Electrical connector receptacle with retention means for a plurality of conductive terminals

Claim 2

The receptacle of claim 1, wherein: (a) said housing (10) is made of insulative material and comprises generally parallel opposed side walls and generally parallel opposed end walls all interposed between generally parallel upper and lower engagement surfaces (15,16) said windows being pin receiving windows arranged in at least one of said engagement surfaces (16); and (b) said plurality of conductive terminals (28;52) are positioned within said side and end walls, each one of said conductive terminals (28;52) being axially aligned with one of said plurality of windows (32,34;82,84).

Claim 3

The receptacle of claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of said windows (34;84) are restricted by means of projections (43,44;93,94) extending from the housing (10) into each of the restricted windows (34;84).

Claim 4

The receptacle of one of the claims 1 to 3 wherein the projections (43,44;93,94) are comprised of a resilient material.

Claim 5

The receptacle of claim 4 wherein the housing (10) and/or the projections (43,44;93,94) are comprised of an insulative material, preferably of a polymeric material, more preferred of a fiberglass reinforced polymeric material.

Claim 6

The receptacle of claim 4 wherein the terminals (28;52) each have opposed sides and opposed edges and said sides and edges have dimensions and the side dimension is greater than the end dimensions.

Claim 7

The receptacle of claim 6 wherein the windows (32,34;82,84) are rectangular and each of said windows has a first pair of sides which are adjacent the sides of the terminal (28;52) and a second pair of sides which are adjacent the edges and said means (43,44;93,94) for restricting the windows (34;84) extend inwardly into said windows (34;84) from at least one of the second pair of sides.

Claim 8

The receptacle of one of the claims 4 to 7 wherein the terminals (28;52) are positioned so that the edges of said terminals are adjacent the second pair of sides.

Claim 9

The receptacle of one of the claims 4 to 8 wherein said means for restricting the windows (34;84) comprises a pair of opposed ledges (43,44) each extending inwardly from one of the second pair of sides.

Claim 10

The receptacle of claim 8 wherein the opposed ledges (43,44) have inward terminal edges and the opposed edges of each of the terminals (28;52) are adjacent said inward terminal edges.

Claim 11

The receptacle of one of the claims 8 to 10 wherein the ledges (43,44) having terminal ends and a medial area extend from the second pair of sides by generally uniform distances so that the inward terminal edges of said ledges (43,44) are generally parallel to said second pair of sides, or said ledges (43,44) extend from the second pair of sides by a greater amount at the medial area, or the inward terminal edges of the ledges are curved.

Claim 12

An electrical connector with a receptacle comprising a plurality of conductive terminals (28;52) at least in part enclosed within a housing (10) and there being a plurality of windows (32,34;82,84) in said housing (10) to allow access to said conductive terminals (28;52) and means for at least partially restrict at least some of said windows (34;84) and a header (54) having a plurality of conductive pins projecting from a base (56) to pass through said windows to abut said terminals.

Claim 13

The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein: (i) said housing (10) of said receptacle is made of an insulative material and comprises generally parallel opposed side walls and generally parallel opposed end walls all interposed between generally parallel upper and lower engagement surfaces (15,16) said windows (32,34;82,84) being pin receiving windows arranged in at least one of said engagement surfaces (15,16); and (ii) said plurality of conductive terminals (28;52) are positioned within said side and end walls and each of said conductive terminals being axially aligned with one of said plurality of windows (32,34;82,84).

Claim 14

The electrical connector of claim 12 or 13 wherein the terminals (28;52) each have opposed sides and opposed ends and a contact surface is formed on each of the terminals (28;52) where it abuts one of said pins and the means (43,44;93,94) for restricting at least one of said pin receiving windows (34;84) is perpendicular to said contact surface.

Claim 15

The electrical connector of claim 14 wherein the restricted windows (34;84) each have a width and the pins each have a width and said restricted window widths are about 4% to about 6% less than said pin widths.

Claim 16

The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the ledges (43,44;93,94) have vertical thicknesses and said thicknesses are from about 0.381 mm to about 0.635 mm (about .015 inch to about .025 inch).