Abstract: An electrical connector system for electrically and mechanically connecting with a component in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The connector system includes a motor vehicle component and a male connector assembly with a male housing that receives a male terminal. This terminal includes a receiver and side walls with a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. An internal spring member with at least one spring arm resides within the male terminal receiver. A female connector assembly includes a female terminal with a receptacle that receives both the male terminal and the spring member. A female housing receives the female terminal and an extent of the male connector assembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for electrically and mechanically connecting a component to a power source is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a male terminal with side walls defining a receiver. The side wall includes a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. The assembly also includes an internal spring member dimensioned to reside within the receiver of the male terminal. The spring member has at least one spring arm that extends from a base portion. The assembly further includes a female terminal with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the male terminal and the spring member residing within the receiver of the male connector to define a connected position. In the connected position, the spring arm exerts an outwardly directed biasing force on the contact arm of the male terminal to outwardly displace it into engagement with an inner surface of the receptacle to ensure connectivity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical connector assembly for use in a high-power application, such as with motor vehicle electronics, that exposes the connector assembly to elevated temperatures and thermal cycling. The connector assembly includes a first electrically conductive connector formed from a first material, an internal spring member formed from a second material residing within the first connector, and a second electrically conductive connector with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the first connector and the spring member to define a connected position, wherein the connector assembly withstands the elevated temperatures and thermal cycling resulting from the high-power application. To maintain the first and second connectors in the connected position, the spring arm of the spring member exerts an outwardly directed force on the contact beam of the first connector to outwardly displace the contact beam into engagement with an inner surface of the receptacle of the second connector.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method using a hand-mounted force sensor to verify installation of a CPA-enabled electrical connector. The system has at least one CPA-enabled electrical connector with a locking button; at least one hand-mounted force sensor; an interface board; a transmission channel; a system processor; a non-transitory computer readable memory element; a display; and an input. The hand-mounted force sensors have an electrical output that is proportional to the force. The method is accomplished with the steps of mounting at least one force sensor so that it will record the force exerted when depressing a locking button of a CPA-enabled electrical connector; depressing the locking button; measuring the force; recording the force; comparing the force to a pre-determined threshold; passing the CPA-enabled electrical connector if the force was less than the pre-determined threshold and otherwise failing it.

Abstract: An electrical connector system for electrically and mechanically connecting with a component in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The connector system includes a motor vehicle component and a male connector assembly with a male housing that receives a male terminal. This terminal includes a receiver and side walls with a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. An internal spring member with at least one spring arm resides within the male terminal receiver. A female connector assembly includes a female terminal with a receptacle that receives both the male terminal and the spring member. A female housing receives the female terminal and an extent of the male connector assembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for electrically and mechanically connecting a component to a power source is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a male terminal with side walls defining a receiver. The side wall includes a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. The assembly also includes an internal spring member dimensioned to reside within the receiver of the male terminal. The spring member has at least one spring arm that extends from a base portion. The assembly further includes a female terminal with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the male terminal and the spring member residing within the receiver of the male connector to define a connected position. In the connected position, the spring arm exerts an outwardly directed biasing force on the contact arm of the male terminal to outwardly displace it into engagement with an inner surface of the receptacle to ensure connectivity.

Abstract: The present invention is an RFID-enabled electrical connector with connector position assurance (“CPA”) features, comprised of an electrical connector having a plug, a socket, and a CPA feature; a strategically located electrically conductive material, such as a conductive polymer or metalized plastic; and an RFID tag. The present invention can be fabricated using a standard RFID tag, or a mini-RFID tag that has no antenna. The lack of antenna gives the mini-RFID tag an effective transmission distance of less than 25 mm. In the illustrated embodiments, until the CPA feature has been fully deployed, the RFID tag or mini-RFID tag cannot be read because of the strategic placement of the electrically conductive material. The RFID tag can only be properly read after the CPA feature has been fully deployed.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method using a hand-mounted force sensor to verify installation of a CPA-enabled electrical connector. The system has at least one CPA-enabled electrical connector with a locking button; at least one hand-mounted force sensor; an interface board; a transmission channel; a system processor; a non-transitory computer readable memory element; a display; and an input. The hand-mounted force sensors have an electrical output that is proportional to the force. The method is accomplished with the steps of mounting at least one force sensor so that it will record the force exerted when depressing a locking button of a CPA-enabled electrical connector; depressing the locking button; measuring the force; recording the force; comparing the force to a pre-determined threshold; passing the CPA-enabled electrical connector if the force was less than the pre-determined threshold and otherwise failing it.

Abstract: A connector system for use in a power distribution system includes a male terminal assembly, a female terminal assembly and an internal spring. The male terminal assembly includes a male terminal body formed with a spring receiver, a base wall, and a plurality of contact arms extending forward from the base wall and arranged along a curvilinear contact arm path. The contact arms are spatially arranged such that a contact arm opening resides between a pair of contact arms in the plurality of contact arms and no intervening structure of the male terminal body resides between a pair of contact arms in the plurality of contact arms. The internal spring is dimensioned to reside within the spring receiver, and includes a plurality of spring arms arranged along a curvilinear spring arm path. The female connector assembly has a female terminal with a female receptacle.

