Abstract: A connector assembly includes an electrical contact subassembly and an outer housing. The contact subassembly is terminated to an electrical cable. The outer housing defines a cavity and holds the contact subassembly in the cavity. A mating segment of the outer housing defines a socket of the cavity that is configured to receive a plug end of a mating connector assembly. The outer housing further includes an interface seal within the cavity. The interface seal is configured to engage the plug end of the mating connector assembly during a mating operation to seal an interface between the connector assembly and the mating connector assembly. The seal may be formed by in-situ molding in the outer housing.

Abstract: An ergonomically friendly terminal position assurance device for use with an electrical connector. The device includes a terminal position assurance device for use with an electrical connector. The device includes a terminal engaging section and an engagement section. The terminal engaging section has a first end and an oppositely facing second end. The engagement section extends from the first end and has a bearing surface, the bearing surface has a surface area which is wider than the width of the terminal engaging section. The engagement section extends at least part of the length of the terminal engagement section. The bearing surface of the engagement section is configured to allow an assembler to push the terminal position assurance device during assembly of the electrical connector in an ergonomically friendly manner.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an electrical contact subassembly and an outer housing. The contact subassembly is terminated to an electrical cable. The outer housing defines a cavity and holds the contact subassembly in the cavity. A mating segment of the outer housing defines a socket of the cavity that is configured to receive a plug end of a mating connector assembly. The outer housing further includes an interface seal within the cavity. The interface seal is configured to engage the plug end of the mating connector assembly during a mating operation to seal an interface between the connector assembly and the mating connector assembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a front housing having front terminal channels and rear housing having rear terminal channels aligned with the front terminal channels. An ISL device is coupled to the housing with a front plate positioned in front of the front housing and a lock plate positioned between the front housing and the rear housing. The ISL device has a staged mating sequence with the housing, wherein in a first stage, lock plate channels are aligned with the front and rear terminal channels to allow the terminals to at least partially pass therethrough, and wherein in a second stage, the lock plate is moved relative to the housing to a blocking position where the lock plate blocks the terminals from removal from the front terminal channels.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing having housing cavities extending between a mating end and a loading end. The housing having module latches associated with corresponding housing cavities. Contact modules are received in corresponding housing cavities. Each contact module having first and second module cavities extending between a front end and a rear end of the contact modules. The contact modules being held within the housing cavity by the corresponding module latch. Each contact module having an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) circuit, the UTP circuit includes first and second signal wires and first and second terminals terminated to the first and second signal wires. The signal wires being twisted along a length of the first and second signal wires.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing including a front housing and a rear housing matable to define the housing. The front housing and the rear housing are molded as a single piece with a hinge member connecting the front housing and the rear housing. The rear housing is rotatable about the hinge member from an open position to a closed position. The front housing has front terminal channels configured to receive terminals and the rear housing has rear terminal channels aligned with the front terminal channels when the rear housing is rotated to the closed position but not aligned with the front terminal channels when the rear housing is in the open position. The rear terminal channels are configured to allow the terminals to at least partially pass therethrough into the front terminal channels during loading of the terminals into the housing.

Abstract: A harness connector includes a harness housing having a signal cavity and a power cavity defined by housing walls. At least one of the housing walls has a locking rail extending therefrom into the corresponding signal cavity or power cavity. Signal harness cartridges are received in the signal cavity, each holding a plurality of signal terminals. Each signal harness cartridge has a locking slot configured to receive a corresponding locking rail in a position directly behind the signal terminals to secure the signal terminals in the signal harness cartridge. A power harness cartridge is received in the power cavity that holds a plurality of power terminals. The power harness cartridge has a locking slot configured to receive a corresponding locking rail in a position directly behind the power terminals to secure the power terminals in the power harness cartridge.

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 a header housing having a cavity configured to receive a receptacle connector therein. The header housing has at least one cartridge latch in the cavity. A signal header cartridge is received in the cavity and locked in the header housing by the at least one cartridge latch. The signal header cartridge has a plurality of signal contacts extending between mating portions and mounting portions that extend from the signal header cartridge. A power header cartridge is received in the cavity and locked in the header housing by the at least one cartridge latch. The power header cartridge has a plurality of power contacts extending between mating portions and mounting portions that extend from the power header cartridge.

Abstract: A harness connector includes a harness housing having a signal cavity and a power cavity defined by housing walls. At least one of the housing walls has a locking rail extending therefrom into the corresponding signal cavity or power cavity. Signal harness cartridges are received in the signal cavity, each holding a plurality of signal terminals. Each signal harness cartridge has a locking slot configured to receive a corresponding locking rail in a position directly behind the signal terminals to secure the signal terminals in the signal harness cartridge. A power harness cartridge is received in the power cavity that holds a plurality of power terminals. The power harness cartridge has a locking slot configured to receive a corresponding locking rail in a position directly behind the power terminals to secure the power terminals in the power harness cartridge.

