US3865460A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Component connector
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1973-04-30
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Granted: 1975-02-11
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Expires: 1993-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A versatile connector including a first portion having wire receiving channels and a component receiving cavity, and a second portion including conductive contact elements. The first portion has adjacent spaced projections each having one of the wire receiving channels extending across a surface thereof and being positioned adjacent a different end of the component receiving cavity. The projections may be inserted in adjacent expanded loops of a twisted pair of wires so that each channel receives a length of a different wire of the pair. When the connector is closed the contact elements make connections between the ends of a component in the cavity and the wire in the adjacent channel to connect the component across the wires.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas M Cherney
- 👤 John O Knudson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R4/00; H01R4/24; H01R4/2416; H01R4/242; H01R4/2425; H01R4/2429; H01R4/2433; H01R9/00; H01R9/03; H01R9/05; H01R9/053; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/6608
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
301 words
In a connector of the type comprising first and second body portions each having opposite end surfaces, opposite side surfaces, a mating surface, and an outer surface opposite said mating surface; and means for positioning and retaining the body portion in a closed position with said mating surfaces in contact, said first body portion having two channels in its mating surface each adapted to receive a wire, and said body portions having depressions in said mating surfaces defining, when said body portions are in their closed position, a cavity adapted to receive an electrical component having a contact wire extending from each of its ends, said connector further comprising two resilient contact members each mounted in said second body portion and having fingers defining spaced wire receiving slots therebetween, one contact element having fingers extending across one of said channels and one end of said cavity and the other contact element having fingers extending across the other of said channels and the other end of said cavity when said body portions are in said closed position so that said contact elements will electrically connect a component in said cavity to wires in said channels; the improvement, wherein: the first body portion has two spaced projections defining one side surface and has an opening between said projections along said one side surface between said mating surface and said outer surface, one end of the component receiving cavity is adjacent one of said projections and the other end of the component receiving cavity is adjacent the other of said projections, and one of said channels extends across one of said projections from one of said end surfaces to said opening and the other of said channels extends across the other of said projections from the other of said end surfaces to said opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
301 words
In a connector of the type comprising first and second body portions each having opposite end surfaces, opposite side surfaces, a mating surface, and an outer surface opposite said mating surface; and means for positioning and retaining the body portion in a closed position with said mating surfaces in contact, said first body portion having two channels in its mating surface each adapted to receive a wire, and said body portions having depressions in said mating surfaces defining, when said body portions are in their closed position, a cavity adapted to receive an electrical component having a contact wire extending from each of its ends, said connector further comprising two resilient contact members each mounted in said second body portion and having fingers defining spaced wire receiving slots therebetween, one contact element having fingers extending across one of said channels and one end of said cavity and the other contact element having fingers extending across the other of said channels and the other end of said cavity when said body portions are in said closed position so that said contact elements will electrically connect a component in said cavity to wires in said channels; the improvement, wherein: the first body portion has two spaced projections defining one side surface and has an opening between said projections along said one side surface between said mating surface and said outer surface, one end of the component receiving cavity is adjacent one of said projections and the other end of the component receiving cavity is adjacent the other of said projections, and one of said channels extends across one of said projections from one of said end surfaces to said opening and the other of said channels extends across the other of said projections from the other of said end surfaces to said opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
129 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein the fingers of said contact elements are spaced to provide said slots between adjacent generally parallel edges thereof, and the edges of said fingers at the inlet end of each slot diverge generally normally away from said parallel edges to define cutting edges of a predetermined length and are arcuate from the ends of the cutting edges opposite the parallel edges to provide diverging convex edges, said fingers being adapted to be resiliently spread by a wire segment forced between said arcuate edges to cause said cutting edges to cut said wire segment to a predetermined depth and sever any insulation thereon, and to cause the parallel edges to resiliently engage said wire as said wire segment is forced into said slot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A connector according to claim 2, wherein the included angle between each cutting edge and the adjoining parallel edge is about 120*.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein one of said body portions includes retaining means for retaining wires in said channels and retaining a component in said cavity prior to moving said body portions to their closed position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
A connector according to claim 4, wherein said retaining means includes sets of three spaced protrusions extending alternately from opposite sides into each of said channels and the portions of said cavity for accepting contact wires with the ends of the protrusions spaced in a direction normal to the centerline of the channel or cavity at a distance less than the diameter of a wire the connector is adapted to engage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein said component cavity communicates between the end surfaces of said connector tO afford electrically interconnecting a wire extending through said component cavity with wires in said channels.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector according to claim 1, wherein each of said projections has a groove in said outer surface parallel to the channel across said projection.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US3388370A
Cited
US3636500A
Cited
US3708779A
Cited
US3708779B1
Cited
US3718888A
Cited
US3723948A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-10 | 1978-08-12 | 1979-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-08-12 | 1983-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-10 | 1986-08-12 | 1987-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |