Electrical connector

An electrical connector for establising a selective electrical connection from an electrical cable conductor to a tongue-like conductor, comprising:

• a housing comprising electrical insulating material and defining a passageway extending from the exterior to the interior of the housing into which the tongue conductor is inserted;
• a lever member comprising electrical insulating material and connected for pivoting with respect to the housing between opened and closed positions, the lever member including a leg portion which moved in an arcuate path into the passageway when the lever member is pivoted into the closed position;
• retention means for contacting and mechanically retaining the tongue conductor within the housing, said retention means positioned on and pivotably carried by the leg portion of the lever member into the passageway for directly mechanically contacting and retaining the tongue conductor when the lever member is in the closed position and to withdraw for releasing the mechanical retention of the conductor within the passageway when the lever member is in the open position;
• a pair of upper electrical contact means connected to the leg portion of the lever member in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship, each upper contact means having a contour including a point-like surface for projecting into the passageway and for directly electrically contacting the upper surface of the tongue conductor at spaced apart locations when the lever member is in the closed position;
• means within the housing for separately electrically connecting each of the upper contact means to the electrical cable conductor by which electrical current is conducted between the upper contact means and the tongue conductor.

An electrical connector for establising a selective electrical connection from an electrical cable conductor to a tongue-like conductor, comprising:

• a housing comprising electrical insulating material and defining a passageway extending from the exterior to the interior of the housing into which the tongue conductor is inserted;
• a lever member comprising electrical insulating material and connected for pivoting with respect to the housing between opened and closed positions;
• retention means for contacting and mechanically retaining the tongue conductor within the housing, said retention means operatively connected to the lever member and having at least one point-like surface for projecting into the passageway for directly mechanically contacting and retaining the tongue conductor when the lever member is in the closed position and to withdraw for releasing the mechanical retention of the tongue conductor within the passageway when the lever member is in the open position;
• a pair of lower electrical contact means retained within the housing in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship at a lower location in the passageway, each lower contact means electrically contacting the lower surface of the tongue conductor at spacially separated locations;
• each lower contact means having an aperture formed therein at a location spaced transversely across the passageway from the point-like surface of the retention means;
• the point-like surface of the retention means operatively bending the tongue conductor into each aperture to create a resistance to the withdrawal of the tongue conductor from the passageway when the lever member is in the closed position;
• and
• means within the housing for electrically connecting the lower contact means to the electrical cable conductor by which electrical current is conducted between the lower contact means and the tongue conductor.

An electrical conductor for establishing a selective electrical connection to a tongue-like conductor, comprising:

• a housing comprising electrical insulating material and defining a passageway extending from the exterior to the insulator of the housing into which the tongue conductor is inserted;
• a lever member comprising electrical insulating material and connected for pivoting with respect to the housing between opened and closed positions;
• retention means for contacting and mechanically retaining the tongue conductor within the housing, said retention means operatively connected to the lever member to extend into the passageway for mechanically contacting and retaining the tongue conductor when the lever member is in the closed position and to withdraw for releasing the mechanical retention of the tongue conductor within the passageway when the lever member is in the open position;
• a pair of lower electrical contact means retained within the housing in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship at a lower location in the passageway, each lower contact means electrically contacting the lower surface of the tongue conductor at spacially separated locations;
• a pair of upper electrical contact means connected to the lever member in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship, each upper contact means located on the lever member at a predetermined location to be carried toward and oriented above the lower contact means upon pivoting of the lever member into the closed position, each upper contact means operatively electrically contacting the upper surface of the tongue conductor at spaced apart locations when the lever member is in the closed position;
• means within the housing for electrically connecting one of the upper contact means with one of the lower contact means;
• and
• said lever member is mechanically pivotably connected at the housing by a hinge structure, the hinge structure comprises electrically conductive elements, and the means electrically connecting the upper and lower contact means comprises the hinge structure.

An electrical connector for establishing a selective electrical connection to a tongue-like conductor, comprising:

• a housing comprising electrical insulating material and defining a passageway extending from the exterior to the interior of the housing into which the tongue conductor is inserted;
• a lever member comprising electrical insulating material and connected for pivoting with respect to the housing between opened and closed positions;
• retention means for contacting and mechanically retaining the tongue conductor within the housing, said retention means operatively connected to the lever member to extend into the passageway for mechanically contacting and retaining the tongue conductor when the lever member is in the closed position and to withdraw for releasing the mechanical retention of the tongue conductor within the passageway when the lever member is in the open position;
• a pair of lower electrical contact means retained within the housing in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship at a lower location in the passageway, each lower contact means electrically contacting the lower surface of the tongue conductor at spacially separated locations;
• a pair of upper electrical contact means connected to the lever member in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship, each upper contact means located on the lever member at a predetermined location to be carried toward and oriented above the lower contact means upon pivoting of the lever member into the closed position, each upper contact means operatively electrically contacting the upper surface of the tongue conductor at spaced apart locations when the lever member is in the closed position;
• and wherein
• said lever member is mechanically pivotably connected at the housing by a hinge structure, and the hinge structure comprises a tab mechanically and electrically connected to one of the upper or the lower contact means, a pin mechanically and electrically connected to the other one of the one upper or one lower contact means, and the pin also mechanically pivotably connecting the lever member at the tab.

An electrical connector for establishing a selective electrical connection to a tongue-like conductor, comprising:

• a housing comprising electrical insulating material and defining a passageway extending from the exterior to the interior of the housing into which the tongue conductor is inserted;
• a lever member comprising electrical insulating material and connected for pivoting with respect to the housing between opened and closed positions;
• retention means for contacting and mechanically retaining the tongue conductor within the housing, said retention means operatively connected to the lever member to extend into the passageway for mechanically contacting and retaining the tongue conductor when the lever member is in the closed position and to withdraw for releasing the mechanical retention of the tongue conductor within the passageway when the lever member is in the open position;
• a pair of lower electrical contact means retained within the housing in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship at a lower location in the passageway, each lower contact means electrically contacting the lower surface of the tongue conductor at spacially separated locations;
• a pair of upper electrical contact means connected to the lever member in a spacially separated and electrically insulated relationship, each upper contact means located on the lever member at a predetermined location to be carried toward and oriented above the lower contact means upon pivoting of the lever member into the closed position, each upper contact means operatively electrically contacting the upper surface of the tongue conductor at spaced apart locations when the lever member is in the closed position;
• and wherein:
• each of the lower contact means is generally formed as a flat plate-like member;
• each flat plate-like member defines an aperture therein, the aperture defines at least in part an indention located in the lower marginal area of the passageway at a location generally vertically spaced from the location at which the upper contact means extends into the passageway when the lever member is in the closed position;
• and
• the lever member is pivotably connected at the housing by a hinge structure located at each transverse side of the passageway, each hinge structure including means mechanically and electrically connecting each lower plate-like contact means with the upper contact means located vertically above the aperture.