Patent ID: 7297016

Claim:
A thermocouple connector arrangement including: a first connector configured to have a thermocouple probe lead extending therefrom, and having an interior configured to receive an electrical connection terminus of the thermocouple probe lead; and a second connector configured to have an electrical connection lead extending therefrom, and having an interior configured to receive a terminus of the electrical connection lead; the first and second connectors include electrically conductive mating parts that, when mated, provide an electrical conduction path between the thermocouple probe lead and the electrical connection lead; at least one of the first and second connectors includes housing parts that mate in a snap-lock arrangement without the use of a threaded fastener to secure the housing parts together and to enclose the respective interior, one of the housing parts having a portion with a slot through which the respective terminus extends, the other of the housing parts being a cap that bounds a portion of the respective interior and shrouds the portion of the one housing part with the slot and a segment of the respective conductive mating part at an end of the respective conductive mating part within the cap, the conductive mating part having a slot, located away from the end of the conductive mating part and aligned with the slot on the one housing portion, through which the respective terminus extends, the cap having an interior side wall segment that engages the respective terminus and secures the respective terminus against removal by pressing the respective terminus into electrical contact with the respective conductive mating part from the point of the respective terminus extending through the slot of the respective conductive mating part during the mating of the housing parts.