Abstract: A conductive ground shroud (50) for use with an electrical connector (22) having a plurality of electrical terminals (36) with surface mountable contact sections (42) for electrically engaging circuitry (84) on a circuit board (80). The shroud (50) provides ground reference for the terminals (36). Shroud 50 includes an electrically conductive plate-like body 52 having first and second portions, (54, 62) the first portion (54) adapted to be disposed on a board remote surface (26) of the connector housing. The second portion is configured to extend over the surface mountable contact sections (42) when the shroud (50) is disposed on housing (24). The second portion (62) includes at least one second contact section (70) extending outwardly therefrom for engagement to ground circuitry of circuit board (80). The second portion further includes at least one elongated aperture (64) extending therethrough proximate the surface mountable contact sections (40).

Abstract: Modular electrical connector assemblies and filtered connector inserts therefor. The assembly includes one or more filtered connector inserts releasably mounted within an outer conductive shell. A plurality of filtered contact assemblies are releasably retained within the insert. Each filtered contact assembly includes an electrical contact, a filter electrically coupled to the contact, and a first grounding means electrically coupled to said filter. The filtered contact assemblies are releasably and electrically coupled to the insert when the assemblies are releasably mounted to the insert, and to the outer shell when the insert is mounted within the shell. With the invention, a grounding path is automatically provided from the filter associated with each filtered contact assembly to the outer shell to dissipate filtered interference, while allowing individual removal and replacement of each filtered contact assembly from the insert, and removal and replacement of each insert from the shell.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided which has both transient suppression and filtering means for protecting electronic equipment from energy generated by RFI, EMI, EMP and ESD. The connector is comprised of a conductive housing member having an axially extending passageway therethrough, and a circuit assembly disposed therein, the circuit assembly including a transient suppression subassembly and a pi-network filter assembly in electrical engagement with a plurality of electrical terminals. The transient suppression subassembly is comprised of a dielectric substrate having conductive path disposed thereon, a plurality of apertures extending therethrough for receiving electrical terminal members and preferably a bidirectional diode electrically connected to the terminal members and conductive path means and grounding means. The filter assembly, comprised of capacitor and inductor members is electrically engageable with the terminal members and ground.

Abstract: A transient suppression assembly for protecting individual circuits on printed circuit boards and for retrofitting existing electrical connectors is disclosed. The assembly is comprised of a dielectric substrate means having terminal engaging means disposed thereon, a grounding means and transient suppression means such as diodes electrically connecting said terminal engaging means and said ground means for suppressing voltages outside a specified level as they are conducted through terminals of the connector and said terminal engaging means.

Abstract: Modular electrical connector assemblies and filtered connector inserts therefor. The assembly includes one or more connector inserts removably mounted within an outer shell. The filtered insert comprises a housing means, at least a portion of which is electrically conductive; at least one electrical contact within the housing means; and filter means within the housing electrically coupled to the contact for filtering interference, and electrically coupled to the conductive housing portion for providing a grounding path from the filter means to the conductive housing portion. Means are also provided for electrically coupling the conductive housing portion of the insert to the outer shell automatically when the insert is positioned in and mounted to the shell to provide an external grounding path from the conductive housing portion to the shell.

Abstract: A filtered electrical connector for connection to a complementary electrical connector is disclosed. The connector is comprised of a dielectric housing means having a plurality of terminal receiving passageways therein; electrical terminal means disposed in the terminal receiving passageways, the terminal means being terminated onto electrical conductor means; filter means electrically coupled to the conductor means; grounding means electrically coupled to the filter means; and conductive housing means for receiving the dielectric housing means. The conductive housing means is electrically connectable to the grounding means. In accordance with the invention, the filter means may be tubular sleeve members or a monolithic planar filter member.

Abstract: A stamped and formed terminal is disclosed as a replacement for the previously used screw machine terminals. The subject terminal is cheaper and easier to produce. It provides an aperture to prevent undesired wicking of solder into the terminal during soldering of the filter sleeve to the terminal and a shoulder to provide correct positioning of the filter sleeve on the terminal.

Abstract: A pin connector has a pin carrier into which a plurality of contact pins snap in and are retained; the pin carrier being cemented in an outer conductive shell having a plurality of hollow tubular filter member with each pin having a part thereof seated in a different one of the tubular members and the outer diameter of the tubular filter members are grounded whereby to provide a low pass filter in the body for each pin. A front pin guide is inserted in the end of the shell opposite the pin carrier, all members being aligned by means of a key in the interior surface of the shell and keywrap in all of the interior inserts.