Electrical connector housings

Claim 2

An electrical connector housing for a plurality of electrical contacts comprising: a. first and second housing parts of electrical insulating material and being adapted for mating one with the other, each housing part having at least one row of spaced parallel passageways, the passageways of the housing parts being aligned to define at least one row of cavities extending between opposed faces of the housings when mated for receiving electrical contacts; b. a channel in the first housing part extending across the passageways; c. an elongated strip of insulating material having a plurality of spaced apart lances projecting outward form one edge, said strip positioned in the channel with individual lances extending into the cavities in the row for resiliently engaging and retaining electrical contacts which may be inserted into the cavities.

Claim 3

An electrical connector housing comprising first and second housing parts of insulating material and a strip carrying a plurality of locking lances extending from one surface of the strip, a major portion of each lance extending laterally outwardly from one side of the strip, but a minor portion of each lance extending laterally outwardly from the opposite side of the strip, the locking lances being generally parallel and equi-spaced along the length of the strip, and each minor portion being stepped to define a protuberance, each housing part including cooperating means for latching the first and second housing parts together, each housing part having a row of spaced, parallel passageways, the passageways of the housing parts being aligned to define a row of cavities extending between opposed faces of the connector housing for receiving electrical contacts, the strip being assembled in the first housing part so that an individual locking lance extends into each cavity defined by the passageways of the first and second housing parts for resiliently engaging an electrical contact when received in the cavity.

Claim 4

An electrical connector housing comprising first and second housing parts of insulating material and a strip carrying a plurality of locking lances extending from one surface of the strip, a major portion of each lance extending laterally outwardly from one side of the strip, but a minor portion of each lance extending laterally outwardly from the opposite side of the strip, the locking lances being generally parallel and equi-spaced along the length of the strip, and each minor portion being stepped to define a protuberance, each housing part including cooperating means for latching the first and second housing parts together, each housing part having a row of spaced, parallel passageways, the passageways of the housing parts being aligned to define a row of cavities extending between opposed faces of the connector housing for receiving electrical contacts, the strip being assembled in the first housing part so that an individual locking lance extends into each cavity defined by the passageways of the first and second housing parts for resiliently engaging an electrical contact when received in the cavity.

Claim 5

An electrical connector housing as claimed in claim 2, in which the strip is received in a channel in the first housing part, the channel communicating with each passageway of the row of passageways in the first housing part, the protuberance on each locking lance being received in a recess in the respective pasageway of the first housing part to locate the locking lance in the cavity.

Claim 6

An electrical connector housing as claimed in claim 3, in which the first housing part has a body portion through which the spaced, parallel passageways pass forwardly from a rear surface and a hood extending forwardly from the body portion, the hood receiving a rear portion of the second housing, the hood and the rear portion having co-operating detents and holes for latching releasably the housing parts together.