# US 12,763,528 B2 · Electrical connector mounting > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,763,528 B2 - Document ID: US12763528B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/598,205 - Filed: 2024-03-07 - Published: 2025-09-11 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2024-03-07 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Thomas Welsh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12763528B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/73: Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall - H01R 2201/26: for vehicles - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract Electrical interconnections for vehicle, assemblies for electrical interconnections for vehicles, and methods for mounting electrical interconnections to vehicles are provided. An electrical interconnection for a vehicle includes a barbed projection having a proximal end fixed to the vehicle, wherein the projection includes a distal end including outwardly extending barbs; an electrical connector having a selected mounting interface; and a universal connector mount comprising a body formed with a cavity and a corresponding mounting interface, wherein the distal end of the barbed projection is received within the cavity, wherein the barbs pierce the body, and wherein the selected mounting interface of the electrical connector is releasably connected to the corresponding mounting interface of the universal connector mount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical interconnection for a vehicle comprising: a barbed projection having a proximal end fixed to the vehicle and a distal end, wherein: the barbed projection comprises a central rib extending along a longitudinal direction from the proximal end to the distal end and having a first lateral extent; the barbed projection comprises a pair of wing portions extending away from one another along a lateral direction and outward from the central rib beyond the first lateral extent; the barbed projection includes outwardly extending barbs formed on the pair of wing portions and extending laterally outward from the wing portions to tips; and the central rib is free of barbs; an electrical connector having a selected mounting interface; and a connector mount comprising a body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the body formed with a cavity on the first surface and a corresponding mounting interface on the second surface, wherein the distal end of the barbed projection is received within the cavity, wherein the barbs pierce the body, and wherein the selected mounting interface of the electrical connector is releasably connected to the corresponding mounting interface of the connector mount. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical interconnection of claim 1, wherein the wing portions are enclosed by the body on opposed sides thereof, and wherein the central rib extends along an exterior of the body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical interconnection of claim 1, wherein the barbs comprise angled surfaces that permit advancement of the distal end into the cavity in a first direction and prevent withdrawal of the distal end from the cavity in a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrical interconnection of claim 1, wherein the central rib extends from the pair of wing portions in a third direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical interconnection of claim 1, wherein the central rib has a thickness in a third direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction, the wing portions have a thickness in the third direction, and the thickness of the central rib in the third direction is greater than the thickness of the wing portions in the third direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical interconnection of claim 1, wherein the central rib has a first width in the lateral direction, and wherein the wing portions extend from the central rib in the lateral direction by a distance greater than the first width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical interconnection of claim 1, further comprising a bracket having a first end fixed to the vehicle and a second end to which the proximal end of the barbed projection is fixed, wherein the bracket comprises a shoulder portion such that the proximal end of the barbed projection is offset from the first end of the bracket in two perpendicular directions. ### Claim 8 An assembly for electrical interconnection for a vehicle comprising: a barbed projection having a proximal end configured for attachment to the vehicle, wherein: the barbed projection includes a distal end; the barbed projection comprises a central rib extending along a longitudinal direction from the proximal end to the distal end and having a first lateral extent; the barbed projection comprises a pair of wing portions extending away from one another along a lateral direction and outward from the central rib beyond the first lateral extent; the barbed projection includes outwardly extending barbs formed on the pair of wing portions and extending laterally outward from the wing portions to tips; the central rib extends from the pair of wing portions in a transverse direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction; and the central rib is free of barbs; an electrical connector configured to interconnect a first electrical wire and a second electrical wire of the vehicle, wherein the electrical connector has a selected mounting interface; and a lot of connector mounts, wherein a body of a connector mount in the lot has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface and is formed with a cavity on the first surface of a same design configured for receiving the distal end of the barbed projection in a press fit connection such that the wing portions are enclosed by the body on opposed sides thereof and the central rib extends along an exterior of the body, wherein a first connector mount in the lot has a first corresponding mounting interface of a first design on the second surface and a second connector mount in the lot has a second corresponding mounting interface of a second design on the second surface different from the first design, wherein either the first corresponding mounting interface or the second corresponding mounting interface is configured for releasable connection to the selected mounting interface of the electrical