Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a plug connector body that has a pair of metal terminals disposed within a pair of laterally disposed terminal cavities and a unitary metal shorting clip disposed within a shorting clip cavity. The unitary metal shorting clip has a single, generally V-shaped cantilevered spring arm at one end that contacts the pair of metal terminals when the electrical connector is disconnected from a mating electrical connector. The shorting clip is retained within the plug connector body by a mounting portion engaging a support shelf within the shorting clip cavity. The support shelf includes a clip rest which pre-loads the shorting clip and limits the spring force of the spring arm which is lifted off the terminals by a cam of the mating electrical connector.

Abstract: A sleeve terminal which provides a continually assured level of normal force with respect to a received pin terminal, even as the sleeve member thereof may tend to relax over time. The sleeve terminal includes a sleeve member having a slot which allows the sleeve member to be resiliently expanded when a pin terminal is inserted therewithin. A pair of resilient arms characterized by an opposing V-shape are formed integrally with the sleeve member on opposing sides of the slot. The apex of the resilient arms provides a contact location with the inner surface of a barrel which is concentrically receives the sleeve terminal. A free end of each resilient arm is spaced a predetrmined distance from the sleeve member. A wire mount is connected to the sleeve member opposite the slot. In operation, a pin terminal is inserted into the sleeve member, causing the sleeve member to be resiliently expanded as the slot widens.

Abstract: A fiber optic connection system includes a connector body that has a socket at one end and a wire spring that has parallel retention legs that are spread apart against the self biasing forces of the wire spring. A pair of fiber optic cables are terminated in dovetailed ferrules that have up ramps at a forward end and down ramps at a rearward end. The dovetailed ferrules are inserted into the socket and retained by the parallel retention legs of the wire spring engaging the down ramps. The parallel retention legs engage the up ramps during insertion of the dovetailed ferrules into the socket to spread the parallel retention legs apart against the self biasing forces of the wire spring. The fiber optic connection system includes a ferrule position assurance device that is carried by the connector body for movement between a pre-stage position and a final position.

Abstract: A method of, and device (10) for, connecting a plurality of flexible printed circuits (12) each comprising a layer (14) of electrically insulating material and a layer (16) of electrically conducting material. The method including the steps of forming a hole (18) through each flexible printed circuit; positioning first and second substantially rigid plates (20,22) of electrically insulating material on either side of the flexible printed circuits with the holes in the flexible printed circuits aligned with a corresponding hole (26,28) in each plate; extending a rivet (24) of electrically conducting material through the aligned holes to electrically connect with the layers of electrically conducting material on the flexible printed circuits; and enlarging the ends (30,32) of the rivet to secure the flexible printed circuits between the plates. Provides an improved electrical and mechanical connection between FPCs.

Abstract: A power connector system includes a female connector and a male connector. The female connector includes a female terminal in a female housing. The female terminal is in the form of a U-shaped channel defining a recess. A U-shaped contact member in the channel recess forms a second recess. The male connector includes a male terminal in a male housing. The male and female housings are releasably connected together with the male terminal extending into the recess in the contact member.

Abstract: A pre-staged electrical connector system including mutually seatable first and second connector halves. A female terminal retainer is seated in the first connector half, having a front face, a rear face and a plurality of terminal cavities for each receiving a portion of a terminal, wherein the terminal has an annular abutment. A plurality of flexible locking fingers extend from the front face, each straddling two adjacent terminal cavities. Each flexible locking finger includes a pair of spaced apart locking shoulders, one for each straddled terminal cavity, each locking shoulder having a terminus. When the female terminal is passed into a terminal cavity from the rear face, the terminus of the locking shoulder thereat interferingly abuts the terminal abutment, thereby preventing rearward withdrawal of the female terminal through the rear face.

Abstract: A low friction, low contact resistance coating for electrical terminal members, especially members made of copper base alloys and low carbon steel alloys and plastics, is formed of a coarse electroplate of tin or silver characterized by grains having an average dimension in the range of about 0.5 to 10 micrometers where such grains carry very small particles of polytetrafluoroethylene or the like having average diameters in the range up to about 0.30 micrometers.

