Patent ID: 7311543

Claim:
A bridge connector arrangement electrically connecting internal bus conductors of a pair of adjacent electrical modules, comprising: (a) a pair of adjacent electrical modules ( 1 , 2 ) each including: (1) a housing ( 4 ) including a base portion ( 3 ) having a horizontal top wall ( 3 a ) and containing a chamber in which are provided a plurality of parallel internal electrical conductors ( 21 ); (2) a row of female plug-in terminal means ( 5 ) mounted in openings contained in said base portion upper wall, said female plug-in terminal means being connected with the ends of said internal conductors, respectively; (b) connecting bridge means ( 11 ) operable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to said modules for connecting and disconnecting said female terminal means of said modules, respectively, said bridge means including: (1) a generally rectangular bridge member ( 13 ) having side, end top and bottom walls; and (2) a plurality of bridging conductors ( 12 ) carried by each end of said bridge member, said bridging conductors having male plug contacts ( 14 ) that extend, when said bridge means is in said engaged position, into said female plug-in terminal means, respectively; (c) a plurality of clamping springs ( 7 ) arranged in said female plug-in terminals, respectively, said clamping springs clamping said male plug contacts in electrical engagement with said female plug-in terminals, respectively; and (d) release means carried by said bridge member releasing said clamping springs from said male plug contacts, and simultaneously displacing said bridge member from said engaged position to said disengaged position; said release means includes at least one release member ( 19 ) connected for swinging displacement relative to one end of said bridge member, and said release means includes a pair of said release members ( 19 ) arranged at opposite ends of said bridging member, each of said release members having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration and including a base portion ( 24 ) that extends transversely adjacent one end wall of said bridge member, and a pair of arm portions ( 23 ) that extend longitudinally inwardly on opposite sides of said bridge member.