Shroud retention wafer

Claim 2

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising: (a) a planar base member having a first and a second side; (b) first, second, third and fourth cylindrical members extending from the first side of the planar base member and each having an axial pin receiving aperture and an axial center line extending through said pin receiving aperture wherein said cylindrical members are positioned in an arrangement such that a first longitudinal center line extends through the axial center line of the first and second cylindrical members and a second longitudinal center line extends in parallel spaced retention to the first longitudinal center line through the axial center lines of the third and fourth cylindrical members and a first transverse center line extends through the centerlines of the first and third cylindrical members and a second traverse center line extends through the center line of the second and fourth cylindrical members; and (c) a protuberance peripherally located on the first cylindrical member at least in part at a position between the first longitudinal center line and the first transverse center line.

Claim 3

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 1 wherein there is a second circumferential protuberance on the first cylindrical member and said second protuberance is located at a second position at least in part between the first longitudinal center line and the first transverse center line.

Claim 4

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 1 wherein the second protuberance is circumferentially opposed to the first protuberance.

Claim 5

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 3 wherein the first and second protuberances each have a protuberance center lines and said protuberance enter lines are each displaced from the first longitudinal center line and the first transverse center line by about 45 degrees.

Claim 6

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 4 wherein the axial aperture includes an elongated slot.

Claim 7

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 5 wherein a pair of opposed pin receiving recesses extend from the elongated slot in the pin receiving aperture.

Claim 8

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 6 wherein the elongated slot has a longitudinal axis which intersects the first longitudinal center line at an acute angle.

Claim 9

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 7 wherein the acute angle at which the longitudinal axis of the elongated slot intersects the first longitudinal center line is about 45 degrees.

Claim 10

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 8 wherein the recesses extending from the longitudinal slot extend generally perpendicularly from the longitudinal center line of the elongated slot.

Claim 11

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 9 wherein the recesses are triangularly shaped.

Claim 12

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 9 wherein the protuberances each comprise a wall which overlies a portion of the cylindrical member.

Claim 13

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 11 wherein the protuberances each peripherally overlies about a 90 degrees area of the cylindrical member.

Claim 14

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 11 wherein the protuberance center lines are radially aligned with the recesses extending from the longitudinal slot.

Claim 15

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 11 wherein the first cylindrical member has a height and the protuberances extend over only a portion of said height.

Claim 16

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 14 wherein the protuberances each have an upper edge which is curved arcuately toward the cylindrical member.

Claim 17

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 15 wherein the upper edge of the protuberances curves laterally toward the planar base member between the protuberance center line and the first longitudinal center line and the first transverse center line.

Claim 18

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 1 wherein the second cylindrical member has a pair of protuberances which are peripherally positioned on said cylindrical member in opposed relation at positions between the first longitudinal center line and the second transverse center line.

Claim 19

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 1 wherein the second cylindrical member has a pair of protuberances which are peripherally positioned on said cylindrical member in opposed relation at positions between the first longitudinal center line and the second transverse center line.

Claim 20

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 1 wherein the second cylindrical member has a pair of protuberances which are peripherally positioned on said cylindrical member in opposed relation at positions between the first longitudinal center line and the second transverse center line.

Claim 21

The insulative shroud retention wafer of claim 1 wherein the second cylindrical member has a pair of protuberances which are peripherally positioned on said cylindrical member in opposed relation at positions between the first longitudinal center line and the second transverse center line.

Claim 22

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising: (a) a planar base member having a first and a second side; (b) first, second, third and fourth cylindrical members extending from the first side of the planar base member and each having an axial pin receiving aperture and an axial center line extending through said pin receiving aperture wherein said cylindrical members are positioned in an arrangement such that a first longitudinal center line extends through the axial center line of the first and second cylindrical members and a second longitudinal center line extends in parallel spaced retention to the first longitudinal center line through the axial center lines of the third and fourth cylindrical members and a first transverse center line extends through the centerlines of the first and third cylindrical members and a second traverse center line extends through the center line of the second and fourth cylindrical members; and (c) a protuberance peripherally located on the first cylindrical member at a position angularly displaced from the first longitudinal center line.

Claim 23

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising: (a) a planar base member having a first and a second side; (b) first, second, third and fourth cylindrical members extending from the first side of the planar base member and each having an axial pin receiving aperture and an axial center line extending through said pin receiving aperture wherein said cylindrical members are positioned in an arrangement such that a first longitudinal center line extends through the axial center line of the first and second cylindrical members and a second longitudinal center line extends in parallel spaced retention to the first longitudinal center line through the axial center lines of the third and fourth cylindrical members and a first transverse center line extends through the centerlines of the first and third cylindrical members and a second traverse center line extends through the center line of the second and fourth cylindrical members; and (c) a protuberance peripherally located on the first cylindrical member at a position angularly displaced from the first longitudinal center line.

Claim 24

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising: (a) a planar base member having a first and a second side; (b) first, second, third and fourth cylindrical members extending from the first side of the planar base member and each having an axial pin receiving aperture and an axial center line extending through said pin receiving aperture wherein said cylindrical members are positioned in an arrangement such that a first longitudinal center line extends through the axial center line of the first and second cylindrical members and a second longitudinal center line extends in parallel spaced retention to the first longitudinal center line through the axial center lines of the third and fourth cylindrical members and a first transverse center line extends through the centerlines of the first and third cylindrical members and a second traverse center line extends through the center line of the second and fourth cylindrical members and the pin receiving aperture is a slot extending through the axial center line of the first cylindrical member having a pair of medial opposed recesses perpendicularly extending therefrom; and (c) a protuberance peripherally located on the first cylindrical member at a position radially aligned with the opposed recesses extending from the slot.

Claim 25

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising: (a) a planar base member having a first and a second side; (b) first, second, third and fourth cylindrical members extending from the first side of the planar base member and each having an axial pin receiving aperture and an axial center line extending through said pin receiving aperture wherein said cylindrical members are positioned in an arrangement such that a first longitudinal center line extends through the axial center line of the first and second cylindrical members and a second longitudinal center line extends in parallel spaced retention to the first longitudinal center line through the axial center lines of the third and fourth cylindrical members and a first transverse center line extends through the centerlines of the first and third cylindrical members and a second traverse center line extends through the center line of the second and fourth cylindrical members and the pin receiving aperture is a slot extending through the axial center line of the first cylindrical member having a pair of medial opposed recesses perpendicularly extending therefrom; and (c) a protuberance peripherally located on the first cylindrical member at a position radially aligned with the opposed recesses extending from the slot.

Claim 26

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising a planar base member having a plurality of members extending from said planar base, each member having an axial pin receiving aperture that accept contact pins from cooperating electrical connectors, and protuberances located peripherally to said members, wherein the location of the protuberances provide a retention force on said electrical connector contact pins by engaging pin housing members offered by said cooperating electrical connectors, said retention force protecting against deforming of said electrical connector contact pins.

Claim 27

An insulative shroud retention wafer comprising a planar base member having a plurality of members extending from said planar base, each member having an axial pin receiving aperture that accept contact pins from cooperating electrical connectors, and protuberances located peripherally to said members, wherein the location of the protuberances provide a retention force on said electrical connector contact pins by engaging pin housing members offered by said cooperating electrical connectors, said retention force protecting against deforming of said electrical connector contact pins.