Electrical connector with contact anti-overstress means

摘要

An anti-overstress system is provided in an electrical connector (10) which includes a dielectric housing (12) having a contact-receiving cavity (16) with a slot (18) communicating the cavity with a mating surface (20) on the outside of the housing. A contact (14) is received in the cavity and includes a cantilevered spring contact arm (26) disposed in the slot. The arm has a contacting portion (30) projecting beyond the mating surface of the housing for engagement with a complementary contact (62) of the mating connector (64). 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 (48) projecting from opposite sides of the spring contact arm (26) engageable with a pair of ledges (22) formed in opposite sides of the slot (18) after a given amount of flexing of the spring contact arm.