Abstract: A pass-through connector system is provided that includes a receptacle assembly and a pass-through connector. The receptacle assembly has a mounting ear at least proximate to a mounting end. The mounting ear defines an aperture therethrough that receives a fastener to mount the receptacle assembly to a substrate. A diameter of the aperture of the mounting ear is greater than an outer diameter of the fastener such that a gap is formed between the mounting ear and the fastener. The pass-through connector extends through a window in a panel that at least partially surrounds the substrate. The pass-through connector has a shroud at a plug end that defines an opening to a cavity. The receptacle assembly is floatable radially within the gap relative to the fastener to allow the shroud to guide the receptacle assembly into alignment with the cavity of the pass-through connector during mating.

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: An electrical connector is provided that includes a housing that has a mating end and a carrier receiving end. The housing includes a rail that extends through the carrier receiving end into a chamber defined by the housing. The electrical connector also includes a carrier configured to be loaded into the chamber from the carrier receiving end. The carrier has terminal channels that are configured to receive terminals therein, and retention latches configured to retain the terminals in the terminal channels. The carrier also has a groove that is configured to receive the rail of the housing when the carrier is loaded within the housing. When a terminal is not fully inserted within a terminal channel, the retention latch in the terminal channel is deflected outward into the groove. The retention latch interferes with the rail of the housing and prevents further advancement of the carrier into the chamber.

Abstract: A lever for use with a plug housing and a method of manufacturing. The method includes molding the housing and lever in one mold, with the housing and lever being separate parts. Extracting the housing and lever from the mold and moving a mating end of the lever into position relative to a mounting portion of the housing. The lever may include a first member having a first handle and a second member having a second handle which are mated together to form the lever. Additionally, the lever may have portions which are movably, hingedly or pivotably connected to a handle at a connection regions which are formed to provide a weakened area about which lever arms can move, rotate or pivot relative to the handle.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided that includes a housing that has a mating end and a carrier receiving end. The housing includes a rail that extends through the carrier receiving end into a chamber defined by the housing. The electrical connector also includes a carrier configured to be loaded into the chamber from the carrier receiving end. The carrier has terminal channels that are configured to receive terminals therein, and retention latches configured to retain the terminals in the terminal channels. The carrier also has a groove that is configured to receive the rail of the housing when the carrier is loaded within the housing. When a terminal is not fully inserted within a terminal channel, the retention latch in the terminal channel is deflected outward into the groove. The retention latch interferes with the rail of the housing and prevents further advancement of the carrier into the chamber.

Abstract: A header assembly includes a header housing having a cavity configured to receive a receptacle connector therein. The header housing has at least one cartridge latch in the cavity. A signal header cartridge is received in the cavity and locked in the header housing by the at least one cartridge latch. The signal header cartridge has a plurality of signal contacts extending between mating portions and mounting portions that extend from the signal header cartridge. A power header cartridge is received in the cavity and locked in the header housing by the at least one cartridge latch. The power header cartridge has a plurality of power contacts extending between mating portions and mounting portions that extend from the power header cartridge.

Abstract: A lever for use with a plug housing and a method of manufacturing. The method includes molding the housing and lever in one mold, with the housing and lever being separate parts. Extracting the housing and lever from the mold and moving a mating end of the lever into position relative to a mounting portion of the housing. The lever may include a first member having a first handle and a second member having a second handle which are mated together to form the lever. Additionally, the lever may have portions which are movably, hingedly or pivotably connected to a handle at a connection regions which are formed to provide a weakened area about which lever arms can move, rotate or pivot relative to the handle.

Abstract: A header connector assembly and a process of fabricating a header connector assembly is disclosed. The header connector assembly includes a header subassembly and a module. The header subassembly includes an outer housing and an inner housing, the inner housing having contacts and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board is attached to the header subassembly.

Abstract: A header connector assembly and a process of fabricating a header connector assembly is disclosed. The header connector assembly includes a header subassembly and a module. The header subassembly includes an outer housing and an inner housing, the inner housing having contacts and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board is attached to the header subassembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a plurality of terminal passages. Each terminal passage has a deflectable latch for securing the terminal within the passage and is configured to permit an electrical terminal to be inserted into the passage. Openings are provided proximate the deflectable latches, with each opening extending from a first terminal passage of the plurality of terminal passages to an adjacent second terminal passage. Projections extend from side surfaces of the terminal passages, with at least one projection extending into each terminal passage. At least one projection is positioned to cooperate with a side surface of a respective deflectable latch to prevent the deflectable latch from being overstressed. The openings and the projections allow the terminal passages to be closely spaced thereby reducing the size of the connector while providing overstress protection for the deflectable latches.