US4444452A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for central arrangement of electrical connector elements in motor vehicles
Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH and Co KG
•
Filing: 1981-11-09
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Granted: 1984-04-24
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Expires: 2001-11-09
Abstract
Abstract An improved connector block for vehicles including a housing having a base with integral support posts, to the free ends of which can be attached conductor plates. For each conductor plate level a number of supports posts of equal length are provided, with the support posts of different conductor plate levels having different lengths, namely, those corresponding to the chosen conductor plate level. Each conductor plate arranged at a lower level also can be passed through by the support posts of all the conductor plates lying at a higher level.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Hilbrandt
- 👤 Uwe Ossenberg
- 👤 Wilhelm Lusebrink
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:48
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K7/00; H05K7/02; H05K7/026; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/50; H01R12/51; H01R12/52; H01R12/523; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/665; H01R13/6658; H01R12/55; H01R12/58; H01R2107/00; H01R2201/00; H01R2201/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/949
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A connector block for centrally mounting electrical connector elements in motor vehicles comprising a housing of an insulating material having integrally formed at its base a plurality of upwardly projecting support posts, to the free ends of which bar-shaped conductor plates are attached, said conductor plates being disposed in different spaced-apart levels and being thereby electrically insulated from one another solely by air, whereby the need for insulating material between said conductor plates to support and to electrically insulate them from one another is eliminated for each said level a number of support posts of equal lengths are provided, with the support posts of different levels having different lengths, corresponding to the level with which the support posts are associated, pre-determined ones of said conductor plates placed at a lower level being passed by or through by the support posts of higher level conductor plates.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
A connector block for centrally mounting electrical connector elements in motor vehicles comprising a housing of an insulating material having integrally formed at its base a plurality of upwardly projecting support posts, to the free ends of which bar-shaped conductor plates are attached, said conductor plates being disposed in different spaced-apart levels and being thereby electrically insulated from one another solely by air, whereby the need for insulating material between said conductor plates to support and to electrically insulate them from one another is eliminated for each said level a number of support posts of equal lengths are provided, with the support posts of different levels having different lengths, corresponding to the level with which the support posts are associated, pre-determined ones of said conductor plates placed at a lower level being passed by or through by the support posts of higher level conductor plates.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductor plates are formed of flat conductor strips.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductor plates are formed with integral contact strips bent up at right angles out of the plane thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the contact strips are knife contacts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support posts have on their free ends insertion guides and the conductor plates have corresponding holes for receiving therethrough the insertion guides.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the holes in the conductor plates enable insertion therethrough of the insertion guides until the conductor plate abuts against the support post.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the insertion guides on the support post ends are integral thin posts, with the support posts and the insertion guides having circular cross sections, the cross section of said insertion guides having a smaller diameter than the support posts and the corresponding holes of the conductor plates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, the support posts have different cross sectional shape and/or dimension.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insertion guides on the support posts are deformable to affix said conductor plate to said support posts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the housing is provided with walls having a height corresponding to the highest level of said conductor plates including the contact strips integral therewith.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing can be closed with a cover.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cover is provided with retaining posts extending toward the base of the housing, the retaining posts each being positioned coaxially to an associated support post and of such length that a small gap remains between the retaining posts and the support posts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cover is formed with pockets for receiving therein the contact strips on the conductor strips and slits providing access to the pockets from the outside of the housing whereby contact can be established with the contact strips in the pockets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the cover makes a snap connection with the housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, including support posts which are hollow.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-04-24 | 1987-10-24 | 1988-04-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-04-24 | 1991-10-24 | 1992-04-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-04-24 | 1995-10-24 | 1996-04-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |