Electrical connector assembly

Claim 2

An electrical connector assembly including a male connector and a female connector, said assembly being capable of carrying a large amount of current between the male and female connectors, said connector comprising: a female connector body having a connector face, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and a back, said female connector body having a first generally rectangular opening extending inwardly from the connector face, said generally rectangular opening having a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a top, said generally rectangular opening extending to the back of the connector body and having a height between the top and bottom of the opening; a female connector pin held in the female connector body, said female connector pin being an elongated, generally rectangular, bar having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end, and a thickness, said bar being supported in the generally rectangular opening so that the forward end is recessed from the face of the female connector body and the rearward end extends past the back of the connector body, and the thickness of the connector pin is substantially less than the height of the generally rectangular opening so that there is a connector opening above the top of the connector pin beneath the top of the generally rectangular opening; a male connector body having a connector face, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and a back, said male connector body having a first generally rectangular opening extending inwardly from the connector face, said generally rectangular opening having a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a top, said generally rectangular opening extending to the back of the male connector body and having a height between the top and bottom of the opening to provide a male connector pin opening; a male connector pin held in the male connector body, said male connector pin being an elongated, generally rectangular, bar having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end, and a thickness, said bar being supported in the generally rectangular opening so that the forward end extends outwardly from the face of the male connector body to provide an extended length and the rearward end extends past the back of the connector body, and a central portion within said male connector body, and the thickness of the connector pin is slightly less than the height of the generally rectangular opening so that there is room for a leaf spring above the top of the connector pin along its central portion beneath the top of the generally rectangular opening; and a generally rectangular, thin leaf spring having a curved portion overlying the extended length of the male connector pin and a straight portion overlying the central portion of said male connector pin and said thin leaf spring being positioned so that when the male connector pin is inserted in the female connector opening, the spring connector abuts and is deflected by the top of the generally rectangular opening of the female connector body whereby the bottom of the male connector pin is pressed against the top of the female connector pin when the male connector pin is inserted into the female connector opening to provide an excellent electrical path between the male and female connector pins.

Claim 3

The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the male or female conductor pins is copper plated with nickel and gold.

Claim 4

The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the male or female conductor pins is copper plated with nickel and silver.

Claim 5

The electrical connector assembly of claim 3 wherein the other of the female or male conductor pins is copper plated with nickel and gold.

Claim 6

The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the male and female connector bodies each have two generally rectangular openings and two connector pins.

Claim 7

The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the male connector pin is gold plated and the female connector pin is silver plated.

Claim 8

An electrical connector assembly including a male connector and a female connector, said assembly being capable of carrying a large amount of current between the male and female connectors, said connector comprising: a female connector body having a connector face, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and a back, said female connector body having a first generally rectangular opening extending inwardly from the connector face, said generally rectangular opening having a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a top, said generally rectangular opening extending to the back of the connector body and having a height between the top and bottom of the opening; a female connector pin held in the female connector body, said female connector pin being an elongated, generally rectangular, bar having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end, and a thickness, said bar being supported in the generally rectangular opening so that the forward end is recessed from the face of the female connector body and the rearward end extends past the back of the connector body, and the thickness of the connector pin is substantially less than the height of the generally rectangular opening so that there is a connector opening above the top of the connector pin beneath the top of the generally rectangular opening; a male connector body having a connector face, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and a back, said male connector body having a first generally rectangular opening extending inwardly from the connector face, said generally rectangular opening having a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a top, said generally rectangular opening extending to the back of the male connector body and having a height between the top and bottom of the opening to provide a male connector pin opening; a male connector pin held in the male connector body, said male connector pin being an elongated, generally rectangular, bar having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end, and a thickness, said bar being supported in the generally rectangular opening so that it has a covered length, and the forward end extends outwardly from the face of the male connector body to provide an extended length and the rearward end extends past the back of the connector body, and a notch is formed in the side of the connector pin in the covered length and the thickness of the connector pin is slightly less than the height of the generally rectangular opening so that there is room for a leaf spring above the covered length of the connector pin beneath the top of the generally rectangular opening; and a generally rectangular, thin leaf spring having a curved portion overlying the extended length of the male connector pin and at least a portion of the covered length and the thin leaf spring has a covered length including a downwardly extending tab fitted into the notch in the male connector, said male connector pin and said thin leaf spring being positioned so that when the male connector pin is inserted in the female connector opening, the leaf spring abuts and is deflected by the top of the generally rectangular opening of the female connector body whereby the bottom of the male connector pin is pressed against the top of the female connector pin when the male connector pin is inserted into the female connector opening to provide an excellent electrical path between the male and female connector pins.

Claim 9

An electrical connector assembly including a male connector and a female connector, said assembly being capable of carrying a large amount of current between the male and female connectors, said connector comprising: a female connector body having a connector face, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and a back, said female connector body having a first generally rectangular opening extending inwardly from the connector face, said generally rectangular opening having a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a top, said generally rectangular opening extending to the back of the connector body and having a height between the top and bottom of the opening; a female connector pin held in the female connector body, said female connector pin being an elongated, generally rectangular, bar having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end, and a thickness, said bar being supported in the generally rectangular opening so that the forward end is recessed from the face of the female connector body and the rearward end extends past the back of the connector body, and the thickness of the connector pin is substantially less than the height of the generally rectangular opening so that there is a connector opening above the top of the connector pin beneath the top of the generally rectangular opening; a male connector body having a connector face, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and a back, said male connector body having a first generally rectangular opening extending inwardly from the connector face, said generally rectangular opening having a bottom, a first side, a second side, and a top, said generally rectangular opening extending to the back of the male connector body and having a height between the top and bottom of the opening to provide a male connector pin opening; a male connector pin held in the male connector body, said male connector pin being an elongated, generally rectangular, bar having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end, and a thickness, said bar being supported in the generally rectangular opening so that it has a covered length, and the forward end extends outwardly from the face of the male connector body to provide an extended length and the rearward end extends past the back of the connector body, and a notch is formed in the side of the connector pin in the covered length and the thickness of the connector pin is slightly less than the height of the generally rectangular opening so that there is room for a leaf spring above the covered length of the connector pin beneath the top of the generally rectangular opening; and a generally rectangular, thin leaf spring having a curved portion overlying the extended length of the male connector pin and at least a portion of the covered length and the thin leaf spring has a covered length including a downwardly extending tab fitted into the notch in the male connector, said male connector pin and said thin leaf spring being positioned so that when the male connector pin is inserted in the female connector opening, the leaf spring abuts and is deflected by the top of the generally rectangular opening of the female connector body whereby the bottom of the male connector pin is pressed against the top of the female connector pin when the male connector pin is inserted into the female connector opening to provide an excellent electrical path between the male and female connector pins.

Claim 10

The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the thin leaf spring is fabricated from beryllium copper.

Claim 11

The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein there are two male and two female connector pins.

Claim 12

The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein the male and female connector pins are oriented at 90° with respect to each other so that the male and female connector assemblies may only be connected in one way.