Abstract: A connector system for electrically connecting a power source to other power distribution components or assemblies, for example in a motor vehicle. This connector system includes a male connector assembly with an electrically conductive male terminal assembly having a male terminal body and an internal spring assembly. The male terminal body includes contact arms with irregular outer peripheries configured to reduce the insertion force associated with the male terminal body. The internal spring assembly includes a spring member and a spring holder that ensures and maintains proper relative positioning or alignment of the internal spring member within the male terminal assembly. The connector system also includes a female connector assembly with a female terminal assembly that receives the male terminal assembly and the spring assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method using a hand-mounted force sensor to verify installation of a CPA-enabled electrical connector. The system has at least one CPA-enabled electrical connector with a locking button; at least one hand-mounted force sensor; an interface board; a transmission channel; a system processor; a non-transitory computer readable memory element; a display; and an input. The hand-mounted force sensors have an electrical output that is proportional to the force. By interposing a force sensor between the locking button and the source of force, the force to close the locking tab can be read.

Abstract: The present invention is an electrically conductive polymer that is stable with respect to both time and environmental conditions. Most electrically conductive polymers have bulk resistance that varies (increases) over time. The current electrically conductive polymers also vary when they are exposed to harsh environments. The time and environmental variability is attributable to both the type of fiber and the type of coating used. The present invention uses stainless steel fibers that have an outer most coating that is one of tin, tin-lead, tin-silver, tin-palladium, tin-silver-palladium, and silver-palladium. The coating comprises 5%-40%, by weight, of the coating fiber. The coated fiber comprises 25%-35%, by weight, of the electrically conductive polymer. The bulk polymer is at least one of polypropylene (“PP”), polycarbonate (“PC”), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”), polyethylene (“PE”), polyether ether ketone (“PEEK”), and polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”).

Abstract: An electrical connector system for electrically and mechanically connecting with a component in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The connector system includes a motor vehicle component and a male connector assembly with a male housing that receives a male terminal. This terminal includes a receiver and side walls with a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. An internal spring member with at least one spring arm resides within the male terminal receiver. A female connector assembly includes a female terminal with a receptacle that receives both the male terminal and the spring member. A female housing receives the female terminal and an extent of the male connector assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is an RFID-enabled electrical connector with connector position assurance (“CPA”) features. The RFID tag is only readable after the CPA features have been fully deployed. The electrical connector is comprised of at least two parts, a socket and a plug. In the illustrated embodiment, a connector housing is positioned between the socket and plug, with both the socket and plug connecting to the connector housing. Until the CPA feature has been fully deployed, the RFID tag is covered by an electrically conductive material, preferably an electrically conductive plastic. The RFID tag can only be properly read after the CPA feature has been fully deployed. To prevent signal leakage, the RFID tag can alternately be placed inside a five-sided box fabricated from electrically conductive material, preferably electrically conductive plastic.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method using a hand-mounted force sensor to verify installation of a CPA-enabled electrical connector. The system has at least one CPA-enabled electrical connector with a locking button; at least one hand-mounted force sensor; an interface board; a transmission channel; a system processor; a non-transitory computer readable memory element; a display; and an input. The hand-mounted force sensors have an electrical output that is proportional to the force. By interposing a force sensor between the locking button and the source of force, the force to close the locking tab can be read.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for electrically and mechanically connecting a component to a power source is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a male terminal with side walls defining a receiver. The side wall includes a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. The assembly also includes an internal spring member dimensioned to reside within the receiver of the male terminal. The spring member has at least one spring arm that extends from a base portion. The assembly further includes a female terminal with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the male terminal and the spring member residing within the receiver of the male connector to define a connected position. In the connected position, the spring arm exerts an outwardly directed biasing force on the contact arm of the male terminal to outwardly displace it into engagement with an inner surface of the receptacle to ensure connectivity.

Abstract: An electrical connector system for electrically and mechanically connecting with a component in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The connector system includes a motor vehicle component and a male connector assembly with a male housing that receives a male terminal. This terminal includes a receiver and side walls with a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. An internal spring member with at least one spring arm resides within the male terminal receiver. A female connector assembly includes a female terminal with a receptacle that receives both the male terminal and the spring member. A female housing receives the female terminal and an extent of the male connector assembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly for electrically and mechanically connecting a component to a power source is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a male terminal with side walls defining a receiver. The side wall includes a contact arm that extends across an aperture in the side wall. The assembly also includes an internal spring member dimensioned to reside within the receiver of the male terminal. The spring member has at least one spring arm that extends from a base portion. The assembly further includes a female terminal with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the male terminal and the spring member residing within the receiver of the male connector to define a connected position. In the connected position, the spring arm exerts an outwardly directed biasing force on the contact arm of the male terminal to outwardly displace it into engagement with an inner surface of the receptacle to ensure connectivity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical connector assembly for use in a high-power application, such as with motor vehicle electronics, that exposes the connector assembly to elevated temperatures and thermal cycling. The connector assembly includes a first electrically conductive connector formed from a first material, an internal spring member formed from a second material residing within the first connector, and a second electrically conductive connector with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the first connector and the spring member to define a connected position, wherein the connector assembly withstands the elevated temperatures and thermal cycling resulting from the high-power application. To maintain the first and second connectors in the connected position, the spring arm of the spring member exerts an outwardly directed force on the contact beam of the first connector to outwardly displace the contact beam into engagement with an inner surface of the receptacle of the second connector.

Abstract: The present invention is a wireless HVIL system and method using RFID-enabled Electrical Connector with connector position assurance (“CPA”) features. Each RFID-enabled Electrical Connector has an RFID tag that is only readable after the CPA features of the RFID-enabled Electrical Connector have been fully deployed. If a CPA feature has not been fully deployed, electrically conductive material will obscure the RFID tag so that it cannot be read. At least one RFID reader is distributed so that all of the RFID tags are within its effective range. When system power is cycled on, the at least one RFID reader emits a digital pulse and reads all of the non-obscured RFID tags. If the at least one RFID reader detects all of the expected RFID tags, an HVIL processor will shut an HVIL switch, and power will be supplied to all HV devices.