Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interchangeable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact eLements are compressible and said means for exerting a force is adapted to compress said contact elements one against the adjacent ones when said terminals are interengaged, wherein said means for exerting a force comprises a cam surface, wherein each of said terminals includes a dielectric body with a shaft supporting said cam surface for rotational movement at one end of the aligned parallel-spaced contact elements, wherein said dielectric bodies each having mating walls with guide means for locating said contact elements of one terminal in a preselected relation to the contact elements of the other terminal, wherein the body of one terminal is formed with a recess within which one end of each contact element of said terminal is contained, wherein said guide means comprises a plurality of guide pins extending from one terminal and mating recessed formed in the other terminal, having a cam lever extending from said cam surface, means forming a recess in the terminal other than the one in which said cam surface is located in alignment with and adapted to receive said cam lever when said cam surface is exerting said force.

Claim 3

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements have an elongated insulating member, in facing relation with a conductive lead means for interlocking said terminals with the contact elements of one terminal parallel to the contact elements of the other terminal and aligned with spaced therebetween, and with the conductive leads of the contact elements of one terminal facing the conductive leads of the contact elements of the other terminal, wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf, said terminals each having a leaf holder adapted to secure a plurality of said leaves in parallel-spaced alignment with a corresponding end of each leaf supported for lateral movement, wherein each of said leaf holders are formed with means for locating leaves of the other of said leaf holder in electrical engagement with the leaves thereof, wherein at least one of said terminals has grooves and said leaves are each formed with laterally projecting tabs adapted to engage grooves.

Claim 4

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements have an elongated insulating member, in facing relation with a conductive lead means for interlocking said terminals with the contact elements of one terminal parallel to the contact elements of the other terminal and aligned with spaced therebetween, and with the conductive leads of the contact elements of one terminal facing the conductive leads of the contact elements of the other terminal, wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf, said terminals each having a leaf holder adapted to secure a plurality of said leaves in parallel-spaced alignment with a corresponding end of each leaf supported for lateral movement, wherein each of said leaf holders are formed with means for locating leaves of the other of said leaf holder in electrical engagement with the leaves thereof, wherein at least one of said terminals has grooves and said leaves are each formed with laterally projecting tabs adapted to engage grooves.

Claim 5

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein said tabs project laterally from each of the longitudinal side edges of said leaves, said grooves formed in said leaf holder extending transversely thereof with respect to the length of said leaves.

Claim 6

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said leaf holders is formed with at least two parallel grooves adapted to receive tabs of said leaves secured to each of said leaf holders.

Claim 7

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said forcE to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements have an elongated insulating member in facing relation with a conductive lead, means for interlocking said terminals with the contact elements of one terminal parallel to the contact elements of the other terminal and aligned with said spaces therebetween, and with the conductive leads of the contact elements of one terminal facing the conductive leads of the contact elements of the other terminal, wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf, said terminals each having a leaf holder adapted to secure a plurality of said leaves in parallel-spaced alignment with a corresponding end of each leaf supported for lateral movement, wherein each of said leaf holders are formed with means for locating leaves of the other of said leaf holder in electrical engagement with the leaves thereof, including a conductive cover enclosing said leaf holders and leaves, wherein said cover has a pair of interengageable portions with each portion adapted to at least partially enclose a different one of said leaf holders, and wherein said means for exerting a force comprises spring means secured to said cover and exerting a force transverse to the length of said leaves.

Claim 8

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said forcE to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements have an elongated insulating member in facing relation with a conductive lead, means for interlocking said terminals with the contact elements of one terminal parallel to the contact elements of the other terminal and aligned with said spaces therebetween, and with the conductive leads of the contact elements of one terminal facing the conductive leads of the contact elements of the other terminal, wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf, said terminals each having a leaf holder adapted to secure a plurality of said leaves in parallel-spaced alignment with a corresponding end of each leaf supported for lateral movement, wherein each of said leaf holders are formed with means for locating leaves of the other of said leaf holder in electrical engagement with the leaves thereof, including a conductive cover enclosing said leaf holders and leaves, wherein said cover has a pair of interengageable portions with each portion adapted to at least partially enclose a different one of said leaf holders, and wherein said means for exerting a force comprises spring means secured to said cover and exerting a force transverse to the length of said leaves.

Claim 9

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 5 wherein said spring means are integrally formed with said cover comprising, depending sidewalls on one of said cover portions, inwardly bent portions extending from said sidewalls forming said spring means adapted to engage the outermost of said aligned leaves.

Claim 10

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements have an elongated insulating member in facing relation with a conductive lead, means for interlocking said terminals with the contact elements of one terminal parallel to the contact elements of the other terminal and aligned with said spaces therebetween, and with the conductive leads of the contact elements of one terminal facing the conductive leads of the contact elements of the other terminal. wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf, said terminals each having a leaf holder adapted to secure a plurality of said leaves in parallel-spaced alignment with a corresponding end of each leaf supported for lateral movement, wherein each of said leaf holders are formed with means for locating leaves of the other of said leaf holders in electrical engagement with the leaves thereof, including a conductive cover enclosing said leaf holders and leaves, wherein each of said leaf holders is integrally formed with a plurality of dividers forming a series of channels adapted each to receive one of said leaves with said dividers interposed between adjacent leaves and extending longitudinally less than the length of said adjacent leaves.

Claim 11

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a conductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements have an elongated insulating member in facing relation with a conductive lead, means for interlocking said terminals with the contact elements of one terminal parallel to the contact elements of the other terminal and aligned with said spaces therebetween, and with the conductive leads of the contact elements of one terminal facing the conductive leads of the contact elements of the other terminal. wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf, said terminals each having a leaf holder adapted to secure a plurality of said leaves in parallel-spaced alignment with a corresponding end of each leaf supported for lateral movement, wherein each of said leaf holders are formed with means for locating leaves of the other of said leaf holders in electrical engagement with the leaves thereof, including a conductive cover enclosing said leaf holders and leaves, wherein each of said leaf holders is integrally formed with a plurality of dividers forming a series of channels adapted each to receive one of said leaves with said dividers interposed between adjacent leaves and extending longitudinally less than the length of said adjacent leaves.

Claim 12

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a cOnductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf fixed at one end and deflectable in directions normal to its length at its free end, means for registering the leaves of one terminal with the spaces intermediate the leaves of the other terminal comprising projecting means extending laterally from the leaves and adapted to be positioned in said spaces when the leaves from which they extend are initially positioned outside of said spaces.

Claim 13

An electrical connector having a mating pair of interengageable terminals, each terminal having a plurality of aligned parallel-spaced contact elements with the spaces intermediate adjacent contact elements having a width to receive a contact element of the other terminal in interengagement wherein each said contact element includes an insulating base having a surface and a cOnductive layer covering at least part of said surface and bonded to said base, and means for exerting a force normal to said contact elements when said contact elements are interengaged whereby said contact elements may be compressed in the direction of said force to effect a positive electrical interengagement between said contact terminals through said contact elements, wherein said contact elements each comprise an elongated leaf fixed at one end and deflectable in directions normal to its length at its free end, means for registering the leaves of one terminal with the spaces intermediate the leaves of the other terminal comprising projecting means extending laterally from the leaves and adapted to be positioned in said spaces when the leaves from which they extend are initially positioned outside of said spaces.

Claim 14

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said terminals are each formed of a leaf support having a groove adapted to receive said means for registering when the leaves from which said projecting means extend are aligned in said spaces.