Electrical connector and component packaging assembly

An electrical connector assembly for packaging an electrical component having a body portion and at least one lead, said electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a substantially closed housing defining a cavity and an opening for receiving a mating connector body along a line of insertion;
• first and second conductor elements retained within said housing in spaced-apart relationship, each conductor element defining an electrical contact extending substantially parallel to said line of insertion for engaging mating contacts carried by said mating connector body and at least one of said conductor elements defining an electrical component lead receiving terminal accessible through said opening;
• and
• means operative to effect predetermined positioning of said electrical component within said cavity,
• wherein said positioning means defines opposed resilient engagement members operative, in application, to embrace an outer surface of said electrical component body portion.

An electrical connector assembly for packaging a discrete electrical component having a generally cylindrical body portion and at least two axially outwardly directed opposed leads, said electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a substantially closed hosing defining a cavity and an opening for receiving a mating connector body along a line of insertion;
• first and second conductor elements retained within said housing in laterally spaced apart relationship, each conductor element defining
• an electrical contact extending substantially parallel to said line of insertion for engaging a corresponding mating contact carried by said mating connector body,
• an electrical component lead receiving terminal accessible through said opening, and
• means for establishing a connection with an electrical conductor extending through a wall of said housing;
• and
• means operative to positionally retain the body portion of said electrical component between said conductor elements and dress the opposed leads for engagement with their respective lead receiving terminals,
• wherein said positioning means defines opposed resilient engagement members operative, in application, to embrace an outer surface of said electrical component body portion in a radial direction.

An electrical connector assembly for establishing a circuit interconnection between a proximate electrical load and a source of electrical energy, said electrical connector assembly configured for packaging and placing in-circuit an electrical component having a body portion and at least two leads extending therefrom, said electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a substantially closed housing adapted for mounting to an outer casing of said electrical load, said housing defining a cavity and an outwardly directed opening for receiving a mating connector body along a line of insertion, said mating connector body in-circuit with said electrical energy source;
• first and second conductor elements retained within said housing in spaced-apart relationship, each conductor element defining an electrical contact extending substantially parallel to said line of insertion for engaging mating contacts carried by said mating connector body, and each conductor element further defining an electrical component lead receiving terminal accessible through said opening;
• and
• means disposed within said cavity intermediate said first and second conductor elements and operative to effect predetermined positioning of said electrical component within said cavity,
• wherein said positioning means defines opposed resilient engagement members operative, in application, to embrace an outer surface of said electrical component body portion.

An electrical connector assembly for packaging an electrical component having a body portion and at least one lead, said electrical connector assembly comprising:

• a substantially closed housing defining a cavity and an opening for receiving a mating connector body;
• at least one conductor element retained within said housing and defining an electrical contact for engaging a mating contact carried by said mating connector body, said conductor element further defining a lead receiving terminal disposed within said cavity and accessible through said opening;
• and
• positioning means including opposed resilient engagement members disposed within said cavity operative to embrace an outer surface of said electrical component body to effect predetermined positional alignment of said electrical component with respect to said lead receiving terminal.