Square matrix electrical post receptacle

An electrical interconnection between a plurality of discrete electrical conductors and a similar plurality of conductive paths comprising:

• a panel-board with a matrix of electrically conductive posts mounted thereon and extending perpendicular thereto,
• electrical interconnections between said plurality of conductive paths and said posts,
• an insulating housing comprising two parallel rows of cavities extending inwardly from one face thereof, said posts extending into said cavities,
• contact terminals in said cavities, said contact terminals being in intimate electrical contact with said posts, adjacent rows of contact terminals being generally between adjacent rows of posts,
• conductor receiving means on each of said terminals,
• one of said discrete electrical conductors extending from each of said conductor receiving means for each interconnection,
• a camming member extending between said two rows, said terminals in each of said rows being located between said posts and said camming member,
• whereby said conductive paths are electrically connected to said discrete electrical conductors utilizing intermediate posts and terminals.

An electrical connector for establishing an electrical interconnection between an individual wire and an elongated electrical element, said electrical connector comprising:

• an insulating housing having an internal cavity for receipt of said elongated electrical element,
• a contact terminal for establishing said electrical interconnection, said terminal being located in said housing cavity,
• a contact surface located on a first face of said contact terminal,
• a camming member adjacent to a second face of said contact terminal, said second face being on the reverse side of said contact terminal from said first face, said camming member being movable parallel to said terminal, between an open position and a closed position, in said closed position said camming member abutting said second face and urging said contact surface toward said elongated electrical element when located within said cavity,
• a wire receiving means on said contact terminal, said wire receiving means being positioned to contact a wire moved laterally of its local axis toward said camming member and into said wire receiving means, with said local axis being generally parallel to said contact terminal, and
• integral strain relief means, on said camming member, said strain relief means comprising channels for preventing movement of said wires laterally of their local axes our of said wire receiving means,
• whereby said elongated electrical element can be inserted into said cavity when said camming member is in said open position and movement of said camming member to said closed position establishes electrical contact with said elongated electrical element.

An electrical connector for establishing an electrical interconnection between an individual wire and an elongated electrical element, said electrical connector comprising:

• an insulating housing having an internal cavity for receipt of said elongated electrical element,
• a contact terminal for establishing said electrical interconnection, said terminal being located in said housing cavity,
• a contact surface located on a first face of said contact terminal,
• a camming member adjacent to a second face of said contact terminal, said second face being on the reverse side of said contact terminal from said first face, said camming member being movable parallel to said terminal, between an open position and a closed position, in said closed position said camming member abutting said second face and urging said contact surface toward said elongated electrical element when located within said cavity,
• a wire receiving means on said contact terminal, said wire receiving means being positioned to contact a wire moved laterally of its local axis toward said camming member and into said wire receiving means, with said local axis being generally parallel to said contact terminal, and
• gripping means on the end of each of said terminals opposite said wire receiving means for engaging said camming member when said camming member is in said open position whereby an extraction force is exerted through said camming member to remove said connector from said elongated elements,
• whereby said elongated electrical element can be inserted into said cavity when said camming member is in said open position and movement of said camming member to said closed position establishes electrical contact with said elongated electrical element.

An electrical connector for establishing contact with a plurality of terminal posts which are located in an x-y matrix, the spacing between adjacent posts in the x-direction being equal to d, the spacing between adjacent posts in the y-direction being equal to s, said connector comprising:

• a prismatic housing with a forward face which has a width generally equal to and no greater than 2d, and a length generally equal to and no greater than an integral multiple of said distance s,
• two parallel side-by-side rows of elongated cavities extending inwardly from said forward face into said housing, the centerlines of said rows being spaced apart by said distance d, the centerlines of adjacent cavities in each of said rows being spaced apart by said distance s,
• camming means located between said two rows, said camming means being actuated from the rear of said housing,
• a plurality of spring metal contact terminals, on terminal in each of said cavities, each of said terminals being adjacent to said camming means,
• each of said terminals having a wire receiving portion located adjacent to the rearward face of said housing, said rearward face being opposite to said forward face, and
• said wire receiving portions establishing electrical contact with a wire moved laterally of its axis into said wire receiving portion,
• whereby a plurality of said connectors can be placed in side-by-side and end-to-end with said posts extending into said cavities whereupon said camming means can be actuated and said contact terminals will establish contact with said posts.

a low-insertion force electrical connector for establishing electrical interconnection between a plurality of individual wires and a plurality of elongated electrical terminal posts of the type suitable for solderless wire wrapping interconnections, said posts being arranged in a densely and uniformly spaced rectangular array, said terminal posts having a generally rectangular cross-section with the sides thereof being parallel to the respective rows and columns of said matrix, said electrical connector comprising:

• an insulating housing having a plurality of internal cavities extending inwardly from a front side of said housing, said cavities being arranged in two side-by-side parallel rows,
• a plate-like contact terminal located in each of said cavities,
• a contact surface located on a first face of said contact terminal,
• a camming member located between each of two side-by-side contact terminals, said camming member being adjacent to a second face of said contact terminals, said second face being on the reverse side of each of said contact terminals from said first face, said camming member being movable parallel to said terminal, between an open position and a closed position;
• in said closed position, said camming member abutting said second face and urging said contact surfaces toward the centerline of the respective cavity, and
• a wire-receiving means on each of said contact terminals, said wire-receiving means being positioned to establish contact with a wire moved laterally of its local axis toward said camming member and into said wire-receiving means, with said local axis being generally parallel to said contact terminal,
• whereby, a said terminal post can be inserted into a said cavity when said camming member is in said open position and movement of said camming member to said closed position establishes electrical contact with said terminal post.

A zero insertion force electrical connector for establishing contact with a plurality of terminal posts, each having a rectangular cross section, located in an x-y matrix, the spacing between adjacent posts in the x-direction being equal to d, the spacing between adjacent posts in the y-direction being equal to s, the sides of said posts being parallel to said x and y directions, said connector comprising:

• an insulating housing having a generally rectangular prismatic shape with a width generally equal to and no greater than 2d and a length generally equal to and no greater than an integral multiple of said distance s,
• two parallel side-by-side rows of elongated cavities, each cavity extending through said housing from a forward face to an opposite rear face, the centerlines of said rows being spaced apart by said distance d, the centerlines of adjacent cavities in each of said rows being spaced apart by said distance s,
• a linear cam movable towards and away from said forward face between said to adjacent rows along a plane parallel to adjacent sides of posts in said adjacent rows,
• a plurality of spring metal contact terminals, one terminal in each of said cavities,
• a shank portion, on the forward end each said terminal, located between said linear cam and one side of a post located in each said cavity,
• a contact surface portion on said shank portion, said contact surface portion extending parallel to said last-mentioned side of said post,
• a wire contact portion on the rear end of each said contact terminal, for establishing contact with a wire having its local axis extending parallel to said shank portion,
• whereby a plurality of said connectors can be placed side-by-side and end-to-end with said posts extending into said cavities whereupon said camming means can be actuated and said contact terminals will establish contact with said posts.