Electrical connectors with interchangeable components

Claim 2

An insert for the housing of an electrical connector having a side opening and a tubular front to rear opening to receive said insert, said insert comprising a plurality of either male or female electrical contact components embedded in a selfsupporting molded electrical insulating material with terminals connected to said contact components projecting rearwardly from said insert, and latch means comprising a bent resilient strip fixed to a side of said insert and adapted to exert resilient pressure in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said insert, said resilient strip being an elongated strip bent at an intermediate section to provide an upwardly extending portion to project into said side 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.

Claim 3

An insert as claimed in claim 1 which contains a transversely extending offset portion at its surface at an intermediate point with respect to the longitudinal axis of said insert to limit the inward movement of said insert when it is placed in said housing.

Claim 4

An insert as claimed in claim 1 comprising means on the surface of said insert to restrain rotary movements of said insert when it is inserted into said housing.

Claim 5

An insert as claimed in claim 2 comprising an opening in said offset portion to receive one end of a cable clamp.

Claim 6

An insert as claimed in claim 1 comprising on the external surface thereof a channel with undercut sides to receive said resilient strip.

Claim 7

An electrical connector comprising a housing having a tubular front to rear opening and a side opening, an insert receivable in said front to rear opening in engagement with the sides thereof, said insert containing at the forward end a plurality of either male or female electrical contact components embedded in a self-supporting molded electrical insulating material with terminals connected to said contact components projecting rearwardly from said insert, and latch means fixed to the side of said insert comprising a bent resilient strip one end of which projects into said side opening in said housing to lock said insert against axial movement and is depressable by external pressure through said side opening to permit unlocking of said latch means and removal of said insert by sliding it forwardly from said housing, said resilient strip being an elongated strip bent at an intermediate section to provide an upwardly extending portion to project into said side 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.

Claim 8

An electrical connector comprising a housing having a tubular front to rear opening and a side opening, an insert receivable in said front to rear opening in engagement with the sides thereof, said insert containing at the forward end a plurality of either male or female electrical contact components embedded in a self-supporting molded electrical insulating material with terminals connected to said contact components projecting rearwardly from said insert, and latch means fixed to the side of said insert comprising a bent resilient strip one end of which projects into said side opening in said housing to lock said insert against axial movement and is depressable by external pressure through said side opening to permit unlocking of said latch means and removal of said insert by sliding it forwardly from said housing, said resilient strip being an elongated strip bent at an intermediate section to provide an upwardly extending portion to project into said side 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.

Claim 9

An electrical connector as claimed in claim 6 comprising a cable clamp made from an elongated strip one end of which is received in an opening in the outer surface of said insert and also contacts the inner surface of said housing and the opposite end of which projects rearwardly and is adapted to partially encircle an electrical cable the ends of which are connected to said terminals.

Claim 10

An electrical connector as claimed in claim 6 wherein the outer surface of said insert and said housing comprise interfitting means which restrain said insert against rotary movement but not against axial movement.