Pre-loaded electrical connector

Claim 2

A pre-loaded multi-contact electrical connector comprising: an insulating housing having a mating side and a rearward side, said housing having a plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending therethrough from said rearward side, said cavities having openings which open onto one side which is between said mating side and said rearward side, an electrical contact terminal in each of said cavities, each of said terminals having a contact portion which is proximate to said mating side and a conductor receiving portion which is proximate to said rearward side, said conductor receiving portion being tubular and having an axially extending open seam, said seam constituting a conductor-receiving slot which extends in said conductor receiving portion inwardly from said rearward side towards said mating side, said slot being on the side of said tubular section which is adjacent to said opening whereby, upon movement of a conductor laterally of its axis into said slot, the edges of said slot will engage said conductor to form an electrical connection therewith, and said conductor, after being connected to said terminal, will extend laterally of said housing from said opening.

Claim 3

A pre-loaded connector as set forth in claim 1 and a cover member removably mounted on said rearward side of said housing, said cover member extending over said one side of said housing and partially covering said openings.

Claim 4

A pre-loaded connector as set forth in claim 2, each of said conductor-receiving tubular portions of each of said contact terminals being partially transversely severed intermediate the ends thereof and partially therethrough from said open seams.

Claim 5

A pre-loaded connector as set forth in claim 2, and conductors in said slots in said conductor receiving portions of at least some of said terminals.

Claim 6

A stamped and formed electrical terminal device having two conductors electrically and mechanically connected thereto, said terminal device comprising: a conductor-receiving portion and a contact portion, said conductor receiving portion comprising a formed tubular member having a web and sidewalls, said sidewalls having opposed edges extending axially in a straight line along said tubular member, said edges defining a conductor receiving slot, said conductor receiving portion being partially severed transversely of the axis thereof from said edges partially along said sidewalls towards said web whereby said conductor-receiving portions is in two sections, each of said sections comprising a spring system, said conductors having portions extending transversely of the axis of said tubular member and being in said slot, one of said conductors being in one of said sections and the other conducTor being in the other section, said contact portion extending from said conductor-receiving portion and having means for forming an electrical connection to a further conductor, said device being of a conductive metal having spring properties whereby, said edges are resiliently urged against said conductors and said conductors are mechanically and electrically connected to said terminal device, each of said conductors being under the influence of a spring system in its respective section.

Claim 7

A stamped and formed electrical terminal device having two conductors electrically and mechanically connected thereto, said terminal device comprising: a conductor-receiving portion and a contact portion, said conductor receiving portion comprising a formed tubular member having a web and sidewalls, said sidewalls having opposed edges extending axially in a straight line along said tubular member, said edges defining a conductor receiving slot, said conductor receiving portion being partially severed transversely of the axis thereof from said edges partially along said sidewalls towards said web whereby said conductor-receiving portions is in two sections, each of said sections comprising a spring system, said conductors having portions extending transversely of the axis of said tubular member and being in said slot, one of said conductors being in one of said sections and the other conducTor being in the other section, said contact portion extending from said conductor-receiving portion and having means for forming an electrical connection to a further conductor, said device being of a conductive metal having spring properties whereby, said edges are resiliently urged against said conductors and said conductors are mechanically and electrically connected to said terminal device, each of said conductors being under the influence of a spring system in its respective section.