Abstract: An electrical connector system having a male and female connector. The male connector includes a U-shaped shroud axially surrounding a male terminal having an opening generally perpendicular to the male terminal's longitudinal axis. The female connector includes a female terminal having two openings, one generally parallel with the female terminal's longitudinal axis and another generally perpendicular to that axis. The male and female terminals mate in a parallel configuration having the male terminal axis generally parallel to the female terminal axis or in a perpendicular configuration having the male terminal axis generally perpendicular to the female terminal axis. A connector body holds the female terminal. The connector body defines a locking means that releasably secures the connector body to the shroud in both the parallel and perpendicular mating configurations. The locking means may include a triangular shaped lock tab that engages a similarly shaped lock aperture.

Abstract: A termination arrangement for a cable bundle includes a body with a cable cavity extending therethrough with the plurality of cables extending into the cable cavity. The body includes a cable attachment end through which the cable bundle enters the cable cavity. The cable attachment end includes an annular-shaped sealing recess radially surrounding a portion of the cable cavity. The sealing recess has an inner wall, an outer wall radially surrounding the inner wall, and a bottom wall joining the inner wall and the outer wall. An electromagnetic shield radially surrounds the cable bundle outside of the cavity and extends into the sealing recess. An insulation tubing radially surrounds the electromagnetic shield and the cable bundle outside of the cable cavity and extends into the sealing recess. A collar secured to the cable attachment end retains the electromagnetic shield and the insulation tubing within the sealing recess.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a grounding arrangement on a shielded cable which includes a conductive core, a core insulation layer, a conductive shield layer, and an outer insulation layer. An inner ferrule is positioned adjacent an end portion of the conductive shield layer that has been exposed, the inner ferrule is crimped around the core insulation layer, and the end portion is folded over the inner ferrule to radially surround the inner ferrule. An electrically conductive outer ferrule is positioned radially adjacent to the end portion and the outer ferrule is crimped radially around the inner ferrule to capture the end portion radially between the inner ferrule and the outer ferrule, thereby fixing the outer ferrule in electrical contact with the conductive shield layer.

Abstract: An electrical connector system having a male and female connector. The male connector includes a U-shaped shroud axially surrounding a male terminal having an opening generally perpendicular to the male terminal's longitudinal axis. The female connector includes a female terminal having two openings, one generally parallel with the female terminal's longitudinal axis and another generally perpendicular to that axis. The male and female terminals mate in a parallel configuration having the male terminal axis generally parallel to the female terminal axis or in a perpendicular configuration having the male terminal axis generally perpendicular to the female terminal axis. A connector body holds the female terminal. The connector body defines a locking means that releasably secures the connector body to the shroud in both the parallel and perpendicular mating configurations. The locking means may include a triangular shaped lock tab that engages a similarly shaped lock aperture.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a grounding arrangement on a shielded cable which includes a conductive core, a core insulation layer, a conductive shield layer, and an outer insulation layer. An inner ferrule is positioned adjacent an end portion of the conductive shield layer that has been exposed, the inner ferrule is crimped around the core insulation layer, and the end portion is folded over the inner ferrule to radially surround the inner ferrule. An electrically conductive outer ferrule is positioned radially adjacent to the end portion and the outer ferrule is crimped radially around the inner ferrule to capture the end portion radially between the inner ferrule and the outer ferrule, thereby fixing the outer ferrule in electrical contact with the conductive shield layer.

Abstract: A termination arrangement for a cable bundle includes a body with a cable cavity extending therethrough with the plurality of cables extending into the cable cavity. The body includes a cable attachment end through which the cable bundle enters the cable cavity. The cable attachment end includes an annular-shaped sealing recess radially surrounding a portion of the cable cavity. The sealing recess has an inner wall, an outer wall radially surrounding the inner wall, and a bottom wall joining the inner wall and the outer wall. An electromagnetic shield radially surrounds the cable bundle outside of the cavity and extends into the sealing recess. An insulation tubing radially surrounds the electromagnetic shield and the cable bundle outside of the cable cavity and extends into the sealing recess. A collar secured to the cable attachment end retains the electromagnetic shield and the insulation tubing within the sealing recess.

