Patent ID: 8262405

Claim:
A wire-to-wire electrical connector configured for connecting wires in an end-to-end configuration, said connector comprising: an insulative body member comprising top and bottom walls, opposite end walls, and an internal connector position disposed between said end walls; a wire insertion opening defined in each of said end walls; a first contact element disposed in said connector position coaxial with said wire insertion openings, said first contact element comprising opposite end portions with a respective contact tab configured thereon, said contact tabs biased to a closed position across said respective wire insertion opening; an actuator configured with each said wire insertion opening, said actuators movably displaceable through an opening in a wall of said body member and further comprising an engagement end in contact with a respective end portion of said first contact element; wherein said actuators are manually depressible to move said contact tabs to an open position for insertion of a conductive core of a wire into said wire insertion opening beyond said contact tab, whereby upon release and return of said actuators, said contact tabs are biased against the conductive core of opposite wires; and said first contact element comprising a generally C-shaped member with an elongated bottom section and bent over end portions, said contact tabs defined adjacent to terminal ends of said bent over end by angled cut-outs of said bent over end portions that extend at an angle above a plane of said bent over end portion.