Electrical connector with contact anti-overstress means

Claim 1

In an electrical connector which includes a dielectric housing having a contact-receiving cavity with a slot communicating the cavity with a mating surface of the housing, and a generally U-shaped contact received in the cavity with a cantilevered spring contact arm disposed in the slot with a fixed end and a flexible end and having a contacting portion projecting beyond the mating surface for engagement with a complementary contact of a mating connector, whereby the spring contact arm flexure in the slot upon engagement of the contacting portion by the complementary contact, the improvement comprising anti-overstress means between the contact and the housing including at least one projection extending outwardly of the spring contact arms, said contact having a spring contact arm being defined by one leg of the U-shape and the other leg defining a contact based fixed in the cavity in the housing, said contacting portion being defined by a bent crest portion intermediate the ends of the arm, and stop surface means on the housing for abutment by the projection after a given amount of flexing of the spring contact arm.