Electrical connector with contact anti-overstress means

U.S. Patent Number: 5338231

Abstract: An anti-overstress system is provided in an electrical connector which includes a dielectric housing having a contact-receiving cavity with a slot communicating the cavity with a mating surface on the outside of the housing. A contact is received in the cavity and includes a cantilevered spring contact arm disposed in the slot. The arm has a contacting portion projecting beyond the mating surface of the housing for engagement with a complementary contact of the mating connector. The spring contact arm flexes in the slot upon engagement of the contacting portion by the complementary contact. The anti-overstress system is provided between the contact and the housing and includes a pair of wings projecting from opposite sides of the spring contact arm engageable with a pair of ledges formed in opposite sides of the slot after a given amount of flexing of the spring contact arm.

Inventors: Wilhite; Mathew (Limerick, IE)

Assignee: Molex Incorporated (Lisle, IL)

Application Number: 08/025,685

Issued: 1994-08-16

Expired: 2006-08-16

Classes: 439/660 ; 439/676; 439/862

Field of search: 439/660,676,474,630-637,862,855,856,833,839

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