Terminal assembly

Claim 2

A terminal assembly comprising a housing composed of a rigid insulating material, said housing including spaced apart wall members projecting from a base plate and defining a chamber therebetween; an elongated protuberance on each of said wall members in coextension with the extension thereof and projecting inwardly into said chamber; a U-shaped connector member for insertion into said chamber, said connector member formed from a strip of conductive material and having upstanding, spaced apart leg portions joined by a bottom portion; oppositely directed terminals formed from U-shaped segments of said leg portions in projection therefrom, with said terminals having common directional projections on each common leg portion, and with the terminals on one leg portion having an oppositely directed projection relative to that of the terminals on the other of said leg members, and means on said conductive strip for providing locking engagement with said abutments when said connector member is inserted into said chamber whereby said connector member is fixedly secured in said chamber.

Claim 3

A terminal assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said terminals are connected in pairs to opposite longitudinal edges of said conductive strip forming a U substantially perpendicular to the leg portions of said strip.

Claim 4

A terminal assembly in accordance with claim 1 including a bifurcated divisional wall member projecting from said base plate into said chamber and dividing said chamber, said divisional wall member having wall portions spaced one from the other parallel with and intermediate first said wall members, said wall portions sheathed within a corresponding space defined by said connector leg portions and their associated terminals, said conductive leg portions having a sufficient width therebetween to bear against opposed edge portions of said wall portions.

Claim 5

A terminal assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said terminals are arranged in pairs, each terminal of a pair being positioned on opposite sides of said divisional wall member.

Claim 6

A terminal assembly in accordance with claim 1 including a rib on said base plate extending through said chamber, said rib having a width dimension to permit embracing thereof between extended end portions of said leg portions of said conductive strip intermediate said wall members.

Claim 7

A terminal assembly in accordance with claim 5 including inwardly projecting protrusions on said leg portions of said conductive strip for coaction with said rib.

Claim 8

A terminal assembly comprising a housing composed of an insulating material, said housing including spaced apart wall members projecting from a base plate and defining a chamber therebetween; an abutment in each of said wall members projecting inwardly into said chamber; a connector member for insertion into said chamber, said connector member comprising a strip of conductive material having upstanding, spaced apart leg portions joined by a bottom portion; terminals integrally connected to said leg portions and projecting substantially perpendicular thereto, and means on said conductive strip for providing locking engagement with said abutments when said connector member is inserted into said chamber whereby said connector member is fixedly secured in said chamber; and a bifurcated divisional wall member projecting from said base plate into said chamber and dividing said chamber, said divisional wall member having end portions spaced one from the other, said conductive strip having a width sufficient to bear against the end portions of said wall member, wherein said conductive strip is bent into the shape of a double U with the open portion of said U's facing each other, two aligned leg portions of said double U being integrally joined and the other of said leg portions having terminal ends spaced from each other, each of said unjoined legs being biased outwardly against one end portion of said bifurcated divisional wall member to thereby aid in retaining said connector member immovably mounted in said chamber.

Claim 9

A terminal assembly comprising a housing composed of an insulating material, said housing including spaced apart wall members projecting from a base plate and defining a chamber therebetween; an abutment in each of said wall members projecting inwardly into said chamber; a connector member for insertion into said chamber, said connector member comprising a strip of conductive material having upstanding, spaced apart leg portions joined by a bottom portion; terminals integrally connected to said leg portions and projecting substantially perpendicular thereto, and means on said conductive strip for providing locking engagement with said abutments when said connector member is inserted into said chamber whereby said connector member is fixedly secured in said chamber; and a bifurcated divisional wall member projecting from said base plate into said chamber and dividing said chamber, said divisional wall member having end portions spaced one from the other, said conductive strip having a width sufficient to bear against the end portions of said wall member, wherein said conductive strip is bent into the shape of a double U with the open portion of said U's facing each other, two aligned leg portions of said double U being integrally joined and the other of said leg portions having terminal ends spaced from each other, each of said unjoined legs being biased outwardly against one end portion of said bifurcated divisional wall member to thereby aid in retaining said connector member immovably mounted in said chamber.