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US4497531A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical connector

Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
•
Filing: 1982-07-19
•
Granted: 1985-02-05
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Expires: 2002-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract An electrical connector housing (3, 4) is sealed at its conductor-entry face by means of a sealing member (14) which is compressed against the face and into engagement with a shroud (12) surrounding the face and with conductors (8) passing through holes (15) in the sealing member (14), by means of a lid (17) which is latched to the shroud (12). The sealing member (14) when compressed is also engaged by terminals (6, 7) terminating the conductors (8) and prevents back-out of the terminals (6, 7) from their passageways (5) in the housing (3, 4).

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert W. Baker

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 19:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/52; H01R13/5205; H01R13/5208; H01R13/40; H01R13/42; H01R13/424

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 232 words
An electrical connector comprising a housing of insulating material formed with a plurality of through passageways each to receive an electrical terminal terminating an electrical conductor, each passageway extending from a mating face to an opposite, conductor-entry face of the housing, including an axially extending shroud surrounding the conductor-entry face of the housing and defining a cavity into which the conductor-entry ends of the passageways open; a single sealing member receivable in the cavity and having a plurality of holes therethrough each sized to receive and grip a conductor passing through the sealing member into a respective passageway in the housing; and a sealing-member-retaining lid formed with a plurality of through holes each to pass a terminal entering a respective passageway in the housing, the lid serving to close the cavity and compress the sealing member between the lid and the conductor-entry face of the housing and into sealing engagement with the shroud and with conductors passing through the holes in the sealing member, the lid and the shroud being formed with cooperating latching means serving to latch the lid to the housing in the closed position, the lid being hingedly connected to the housing by means of an integrally formed hinge strap portion, and being movable between an open position remote from the cavity to permit insertion of the sealing member into the cavity, and a closed position closing the cavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 232 words
An electrical connector comprising a housing of insulating material formed with a plurality of through passageways each to receive an electrical terminal terminating an electrical conductor, each passageway extending from a mating face to an opposite, conductor-entry face of the housing, including an axially extending shroud surrounding the conductor-entry face of the housing and defining a cavity into which the conductor-entry ends of the passageways open; a single sealing member receivable in the cavity and having a plurality of holes therethrough each sized to receive and grip a conductor passing through the sealing member into a respective passageway in the housing; and a sealing-member-retaining lid formed with a plurality of through holes each to pass a terminal entering a respective passageway in the housing, the lid serving to close the cavity and compress the sealing member between the lid and the conductor-entry face of the housing and into sealing engagement with the shroud and with conductors passing through the holes in the sealing member, the lid and the shroud being formed with cooperating latching means serving to latch the lid to the housing in the closed position, the lid being hingedly connected to the housing by means of an integrally formed hinge strap portion, and being movable between an open position remote from the cavity to permit insertion of the sealing member into the cavity, and a closed position closing the cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the conductor-entry end of each passageway is surrounded by an individual rib extending into the cavity and serving to enhance the sealing between the conductor-entry face of the housing and the sealing member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the sealing member is formed with a number of circumferential grooves serving to enhance the sealing between the sealing member and the shroud.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the latching means comprises apertured lugs extending axially from the shroud, and projections on the lid receivable in the apertures in the lugs on the shroud.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB589697A Cited
GB587643A Cited
US3076168A Cited
US3072415A Cited
US3517373A Cited
US3633150A Cited
FR2232846A1 Cited
US4029382A Cited
EP0033031A2 Cited
EP0035378A2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-02-05 1988-08-06 1989-02-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-02-05 1992-08-06 1993-02-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-02-05 1996-08-06 1997-02-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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