Pre-loaded electrical connectors, assembly apparatus and method

Claim 2

First and second electrical connectors, said connectors being pre-loaded with electrical contact terminals to which conductors can be attached, said connectors being mateable with each other, said first and second connectors each comprising an insulating, housing having a mating face and a rearward face, said mating faces being against each other when said connectors are coupled, a plurality of contact receiving cavities extending into said housing from said mating face, said cavities being in side-by-side relationship and forming a row, an electrical contact terminal in each of said cavities, each of said contact terminals comprising a contact portion and a conductor-receiving portion, each of said conductor-receiving portions having a conductor receiving slot means extending inwardly in a direction normal to said mating face, said slot means being side-by-side in said row and each slot means being adapted to receive a conductor which extends across said mating face and across said row upon movement of said conductor laterally of its axis towards said mating face and into said slot means, each of said contact portions having contact surfaces which are proximate to said mating face and which are adapted to engage, and form an electrical connection with, complementary contact surfaces upon relative movement of said complementary contact surfaces towards said mating face and into engagement with said contact surfaces, said contact surfaces of said contact terminals in one of said connectors being complementary to said contact surfaces of said contact terminals in the other one of said connectors whereby, predetermined conductors can be connected to said terminals in said first and second connectors by positioning said first and second connectors adjacent to each other with their mating faces in side-by-side relationship and facing in the same direction, locating said conductors with their axes extending across said mating faces and in alignment with said conductorreceiving slot means of each of two corresponding terminals in said first and second connectors, moving said conductors laterally of their axes into said slot means, and cutting out the portion of each conductor which is between each corresponding pair of terminals.

Claim 3

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 1, said insulating housings and said contact terminals being hermaphroditic.

Claim 4

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 1, said contact terminals being hermaphroditic.

Claim 5

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 3, each of said contact terminals being of formed sheet metal, said conductor-receiving portion comprising a pair of plate-sections, said slot means of each of said terminals comprising a slot extending into each of said plate sections.

Claim 6

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 4, said plate-sections extending parallel to each other and having outer ends, said outer ends being joined by spaced-apart strap sections.

Claim 7

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 5, each of said contact terminals having its contact portions extending from one of said plate sections and comprising a pair of contact arms extending towards said mating face, at least one of said arms extending beyond said outer ends of said plate sections.

Claim 8

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 6, each of said contact terminals having conductor gripping means extending from the other one of said plate sections, said conductor gripping means being engageable with a conductor to grip, and provide a strain relief for, a conductor extending into said slots in said plate sections.

Claim 9

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 7, each of said contact terminals having conductor severing means integral with said contact portion, said conductors severing means comprising a shearing member extending beside said contact arms, said shearing member being cooperable with an insertion apparatus to shear the portion of said conductor which extends beyond said contact arms during insertion of said conductor into said slots.

Claim 10

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 1, said insulating housings being hermaphroditic.

Claim 11

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 9, each of said insulating housings comprising a one piece molding of polymeric materials, said contact-receiving cavities extending into said mating face.

Claim 12

First and second electrical connectors as set forth in claim 10, each of said housings having openings in one side thereof which extends beside, and parallel to, said row, said openings communicating with said cavities for the accomodation of said conductors.

Claim 13

First and second electrical connectors, each of said connectors comprising an insulating housing having electrical contact terminals therein, said housings and said terminals being hermaphroditic, each of said housings having a mating face and a rearward face, a plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending into said housing from said mating face, said cavities being in side-by-side relationship and forming a row, each of said housings having openings in one side thereof which extends beside, and parallel to, said row, said openings communicating with said cavities, each of said electrical contact terminals comprisinG a sheet metal stamped and formed member having a conductor gripping portion, a conductor receiving portion, a contact portion, and a shearing member, said portions of said terminal and said gripping member being in alignment with each other in the order recited with said conductor gripping portion adjacent to said one side of said housing and said shearing member adjacent to the other side of said housing which is opposite to said one side, said gripping portion comprising a pair of spaced-apart arms extending towards said mating face, said arms being adapted to be crimped onto a conductor, said conductor receiving-portion comprising a pair of aligned plate sections having aligned slots extending therein for reception of a conductor, said contact portion comprising a pair of contact arms extending towards said mating face, said shearing member comprising a shearing plate, whereby predetermined conductors can be connected to predetermined terminals in said first and second connectors by positioning said first and second connectors adjacent to each other with said other sides proximate to each other, with said mating faces facing in the same direction, and with said housings inverted end-for-end, and upon subsequently locating said conductors with their axes extending across said mating faces and in alignment with the conductor receiving portions of a pair of corresponding aligned contact terminals in said first and second housings, and thereafter moving said conductors laterally of their axes into the conductor-receiving portions of said corresponding terminals, shearing said conductors in the planes of said shearing plate, and crimping said conductor gripping portions onto said conductors, and said first and second connectors can thereafter be coupled to each other to disengageably connect said conductors to each other.

Claim 14

First and second electrical connectors, each of said connectors comprising an insulating housing having electrical contact terminals therein, said housings and said terminals being hermaphroditic, each of said housings having a mating face and a rearward face, a plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending into said housing from said mating face, said cavities being in side-by-side relationship and forming a row, each of said housings having openings in one side thereof which extends beside, and parallel to, said row, said openings communicating with said cavities, each of said electrical contact terminals comprisinG a sheet metal stamped and formed member having a conductor gripping portion, a conductor receiving portion, a contact portion, and a shearing member, said portions of said terminal and said gripping member being in alignment with each other in the order recited with said conductor gripping portion adjacent to said one side of said housing and said shearing member adjacent to the other side of said housing which is opposite to said one side, said gripping portion comprising a pair of spaced-apart arms extending towards said mating face, said arms being adapted to be crimped onto a conductor, said conductor receiving-portion comprising a pair of aligned plate sections having aligned slots extending therein for reception of a conductor, said contact portion comprising a pair of contact arms extending towards said mating face, said shearing member comprising a shearing plate, whereby predetermined conductors can be connected to predetermined terminals in said first and second connectors by positioning said first and second connectors adjacent to each other with said other sides proximate to each other, with said mating faces facing in the same direction, and with said housings inverted end-for-end, and upon subsequently locating said conductors with their axes extending across said mating faces and in alignment with the conductor receiving portions of a pair of corresponding aligned contact terminals in said first and second housings, and thereafter moving said conductors laterally of their axes into the conductor-receiving portions of said corresponding terminals, shearing said conductors in the planes of said shearing plate, and crimping said conductor gripping portions onto said conductors, and said first and second connectors can thereafter be coupled to each other to disengageably connect said conductors to each other.