Abstract: Electrical connector assembly including a connector housing having a front end and a receiving cavity that opens to the front end. The receiving cavity is configured to receive a mating connector therein that is inserted into the receiving cavity along a central axis. The electrical connector assembly also includes a contact array of electrical contacts that is disposed within the receiving cavity. The electrical contacts have elongated bodies that extend generally parallel to the central axis through the receiving cavity. The electrical connector assembly also includes a movable guard that is configured to be slidably held by the contact array within the receiving cavity. The movable guard includes a dielectric sheet that extends transverse to the central axis and has an array of thru-holes. Inner edges of the thru-holes engage corresponding electrical contacts to slidably hold the movable guard at a forward position within the receiving cavity.

Abstract: Electrical connector assembly including a connector housing having a front end and a receiving cavity that opens to the front end. The receiving cavity is configured to receive a mating connector therein that is inserted into the receiving cavity along a central axis. The electrical connector assembly also includes a contact array of electrical contacts that is disposed within the receiving cavity. The electrical contacts have elongated bodies that extend generally parallel to the central axis through the receiving cavity. The electrical connector assembly also includes a movable guard that is configured to be slidably held by the contact array within the receiving cavity. The movable guard includes a dielectric sheet that extends transverse to the central axis and has an array of thru-holes. Inner edges of the thru-holes engage corresponding electrical contacts to slidably hold the movable guard at a forward position within the receiving cavity.

Abstract: A header assembly includes an insulative housing comprising a plurality of walls defining an interior cavity, and a plurality of contacts within said cavity and extending through one of the walls to an exterior of the housing for surface mounting to a circuit board. The insulating housing comprises at least one alignment rib extending on an exterior surface thereof. The contacts are formed to abut the alignment rib, thereby ensuring coplanarity of the contacts for surface mounting to a circuit board.

Abstract: Electrical connectors (40, 104) including contact terminals that can be unmated without previously disconnecting power include main contacts (12, 112) and auxiliary contacts (16, 130) that are shunted by a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor (6, 140) located between the main and auxiliary contact. The main contact (12, 112) will be disconnected first and the auxiliary contact (16, 130) can be longer than the main contact (12, 112). Arcing will not occur at the mating end of the main contact (12, 112), because the current will be shunted to the still connected longer auxiliary contact (16, 130). I2R heating will increase the resistance in the PTC resistor (6, 140), so when the auxiliary contact (16, 130) is disconnected, current will be below the arcing threshold.

Abstract: Electrical connectors 40, 104 including contact terminals that can be unmated without previously disconnecting power include main contacts 12, 112 and auxiliary contacts 16, 130 that are shunted by a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor 6, 140 located between the main and auxiliary contact. The main contact 12, 112 will be disconnected first and the auxiliary contact 16, 130 can be longer than the main contact 12, 112. Arcing will not occur at the mating end of the main contact 12, 112, because the current will be shunted to the still connected longer auxiliary contact 16, 130. I2R heating will increase the resistance in the PTC resistor 6, 140, so when the auxiliary contact 16, 130 is disconnected, current will be below the arcing threshold. Multiple latches 54A, B and 60A, B or 180 and 196 permit only discontinuous mating of electrical connectors, so that the connectors can be disconnected without arcing for a range of currents.

Abstract: Connector assembly (10) includes a wire carrier section 14 pivotably mounted to a housing (12) and adapted to be mounted directly to a circuit board without separate fasteners to terminate a discrete wire (180) to a contact (24) that is electrically connected to the board. A wire end (182) is inserted into a respective passageway (16,18) of the wire carrier 14, and the wire carrier section (14) is pivoted toward housing (12) pressing the wire into a slot of an IDC section (26) of the contact. The compact profile occupies minimal board real estate.