Abstract: The fiber optic connector with an optical attenuator includes a first end assembly, a second end assembly and an alignment sleeve. The first end assembly includes a bushing with a central bore and an optical fiber passing through the central bore. The second end assembly includes a bushing with a central bore and an optical fiber passing through the central bore. The alignment sleeve receives the first and second end assemblies and holds the two optical fibers in axial alignment. The alignment sleeve also holds a thin plastic or glass optical attenuator disc with a selected optical density between the two end assemblies. When the connector is held in a connector housing assembly, the axially aligned optical fibers have their ends in contact with opposite sides of the optical attenuator disc. A spring bias the optical fiber ends toward the optical attenuator disc. An optical attenuator disc with a different optical density can replace the disc in the alignment sleeve to change attenuation.

Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a terminal portion of a first flexible circuit to a terminal portion of a second flexible circuit has a first clamp member and a second clamp member that cooperate to clamp the terminal portions against each other. Each clamp member has a bed with a support cooperating with the support of the other clamp member for clamping the terminal portions of the flexible circuits together. Each bed has two posts and two assembly holes. Each post engages a pilot hole of each terminal portion and an assembly hole of the other bed to orient and position the terminal portions of the flexible circuits with respect to the clamp members and the clamp members with respect to each other. Each clamp member also has two latch arms and two lock nibs for engaging respective lock nibs and latch arms of the other clamp member for attaching the clamp members to each other. The clamp members are preferably identical but may come in several versions that are interchangeable.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes male and female connector bodies formed with a plurality of locking cavities in which electrical cables are disposed with the terminal ends thereof secured against removal from the cavities by lock arms within the cavities engaging catches of the terminal ends. A seal on the cables closes and seals the cavities in which they are installed. At least one of the cavities is unoccupied by a cable and is closed by a non-electrical locking plug. The plug has a catch that engages the lock aim of the unoccupied cavities in which it is installed to secure the plug against removal and carries a seal which engages and seals the unoccupied cavities.

Abstract: A power distribution system for a motor vehicle having a left tail light assembly, a license plate light assembly and a right tail light assembly includes a power distribution block that has a plurality of bus strips embedded in the distribution block with each of the bus strips having at least one tab terminal that projects into an integral input connector socket and at least one tab terminal that projects into at least one of first, second and third output connector sockets. A spliceless chassis wiring harness is plugged into the input connector socket for energizing lights in the left tail light assembly, the license plate light assembly and the right tail light assembly via three spliceless output wiring harnesses operatively associated with the respective output connector sockets and the light assemblies. The power distribution system may also include optional right and left side marker light assemblies that are operatively associated with the second output connector socket.

Abstract: A protective splash shield assembly for electrical wiring has a plurality of fasteners installed in slots. The fastener has an elbow shaped conduit guide connected thereto with a distal end connected to a corrugated tubular conduit that extends along a wall of the splash shield. The fastener has a conduit connected to it that extends transverse from the splash shield.

Abstract: A force distribution seal for an electrical connection system having matable electrical connectors prevents leakage at the joint between the coupled connectors. The force distribution seal comprises a seal body with a plurality of radial bending ribs extending outward from the seal body. At least one external radial compression rail is disposed between each pair of adjacent bending ribs. At least one internal radial compression rail extends inward from the seal body. The internal radial compression rail is longitudinally disposed between a pair of adjacent bending ribs and corresponds to at least one external radial compression rail whereby force exerted upon a corresponding external radial compression rail by a radial bending rib is transferred to the internal compression rail to form a superior seal.

Abstract: In order to design a multipole electrical connector (1) with double locking of the contact portions (2) by a finger (7) engaging in the contact portion (2) and by a thrust element (10) which can be inserted laterally in a housing (3) of insulating material, in such a way that the housing (3) of insulating material and the contact portion (2) in the insertion region are protected against damage, the thrust element (10) consists of a locking comb (11) and a cover plate (12) which are connected to each other in one piece by integrally formed transverse webs (13).

