Terminal block having improved terminal cavity

Abstract

A terminal block has terminal cavities housing female terminals having a side wall and vertically spaced, deflectable lock tangs that project rearwardly and outwardly. The terminal cavities have internal projection locks on their respective top and bottom walls that cooperate with the deflectable lock tangs to lock the female terminal in place. An axial rail depends from each of the top and bottom walls of the terminal cavities to divide wide axial slots leading to the internal projection locks into two narrow parallel slots that accommodate the cooperating lock tangs of the female terminal. The axial rails locate the female terminals vertically in the terminal cavities and also prevent improper insertion of male blade terminals between the female terminals and the top or bottom walls of the terminal cavities. Each terminal cavity also includes positioning ribs that project into the terminal cavity from each side wall to locate the female terminal laterally in the terminal cavity so that the lock tangs are properly disposed in the narrower slots where the axial rails do not interfere with the proper locking function of the lock tangs.