Claims
- 1. An electrical interface module of the type having an insulative housing having a first mating interface and a second mating interface and including at least one contact, characterized in that:
- said housing has a surface adjacent to said mating interface;
- said at least one contact having a transverse body section extending along said housing surface and a first contact section extending orthogonally from said body section and outwardly from said housing surface; and
- an insulative retention member affixable to said housing along said housing surface outwardly of said body section of said at least one contact, with a corresponding aperture through which extends said first contact section to be exposed along said first mating interface to be electrically connected to an electrical conductor.
- 2. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retention member includes a transverse body section disposed adjacent said housing surface and having a plurality of holes therethrough, and said housing includes corresponding bosses extending from said surface and through respective said holes in a tight force fit, whereby said retention member is secured to said housing.
- 3. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transverse body section of each said at least one contact is seated in a shallow recess of said housing surface.
- 4. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retention member includes clearance holes extending into a housing-proximate surface thereof for receipt thereinto of ends of screw shafts mounted into said second mating interface of said housing.
- 5. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first contact section of each said at least one contact is a blade.
- 6. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 5 wherein said retention member includes upstanding projections extending from positions proximate to corners thereof to ends forwardly of a leading end of said blade.
- 7. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 6 wherein said housing includes upstanding projections extending therefrom parallel to said upstanding projections of said retention member and spaced laterally therefrom, and extending to ends substantially coplanar with ends of said upstanding projections of said retention member.
- 8. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 5 wherein said housing surface is recessed within a large cavity and said body section of said retention member is disposed in said large cavity with said blade of each said at least one contact disposed within said large cavity.
- 9. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes an electrical component electrically connected to two said contacts secured to said housing, said component secured between said retention member and said housing surface.
- 10. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 1 wherein an interconnection portion of said body section of each said at least one contact is aligned with an aperture through said housing, a female threaded insert mounted along a second mating interface of said housing is includes a portion extending through a respective said aperture and is interconnected to said interconnection portion of each said at least one contact, and a second contact member is threadable into said female threaded insert along said second mating interface defining a wire termination site thereof for interconnecting a wire to said contact.
- 11. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 10 wherein an annular flange of said threaded female insert extends through an aperture of said interconnection portion and is deformed outwardly to secure said insert to said interconnection portion and electrically connect said threaded female insert to said at least one contact.
- 12. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 10 wherein each said wire termination site is positioned between a pair of barrier walls to isolate exposed portions of said second contact members and said threaded female insert and said wires.
- 13. An electrical interface module as set forth in claim 12 wherein a square washer is disposed along a threaded shank of said second contact member to be moved toward said threaded female insert by an enlarged head of said second contact member and compressed against a said wire wrapped around said threaded shank, to increase the metal-to-metal interface of the conductors and the contact assembly defined by said at least one contact, second contact member and said threaded female insert, said pair of barrier walls preventing rotation of said square washer during rotation of said second contact member during connection and disconnection of a wire.
- 14. An article for being mated to a cable tap connector along an exposed mating interface thereof, the article including a housing having a surface, characterized in that:
- an insulative member is secured to said housing along said surface, said insulative member including openings therethrough aligned with contact sections of said cable tap connector exposed along said mating interface,
- whereby said article protects said exposed mating interface of said cable tap connector against dust when said housing is imperforate along said surface, and said article is electrically matable with said cable tap connector when a plurality of contacts are mounted along said surface of said housing with first contact sections extending through said openings of said insulative member and with second contacts sections extending to a remote face of said housing to be electrically connected to additional conductors.
- 15. An article as set forth in claim 14 wherein said retention member includes a transverse body section disposed adjacent said housing surface and having a plurality of holes therethrough, and said housing includes corresponding bosses extending from said surface and through respective said holes in a tight force fit, whereby said retention member is secured to said housing.
Parent Case Info
Priority is claimed from provisional application No. 60/064,999 on Nov. 10, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5595505 |
Duke et al. |
Jan 1997 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
U.S. Ser. No. 09/056,083 filed Apr. 7, 1998 (Abstract and drawings only). |