Anti-overstress electrical connector
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsNavin Kanjibhai Patel, William Gary Lenker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector assembly for connecting an electrical contact to an electrical wire. The connector assembly comprises a housing and anti-overstress members. The housing has a contact chamber that retains an electrical contact. The electrical contact has an elasticity over a range of motion. The anti-overstress member is provided in the contact chamber. The anti-overstress member is positioned within the range of motion to limit deflection of the electrical contact. The connector assembly may also comprise interweaving walls positioned on either side of the electrical contact within the contact chamber. The interweaving walls shield the electrical contact from arcing. The interweaving walls have edges with non-linear contours proximate an open bottom of the housing.
Claims21
An electrical connector assembly for connecting a plurality of electrical contacts to electrical wires, said electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of contact chambers that retain said electrical contacts, said electrical contacts having an elasticity over a range of motion;
- and
- an anti-overstress member provided in each of said contact chambers, each said anti-overstress member being positioned within said range of motion to limit deflection of each said electrical contact.
An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of contact chambers separated by sidewalls;
- a plurality of electrical contacts loaded into corresponding separate and individual contact chambers, said sidewalls isolating each of said electrical contacts from one another;
- built-out portions provided along interior surfaces of said sidewalls, said built-out portions being positioned on either side of each of said plurality of electrical contacts, said interweaving walls forming an additional barrier against arcing between said plurality of electrical contacts;
- and
- an anti-overstress member provided in each said contact chamber, each of said anti-overstress members being positioned within a range of motion of a corresponding one of said plurality of electrical contacts to limit deflection of said plurality of electrical contacts.
An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of contact chambers defined by walls, each said contact chamber retaining an electrical contact having an elasticity, each said contact having a wire-engaging portion, and
- an anti-overstress member provided in each said contact chamber, said anti-overstress member being positioned within said contact chamber to limit deflection of said wire-engaging portion of said electrical contact so that said electrical contact maintains said elasticity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.