Abstract: A miniature shunt connector for commoning a pair of adjacent terminal posts and a method for commoning a pair of adjacent terminal posts are provided. The shunt connector includes a housing formed of an insulating material which forms an internal contact cavity configured to receive an electrical shunt contact. A pair of terminal post receiving apertures communicate with the contact cavity to allow terminal post to be inserted therein. A surface feature is also formed in a wall of the contact for locking said contact element into said housing. An electrical shunt contact element is provided and configured to fit within the internal shunt cavity. The contact element is formed with two rear contact beams and two resilient front contact beams. The resilient front contact beams being provided with and anti-overstress feature in the form of flared ends configured to physically engage the contact housing. A shunt portion of the contact element provides an electrical short circuit between the contact beams.

Abstract: A releasably latching system is provided for an electrical connector assembly which includes first and second connectors. The first connector has a front mating face and a rear face. The second connector has a front mating face for interfacing with the front mating face of the first connector. A latch arm extends forwardly from the rear face of the first connector and includes a forward latch hook for latching engagement with a latch shoulder associated with the second connector. An aperture is provided in the rear face of the first connector and into which a tool can be inserted in engagement with the latch arm to move the forward latch hook out of latching engagement with the latch shoulder associated with the second connector.

Abstract: A panel mounted, sealed electrical connector assembly is provided for mounting in an aperture in a panel. The assembly includes a connector housing having a front mating end adapted to be inserted through the aperture from a first surface to at least a second surface of the panel in order to mate with a complementary electrical component. Locking arms project from the housing to mount the housing in the aperture. A sealing boot engages the housing rearwardly of the first surface and extends toward and engages the panel surrounding the aperture. Resilient flanges surround a substantial portion of the periphery of the housing and are adapted to be biased against the first surface of the panel. The sealing boot includes a forward peripheral lip adapted to be received between the flanges of the housing and the first surface of the panel surrounding the aperture, whereby the flanges resiliently bias the lip against the first surface and provides an environmental seal about the aperture.

Abstract: A multi-pin electrical connector is adapted for surface mounting on a printed circuit board. The connector includes a header or housing having a plurality of pin-receiving through holes. A plurality of terminal pins are received in the holes of the header, with portions adapted for surface mounting on circuit traces on the printed circuit board. The terminal pins have spaced enlargements located on opposite sides of the header to retain the pins in the holes. The enlargements are spaced along the pins a distance greater than the thickness of the header about the holes whereby the pins can float in the holes to accommodate any non-uniform spacing between the header and the printed circuit board and ensure contact of the terminal pin portions with the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector system includes self-terminating pin and socket terminals which have forward mating ends and identical rearward wire receiving ends. The wire receiving ends are mountable in a modular rear housing. The modular rear housing is mateable with either a front plug housing or a front receptacle housing. The terminals can be mass terminated by inserting a plurality of wires into the modular rear housing and by axially advancing the modular rear housing toward the front housing component of the system. The housing components can be readily separated from one another for repair or replacement of terminals. Selected connectors may be lockingly mountable to panels and may be lockingly mateable with one another.

Abstract: A unitarily molded environmentally protective backshell is provided with a unitary ratcheted tie strap for strain relief connection of a cable to the backshell. The backshell comprises a base for receiving an electrical connector therein and a cover hingedly connected to the base for environmentally protecting the electrical connector therein. Resilient latches lockingly retain the cover to the base. The interengagement of the cover with the base prevents outward bowing of the base side walls. The ratcheted tie strap lockingly engages a deflectable ratchet trigger which also is unitary to the base. The trigger is angularly aligned to walls of a tie strap receiving aperture and is dimensioned to exert a biasing force against the tie strap thereby preventing loosening of the strain relief connection.

Abstract: An I.C. chip carrier and header assembly is provided. The assembly comprises a generally rectangular shrouded header with pins force fit therein. The pins are connectable to conductive traces on a printed circuit. A protective tape may be disposed over the header to control the locations at which conformal coatings may be applied, and thereby avoid extensive cleaning operations. The assembly further comprises a carrier with receptacles for receiving box-type double female carrier terminals. The I.C. chip is mountable in the carrier with the leads thereof being connectable to the carrier terminals by soldering. A cover is locked into engagement with the carrier to define a plugable subassembly. The subassembly is then urged into lockable but removable engagement with the header and the pins thereof.

Abstract: A low profile right angle phone jack for use with printed circuit boards is disclosed. The jack includes a dielectric housing member having a modular plug receiving socket formed therein, a forward mating end and a rearward end. The socket is defined by a plug-receiving opening forned in the forward mating end with a lower latch receving region and extends rearwardly to meet a back surface provided in the housing member. The housing member is mounted with its forward mating end disposed beyond an edge of the printed circuit board. The forward mating end of the housing member is offset downwardly so that the lower latch receiving region of the plug receiving opening is below the upper surface of the circuit board. In addition, the housing member cooperates with the printed circuit board surface to define the socket whereby the upper surface of the circuit board is the bottom surface of the socket.

Abstract: An improved two-piece modular phone jack assembly and method of making the same. The jack assembly includes a connector housing and a carrier subassembly mounted in the housing. The carrier subassembly has a support member which mounts a plurality of stamped metallic elongated conductors. The support member includes a body portion, a generally horizontal base portion extending rearwardly of the body portion and a generally horizontal cantilevered top portion extending forwardly of the body portion. The conductors are positioned and stacked onto the upper surface of the top portion of the support member so that simultaneous forming of said conductors can occur during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: An electrical wire connector having an insulating body and cover, a conductive contact element and a wire cut-off blade. The cap and body telescope together to force wires into the contact element and to force the wires against the cut-off blade to sever the ends of the wires and the cap and body have cooperating parts to close off the end of the body adjacent the severed wire ends.

Abstract: A wire insertion tool usable for inserting a wire into a split cylinder connector. The tool includes a central rod portion, a sleeve portion spaced outwardly from the rod portion and at least a pair of openings in the side wall of the sleeve portion to provide the tool with a self cleaning feature.

Abstract: An electrical wire connector having an insulating body and cover, a conductive contact element and a wire cut-off blade. The cap and body telescope together to force wires into the contact element and to force the wires against the cut-off blade to sever the ends of the wires and the cap and body have cooperating parts to close off the end of the body adjacent the severed wire ends.