Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
An electrical connector for terminating the conductors of an electrical cable, including a terminal receiving body with a front mating end and a rear conductor receiving end, a coupling ring about the terminal receiving body and movable longitudinally between an inactive position and a mating position for coupling the connector to a complementary mating connector, and a flexible strain relief means about at least a portion of the cable at the rear conductor receiving end of the terminal receiving body, said strain relief means having a plurality of spaced apart recesses, each recess having a width and the centerline of each recess being spaced apart substantially the same distance the improvement comprising: the strain relief means having a ratio between the centerline spacing of the recesses and the recess width, such ratio progressively decreasing toward the rear end of the connector to increase the flexibility of the strain relief progressively toward the rear end thereof; visual indicating means on the connector at a position to be hidden by the coupling ring when in its inactive position and to be exposed when the coupling ring is in its mating position, to visually indicate a mated condition of the connector, the visual indicating means extending substantially entirely about the terminal receiving body to provide for omnidirectional visualization thereof; and the coupling ring being of a length to extend substantially beyond the rear conductor receiving end of the terminal receiving body when the coupling ring is in its rear inactive position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
An electrical connector for terminating the conductors of an electrical cable, including a terminal receiving body with a front mating end and a rear conductor receiving end, a coupling ring about the terminal receiving body and movable longitudinally between an inactive position and a mating position for coupling the connector to a complementary mating connector, and a flexible strain relief means about at least a portion of the cable at the rear conductor receiving end of the terminal receiving body, said strain relief means having a plurality of spaced apart recesses, each recess having a width and the centerline of each recess being spaced apart substantially the same distance the improvement comprising: the strain relief means having a ratio between the centerline spacing of the recesses and the recess width, such ratio progressively decreasing toward the rear end of the connector to increase the flexibility of the strain relief progressively toward the rear end thereof; visual indicating means on the connector at a position to be hidden by the coupling ring when in its inactive position and to be exposed when the coupling ring is in its mating position, to visually indicate a mated condition of the connector, the visual indicating means extending substantially entirely about the terminal receiving body to provide for omnidirectional visualization thereof; and the coupling ring being of a length to extend substantially beyond the rear conductor receiving end of the terminal receiving body when the coupling ring is in its rear inactive position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector of the claim 1 wherein said recess widths progressively increase in size rearwardly of the strain relief means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said recesses comprise through openings in the strain relief means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said strain relief means comprise a flexible boot surrounding the cable at the rear of the connector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said boot is of a constant cross-section along at least a length thereof which includes said recesses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said recesses comprise through openings in the boot.