The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1996
Filed:
Oct. 04, 1993
John P Huss, Jr, Harrisburg, PA (US);
George H Douty, Mifflintown, PA (US);
John M Landis, Camp Hill, PA (US);
The Whitaker Corporation, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A latching mechanism for releasably locking the electrical contacts of an electrical connector in the connector housing is disclosed. Each contact is surrounded by a collet having inwardly extending protrusions that are in depressions formed in the outer surfaces of the contacts. A retaining member is movable to a locked position where it surrounds each of the collets to prevent expansion thereof thereby locking the contacts in place within the housing. The retaining member is also movable to an unlocked position away from the collets, which allows expansion of a collet so that a damaged contact can be removed by simply pulling it out of the housing. A latching mechanism is provided to move the retaining member to its locked and unlocked positions from outside of the connector without disassembly thereof.