Electrical connector

Claim 2

A plug-in, stackable electrical connector comprising a base portion having vertically disposed walls integrally formed therewith on the top thereof, said walls forming a receptacle cavity having an outlet for receiving an electrical cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductor wires and said base portion forming a plug which is correspondingly proportioned to be plugged into the receptacle cavity of another one of said electrical connectors, whereby a plurality of said electrical connectors can be plugged together in a stacked relationship one atop the other, a plurality of pin receiving apertures in said base portion in pre-determined spaced relationship, an electrical connector pin disposed within respective ones of said pin receiving apertures and extending into said receptacle cavity to permit said electrical connector pins to be received in and to make electrical contact with the electrical connector pins in the correspondingly aligned pin receiving apertures in an electrical connector plugged therein, the thickness of said base portion being less than the depth of said receptacle cavity, whereby an open cavity is provided between the base portion and the bottom of said receptacle cavity of another one of said electrical connectors when said electrical connectors are plugged together, said electrical connector pins being exposed in said open cavity and permitting the electrical conductor wires of an electrical cable extended through said outlet to be electrically connected with them.

Claim 3

The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein said base portion is rectangular-shaped and has an end wall and two side walls vertically disposed on the top thereof forming said receptacle cavity.

Claim 4

The electrical connector of claim 1, further including interlocking means on said base portion and said side walls for locating and aligning a pair of said electrical connectors plugged together.

Claim 5

The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein said interlocking means comprise tongue and groove interlocks on respective ones of said base portion and said side walls.

Claim 6

The electrical connector of claim 2, further including a cable receiving cavity in the top surface of said base portion opposite said end wall for receiving therein an electrical cable, and means for retaining said electrical cable in said cable receiving cavity to affix said electrical connector to said cable.

Claim 7

The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein said pin receiving apertures each is in the form of a generally recTangular-shaped slot extending partially through said base portion from the bottom thereof and merging with an opening which substantially corresponds with the cross-sectional configuration of said electrical connector pins and which extends the remaining distance through said base portion, said electrical connector pins each being a straight length having a generally W-shaped bend in one end thereof, the straight length of said electrical connector pins being extended through said openings of said pin receiving apertures and said W-shaped bends thereof being disposed within said rectangular-shaped slots, the one knee of said W-shaped bend providing resiliency to said electrical connector pin to maintain electrical contact with another electrical connector pin and the other knee thereof forming a camming surface for guiding another electrical connector pin into said pin receiving aperture.

Claim 8

The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein said electrical connector pins each is rectangular-shaped in cross-section.

Claim 9

In combination, a terminal block and a plug-in, stackable electrical connector, said terminal block comprising a bottom wall having at least three vertically disposed walls integrally formed therewith on the top thereof forming therebetween a receptacle cavity having an outlet for receiving an electrical cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductor wires and a plurality of electrical connector pins extending through said bottom wall in predetermined spaced relationship, said plug-in, stackable electrical connector comprising a base portion having at least three vertically disposed walls integrally formed therewith on the top thereof, said walls forming a receptacle cavity having an outlet for receiving an electrical cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductor wires and said base portion forming a plug which is correspondingly proportioned to be plugged into the receptacle cavity of another one of said electrical connectors and said receptacle cavity in said terminal block, thereby permitting said electrical connector to be coupled to said terminal block and a plurality of said electrical connectors to be stacked one atop the other, a plurality of pin receiving apertures in said base portion, an electrical connector pin disposed within respective ones of said pin receiving apertures and extending into the receptacle cavity of said connector, said electrical connector pins of said terminal block being received in and making electrical contact with the electrical connector pins in the correspondingly aligned pin receiving apertures in said electrical connector and the electrical connector pins of the latter being received in and making electrical contact with the connector pins in the correspondingly aligned pin receiving apertures in the electrical connector stacked atop of it, the thickness of said base portion being less than the depth of said receptacle cavity in said terminal block and said electrical connector, whereby an open cavity is provided between the base portion and the bottom of said receptacle cavity of another one of said electrical connectors of said terminal block when plugged together, said electrical connector pins being exposed in said open cavity and permitting the electrical conductor wires of an electrical cable extended through said outlet to be electrically connected with them.

Claim 10

In combination, a terminal block and a plug-in, stackable electrical connector, said terminal block comprising a bottom wall having at least three vertically disposed walls integrally formed therewith on the top thereof forming therebetween a receptacle cavity having an outlet for receiving an electrical cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductor wires and a plurality of electrical connector pins extending through said bottom wall in predetermined spaced relationship, said plug-in, stackable electrical connector comprising a base portion having at least three vertically disposed walls integrally formed therewith on the top thereof, said walls forming a receptacle cavity having an outlet for receiving an electrical cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductor wires and said base portion forming a plug which is correspondingly proportioned to be plugged into the receptacle cavity of another one of said electrical connectors and said receptacle cavity in said terminal block, thereby permitting said electrical connector to be coupled to said terminal block and a plurality of said electrical connectors to be stacked one atop the other, a plurality of pin receiving apertures in said base portion, an electrical connector pin disposed within respective ones of said pin receiving apertures and extending into the receptacle cavity of said connector, said electrical connector pins of said terminal block being received in and making electrical contact with the electrical connector pins in the correspondingly aligned pin receiving apertures in said electrical connector and the electrical connector pins of the latter being received in and making electrical contact with the connector pins in the correspondingly aligned pin receiving apertures in the electrical connector stacked atop of it, the thickness of said base portion being less than the depth of said receptacle cavity in said terminal block and said electrical connector, whereby an open cavity is provided between the base portion and the bottom of said receptacle cavity of another one of said electrical connectors of said terminal block when plugged together, said electrical connector pins being exposed in said open cavity and permitting the electrical conductor wires of an electrical cable extended through said outlet to be electrically connected with them.