Blanket wire cord connector module

Claim 2

An electric blanket comprising a pair of coextensive layers of fabric having strips along which said layers are secured to form a continuous channel in which an elongated heating cable is disposed, said cable having two ends which are connected in a terminal block to a two conductor power cord, said terminal block including a pair of housing members which form an enclosure in which said cable ends are connected to said power cord, a pair of flexible strain relief members each having an enlarged body portion, a sleeve portion and a flat assembly tab portion, said body portions being captured in opposed recesses in said housing members with said sleeve and tab portions extending outside of said enclosure, said terminal block being positioned in a slot in one of said layers with said sleeve and assembly portions being between said layers and said power cord being outside of said blanket layers, said tab portions being sewn to said blanket layers.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said terminal block has a body portion and an extension portion extending from one side wall thereof, said extension portion being positioned in said slot with said body portion engaging a portion of said one layer defining said slot, said body portion being too large to fit into said slot, said sewn connection between said tab portions and said blanket and engagement between said terminal block and said portion of said one layer defining said slot restricting relative movement between said block and said fabric.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 including a flexible support member wrapped around said terminal block and sewn to said tab portions and to said one layer defining said slot.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein said support member comprises a folded piece of fabric which is formed with a slot at the fold, said support member being sewn to said one layer continuously around said slot, the support member having overlapping edges remote from said fold, said edges sandwiching said tab portions and being sewn to said one layer along with said tab portions.

Claim 6

In an electric blanket, the combination comprising a pair of housing members formed of a rigid insulating material which fit together to form a connector housing providing an enclosure within which a blanket heating element and a power cord are adapted to be connected, said housing members defining a first and a second opening to said enclosure, a pair of terminal pins for plug connection to said power cord mounted in said first opening, at least one heating element strain relief having an elongated cylindrical shank portion, an enlarged retaining portion and an assembly tab extending laterally from said shank portion, said strain relief being clamped in said second opening between said housing members in said second opening with said retaining portion within said enclosure and said tab outside of said enclosure, a blanket shell made of two layers of fabric having said heating element disposed therein, one end of said element extending through said strain relief into said enclosure formed by said housing members, said tab being sewn to said blanket shell to secure said connector housing thereto.

Claim 7

In an electric blanket, the combination comprising a pair of housing members formed of a rigid insulating material which fit together to form a connector housing providing an enclosure within which a blanket heating element and a power cord are adapted to be connected, said housing members defining a first and a second opening to said enclosure, a pair of terminal pins for plug connection to said power cord mounted in said first opening, at least one heating element strain relief having an elongated cylindrical shank portion, an enlarged retaining portion and an assembly tab extending laterally from said shank portion, said strain relief being clamped in said second opening between said housing members in said second opening with said retaining portion within said enclosure and said tab outside of said enclosure, a blanket shell made of two layers of fabric having said heating element disposed therein, one end of said element extending through said strain relief into said enclosure formed by said housing members, said tab being sewn to said blanket shell to secure said connector housing thereto.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5 including a connector board clamped within said enclosure between opposed portions of said housing members, a terminal board mounted in said enclosure and supporting said terminal pins, said heating element being connected to said terminal board and to said terminal pins.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 wherein one of said housing members is formed with a U-shaped wall which defines an entrance to said first opening, the other one of said housing members including a laterally extending channel portion which extends within and engages said U-shaped portion to retain said housing members assembled on a side of said housing adjacent said first opening.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 5 wherein said blanket shell includes two layers of fabric secured together along spaced lines to form between the layers of fabric channels in which said heating element is disposed, said heating element having two ends which extend into said enclosure through two of said strain reliefs, each strain relief having said tab secured to said blanket by stitching through said tabs and one of said layers, a portion of said housing defining said first opening extending through an opening in said one of said fabric layers to provide access to said terminal pins for a power cord connection.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 including a flexible support layer which envelopes said housing and said assembly tabs on said strain reliefs, said support layer being stitched to said one fabric layer around said opening in said one fabric layer, said support layer being stitched to said tabs and said one fabric layer.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 5 wherein said strain relief is formed of a flexible material and said tab is less than 0.06 inches in thickness.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 5 wherein said shank portion is cylindrical having a diameter and said retaining portion extends radially outwardly of said shank portions said second opening being substantially equal in diameter to said shank portion, walls on said housing members engaging said retaining portion to secure said strain relief relative to said housing.

Claim 14

In an electric blanket the combination comprising a blanket shell being formed of two layers of fabric secured together to form a passageway within which an elongated heating element is disposed, a connector for interconnecting ends of said heating element to a power cord, said connector being disposed between said layers and having a portion extending through an opening in one of said layers to provide engagement with a power cord, said connector having a rigid housing of insulating material, a pair of strain reliefs formed of a flexible insulating material and being fixed to said housing, each strain relief having a flat tab which is stitched to said one layer of fabric, said ends of said heating element extending into said housing through said strain reliefs and being connected to terminal pins, said extending portion of said housing being formed with an opening to receive a detachable plug connector, said terminal pins being mounted in said housing in said opening for engagement with a plug connector.

Claim 15

In an electric blanket the combination comprising a blanket shell being formed of two layers of fabric secured together to form a passageway within which an elongated heating element is disposed, a connector for interconnecting ends of said heating element to a power cord, said connector being disposed between said layers and having a portion extending through an opening in one of said layers to provide engagement with a power cord, said connector having a rigid housing of insulating material, a pair of strain reliefs formed of a flexible insulating material and being fixed to said housing, each strain relief having a flat tab which is stitched to said one layer of fabric, said ends of said heating element extending into said housing through said strain reliefs and being connected to terminal pins, said extending portion of said housing being formed with an opening to receive a detachable plug connector, said terminal pins being mounted in said housing in said opening for engagement with a plug connector.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 12 wherein said housing is formed by first and second housing members which are each formed with peripheral side walls abutting to form an enclosure, interengaging wall portions on one edge of said housing securing said members together, a separate assembly means securing the edge of said housing remote from said one edge.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 13 wherein said interengaging wall portions comprise a wall on said first housing member defining a mouth of said opening for receiving said plug connector, said second housing member having a channel shaped portion which extends within said mouth of said opening.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 12 including a flexible support member comprising a folded piece of fabric being stitched at the fold to said one layer of said shell around the opening formed therein and having a corresponding opening in said support member, said support member having overlapping edges which straddle said tabs, the layer of said support member and said tabs being stitched to said one layer of said shell.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 15 wherein said tabs extend from said housing on a side remote from said plug receiving opening, said tabs preventing displacement of said housing with respect to said one layer of said shell to maintain said housing portion protruding through said opening in said one layer of said shell.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 12 wherein said housing is formed by first and second housing members which have generally flat portions formed with peripheral side walls, said side walls abutting to form an enclosure and being interrupted to form first, second and third openings into said enclosure, said first and second openings being on opposite sides of said housing and receiving said strain reliefs, said third opening defined by a passageway within which said terminal pins are mounted.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 17 wherein said housing portion defining said passageway is narrower than the overall dimensions of said housing and extends through said opening in said one layer of said shell, the housing being too large to pass through said last mentioned opening.