connector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the barbed projection comprises metal and the body comprises plastic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the outwardly extending barbs comprise a plurality of pairs of barbs, each pair comprising a first barb on a first wing portion of the pair of wing portions and a second barb on a second wing portion of the pair of wing portions, the first barb and the second barb of each pair positioned at a common longitudinal position along the central rib, the plurality of pairs of barbs spaced from one another along the longitudinal direction, and wherein each of the outwardly extending barbs has a tip extending along a line parallel to the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the outwardly extending barbs has a tip that faces toward the proximal end of the barbed projection, such that advancement of the distal end into the cavity in an insertion direction is permitted and withdrawal of the distal end from the cavity in a direction opposite the insertion direction is prevented. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the cavity has a cross-section corresponding to a cross-section of the barbed projection, the cross-section of the cavity comprising a first portion configured to receive the central rib and a second portion configured to receive the pair of wing portions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the pair of wing portions extend along the central rib from the proximal end to the distal end. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the body further comprises a platform on the first surface, a neck extending from the platform in a direction toward the second surface, and a head at the second surface comprising one of the first corresponding mounting interface and the second corresponding mounting interface, wherein the neck has a lateral dimension less than a lateral dimension of the platform and less than a lateral dimension of the head. ### Claim 15 A method for mounting an electrical interconnection to a vehicle, the method comprising: locating a barbed projection on the vehicle, the barbed projection having a proximal end fixed to the vehicle and a distal end, the barbed projection comprising a central rib extending along a longitudinal direction from the proximal end to the distal end and having a first lateral extent, and a pair of wing portions extending away from one another along a lateral direction and outward from the central rib beyond the first lateral extent, wherein the barbed projection includes outwardly extending barbs formed on the pair of wing portions and extending laterally outward from the wing portions to tips, wherein the central rib extends from the pair of wing portions in a transverse direction perpendicular to both a longitudinal direction of the central rib and a lateral direction in which the wing portions extend from the central rib, and wherein the central rib is free of barbs; providing an electrical connector having a selected mounting interface; selecting a connector mount comprising a body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the body formed with a cavity on the first surface and a corresponding mounting interface on the second surface, wherein the connector mount is selected based on a compatibility of the corresponding mounting interface with the selected mounting interface; fixing the connector mount to the vehicle by press fitting the distal end of the barbed projection into the cavity such that the barbs pierce the body of the connector mount, the wing portions are enclosed by the body on opposed sides thereof, and the central rib extends along an exterior of the body; and releasably connecting the electrical connector to the connector mount by engaging the selected mounting interface with the corresponding mounting interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein locating the barbed projection on the vehicle comprises fixing a first end of a bracket to the vehicle, the bracket having the first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a shoulder portion intermediate the first end and the second end, wherein the proximal end of the barbed projection is fixed to the second end of the bracket such that the proximal end of the barbed projection is offset from the first end of the bracket in two perpendicular directions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein selecting the connector mount comprises selecting the connector mount from a lot of connector mounts, wherein in each connector mount in the lot the cavity is formed with a same design configured for receiving the distal end of the barbed projection in a press fit connection, wherein a first connector mount in the lot has a first corresponding mounting interface of a first design and a second connector mount in the lot has a second corresponding mounting interface of a second design different from the first design, and wherein selecting the connector mount comprises selecting between the first connector mount and the second connector mount based on the selected mounting interface of the electrical connector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the outwardly extending barbs comprise a plurality of pairs of barbs, each pair comprising a first barb on a first wing portion of the pair of wing portions and a second barb on a second wing portion of the pair of wing portions, the first barb and the second barb of each pair positioned at a common longitudinal position along the central rib, the plurality of pairs of barbs spaced from one another along the longitudinal direction, and wherein each of the outwardly extending barbs has a tip extending along a line parallel to the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein press fitting the distal end of the barbed projection into the cavity comprises advancing the distal end into the cavity in a first direction such that angled surfaces of the barbs progressively displace material of the body of the connector mount, and wherein, after press fitting, the displaced material engages the barbs to prevent withdrawal of the distal end from the cavity in a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the barbed projection comprises metal and the body of the connector mount comprises plastic, and wherein press fitting the distal end of the barbed projection into the cavity comprises piercing the plastic of the body with the metal of the barbs.