Printed circuit connector

Claim 1

An electrical connector for making electrical contact with a printed circuit board or the like and comprising a dielectric housing having at least one electrical terminal removably disposed therein, said housing having top and bottom surfaces and including a channel in communication with said top surface and adapted to receive therein one edge of said printed circuit board, at least one terminal containing passageway transverse to and generally normal to said channel and communicating between said channel and said bottom surface, said passageway having located intermediate its ends on one side thereof a first edge surface facing said bottom surface comprising a first stop means allowing said terminal to be inserted only from said bottom surface, two spaced second edge surfaces comprising second stop means located intermediate the ends of said passageway transverse to said first edge surface and facing said top surface, said electrical terminal comprising a base member having electrical conductor engaging means extending therefrom outside of said bottom surface, a pair of contact arms each integral with and spaced by said base member, each contact arm defining a cantilevered beam and including an inner section and an outer section, said inner section being directed away from a longitudinal axis of said electrical terminal and said outer section being directed toward said axis, said inner and outer sections at their intersection forming a bite on each contact arm, each said bite engaging walls of said passageway and reacting therewith to preload said contact arms, said outer sections terminating as hook-shaped contacts extending into said channel and having contact-engaging sections, each contact arm having an end opposite from said contacts comprising outwardly directed cantilevered sections in interfering relationship with said second stop means to resist extraction of said terminal from said passageway, and a depression in said base member in interfering relationship with said first stop means to prevent overinsertion of said terminal into said passageway.