Modular electrical connector assembly

Claim 2

A modular electrical connector assembly for use in making electrical connections to printed circuit boards, said assembly comprising: a terminal block of insulating material having integrally formed therewith a resilient arm member including locking means at the free end thereof for securing said arm in a corresponding aperture in said printed circuit board, thereby mechanically to interconnect said terminal block and said printed circuit board, a plurality of male terminals, said male terminals each being elongated and mounted in a spaced-apart relation in said terminal block and each of said male terminals including a leading and a tailing end portion, the leading end portions of said terminals being in substantially parallel alignment and extending from a first side of said terminal block, said leading end portions each being cylindrically shaped with a blunt leading end for inserting into a corresponding female terminal, and the trailing end portions thereof extending outwardly from a second, opposite side of said terminal block and including electrical connecting means, and a plurality of female terminals, said female terminals each including a hollow, open-ended, cylindrically shaped barrel portion having a plurality of mounting tabs extending therefrom, said tabs being insertable into an aperture in a printed circuit board, thereby to secure said hollow barrel portion to said printed circuit board, said barrel portion including a plurality of resilient contact members extEnding inwardly thereinto, each of said resilient contact members of each of said female terminals being connected at one end thereof to the wall of said barrel portion with the free ends thereof extending inwardly into and at an angle with respect to the axis of said barrel portion toward a first end thereof, and wherein each said contact member includes, near the free end thereof, a partially reversely bent section, said sections providing camming surfaces for a male terminal being inserted into either end of said barrel portion.

Claim 3

A modular electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tabs of said female terminals extend from one end of said barrel portion at opposite sides thereof, whereby upon mounting said female terminals to said printed circuit board, the axes thereof are substantially perpendicular to the plane of said board.

Claim 4

A modular electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tabs of each said female terminal extend from one side of said barrel portion at opposite ends thereof whereby upon mounting said female terminals to said printed circuit board, the axes thereof are substantially parallel to the plane of said board, and wherein the plane of said printed circuit board is substantially parallel to the axes of said male terminals upon the insertion of the latter into said female terminals.

Claim 5

A modular electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electrical connecting means of the trailing end portions of said male terminals each includes a V-shaped solderless wrap terminal ending and wherein said terminal block includes at opposite ends thereof, means for securing said block in an aperture of a mounting panel.

Claim 6

A modular electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said female terminals are of a one-piece, metal construction with said tabs, said resilient contact members and said barrel portion being integrally formed with each other.

Claim 7

A modular electrical connector assembly for use in making electrical connections to printed circuit boards, said assembly comprising: a terminal block of insulating material having integrally formed therewith a resilient arm member including locking means at the free end thereof for securing said arm in a corresponding aperture in said printed circuit board, thereby mechanically to interconnect said terminal block and said printed circuit board, a plurality of female terminals, said female terminals each including a hollow, open-ended, cylindrically shaped barrel portion having a plurality of mounting tabs extending therefrom, said tabs being insertable into an aperture in a printed circuit board, thereby to secure said hollow barrel portion to said printed circuit board, said barrel potion including a plurality of resilient contact members extending inwardly thereinto, each of said resilient contact members of each of said female terminals being connected at one end thereof to the wall of said barrel portion with the free end thereof extending inwardly into and at an angle with respect to the axis of said barrel portion towards a first end thereof, each of said contact members including, near the free end thereof, a partially reversely bent section, said sections providing camming surfaces for a male terminal being inserted into either end of said barrel portion, and a plurality of male terminals, said male terminals each being elongated and mounted in spaced relation in said terminal block and each of said male terminals including a first end having a rolled, cylindrically shaped terminal portion including a blunted leading end for insertion thereof into a corresponding one of said female terminals and the second end having a pair of winged sections which, upon the insertion of the leading end of said male terminal into said terminal block, engages said terminal block to secure said terminal therein, said first end further including two normally outwardly extending members which, upon the insertion of the lEading end into said terminal block, are pressed inwardly towards said end, and upon exiting from the opposite side of said terminal block assume their normal position to prevent said male terminal from being removed from said block.

Claim 8

A modular electrical connector assembly for use in making electrical connections to printed circuit boards, said assembly comprising: a terminal block of insulating material having integrally formed therewith a resilient arm member including locking means at the free end thereof for securing said arm in a corresponding aperture in said printed circuit board, thereby mechanically to interconnect said terminal block and said printed circuit board, a plurality of female terminals, said female terminals each including a hollow, open-ended, cylindrically shaped barrel portion having a plurality of mounting tabs extending therefrom, said tabs being insertable into an aperture in a printed circuit board, thereby to secure said hollow barrel portion to said printed circuit board, said barrel potion including a plurality of resilient contact members extending inwardly thereinto, each of said resilient contact members of each of said female terminals being connected at one end thereof to the wall of said barrel portion with the free end thereof extending inwardly into and at an angle with respect to the axis of said barrel portion towards a first end thereof, each of said contact members including, near the free end thereof, a partially reversely bent section, said sections providing camming surfaces for a male terminal being inserted into either end of said barrel portion, and a plurality of male terminals, said male terminals each being elongated and mounted in spaced relation in said terminal block and each of said male terminals including a first end having a rolled, cylindrically shaped terminal portion including a blunted leading end for insertion thereof into a corresponding one of said female terminals and the second end having a pair of winged sections which, upon the insertion of the leading end of said male terminal into said terminal block, engages said terminal block to secure said terminal therein, said first end further including two normally outwardly extending members which, upon the insertion of the lEading end into said terminal block, are pressed inwardly towards said end, and upon exiting from the opposite side of said terminal block assume their normal position to prevent said male terminal from being removed from said block.