Claims
- 1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:a housing defining a receptacle having an entrance opening, and an insert assembly arranged in said housing and including a plurality of contact/terminal members, at least one of said contact/terminal members being a forward facing contact/terminal member including a forward facing contact situated in said receptacle and a non-contact portion including a terminal, said forward facing contact of said forward facing contact/terminal member having a rearward end coupled to said terminal and a forward end which is closer to said entrance opening than said rearward end, said forward facing contact/terminal member further including an end tip arranged at said forward end of said forward facing contact, a securing insert for securing said forward facing contact/terminal member in said housing to prevent movement of at least said forward facing contact of said forward facing contact/terminal member, and a contact housing part including a back portion having a front wall and a notch formed in said front wall continuous with an upper surface of said back portion, said securing insert being insertable into said notch in said contact housing part.
- 2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said securing insert is arranged to engage a portion of said non-contact portion of said forward facing contact/terminal member.
- 3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said non-contact portion of said forward facing contact/terminal member includes an intermediate conductor portion arranged between said rearward end of said forward facing contact and said terminal, said securing insert being arranged to engage said intermediate conductor portion.
- 4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said forward facing contact/terminal member overlies a surface defining said notch such that a portion of said forward facing contact/terminal member is secured between said securing insert and said surface defining said notch.
- 5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said contact housing part includes at least one bore for receiving said terminal of a respective one of said forward facing contact/terminal members, said at least one bore being defined in part by said front wall, said notch communicating with said at least one bore such that said forward facing contact/terminal member passes from said at least one bore through said notch.
- 6. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said back portion of said contact housing part has at least one bore for receiving said terminal of a respective one of said forward facing contact/terminal members, said securing insert including at least one tapering leg adapted to be inserted into a respective one of said at least one bore.
- 7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said securing insert has a front wall defining opposed recessed shoulders, said front wall of said securing insert being flush with said front wall of said back portion of said contact housing part.
- 8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least two of said contact/terminal members are forward facing contact terminal members, said back portion having two bores for receiving said terminal of a respective one of said two forward facing contact/terminal members, said bores being defined in part by said front wall, said securing insert including a bottom wall having a notch therein to thereby define two tapering legs, each of said tapering legs being insertable into a respective one of said two bores.
- 9. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said securing insert is separate from said contact housing part.
- 10. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said securing insert has a width less than that of said contact housing part.
- 11. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said contact/terminal members is a rearward facing contact/terminal member including a rearward facing contact situated in said receptacle and having a rearward end and a forward end which is closer to said entrance opening than said rearward end, an end tip arranged at said rearward end of said rearward facing contact, a terminal coupled to said forward end of said rearward facing contact and an intermediate conductor portion arranged between said forward end of said rearward facing contact and said terminal, said securing insert being arranged between said forward facing contact/terminal member and said rearward facing contact/terminal member.
- 12. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein said securing insert has a top wall defining a channel adapted to receive said intermediate conductor portion of said rearward facing contact/terminal member.
- 13. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said contact/terminal members is a rearward facing contact/terminal member including a rearward facing contact situated in said receptacle and having a rearward end and a forward end which is closer to said entrance opening than said rearward end, an end tip arranged at said rearward end of said rearward facing contact and a terminal coupled to said forward end of said rearward facing contact.
- 14. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein said rearward facing contact of said at least one rearward facing contact/terminal member is substantially parallel and laterally adjacent to said forward facing contact of said forward facing contact/terminal member.
- 15. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein at least two of said contact/terminal members are forward facing contact/terminal members and said at least one rearward facing contact/terminal member comprises two rearward facing contact/terminal members, said forward and rearward facing contact/terminal members alternating in position with each other.
- 16. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein at least two of said contact/terminal members are forward facing contact/terminal members and said at least one rearward facing contact/terminal member comprises six rearward facing contact/terminal members, said forward facing and rearward facing contacts of said forward and rearward facing contact/terminal members occupying positions designated 1 to 8 and being arranged such that said two forward facing contacts and two of said rearward facing contacts occupy positions 3 to 6 in alternating relationship with each other, and the remaining four of said rearward facing contacts occupy positions 1, 2, 7 and 8.
- 17. The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein at least two of said contact/terminal members are forward facing contact/terminal members and said at least one rearward facing contact/terminal member comprises six rearward facing contact/terminal members, said forward facing and rearward facing contacts of said forward and rearward facing contact/terminal members occupying positions designated 1 to 8 and being arranged to occupy the eight positions as follows: RRFRFRRR, wherein R designates a rearward facing contact and F designates a forward facing contact.
- 18. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein said securing insert and said contact housing part include cooperating securing means for securing said securing insert in connection with said contact housing part.
- 19. The connector assembly of claim 18, wherein said cooperating securing means comprises latches arranged on said contact housing part and projections defined on said securing insert whereby at least one of said projection is positioned between portions of said contact housing part to inhibit removal of said securing insert from said contact housing part.
- 20. An electrical connector assembly comprising:a housing having a receptacle face; a plurality of elongate contacts arranged in said housing, each of said contacts having a first forward end region and a second rearward end region; a plurality of terminals arranged at least partially in said housing; a first conductor for interconnecting a first one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a first one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said first contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; and a second conductor for interconnecting a second one of said contacts situated adjacent to said first contact from said second rearward end region thereof to a second one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said second contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; said housing comprising an insert assembly including a securing insert for securing said second conductor in said housing and a contact housing part including a notch, said securing insert being insertable into said notch in said contact housing part.
- 21. The connector assembly of claim 20, wherein said second conductor overlies a surface defining said notch such that a portion of said second conductor is secured between said securing insert and said surface defining said notch.
- 22. The connector assembly of claim 20, further comprisinga third conductor for interconnecting a third one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a third one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said third contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; and a fourth conductor for interconnecting a fourth one of said contacts from said second rearward end region thereof to a fourth one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said fourth contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; said first and third conductors being elongate, substantially parallel to one another and substantially situated in a common first conductor plane, said second and fourth conductors being elongate, substantially parallel to one another and substantially situated in a common second conductor plane spaced from said first conductor plane.
- 23. The connector assembly of claim 20, wherein said securing insert is separate from said contact housing part.
- 24. An electrical connector assembly comprising:a housing having a receptacle face; a plurality of elongate contacts arranged in said housing, each of said contacts having a first forward end region and a second rearward end region; a plurality of terminals arranged at least partially in said housing; a first conductor for interconnecting a first one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a first one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said first contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; and a second conductor for interconnecting a second one of said contacts situated adjacent to said first contact from said second rearward end region thereof to a second one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said second contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; said housing comprising an insert assembly including a securing insert for securing said second conductor in said housing and a contact housing part, said securing insert being insertable into connection with said contact housing part, said contact housing part including a back portion having at least one bore for receiving said terminal interconnected to said second contact, said securing insert including at least one tapering leg adapted to be inserted into a respective one of said at least one bore.
- 25. An electrical connector assembly comprising:a housing having a receptacle face; a plurality of elongate contacts arranged in said housing, each of said contacts having a first forward end region and a second rearward end region; a plurality of terminals arranged at least partially in said housing; a first conductor for interconnecting a first one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a first one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said first contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; and a second conductor for interconnecting a second one of said contacts situated adjacent to said first contact from said second rearward end region thereof to a second one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said second contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; said housing comprising an insert assembly including a securing insert for securing said second conductor in said housing and a contact housing part, said securing insert being insertable into connection with said contact housing part, said contact housing part including a back portion having a front wall, said securing insert having a front wall defining opposed recessed shoulders, said shoulders being adapted to receive said front wall of said back portion of said contact housing part such that said front wall of said securing insert is flush with said front wall of said back portion of said contact housing part.
- 26. An electrical connector assembly comprising:a housing having a receptacle face; a plurality of elongate contacts arranged in said housing, each of said contacts having a first forward end region and a second rearward end region; a plurality of terminals arranged at least partially in said housing; a first conductor for interconnecting a first one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a first one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said first contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; a second conductor for interconnecting a second one of said contacts situated adjacent to said first contact from said second rearward end region thereof to a second one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said second contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; and a third conductor for interconnecting a third one of said contacts from said second rearward end region thereof to third one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said third contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region said housing comprising an insert assembly including a securing insert for securing said second conductor in said housing and a contact housing part including a back portion having a front wall and two bores for receiving said terminal interconnected to said second and third contacts, said bores being defined in part by said front wall, said securing insert including a bottom wall having a notch therein to thereby define two tapering legs, each of said tapering legs being insertable into a respective one of said two bores.
- 27. An electrical connector assembly comprising:a housing having a receptacle face; a plurality of elongate contacts arranged in said housing, each of said contacts having a first forward end region and a second rearward end region; a plurality of terminals arranged at least partially in said housing; a first conductor for interconnecting a first one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a first one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said first contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; and a second conductor for interconnecting a second one of said contacts situated adjacent to said first contact from said second rearward end region thereof to a second one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said second contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; said housing comprising an insert assembly including a securing insert for securing said second conductor in said housing, said securing insert being arranged between said second conductor and said first conductor.
- 28. The connector assembly of claim 27, wherein said securing insert has a top wall defining a channel adapted to receive said first conductor.
- 29. An electrical connector assembly comprising:a housing having a receptacle face; a plurality of elongate contacts arranged in said housing, each of said contacts having a first forward end region and a second rearward end region; a plurality of terminals arranged at least partially in said housing; a first conductor for interconnecting a first one of said contacts from said first forward end region thereof to a first one of said terminals, said second rearward end region of said first contact constituting a free rearwardly facing end region; and a second conductor for interconnecting a second one of said contacts situated adjacent to said first contact from said second rearward end region thereof to a second one of said terminals, said first forward end region of said second contact constituting a free forwardly facing end region; said housing comprising an insert assembly including a securing insert for securing said second conductor in said housing and a contact housing part, said securing insert and said contact housing part including cooperating securing means for securing said securing insert in connection with said contact housing part.
- 30. The connector assembly of claim 29, wherein said cooperating securing means comprises latches arranged on said contact housing part and projections defined on said securing insert whereby at least one of said projection is positioned between portions of said contact housing part to inhibit removal of said securing insert from said contact housing part.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/089,513 filed Jun. 16, 1998.
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/507,468 filed Aug. 23, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,942, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/327,425 filed Oct. 21, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,266, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/179,983, now abandoned. All of these related applications are incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/089513 |
Jun 1998 |
US |