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US5954546A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrical connector

Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
•
Filing: 1998-01-20
•
Granted: 1999-09-21
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Expires: 2018-01-20
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Abstract

Abstract An electrical connector comprising: an outer housing including a plurality of receptacles; a cavity within the outer housing; a first inner housing within the cavity, wherein the first inner housing includes a first plurality of flexible extensions on a first end of the first inner housing; a first plurality of cylindrical openings within the first inner housing; a first plurality of conductive terminals, wherein a portion of each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals extends through one of the cylindrical openings of the first plurality of cylindrical openings and out of the first inner housing and is received in one of the receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, wherein each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is maintained locked in place by a corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions; and a plurality of access holes on the outer housing, wherein each receptacle has located proximate thereto one of the access holes, wherein each flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions includes a first deflection ramp aligned with one of the access holes, wherein, when a tool is inserted through one of the access holes and forced against the aligned first deflection ramp, the corresponding conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is released and no longer maintained locked in place by the corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions.

Inventors

  • 👤 Randy Lynn Fink
  • 👤 Brian Matthew Donato
  • 👤 Michael Patrick Cummings

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 11:31
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/40; H01R13/42; H01R13/436; H01R13/4361; H01R13/46; H01R13/52; H01R13/5219; H01R13/5221; H01R13/516; H01R13/518

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 238 words
An electrical connector comprising: an outer housing including a plurality of receptacles; a cavity within the outer housing; a first inner housing within the cavity, wherein the first inner housing includes a first plurality of flexible extensions on a first end of the first inner housing; a first plurality of cylindrical openings within the first inner housing; a first plurality of conductive terminals, wherein a portion of each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals extends through one of the cylindrical openings of the first plurality of cylindrical openings and out of the first inner housing and is received in one of the receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, wherein each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is maintained locked in place by a corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions; and a plurality of access holes on the outer housing, wherein each receptacle has located proximate thereto one of the access holes, wherein each flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions includes a first deflection ramp aligned with one of the access holes, wherein, when a tool is inserted through one of the access holes and forced against the aligned first deflection ramp, the corresponding conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is released and no longer maintained locked in place by the corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 238 words
An electrical connector comprising: an outer housing including a plurality of receptacles; a cavity within the outer housing; a first inner housing within the cavity, wherein the first inner housing includes a first plurality of flexible extensions on a first end of the first inner housing; a first plurality of cylindrical openings within the first inner housing; a first plurality of conductive terminals, wherein a portion of each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals extends through one of the cylindrical openings of the first plurality of cylindrical openings and out of the first inner housing and is received in one of the receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, wherein each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is maintained locked in place by a corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions; and a plurality of access holes on the outer housing, wherein each receptacle has located proximate thereto one of the access holes, wherein each flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions includes a first deflection ramp aligned with one of the access holes, wherein, when a tool is inserted through one of the access holes and forced against the aligned first deflection ramp, the corresponding conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is released and no longer maintained locked in place by the corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 206 words
An electrical connector according to claim 1, also comprising: a second inner housing within the cavity, wherein the second inner housing includes a second plurality of flexible extensions on a second end of the second inner housing; a second plurality of cylindrical openings within the second inner housing; a second plurality of conductive terminals, wherein a portion of each conductive terminal of the second plurality of conductive terminals extends through one of the cylindrical openings of the second plurality of cylindrical openings and out of the second inner housing and is received in one of the receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, wherein each conductive terminal of the second plurality of conductive terminals is maintained locked in place by a corresponding one flexible extension of the second plurality of flexible extensions, wherein each extension of the second plurality of flexible extensions includes a second deflection ramp aligned with one of the access holes, wherein, when the tool is inserted through one of the access holes and forced against the aligned second deflection ramp, the corresponding conductive terminal of the second plurality of conductive terminals is released and no longer maintained locked in place by the corresponding one flexible extension of the second plurality of flexible extensions.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5189788A Cited
US5252092A Cited
US5545053A Cited
US5564953A Cited
US5591052A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-09-20 2003-03-22 2003-09-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-09-20 2007-03-22 2007-09-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-09-20 2011-03-22 2011-09-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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