US3854790A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector assembly
Assignee: Bunker Ramo Corp
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Filing: 1973-09-17
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Granted: 1974-12-17
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Expires: 1993-09-17
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector assembly including a box-like housing with open ends and a plurality of flat cable electrical connectors retained in the housing and individually releasable therefrom, by releasable latching elements, with each of the connectors being adapted to electrically receive a multiconductor flat cable wherein the individual conductors are accessible through apertures in the cable and each connector includes a two piece dielectric insert housing a plurality of contacts with hook-like tails facing a common lateral direction and insertable through the apertures for electrical access to the conductors in the cable.
Inventors
- 👤 J Provinsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:53
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/514
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
An electrical connector assembly comprising a box-like housing with upper and lower open ends and at least one pair of opposite outer sides, a plurality of electrical connectors including a plurality of multi-piece dielectric inserts with opposite ends disposed adjacent said pair of opposite sides of said housing to form two sets of retention members, and a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in a row between said ends and retained in each of said inserts, said connectors being disposed in sideby-side relation within said sides, facing said upper end for engagement with mating connectors and including lower portions for electrical engagement with electrical conductors, each of said connectors being capable of rearwardly receiving a flat multi-conductor cable with an end having a plurality of apertures, a portion thereof providing electrical access to the conductors, each of said inserts including a lower portion with an elongated opening sized for entry of said cable into said insert, and each of said contacts including a lower tail formed as a hook to engage one of said apertures and thereby provide electrical engagement with one of said conductors, and means for releasably retaining said connectors individually in said housing including a row of integrally-formed, individually yieldable latching elements and spaced apart shoulder means to form grooves therebetween on one of said retention members in each of said two sets, projection means with upper and lower shoulders on the other of said retention members to ride over the latching elements and snap into said grooves, and access means in at least one of said retention members for release of said latching elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
267 words
An electrical connector assembly comprising a box-like housing with upper and lower open ends and at least one pair of opposite outer sides, a plurality of electrical connectors including a plurality of multi-piece dielectric inserts with opposite ends disposed adjacent said pair of opposite sides of said housing to form two sets of retention members, and a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in a row between said ends and retained in each of said inserts, said connectors being disposed in sideby-side relation within said sides, facing said upper end for engagement with mating connectors and including lower portions for electrical engagement with electrical conductors, each of said connectors being capable of rearwardly receiving a flat multi-conductor cable with an end having a plurality of apertures, a portion thereof providing electrical access to the conductors, each of said inserts including a lower portion with an elongated opening sized for entry of said cable into said insert, and each of said contacts including a lower tail formed as a hook to engage one of said apertures and thereby provide electrical engagement with one of said conductors, and means for releasably retaining said connectors individually in said housing including a row of integrally-formed, individually yieldable latching elements and spaced apart shoulder means to form grooves therebetween on one of said retention members in each of said two sets, projection means with upper and lower shoulders on the other of said retention members to ride over the latching elements and snap into said grooves, and access means in at least one of said retention members for release of said latching elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the opposite sides of said one pair include upwardly facing recessed ledges and each of said insert ends includes an outwardly projecting, inwardly yieldable latching element having one end integrally joined to said insert and an arm portion extending above said ledge and externally exposed for movement inwardly for release of said latching element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein each of said insertion ends includes a vertical key including said latching element, and said adjacent side includes a vertical keyway extending upwardly to said ledge for insertion of said key, the vertical keys and vertical keyways of the inserts and housing providing lateral alignment of the inserts in the housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The connector assembly of claim 3 wherein each insert includes a pair of individually molded side members, each having portions of said keys.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said contacts include rear tails with laterally extending hooks, the extension of said hooks being within the side-to-side confines of said insert.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said dielectric inserts includes a pair of side members with oppositely aligned apertures and posts, the posts extending inwardly across said insert for entry into said apertures to secure said members together with at least one of said posts being positioned for insertion through one of said apertures in said cable for retention of said cable in said insert.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an outer flange with means for mounting said housing to an external support.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
266 words
