Electrical connectors with interchangeable components

Claim 2

An electrical connector comprising two housings each having a tubular opening therein, a pair of mating molded male and female inserts each interchangeably receivable in said openings, latch means associated with said inserts and said housings for holding each insert in its respective opening after it has been inserted, and means operable from the exterior of said housings for releasing said latch means to permit withdrawl of each said insert from its respective opening, said connector comprising coupling means to connect said housing together independently of said inserts and comprising a rotatable internally threaded ring mounted on one of said housings, the threads of which are engageable with external threads mounted on the other of said housings, said ring being slidable axially on said housing a predetermined distance so as to project beyond said opening, said distance in an outward direction with respect to said opening being limited by the inner side of an inwardly extending flange on the inner end of said ring contacting an outwardly extending flange adjacent the end of said housing and in an inward direction by an outwardly extending portion of said housing contacting the outer side of said flange on said ring, said outwardly extending portion comprising at least one cut resilient portion of said housing.

Claim 3

An electrical connector comprising two housings each having a tubular opening therein, a pair of mating molded male and female inserts each interchangeably receivable in said openings, latch means associated with said inserts and said housings for holding each insert in its respective opening after it has been inserted, and means operable from the exterior of said housings for releasing said latch means to permit withdrawal of each said insert from its respective opening, at least one of said inserts comprising an electrically conducting clamp mounted on the external surface of said insert, extending axially beyond the cable receiving end of said insert so as to support said cable, and providing a ground connection with said housing, said cable clamp comprising an elongated electrically conducting strip having at one end a three-pronged configuration consisting of a central prong which is a prolongation of said elongated strip and a side prong on opposite sides of said central prong, said central prong being longer than said side prongs and being offset downwardly with its outer end received in an opening in said insert and said side prongs extending in an upward direction to contact the inner side of the housing, and said member having at its other end a generally U-shaped configuration to receive and hold a cable.

Claim 4

An electrical connector comprising two housings each having a tubular opening therein, a pair of mating molded male and female inserts each interchangeably receivable in said openings, latch means associated with said inserts and said housings for holding each insert in its respective opening after it has been inserted, and means operable from the exterior of said housings for releasing said latch means to permit withdrawal of each said insert from its respective opening, at least one of said inserts comprising an electrically conducting clamp mounted on the external surface of said insert, extending axially beyond the cable receiving end of said insert so as to support said cable, and providing a ground connection with said housing, said cable clamp comprising an elongated electrically conducting strip having at one end a three-pronged configuration consisting of a central prong which is a prolongation of said elongated strip and a side prong on opposite sides of said central prong, said central prong being longer than said side prongs and being offset downwardly with its outer end received in an opening in said insert and said side prongs extending in an upward direction to contact the inner side of the housing, and said member having at its other end a generally U-shaped configuration to receive and hold a cable.

Claim 5

An electrical connector comprising two housings each having a tubular opening therein, a pair of mating molded male and female inserts each interchangeably receivable in said openings, latch means associated with said inserts and said housings for holding each insert in its respective opening after it has been inserted, and means operable from the exterior of said housings for releasing said latch means to permit withdrawal of each said insert from its respective opening, said latch means comprising a resilient member connected to said insert, and an opening in the side of said housing, said resilient member projecting into and engaging a side of sAid side opening to lock said insert in said housing against axial movement, and said resilient member being adapted to be depressed by external pressure through said opening to unlock said insert and permit removal of said insert by sliding it axially in said housing.

Claim 6

An electrical connector comprising two housings each having a tubular opening therein, a pair of mating molded male and female inserts each interchangeably receivable in said openings, latch means associated with said inserts and said housings for holding each insert in its respective opening after it has been inserted, and means operable from the exterior of said housings for releasing said latch means to permit withdrawal of each said insert from its respective opening, said latch means comprising a resilient member connected to said insert, and an opening in the side of said housing, said resilient member projecting into and engaging a side of sAid side opening to lock said insert in said housing against axial movement, and said resilient member being adapted to be depressed by external pressure through said opening to unlock said insert and permit removal of said insert by sliding it axially in said housing.

Claim 7

A connector as claimed in claim 3 in which said resilient member comprises an elongated strip bent at an intermediate section to provide an upwardly extending portion to project into said opening in said housing and a flat portion to connect to said insert, said insert comprising a channel with undercut sides on the surface thereof sized to receive said flat portion, said channel being open at both ends and extending from the terminal end of said insert toward the electrical contactor end of said insert, an abutment on the surface of said insert spaced from the contactor end of said channel, outwardly extending portions on opposite sides of said flat strip adjacent said bent portion sized to be received by said undercut portions of said sides and a T-shaped configuration on the end of said flat portion sized to fit in said space between said abutment and the inner end of said channel whereby said flat strip can be inserted into said channel from the terminal end of said insert with said outwardly extending portions in the undercut area and said T-shaped end above said channel and moved forwardly until said T-shaped end snaps into said space at the end of said channel.