Box edge electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical contact comprising a first limb having a wirereceiving part and a second limb having a contact part, said first and second limbs being disposed generally at right angles to each other in an L-shape configuration, said contact part being of generally channel cross section having a floor and sidewalls extending generally normally of the floor defining a mouth opening in a direction opposed to that of said first limb, a cantilever conTact spring extending longitudinally of the channel and having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end comprising an extension disposed laterally of and integral with one of said sidewalls of the channel, said free end of the contact spring lying within the open mouth, the contact spring being curved away from the channel floor between its fixed and free ends to present an arcuate contact edge projecting outwardly of the channel, said contact edge having a width generally equal to the stock thickness of the contact.

Claim 3

A contact according to claim 1, in which the lateral extension of the contact spring is integral with a sidewall of the channel at a location adjacent the wire-receiving part.

Claim 4

A contact according to claim 1, in which a contact spring extends from each sidewall.

Claim 5

An electrical connector comprising an insulating housing of generally L-shape having limbs and channel passageways communicating between the limbs, each passageway having an open slot in the outer lateral wall of one limb and an aperture in the outer lateral wall of the other limb, engaging means on the inner wall of the apertured limb, the engaging means having a free end which is formed with latching means for engagement with complementary means on a support to urge the outer wall of the apertured limb against a flat conductor on the support, each passageway containing an electrical contact having a wire-receiving part disposed in the open-slotted passageway and a contact part having a channel shape and a curved cantilevered contact blade extending from a sidewall of said contact part and longitudinally of the channel and being curved away from a floor of the channel, said contact part being so held in the apertured limb by the engaging means that the edge of the contact blade extends through the aperture for engagement with the conductor.

Claim 6

An electrical connector comprising an insulating housing of generally L-shape having limbs and channel passageways communicating between the limbs, each passageway having an open slot in the outer lateral wall of one limb and an aperture in the outer lateral wall of the other limb, engaging means on the inner wall of the apertured limb, the engaging means having a free end which is formed with latching means for engagement with complementary means on a support to urge the outer wall of the apertured limb against a flat conductor on the support, each passageway containing an electrical contact having a wire-receiving part disposed in the open-slotted passageway and a contact part having a channel shape and a curved cantilevered contact blade extending from a sidewall of said contact part and longitudinally of the channel and being curved away from a floor of the channel, said contact part being so held in the apertured limb by the engaging means that the edge of the contact blade extends through the aperture for engagement with the conductor.

Claim 7

A connector according to claim 4, in which the housing is formed with arcuate-latching projections arranged for pivotal movement of the housing towards the support complementarily to engage projections formed on the support.