Connector block and method of making the same

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 including the step of inserting each terminal into the interior of the body through a contact receiving opening.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 including the step of forming at least one of each pair of openings by providing grooves extending laterally across one longitudinally extending side wall of the body, the groove extending into the adjacent side walls and having a depth greater than the thickness of said side wall.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 including the step of locating a portion of each terminal within a slot.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 in which the body is formed by the steps of extruding an elongate tubelike length of rectangular hollow insulating material and then severing a portion of the material from the length of material to form said body.

Claim 9

A connector block comprising an elongate integral open ended insulating tubular body having side walls defining a hollow interior cavity extending the length thereof, a number of pairs of openings formed through the side walls of said body at spaced locations along the length thereof, said body having a uniform cross section in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof at locations away from said openings, each pair of openings including a contact receiving opening and a terminal opening, and a terminal positioned within said cavity adjacent each of said pairs of openings and having a terminal spring contact in alignment with said contact opening for establishing a disconnect electrical connection with a male contact inserted through said contact opening and a terminal connection portion extending through said terminal opening for establishing an electrical connection with a circuit element, one opening of each pair of openings being sufficiently large to permit movement of the terminal therethrough and into the interior cavity.

Claim 10

A connector block comprising an elongate integral open ended insulating tubular body having side walls defining a hollow interior cavity extending the length thereof, a number of pairs of openings formed through the side walls of said body at spaced locations along the length thereof, said body having a uniform cross section in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof at locations away from said openings, each pair of openings including a contact receiving opening and a terminal opening, and a terminal positioned within said cavity adjacent each of said pairs of openings and having a terminal spring contact in alignment with said contact opening for establishing a disconnect electrical connection with a male contact inserted through said contact opening and a terminal connection portion extending through said terminal opening for establishing an electrical connection with a circuit element, one opening of each pair of openings being sufficiently large to permit movement of the terminal therethrough and into the interior cavity.

Claim 11

A connector block comprising an elongate and open ended plastic extrusion forming an insulating body, said body having a generally rectangular completely enclosed cross section and a hollow interior extending the length thereof and joining the open ends, openings formed through the walls of said body at intervals along the length thereof, the body having a uniform cross section away from said openings, and terminals within said interior of the body, a number of said openings defining entrance passages through which the terminals are inserteD into the interior of the body, such passages having an areal extent sufficiently large to permit free movement of the terminals therethrough, each of said terminals including a contact portion for making a disconnect electrical connection with a contact inserted into the body through an opening and a circuit element contact means extending from the body through an opening therein for establishing an electrical connection with a circuit element outside of the body.

Claim 12

A connector block comprising an elongate and open ended plastic extrusion forming an insulating body, said body having a generally rectangular completely enclosed cross section and a hollow interior extending the length thereof and joining the open ends, openings formed through the walls of said body at intervals along the length thereof, the body having a uniform cross section away from said openings, and terminals within said interior of the body, a number of said openings defining entrance passages through which the terminals are inserteD into the interior of the body, such passages having an areal extent sufficiently large to permit free movement of the terminals therethrough, each of said terminals including a contact portion for making a disconnect electrical connection with a contact inserted into the body through an opening and a circuit element contact means extending from the body through an opening therein for establishing an electrical connection with a circuit element outside of the body.

Claim 13

A connector block as in claim 8 wherein each terminal is associated with a pair of openings in said body with said contact portion aligned for making a disconnect electrical connection with a contact inserted through a first opening of said pair and said circuit element contact means extending from the body through the second opening of a pair of openings.

Claim 14

A connector block comprising an elongate and open ended plastic extrusion forming an insulating body, said body having a generally rectangular cross section and a hollow interior extending the length thereof and joining the open ends, openings formed through the walls of said body at intervals along the length thereof, the body having a uniform cross section away from said openings, and terminals within said interior of the body, a number of said openings defining entrance passages through which the terminals are inserted into the interior of the body, such passages comprising grooves formed in one side of the body and extending laterally there across and into the adjacent sides, said grooves interesecting the interior of the body to form apertures having an areal extent sufficiently large to permit free movement of said terminals through said side of the body, each of said terminals including a contact portion for making a disconnect electrical connection with a contact inserted into the body through an opening and a circuit element contact means extending from the body through an opening therein for establishing an electrical connection with a circuit element outside of the body.

Claim 15

A connector block comprising an elongate and open ended plastic extrusion forming an insulating body, said body having a generally rectangular cross section and a hollow interior extending the length thereof and joining the open ends, openings formed through the walls of said body at intervals along the length thereof, the body having a uniform cross section away from said openings, and terminals within said interior of the body, a number of said openings defining entrance passages through which the terminals are inserted into the interior of the body, such passages comprising grooves formed in one side of the body and extending laterally there across and into the adjacent sides, said grooves interesecting the interior of the body to form apertures having an areal extent sufficiently large to permit free movement of said terminals through said side of the body, each of said terminals including a contact portion for making a disconnect electrical connection with a contact inserted into the body through an opening and a circuit element contact means extending from the body through an opening therein for establishing an electrical connection with a circuit element outside of the body.