Abstract: An electrical connector according to the present teachings can be coupled together with a low insertion force. The electrical connector can utilize levers to create a mechanical advantage and reduce the input force required to couple the mating members together and interconnect the electrical terminals. When utilized as a blind mating electrical connector, the connector can include visual indicators indicative of the proper and complete coupling of the mating members and interconnection of the terminals.

Abstract: An electrical connector generally includes a housing having at least a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal. A shorting bar slidably connects to the housing and has at least a first spring portion and a second spring portion. The shorting bar is movable between a shorted condition and a non-shorted condition. The spring portions on the shorting bar are in a relaxed position in the non-shorted condition. Because the connector is typically in the non-shorted condition, the spring portions are less susceptible to stress relaxation.

Abstract: A wire harness with a housing, a circuit board, terminals, wires and a cover. The housing is formed of an electrically insulating material and has a cavity and a plurality of channels that extend between an exterior surface of the housing and the cavity. The circuit board is disposed in the cavity and includes board terminals. The terminals are coupled to the housing and the circuit board and have a first portion, which is electrically coupled to an associated one of the board terminals, and a second portion that is received into an associated one of the channels. The cover is coupled to the housing and confines the circuit board within the cavity. The wires are inserted into the second portion of a corresponding one of the terminals to electrically couple the terminals and the wires. A method for forming a wire harness is also provided.

Abstract: A terminal body for use in combination with a circuitboard having edge conductor pads and being formed from a stamped metal blank so as to provide a first main longitudinally extending spring contact which is curved back on itself and inwardly toward the center of the terminal and a pair of stabilizing contacts which oppose and straddle the main contact. All of the contacts are sufficiently resilient to permit the circuitboard of thickness T to be inserted between them, the stabilizing contacts ensuring a firm grip on the circuitboard and non-intermittent contact between the main terminal contact and the circuitboard pad.

Abstract: A connector assembly has mating first and second electrical connectors and a holder in which the mated connectors are adjustable in an axial direction. The holder secures the first connector in a first position wherein electrical terminals within the first connector are engaged with shorting contacts in the holder. The first connector is held in this position while the second connector is pushed into the holder and mated with the first connector, causing terminals within the second connector to be brought into electrical connection with the terminals in the first connector and releasing the first connector from the holder securement. Further pushing of the second connector into the holder locks the connectors together and moves the mated connectors as a unit to a second position within the holder. Simultaneously, parts of the first connector force the shorting contacts out of electrical connection with the terminals. These parts exert a wiping action on the shorting contacts.

Abstract: An insertion-force reducing connector assembly and method for mating multi-terminal male and female connectors of the type used in automotive wiring harnesses. The female connector is movably retained in a frame-like holder by a self-actuating force reducing link that automatically couples a male connector inserted into the holder to the female connector with an insertion/withdrawal ratio in which the female connector moves away from the male connector in the terminal-mating direction more slowly than the male connector is inserted, thus allowing the connectors to be coupled over a longer than normal terminal-mating distance and reducing the insertion force needed to mate the terminals. The method includes the steps of coupling the female connector to the holder and subsequently mating the male connector to the female connector in the holder.

Abstract: A female spring contact for a female wire harness terminal of the type used in automotive wire harness connectors. The female spring contact has a deflectable spring ramp adapted to be deflected downwardly under an initial insertion force by an inserted male terminal. The female spring contact includes a secondary spring arm formed from a cantilevered portion of the ramp and located below the spring ramp to be responsive to a final stage of spring ramp deflection corresponding to the completion or near-completion of male terminal insertion to increase the final spring force exerted by the spring ramp on the inserted terminal. The initial insertion force required by the inserted terminal remains unaffected by the secondary spring arm, and in one embodiment is actually reduced by the structure of the secondary spring arm.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a male connector body having a set of fixed male terminals and a female connector body having a set of female terminals having flexible, parallel contact arms. A pair of clamp bars are movably mounted to a housing which is attached to the female connector body so as to position the clamp bars adjacent the respective outer surfaces of the flexible arms. Actuation pins project from opposite ends of the clamp bars to engage channels in the housing and permit movement of the bars toward one another. The ends of the pins distal from the clamp bars project beyond the opposite ends of the housing so that they may engage cam slots formed on the male connector body as the bodies are inserted into mating engagement with one another.

Abstract: A first connector has a series of movable terminals having bifurcated ends comprising first and second prongs spaced apart from one another and a pair of parallel, rotatable cam members disposed on either side of the first prongs to sandwiching them therebetween. The cam members are elliptical in cross section and are connected with one another by intermeshing gears to rotate in unison. A second connector has a series of fixed terminals and a pair of actuation arms extending parallel with the terminals and having toothed ends. As the first and second connectors are moved into engagement with one another, the fixed terminals are inserted between the first and second prongs and the toothed ends engage the gears, rotating the cam members so they deflect the movable terminals to bring the second prongs into contact with the fixed terminals.

Abstract: A spacer for an electrical connector which detects the presence of electrical terminals inserted into terminal accommodating chambers in the connector and which locks the terminals in the chambers only when the terminals are fully inserted. The spacer preferably has a lock arm for each chamber. Each lock arm has a stop which holds the spacer in a pre-set position by abutting against the chamber. As the terminal is inserted into the chamber, the terminal contacts the lock arm and deflects it to a position where the stop no longer engages the chamber. The spacer can only be moved to a full-lock position when all terminals are completely inserted into the chambers. Each lock arm preferably includes a terminal-detecting projection which rides along a surface of the terminal until it reaches an engagement aperture in the surface of the terminal. The projection is then securely received by the engagement aperture as the lock arm returns to an at rest position.