Termination module utilizing conductive elastomer bussing

Claim 2

A termination module for selectively interconnecting a plurality of electrical conductors comprising: a contact housing having a plurality of adjacent contact pin receiving openings; a contact pin mounted in a corresponding opening for each of the electrical conductors, each contact pin arranged for electrical connection to a corresponding electrical conductor at one end, a contacting surface at the other end of each contact pin; a retaining element formed on each contact pin; a retaining element for each of the openings for engagement with the retaining element of the contact pin mounted in the respective opening to retain the pin in the opening; at least one bus pad of a conductive elastomer material and having opposite sides; means for supporting said bus pad with one side in intimate physical and electrical engagement with the contacting surfaces of at least two pins for completing an electrical circuit between the respective conductors; a bus bar of conductive metal for each conductive elastomer bus pad; said supporting means including means for mounting each bus bar in intimate physical and electrical contact with the side of said bus pad which is opposite said one side of said bus pad; a pressure spring for each bus pad; and means included in said supporting means for mounting said pressure spring adjacent said bus bar in a manner such as to bias said bus bar against said bus pad and to bias said bus pad against the contacting surfaces of said contact pins.

Claim 3

A termination module for interconnecting a pair of electrical conductors comprising: a body of electrically insulating material having a pair of spaced apart openings; a pair of contact pins each adapted to be connected at one end to a respective electrical conductor with each pin passing through a respective opening and having a contact surface end spaced longitudinally in one direction from one end of the respective opening; a bus pad of conductive elastomeric material for establishing an electrical connection between said pair of said pins in response to the engagement of the contact surface end of each pin of said pair of pins with said pad; means for retaining said bus pad spaced in said one direction from said openings; first retaining means integrally formed on each pin; second retaining means formed of electrically insulating material adjacent each opening and spaced for engagement with the first retaining means on the pin passing through the opening adjacent the second retaining means in response to the contact surface end of the pin passing through the opening engaging said pad under pressure to thereby retain the contact surface end of each pin engaged with said bus pad under sufficient pressure extending axially of each pin to compress said pad and establish said electrical connection, each said second retaining means operable to disengage the first retaining means on the pin passing through the opening adjacent the second retaining means for enabling the contact pin passing through the adjacent opening to be retracted through the adjacent opening.

Claim 4

A termination module for interconnecting a pair of electrical conductors comprising: a body of electrically insulating material having a pair of spaced apart openings; a pair of contact pins each adapted to be connected at one end to a respective electrical conductor with each pin passing through a respective opening and having a contact surface end spaced longitudinally in one direction from one end of the respective opening; a bus pad of conductive elastomeric material for establishing an electrical connection between said pair of said pins in response to the engagement of the contact surface end of each pin of said pair of pins with said pad; means for retaining said bus pad spaced in said one direction from said openings; first retaining means integrally formed on each pin; second retaining means formed of electrically insulating material adjacent each opening and spaced for engagement with the first retaining means on the pin passing through the opening adjacent the second retaining means in response to the contact surface end of the pin passing through the opening engaging said pad under pressure to thereby retain the contact surface end of each pin engaged with said bus pad under sufficient pressure extending axially of each pin to compress said pad and establish said electrical connection, each said second retaining means operable to disengage the first retaining means on the pin passing through the opening adjacent the second retaining means for enabling the contact pin passing through the adjacent opening to be retracted through the adjacent opening.

Claim 5

In the module claimed in claim 2 a metal bus bar positioned in engagement with said elastomeric bus pad under pressure to establish an electrical connection from one pin through said bus pad and bus bar to the other pin of said pair.

Claim 6

In the module claimed in claim 2 metal spring means external to said bus pad for biasing said bus pad toward the pin contact surface end engaged with said bus pad.

Claim 7

The module claimed in claim 2 in which said body has a wall located intermediate opposite ends of said body with said pin openings formed in saiD wall, said wall defining a cavity at each end of said body with one cavity receiving said second retaining means and the other cavity receiving said bus pad, said pin openings communicating one cavity with the other cavity, and a sealing grommet secured in said one cavity for sealing the one end of each pin connected to an electrical conductor.

Claim 8

The module claimed in claim 5 in which said first retaining means includes a radially extending ridge on each pin for engaging said wall to limit the movement of the respective pin through each opening in said one direction, and said second retaining means comprises a pair of resilient tines engaging said ridge for holding the contact surface end of said respective pin engaged with said bus pad and adapted to be moved radially outwardly of said ridge to enable said respective pin to be disengaged from said bus pad.