Connector holding device

Claim 1

A first electrical article to be mounted to a second electrical article, said first article comprising: a dielectric housing having at least one recess for receiving thereinto a device extending into said housing from a mounting face thereof, said recess defined between opposed inwardly facing surfaces and having an inner end; and at least one holding device including a U-shaped leading end having a pair of leg portions, first sections of which are joined by a bight portion and defining a fastening section, adapted to be received in an aperture of selected diameter extending at least into said second article, said leg portions extending to elongate second leg sections at free ends thereof defining a housing retaining section adapted to be received into said recess; said recess of said housing including a central wall portion extending from an inner end to an outer end thereof proximate said mounting face and dividing said recess into leg-receiving portions each configured to receive one of said second leg sections of said device, said central wall including outwardly facing surface portions extending from said inner end to leading engagement sites, said leg-receiving portions having wall surfaces defined by said central wall and inwardly facing recess walls; said device being substantially planar and having opposed major surfaces and said leg portions thereof having opposed inner and outer edges, said inner edges of both of said pair of leg portions defining a gap therebetween, said U-shaped portion and adjacent first leg sections defining spring means and said first leg sections having interference projections extending outwardly along said outer edges thereof and adapted to engage wall surfaces within said aperture upon mounting said first article to said second article, said interference projections extending outwardly to define a dimension greater than said selected, diameter; and said second leg sections each have first and second housing engaging barbs spaced along said outer edges thereof, said first barbs being proximate leading ends of said respective second leg sections and adapted to engage said inwardly facing walls of said recess proximate said inner end thereof upon said device being inserted thereinto and said second barbs being positioned proximate said mounting face; and said inner edges being adjacent said outwardly facing surfaces of said central wall inwardly of said leading engagement sites; whereby upon mounting said first article to said second article by inserting said U-shaped leading end of said device into said aperture thereof, compressive engagement of said interference projections with surfaces of said aperture causes said first leg sections of said U-shaped leading end to be moved inwardly toward each other, and concomitantly therewith the second leg sections are pivoted about said leading engagement sites outwardly within respective said leg receiving portions until said first barbs are moved into tighter engagement with said inwardly facing recess walls, causing an increase in the retention forces and in turn driving the interference projections of the first leg sections more tightly against the aperture wall surface, all such that the first electrical article is held securely to the second electrical article.