Abstract: A removable connector edge clip has a support plate, a first arm integrally attached to the first end of the support plate by a first bight and a second arm integrally attached to the second end of the support plate by a second bight. The first arm confronts a lower surface of the support plate in generally parallel fashion to form a panel edge clamp at the first end of the clip. The support plate has a first spring blade inclined downwardly toward the first arm and the first bight for biasingly engaging a panel edge inserted into the panel edge clamp. The first arm has a barb for retaining the panel edge inserted into the panel edge clamp. The second arm confronts an upper surface of the support plate in generally parallel fashion to form a connector attachment at the second end of the clip. The connector attachment includes a second spring blade inclined downwardly toward the second bight and the support plate and a detent tang inclined upwardly toward the second bight and away from the second arm.

Abstract: An optical star assembly having a ribbon fiber optic mixing element with the first and second ends. A first and second bundle of fiber optic cables are provided each with an engagement end for connection with a respective end of the ribbon fiber optic mixing element. The ribbon fiber optic mixing element and a portion of the fiber optic cables are carried in the housing so that the housing biases each end of the ribbon fiber optic mixing element towards an engagement end of the first and second bundles of fiber optic cables respectively. The fiber optic cables may be connected to a plurality of optical receivers so that the ribbon fiber optic mixing element distributes optical information from each of the fibers to all of the optical receivers in the assembly.

Abstract: An edge clip which uses precoated sheet metal stock, is stamped in a high speed progressive die, and has a robustly configured triangularly shaped body. A solid blank of the sheet stock is die cut into a patterned blank including a base, a projection forward of the base, and first and second wings located at either side of the base. Each of the first and second wings has an outboard member and an inboard member, wherein the outboard member includes a barb. A pointed flange projects from the rear edge of the patterned blank at each of the first and second wings. The projection is stamped to form a standard attachment appendage, and the first and second wings are folded, wherein a spring arm is formed at an apex thereof and provided by an overlap of the outboard members. A tab of the outboard member of the second wing secures the overlap of the outboard members. The folding also provides first and second rails, wherein each is radiused to provide a basal corner of the triangular configuration.

Abstract: An electrical connector for use in an SIR system comprises a connector housing which has a plug portion with a filter cavity disposed therein. A filter element which has a pair of longitudinally disposed receptacles is disposed within the filter cavity. The connector also has a pair of terminals each of which has a barrel portion that is disposed within each of the receptacles within the filter element and a perpendicular crimp portion. A retaining cap which has a connector position assurance portion (CPA) and a cover portion connected by a pair of flexible straps is fastened to the connector housing to align and retain the terminals within the connector housing. The terminals have a U-shaped transition area that allows for a smaller terminal.

Abstract: An electrical connector (10) comprising a first part (12) including a housing (16) having opposed side walls (18,20) each having an upper wall (24) and a lower wall (26) defining opposed slide surfaces (28) extending in a direction (Y) substantially perpendicular to the mating axis. Each side wall (34,36) includes first and second spaced apertures (34,36) and an upward extension (70). A slider (30,31) is positioned adjacent each side wall and includes a pair of inclined cam surfaces (46) having openings (48) alignable with the apertures in the lower wall, and a resilient tab (52) for making a snap fit in the first aperture in a fully unmated position or the second aperture in a fully mated position. A substantially U-shaped lever (58) having a pair of arms (60) and pivot means (62,72) on each arm allowing the lever to pivot relative to the housing. Drive means (66,74;68,80) on each arm and each slider slide each slider relative to the adjacent side wall on pivoting of the lever relative to the housing.

Abstract: A jump start circuit (26) for electrical connection between a battery (12) of a motor vehicle and jump start terminals (22,24) in the motor vehicle, the jump start circuit comprising a switch (28) for positioning in an electrical line (18) between one (22) of the jump start terminals and the battery, the switch being biased to a normally open position; and a logic circuit (32) having means for monitoring the polarity of a voltage across the jump start terminals, means for closing the switch on detection of a predetermined polarity, and a timer circuit for opening the switch after closing for a predetermined period of time. Provides protection against incorrect polarity connection during jump starting.