An electrical connector for rearwardly receiving a flat multi-conductor cable having an end with apertures affording electrical access to individual conductors, said connector comprising a dielectric insert with front and rear faces, a plurality of upper openings in a row along said front face, an elongated lower opening along said rear face for entry of said cable, a plurality of internal cavities extending between said upper openings and said lower opening, and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in said cavities with upper active portions facing said upper openings and lower tail portions with laterally extending hooks shaped to be inserted into at least a portion of said apertures of said cable and electrically engage said conductors in said cable, said insert further including a pair of individually molded side members each providing an opposite portion of said upper openings and cavities, the side members including a plurality of side apertures and inwardly extending side posts with at least one of said posts on one side member being aligned with one of said apertures on the other side member for entry into said aperture for retention of the side members, said hooks all facing one of said members and over which the apertured end of the cable can be inserted, and one of said side members extending below the other side member and including narrow pockets open laterally towards the other member to receive at least a portion of the contact tail portions and thereby restrict the contacts from rotation with the ends of the hooks being exposed laterally beyond the pockets to receive said cable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
266 words
An electrical connector for rearwardly receiving a flat multi-conductor cable having an end with apertures affording electrical access to individual conductors, said connector comprising a dielectric insert with front and rear faces, a plurality of upper openings in a row along said front face, an elongated lower opening along said rear face for entry of said cable, a plurality of internal cavities extending between said upper openings and said lower opening, and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in said cavities with upper active portions facing said upper openings and lower tail portions with laterally extending hooks shaped to be inserted into at least a portion of said apertures of said cable and electrically engage said conductors in said cable, said insert further including a pair of individually molded side members each providing an opposite portion of said upper openings and cavities, the side members including a plurality of side apertures and inwardly extending side posts with at least one of said posts on one side member being aligned with one of said apertures on the other side member for entry into said aperture for retention of the side members, said hooks all facing one of said members and over which the apertured end of the cable can be inserted, and one of said side members extending below the other side member and including narrow pockets open laterally towards the other member to receive at least a portion of the contact tail portions and thereby restrict the contacts from rotation with the ends of the hooks being exposed laterally beyond the pockets to receive said cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the insert includes a lower portion with said elongated lower opening which when the cable is inserted into the opening prevents accidental electrical access to the conductors through the apertures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein said insert includes opposite ends with inwardly yieldable latching elements for releasable retention of said insert housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector of claim 10 wherein said one side member includes barrier walls forming said pockets and providing side support for said cable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electrical connector of claim 9 wherein said insert includes opposite ends with projection means providing front and rear facing shoulders for retention of said connector in a housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electrical connector of claim 12 wherein said posts and apertures in each side member are disposed in upper and lower rows with the posts and apertures being in an alternating arrangement in each of said rows.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electrical connector for rearwardly receiving a flat multi-conductor cable having an end with apertures affording electrical access to individual conductors, said connector comprising a dielectric insert with front and rear faces, a plurality of upper openings in a row along said front face, an elongated lower opening along said rear face for entry of said cable, a plurality of internal cavities extending between said upper openings and said lower opening, and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in said cavities with upper active portions facing said upper openings and lower tail portions with hooks shaped to be inserted into at least a portion of said apertures of said cable and electrically engage said conductors in said cable, said insert further including a pair of individually molded side members each providing an opposite portion of said upper openings and cavities, one of the side members including narrow pockets open laterally towards the other member to receive at least a portion of the contact tail portions and thereby restrict the contacts from rotation with the ends of the hooks being exposed laterally beyond the pocket to receive said cable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
188 words
An electrical connector for rearwardly receiving a flat multi-conductor cable having an end with apertures affording electrical access to individual conductors, said connector comprising a dielectric insert with front and rear faces, a plurality of upper openings in a row along said front face, an elongated lower opening along said rear face for entry of said cable, a plurality of internal cavities extending between said upper openings and said lower opening, and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in said cavities with upper active portions facing said upper openings and lower tail portions with hooks shaped to be inserted into at least a portion of said apertures of said cable and electrically engage said conductors in said cable, said insert further including a pair of individually molded side members each providing an opposite portion of said upper openings and cavities, one of the side members including narrow pockets open laterally towards the other member to receive at least a portion of the contact tail portions and thereby restrict the contacts from rotation with the ends of the hooks being exposed laterally beyond the pocket to receive said cable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 14 wherein said one side member includes barrier walls forming said pockets and providing side support for said cable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein said insert includes opposite ends with means for latching said connector to an external housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-16 | 1978-06-17 | 1978-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-16 | 1982-06-17 | 1982-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-16 | 1986-06-17 | 1986-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |