CONNECTOR HAVING MEANS FOR POSITIVELY SEATING CONTACTS

摘要

Electrical connector assembly comprises a housing having a plurality of cavities therethrough and a retainer having a like plurality of passages therethrough, said housing and retainer being latchably matable so that said cavities and passages are coaxially aligned. Retainer has contact engaging means formed as sets of spring fingers radially arranged about respective passages and extending from the forward face of the retainer to distal ends of the fingers. Each set of fingers defines a first diameter at the forward face and a second smaller diameter toward the distal ends, the fingers spreading apart resiliently as a contact inserted through the passage reaches the smaller diameter, the fingers returning so that the distal ends engage a shoulder on the contact when the contact is fully inserted. The fingers and cavities are profiled so that the distal ends will stub against the rearward face of the housing rather than entering cavities when the fingers are spread apart, thereby precluding mating of the housing and retainer when contacts are not fully seated .