereof for engagement by a locking latch (l7) of the terminal (l6) to resist withdrawal of the terminal (l6), and each passage (l5) being open at an opposite face of the body (ll) to provide access to the terminals (l6) whereby mating terminals can be introduced into said terminals (l6) of the connector in use, the body (ll) further being provided with a plurality of locking bar passages (2l) extending into the body (ll) parallel to said terminal receiving passages (l5), each locking bar passage (2l) being positioned adjacent a respective terminal receiving passage (l5) and the connector further including a plurality of locking bars (l24) for insertion into respective locking bar passages (2l), the body (ll) defining, between each terminal receiving passage (l5) and its respective locking bar passage (2l), a deflectable arm (22) which can be deflected from a rest position, by introduction of a locking bar (l24) into the respective locking bar passage (2l), to an operative position in which the arm (22) projects into the respective terminal receiving passage (l5) to lie in the path of withdrawl of the respective terminal (l6), the connector being characterized in that each arm (22) and the respective locking bar (l24) are so arranged that as the locking bar (l24) approaches its fully inserted position the co-action between the arm (22) and the locking bar (l24) takes place at a point along the length of the arm (22) spaced from the free end of the arm so that in the event that the terminal (l6) of the respective terminal receiving passage (l5) is not fully inserted into the passage (l5) and is thus engaged by the arm (22) during its deflection then the arm (22) is caused to flex in a region spaced from its free end and the free end surface (23) of the arm (22) remains in a position wherein it can be abutted by a stop surface (l26) on the respective locking bar (l24) to prevent full insertion of the locking bar (l24).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
407 words
An electrical connector comprising a moulded sythetic resin body (ll), a plurality of parallel terminal receiving passages (l5) in the body, said passages (l5) being open at one face of the body (ll) to permit insertion of respective terminals (l6), and having abutment surfaces to limit movement of the terminals (l6) in the passages (l5) in the insertion direction, each of said passages (l5) having a shoulder (l9) intermediate the ends thereof for engagement by a locking latch (l7) of the terminal (l6) to resist withdrawal of the terminal (l6), and each passage (l5) being open at an opposite face of the body (ll) to provide access to the terminals (l6) whereby mating terminals can be introduced into said terminals (l6) of the connector in use, the body (ll) further being provided with a plurality of locking bar passages (2l) extending into the body (ll) parallel to said terminal receiving passages (l5), each locking bar passage (2l) being positioned adjacent a respective terminal receiving passage (l5) and the connector further including a plurality of locking bars (l24) for insertion into respective locking bar passages (2l), the body (ll) defining, between each terminal receiving passage (l5) and its respective locking bar passage (2l), a deflectable arm (22) which can be deflected from a rest position, by introduction of a locking bar (l24) into the respective locking bar passage (2l), to an operative position in which the arm (22) projects into the respective terminal receiving passage (l5) to lie in the path of withdrawl of the respective terminal (l6), the connector being characterized in that each arm (22) and the respective locking bar (l24) are so arranged that as the locking bar (l24) approaches its fully inserted position the co-action between the arm (22) and the locking bar (l24) takes place at a point along the length of the arm (22) spaced from the free end of the arm so that in the event that the terminal (l6) of the respective terminal receiving passage (l5) is not fully inserted into the passage (l5) and is thus engaged by the arm (22) during its deflection then the arm (22) is caused to flex in a region spaced from its free end and the free end surface (23) of the arm (22) remains in a position wherein it can be abutted by a stop surface (l26) on the respective locking bar (l24) to prevent full insertion of the locking bar (l24).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim l characterized in that the locking bars (l24) are carried by a common locking plate which, when the bars (l24) are fully inserted in the body, engages said opposite face of the body (ll), said plate having apertures therein to provide access to said terminal receiving passages (l5).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said locking bars (l24) are integral with said locking plate.