Electrical connector

Claim 1

A separable electrical connector comprising: an elongated, rigid, nonconductive, generally tubular member substantially open at either end; a plurality of apertures extending axially through said tubular member; a plurality of outboard ramping retention abutments formed integrally with said tubular member upon at least one inner surface of a radially outboard portion of said tubular member so that each of said apertures has at least one of said abutments extending radially inward into said aperture; a plurality of axially connectable cylindrical electrical terminals adapted for coupling to the ends of insulated wires, where each terminal has an annular external recess in its cylindrical peripheral surface, with one of said terminals seated in each of said apertures such that said annular external recess of each terminal is engaged with at least one of said outboard ramping retention abutments; a central land located within said tubular member and defining a portion of each of said apertures with said central land comprising a plurality of axially extending terminal guide fingers cantilevered from a bulkhead extending transversely across the interior of said tubular member, with each of said fingers having a portion extending in juxtaposition to one of said ramping retention abutments; and spacer means axially engaged with said central land for displacing said terminal guide fingers in the direction of said ramping retention abutments so that said ramping retention abutments will retain said terminals within said apertures, said spacer means comprising a unitary cover overlying an entire mating face on one of said ends of said tubular member and having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough for receiving a plurality of mating terminals, with at least one of said apertures corresponding to each of said apertures in said tubular member, said spacer means further comprising a plurality of blades cantilevered to said cover, with each of said blades interposed between two of said terminal guide fingers.