Electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector comprised of paired hermaphroditic connector members of the same geometry matable with each other for interconnection of the paired connector members; each connector member having a portion for connecting a wire at one end and a tubular portion for mating with the corresponding portion of the connector member paired therewith at the other end, said tubular mating portion having two slots at the opposite sides thereof extending in an axial direction from said other end toward the middle portion of the tubular mating portion for dividing into two semitubular portions at said other end joined to the non-slotted middle portion, to allow mutual insertion of the tubular mating portions of both paired connector members with one of the semitubular portions of each connector member inserted in the non-slotted portion of the tubular mating portions of the other connector member of paired connector members, said one semitubular portion of each connector member comprising a spring member positioned to urge the outer surface of the corresponding semitubular portion of the other connector member toward the inner surface of the non-slotted portion of the connector member as a result of mutual contact thereof for closer contact therebetween at an extreme mutual insertion of the connector members, said spring member extending from an end portion of said one semitubular portion in an inclined manner into said nonslotted portion, whereby no substantial contact occurs between the outer surface of the corresponding semitubular portion of the opposite connector member and the inner surface of the other semitubular portion of the connector member at an initial stage of said mutual insertion, whereby the connector members are urged in the course of said insertion to move transversely relative to each other as a result of mutual contact thereof achieving said closer contact therebetween at said extreme insertion condition, the outer surface of said one semitubular portion being urged in close contact with the inner surface of the non-slotted portions of the other connector member and the inner surface of the other semitubular portion is urged in close contact with the outer surface of the non-slotted portion of said other connector member in said condition of extreme insertion the spring members of both connector members closely contacting each other in said condition of extreme insertion.

Claim 3

An electrical connector comprised of paired hemaphroditic connector members of the same geometry matable with each other for interconnection thereof; each connector member having a portion for connecting a wire at one end and a tubular portion for mating with the corresponding portion of the other connector member of paired connector members at the other end, said mating portion having two slots at the opposite sides thereof extending in an axial direction from the end toward the middle portion of the tubular portion for dividing the mating portion into two semitubular portions, at said other end joined to a portion non-slotted by said slots, one of said semitubular portions comprising a spring member positioned to urge the outer surface of the corresponding semitubular portion of the other connector member toward the inner surface of the non-slotted portion of the connector member in the mated condition of paired connector members as a result of mutual contact thereof, said spring member extending from an end portion of said one semitubular portion in an inclined manner into said non-slotted portion, said slots being positioned to allow mutual insertion of the tubular portions of both connector members with said one semitubular portion of each connecting member inserted into the non-slotted portion of the tubular mating portion of the opposite connector member, said spring member being located to inhibit substantial contact between the outer surface of the corresponding semitubular portion of the opposite connector member and the inner surface of the other semitubular portion of the connector member at an initial stage of mutual insertion of the connector members for ensuring smooth insertion whereby the connector members are urged mutually in the course of mutual insertion as a result of mutual contact thereof to effect a transverse relative movement thereof, thereby achieving said closer contact there-between at a complete insertion condition of both connector members, whereby the outer surface of said one semitubular portion having said spring member is urged in close contact with the inner surface of the non-slotted portions of the other connector member and the inner surface of the other semitubular portions is urged in close contact with the other surface of the non-slotted portion of the other connector member and the spring members of both connector members closely contact each other in said complete insertion condition.

Claim 4

An electrical connector comprised of paired hemaphroditic connector members of the same geometry matable with each other for interconnection thereof; each connector member having a portion for connecting a wire at one end and a tubular portion for mating with the corresponding portion of the other connector member of paired connector members at the other end, said mating portion having two slots at the opposite sides thereof extending in an axial direction from the end toward the middle portion of the tubular portion for dividing the mating portion into two semitubular portions, at said other end joined to a portion non-slotted by said slots, one of said semitubular portions comprising a spring member positioned to urge the outer surface of the corresponding semitubular portion of the other connector member toward the inner surface of the non-slotted portion of the connector member in the mated condition of paired connector members as a result of mutual contact thereof, said spring member extending from an end portion of said one semitubular portion in an inclined manner into said non-slotted portion, said slots being positioned to allow mutual insertion of the tubular portions of both connector members with said one semitubular portion of each connecting member inserted into the non-slotted portion of the tubular mating portion of the opposite connector member, said spring member being located to inhibit substantial contact between the outer surface of the corresponding semitubular portion of the opposite connector member and the inner surface of the other semitubular portion of the connector member at an initial stage of mutual insertion of the connector members for ensuring smooth insertion whereby the connector members are urged mutually in the course of mutual insertion as a result of mutual contact thereof to effect a transverse relative movement thereof, thereby achieving said closer contact there-between at a complete insertion condition of both connector members, whereby the outer surface of said one semitubular portion having said spring member is urged in close contact with the inner surface of the non-slotted portions of the other connector member and the inner surface of the other semitubular portions is urged in close contact with the other surface of the non-slotted portion of the other connector member and the spring members of both connector members closely contact each other in said complete insertion condition.

Claim 5

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 2, in which said tubular mating portion is elliptical in section.

Claim 6

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 2, in which said connector member further comprises means for fixing the member to a housing at a middle region of the member.

Claim 7

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 4, in which said fixing means comprises a portion for stopping the movement of the member in one axial direction and a portion for stopping the movement of the member in the opposite axial direction.

Claim 8

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 5, in which at least one of said stopping portions is a spring locking finger.

Claim 9

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 5, in which at least one of said stopping portions has a wing configuration extending in a plane parallel to the axis of the connector member in an outward direction normal to said axis.

Claim 10

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 2, in which each connector member is provided with a slit extending from an end of the other semitubular portion to an end of the non-slotted portion thereof for providing elasticity to said mating portion in toward and away from direction of said slit for smooth insertion of the connector members.

Claim 11

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 4, further comprising mounting means, said mounting means being comprised of paired housing members matable with each other, each connector member being housed in the respective housing member matably with each other in the mating condition of both housing members and being fixed to the respective housing member by means of said fixing means.

Claim 12

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 9, in which both said housing members are of the same geometry.

Claim 13

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 9, in which said fixing means comprises a portion for stopping the movement of the member in one axial direction and a portion for stopping the movement of the member in the opposite axial direction.

Claim 14

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 11, in which at least one of said stopping portions is a spring locking finger and said housing member comprises a portion engageable with said spring locking finger when the connector member is housed in the housing member.

Claim 15

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 12, in which the other stopping portion has a wing configuration extending in a plane parallel to the axis of the connector member in an outward direction normal to the axis thereof, and the housing member comprises a shoulder on which said wing portion is placed when the connector member is housed.

Claim 16

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 9, in which said housing member comprises a plurality of connector housing portions and a corresponding plurality of connector members housed in the respective connector housing portions.

Claim 17

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 9, in which said housing member comprises an oUter surface thereof hooking means for uniting a plurality of housing members in a stacked manner.

Claim 18

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 15, in which said housing member comprises a hollow portion underlying said hooking means for providing elasticity in the hooking means for smooth mating insertion.

Claim 19

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 9, in which said housing members each comprise a compartment portion and a mating portion, said mating portion of the housing member allowing mutual insertion of both housing members, when said paired connector members are mated with each other.

Claim 20

An electrical connector in accordance with claim 17, in which said compartment portion of the housing member comprises a plurality of compartments arranged side by side, each opening at forward and rearward ends of the compartment and housing said wire connecting portion and said fixing means of said connector member while said mating portion of the connector member extends forward out of said compartment, said compartment being defined by a first horizontal wall, a second horizontal wall and vertical walls, said mating portion of the housing member comprising a first extended horizontal wall extending forward from the front end of the first horizontal wall, a second extended horizontal wall and fences for isolating the adjacent connector members formed in alignment with said vertical wall on said second extended horizontal wall and having heights less than half of the height of said vertical walls.