Abstract: A tie clip includes a strap body formed of a first material. The strap body has a first and second end, a strap retention member, a plurality of teeth disposed on the strap body, and a securing member. The strap body also includes sealing member that is formed of a second material that is different from the first material. The second material is directly chemically bonded to the first material. The first end of the strap body is received in a unidirectional manner in the strap retention member so as to form a loop that fixedly holds at least one object such that the object is prevented from having lateral movement through the loop. When the securing member is fastenably secured within a hole of a mounting structure, the sealing member sealingly engages against the mounting structure surrounding the hole to prevent environmental element intrusion therethrough.

Abstract: A tie clip includes a strap body formed of a first material. The strap body has a first and second end, a strap retention member, a plurality of teeth disposed on the strap body, and a securing member. The strap body also includes sealing member that is formed of a second material that is different from the first material. The second material is directly chemically bonded to the first material. The first end of the strap body is received in a unidirectional manner in the strap retention member so as to form a loop that fixedly holds at least one object such that the object is prevented from having lateral movement through the loop. When the securing member is fastenably secured within a hole of a mounting structure, the sealing member sealingly engages against the mounting structure surrounding the hole to prevent environmental element intrusion therethough.

Abstract: A heat shielded spark plug boot assembly for an ignition cable connector comprises an L-shaped tubular, elastomeric boot having a cable end portion for receiving an ignition cable, a seal end portion for receiving a spark plug and sealing around its outer insulated part and an intermediate cavity portion for housing a terminal for connection with the spark plug. An L-shaped heat shield is stamped from flat metal heat stock and then bent and formed to provide a pair of spaced apart, generally parallel L-shaped sides, a back side having an inwardly indented semi-circular upper end and with the sides at their upper ends being rolled on the semi-circular upper end of the back and toward and into engagement with each other to form a semi-circle and longitudinal seam at their free edges. The upper portion of one side has a tab whose free end is received within a complementary shaped recess of the other upper end of the other side so as to interlock the two sides together.

Abstract: An ignition cable terminal assembly for connecting an ignition cable to a spark plug terminal which is located in a deep well in an internal combustion engine has a handled stiffener for manipulating the ignition cable terminal assembly into engagement with the spark plug terminal. The stiffener comprises first and second members of relatively rigid thermoplastic material. The first member is a columnar arrangement of a lower collar portion which holds an elastomeric boot of the ignition cable terminal assembly, an intermediate channel portion for loading the elastomeric boot into the lower collar portion, and an upper handle portion for manipulating the stiffener. The second member is a closure member for the channel portion which including a clip for gripping the portion of the ignition cable which is disposed in the channel and a stop for holding the elastomeric boot down in the lower collar portion of the first member.

Abstract: A spark plug connector for connecting an ignition cable to a recessed contact button of a spark plug comprises a boot assembly and a terminal assembly. The boot assembly includes a thermoplastic tubular boot that has an internal suspended terminal support tube and an external arm for securing the spark plug connector to an engine head. The boot assembly also includes an insert molded elastomeric seal that provides spark plug and ignition cable seals at the respective ends of the boot. The terminal assembly comprising a pin terminal, a pin terminal retainer and a coil compression spring. The pin terminal retainer includes a sleeve that is disposed in the terminal support tube and a forward latch tang that prevents withdrawal of the terminal assembly from the boot assembly. The pin terminal in the sleeve of the pin terminal retainer and an enlarged head that serves as the electrical contact that is pushed forwardly by the compression spring to engage the recessed contact of the spark plug assembly.

Abstract: An ignition cable terminal assembly comprises an elongated hard plastic pipe which has an elastomeric head cover and an elastomeric seal sleeve. The elastomeric head cover has a handle portion which is reinforced by conformations at the top of the hard plastic pipe so that the elastomeric head cover is not damaged when the assembly is pushed on or pulled off a spark plug. The lower end of the hard plastic pipe has an internal shoulder and a pull bar which engage the ignition terminal housed in the pipe so that the electrical and mechanical connection between the ignition terminal and the ignition cable is not stressed when the assembly is pushed on or pulled off the spark plug.

Abstract: An ignition terminal assembly for attachment to an ignition cable comprises an elongated terminal and a C-shaped retention clip. The elongated terminal has a forward contact cup which a wide gap at the front end which allows the ignition terminal assembly to be disconnected from a mating terminal at a substantial angle without distorting and damaging the ignition terminal assembly. The elongated terminal has an intermediate wall which is joined to the top wall of the contact cup above of the longitudinal centerline of the elongated terminal and to a closed bottom wall of a crimp barrel below the longitudinal centerline so that intermediate wall forms a stop for ignition cable which is attached to the terminal assembly by the crimp barrel.