Integral dome and collar electrical connector

Claim 1

A female electrical connector for fitting over a vertically elongated, electrically conductive electrode stem formed on its top extremity with an enlarged-in-cross section button having a rounded top end, said connector comprising: a hollow electrically conductive cylindrical cap formed with a stem-receiving chamber for telescoping over said stem and including a flexible top wall and a downwardly projecting barrel split longitudinally along its diametrically opposite sides to form opposed axially projecting semicylindrical skirts, said skirts being formed on their free extremities with radially inwardly projecting collars for fitting radially inwardly under the opposite sides of such button to releasably lock said cap on such stem, said collars tapering upwardly and radially inwardly to form respective downwardly facing cam surfaces, said top wall having a relaxed position and being sufficiently flexible to enable its laterally opposite sides disposed on the opposite sides of the axial plane of the splits in said barrel to be angled upwardly and outwardly from such plane of said splits to a pinch-release position angling said skirts downwardly and radially outwardly at an angle sufficient to space said collars a radial distance outwardly from one another to cause the radial inner peripheries thereof to clear the opposite sides of said button; laterally spaced apart elongated finger grasp ears mounted on said top wall on the lateral opposite sides of such plane of said splits and projecting longitudinally upwardly for being grasped and on their upper extremities and pinched together to flex said top wall to said pinch-release position; and, an electrical lead leading from said top wall whereby when it is desirable to snap said cap onto said button, it may be pressed thereagainst from an axial direction causing said cam surfaces of said respective collars to engage the opposite sides of said top end of said button to thus cause said collars, and consequently, the lower extremities of said skirts to be spread radially apart and when said collars clear said button said top wall will flex to said relaxed position to urge such bottom extremities of said skirts radially inwardly to snap said collars radially inwardly under the opposite sides of such button and when it is desirable to pinch release said connector from such stem, the free extremities of said ears may be pinched together to cause said top wall to flex to said pinch-release position to spread said collars apart to clear the exterior dimension of said button.