Molex Corporation

Charles M Dahlem

Stephen A Sampson

Paul Murphy

Paul A Reisdorf

Joseph W Nelligan, Jr

Joseph W Nellington, Jr

An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a conductor-receiving groove defined at least in part by a pair of side walls between which an elongated insulated conductor is receivable essentially normally of its length. An electrical contact has an insulation displacement termination section disposed in the groove. A pair of inwardly-directed wings are provided in the groove and spaced from and facing one another to provide a slot therebetween. The conductor is movable through the slot past free ends of the wings into insulation-displacement termination with the termination section of the contact. A pair of retention ribs face inwardly of the side walls of the groove essentially below the wings for embracing and thereby retaining the conductor terminated by the contact.

Electrical connector with improved conductor retention means

A panel mount system includes an electrical connector for mounting in an aperture in a panel. The connector has a mounting flange for interfacing with the panel, and a pair of cantilevered latch structures. Each latch structure includes a base arm projecting from the mounting flange and one locking arm deflectably cantilevered at one side of the base arm from an end thereof remote from the mounting flange. The locking arm extends angularly from the end of the base arm and from the one side thereof back towards the mounting flange. The other side of the base arm opposite the locking arm is substantially rigid. The maximum cross-sectional dimensions of one of the latch structures and its adjacent portion of the mounting aperture is different from the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the other latch structure and its adjacent portion of the mounting aperture to provide polarization for the connector relative to the panel. The cross-sectional dimensions of the base arm adjacent the mounting flange is less than the adjacent portion of the mounting aperture to provide floating of the connector within the aperture relative to the panel.

Growing community of inventors

Carol Stream, IL, United States of America

Charles M Dahlem