Importance

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Abstract

Press fit contacts having upper mating portions are stamped, formed and oriented out of sheet material for simultaneous insertion and housing in a removable connector insulator. Receiving sleeves formed in the insulator are constructed to permit the contacts to be bottom loaded into the sleeves, seated and lightly held therein. Each contact includes an intermediate press fit collar portion which engages a mating shoulder in the insulator. The insulator serves as a holding fixture and seating tool for transmitting insertion force applied to the top of the insulator to each one of the contacts for press fitting them into contact receiving apertures in a mounting substrate. The contacts held by each insulator are all simultaneously press fitted into the substrate by continuing to apply pressure to the top of the insulator until it is mounted flush upon the substrate. After the connector is assembled, the contact is in a configuration for electrical engagement with a mating contact (not disclosed) while a contact tail portion may extend below the substrate for wire wrap termination. The configuration of the assembled connector permits removal of the insulator by lifting it from around the contacts, which it lightly engages, leaving the contacts rigidly mounted in the substrate. Further, a connector assembly, comprising an insulator having contacts lightly held therein, may be readily shipped to a remote location for press fit installation in a mounting substrate.

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First Claim