Patent ID: 7445526

Claim:
An electrical terminal adapted for use in a connector, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive terminal body ( 2 ) having a horizontal top wall ( 2 a ) and at least one vertical side wall, said body containing a conductor-receiving first bore ( 12 ) that extends downwardly from said top wall, and an internally threaded second bore ( 11 ) that extends horizontally from said one vertical side wall into communication with said first bore; (b) a generally U-shaped protective spring ( 4 ) mounted in said first bore, said spring having a bridging portion ( 5 ) adjacent the bottom of said first bore, and a pair of upwardly extending leg portions ( 6 , 7 ) that extend vertically upwardly from said bridging portion, one of said leg portions ( 6 ) extending across the adjacent opening of said second bore, said spring bridging portion having a generally circular convex configuration that bulges outwardly beyond the adjacent lower extremities of said spring leg portions into engagement with at least one recess ( 9 , 10 ) contained in the side wall of said first bore, thereby to retain said protective spring in said first bore; and (c) a clamping screw (S) threadably mounted in said second bore, said clamping screw being operable, when a bare conductor is inserted downwardly within said first bore, to clamp said first spring leg against the conductor.