Electrical connector and terminal therefor for mating with a blade contact

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly for making a tap connection between an insulated wire and a blade contact. The connector assembly includes an integrally formed housing which mounts a generally U-shaped terminal therein. The terminal includes an IDT portion and a blade-receiving portion, and the U-shape is defined by a pair of generally parallel leg portions joined by a bight portion. The leg portions define a longitudinal terminal axis generally centrally therebetween. The bight portion includes a blade-receiving slot extending into the leg portions and defining a bifurcated contact formation for receiving a blade contact with a locking recess along a centerline thereof. The bight portion is indented on one side of the terminal axis to define an offset portion inwardly of one of the leg portions. The blade-receiving slot and bifurcated contact formation extend into the offset portion. At least one locking projection is formed on the terminal at a portion of the offset portion along the longitudinal axis thereof and extends into the blade-receiving slot for lockingly engaging the locking recess of the blade contact.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.