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:
Sep. 21, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 20, 1998
Randy Lynn Fink, Warren, OH (US);
Brian Matthew Donato, Warren, OH (US);
Michael Patrick Cummings, Canfield, OH (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
An electrical connector comprising: an outer housing including a plurality of receptacles; a cavity within the outer housing; a first inner housing within the cavity, wherein the first inner housing includes a first plurality of flexible extensions on a first end of the first inner housing; a first plurality of cylindrical openings within the first inner housing; a first plurality of conductive terminals, wherein a portion of each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals extends through one of the cylindrical openings of the first plurality of cylindrical openings and out of the first inner housing and is received in one of the receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, wherein each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is maintained locked in place by a corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions; and a plurality of access holes on the outer housing, wherein each receptacle has located proximate thereto one of the access holes, wherein each flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions includes a first deflection ramp aligned with one of the access holes, wherein, when a tool is inserted through one of the access holes and forced against the aligned first deflection ramp, the corresponding conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is released and no longer maintained locked in place by the corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions.