Sealed electrical connector providing insulation displacement wire termination

Claim 1

In a connector assembly of the type having a housing containing a terminal, and including at least one wire-receiving aperture permitting insertion of an end of at least one wire of known diameter thereinto for termination to the terminal, the connector assembly further containing sealant material therewithin for coating exposed metal surfaces for protecting the termination, the connector assembly also having a substrate disposed along and adhered to the outer surface thereof traversing the at least one wire-receiving aperture for assisting the retention of the sealant material therewithin, the substrate being of the type including a wire-receiving hole therein aligned with each respective at least one wire-receiving aperture, the improvement comprising: said substrate being made of elastomeric material and having rugged durable construction highly resistant to tearing, and the diameter of each said wire-receiving hole selected to be less than the diameter of a said wire to be inserted thereinto for termination in said connector assembly, whereby the substrate material is stretchable without tearing during initial stages of wire end insertion for the diameter of said wire-receiving hole to be enlarged, whereafter the periphery of said wire-receiving hole tightly grips the outer surfaces of said wire during and after full wire end insertion as well as during withdrawal of said wire end to prevent incidental removal of said sealant material during service and repair of said connector assembly.