US4592611A — Electrical connector intended for use in confined…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 359 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly intended for use in confined spaces comprising first and second connector housings having first and second terminals therein respectively, each of the housings having a wire entry face and a mating face, the terminals extending from the mating faces of the housings, the mating faces being substantially against each other and the contact terminals being engaged with each other when the first and second housings are assembled to each other, wires extending into the wire entry faces of the housings and to the terminals, the wires being connected to the terminals, the connector assembly being characterized in that: the connector assembly is substantially L-shaped, the first housing being one of the arms of the L and the second housing being on the other arm, the mating faces of the first and second housings being at the junction of the arms, the wire entry faces being at the ends of the arms, the first terminals in the first housing comprising rectangular blade terminals having side edges and having oppositely facing major surfaces between the side edges, the terminals in the second housing comprising blade receptacle terminals, the blade terminals being mounted in two parallel rows in the first housing and the receptacle terminals being mounted in two parallel rows in the second housing, each of the terminals having a free end which is spaced from the mating face of its respective housing, the free ends of the terminals in one of the rows in each of the housings being located beyond the free ends of the terminals in the other row, one of the housings being mountable in an opening in a panel so that the wire entry face of the one housing is on one side of the panel and the mating face is on the other side of the panel whereby, upon mounting the one housing in the opening in the panel and mating the other housing with the one housing, the mating faces of the housings will be adjacent to the other side of the panel and the other housing will extend substantially parallel to the other side of the panel.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 359 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly intended for use in confined spaces comprising first and second connector housings having first and second terminals therein respectively, each of the housings having a wire entry face and a mating face, the terminals extending from the mating faces of the housings, the mating faces being substantially against each other and the contact terminals being engaged with each other when the first and second housings are assembled to each other, wires extending into the wire entry faces of the housings and to the terminals, the wires being connected to the terminals, the connector assembly being characterized in that: the connector assembly is substantially L-shaped, the first housing being one of the arms of the L and the second housing being on the other arm, the mating faces of the first and second housings being at the junction of the arms, the wire entry faces being at the ends of the arms, the first terminals in the first housing comprising rectangular blade terminals having side edges and having oppositely facing major surfaces between the side edges, the terminals in the second housing comprising blade receptacle terminals, the blade terminals being mounted in two parallel rows in the first housing and the receptacle terminals being mounted in two parallel rows in the second housing, each of the terminals having a free end which is spaced from the mating face of its respective housing, the free ends of the terminals in one of the rows in each of the housings being located beyond the free ends of the terminals in the other row, one of the housings being mountable in an opening in a panel so that the wire entry face of the one housing is on one side of the panel and the mating face is on the other side of the panel whereby, upon mounting the one housing in the opening in the panel and mating the other housing with the one housing, the mating faces of the housings will be adjacent to the other side of the panel and the other housing will extend substantially parallel to the other side of the panel.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the first housing is mountable in an opening in a panel and has panel mounting means on its external surface.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 128 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 2 characterized in that the panel mounting means comprises a collar extending radially from the first housing between the wire entry face and the mating face thereof, portions of the collar being dimensioned to extend beyond the opening in the panel, and at least one latch arm having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end being on one side of the collar and the free end being on the other side of the collar, an intermediate portion of the latch arm extending through an opening in the collar, the latch arm having a shoulder thereon which faces towards the collar whereby portions of the panel will be held between the shoulder and the collar.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 104 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly as set forth in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that each of the second terminals comprises at least two side-by-side spring arms, the arms extending along the axis of the associated wire to which the terminal is connected, the arms having free ends and having side edges extending to the free ends whereby upon mating of the housings, the free ends of the spring arms of the terminals will move past one of the side edges of terminals in the first housing and the blade portions will be received by the spring arms.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 56 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 4 characterized in that one of the housings has an inner hood which surrounds and extends from the mating face of the one connector, the other connector having an outer hood thereon which surrounds the inner hood when the first and second housings are mated.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 5 characterized in that housing latching arms and shoulders are provided on the housings for latching the housings in mated condition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

A panel mount electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 6 characterized in that the collar and the innner hood are on the first housing.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-06-02	1989-12-02	1990-06-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-06-02	1993-12-02	1994-06-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-06-02	1997-12-02	1998-06-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrical connector intended for use in confined areas

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