Abstract: A connector system includes a plug connector that latches to a receptacle connector when mated thereto, and which discourages unqualified personnel from unlatching the connectors to unmate them. The plug connector has a pair of narrow release passages (64, 66, FIG. 3) for receiving small rods (60, 62) of a release tool, the plug connector having a thin breakable barrier (70, 72) near the top of each passage. Unqualified mechanics hesitate to break the barriers, and even when the barriers are broken there are only small passages for viewing the latching mechanism. A pair of pin contacts (20, 22, FIG. 14) of the receptacle connector, are connected together until the two connectors are mated, by the use of a wire conductor (210) that has a portion that is wound into a coil (212) that is forced over one pin contact, the coil having an arm (216) that presses against the other pin contact. A bent metal strip contact having one end (90, FIG.

Abstract: Sheet metal contacts (20, FIG. 7) of a connector are terminated to conductors (16) of a flat ribbon cable in a highly secure joint for critical applications. The flat conductors of the cable lie facewise against flat rear ends of the contacts, within a connector housing rear portion. The housing rear portion has slots (46, 50) in its upper and lower walls for receiving welding electrodes to form weld joints (96) between the contacts and cable conductors.

Abstract: A connector is described which has contacts projecting through passages of an insulator, which provides a reliable fluid-tight seal at each contact. Each insulator passage (36, FIG. 7) has first and second passage portions (51, 52) of different diameters, and each contact has contact portions (56, 57) lying in corresponding passage portions, with each contact portion having an enlargement (41, 42) lying in interference fit with a corresponding passage portion. The different diameters of the passage portions and enlargements, provide a plurality of different seal locations, with each seal location being maximally deformed only by the enlargement which lies in an interference fit therein. A front end of the connector is retained within the rear end of a second connector, by a largely U-shaped spring (100, FIG. 5) whose base (102) can be depressed to move down the opposite legs (104, 106) of the spring.

Abstract: A conductive spring device (46, FIG. 8 ) is described, which shorts a pair of connector terminals (14, 16) when the connector (12) is not mated to a second connector device (18). The spring device is of the type having a fixed anchor end (50) connected to a first terminal and an opposite contacting end potion (44) which can pivot in a shorting direction (S) to move outwardly (O) and also sidewardly (A) against the second terminal, and which can be forced to pivot in an unshorting direction (U) to move inwardly and sidewardly away from the second terminal. An isolator (92) of insulative material surrounds an inner portion of the second terminal, so when the contacting end portion is in its unshorting position, it cannot move sidewardly against the second terminal.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided, whose housing is securely connected to the shields of shielded cables while conductors of the cables are connected to contacts of the connector, in a low cost arrangement. A ring (52, FIG. 3) is installed under the braided shield of the cable to provide a bulged shield portion 54 which is pressed against a conductive cable-supporting surface (76, FIG. 4) of the housing. The ring is preferably of elastomeric material, and a simple tie (100, FIG. 6) can surround the cables and a housing retainer (66) to securely hold them together, the tie lying in slots (81-83) of the retainer.

Abstract: A connector is described, which can be inserted into a hole in a base to securely mount therein while enabling removal and secure reinstallation. The base (14, FIG. 3) has a hole with an undercut groove (30). A connector mount portion (24) has a recess (42) that holds a snap ring (26). The snap ring has a gap that allows the snap ring to contract during insertion, and to then expand to lock into the groove in the base. An elastomeric spring ring (50) lies between the bottom of the recess in the mount portion and the radially inner surface of the snap ring, to prevent the snap ring from falling off prior to installation of the connector. The spring ring is readily compressed (at 50 in FIG. 8) when the snap ring is compressed during installation. A pair of contacts of the connector include vertical and horizontal portions (100, 102, FIG. 3) connected by a middle portion (110) that is bent at a right angle.

Abstract: A connector system in described which senses connector mating by sensing the disengagement of two sensor contacts in a first of two connectors, which enables such sensing contacts to be readily installed and which minimizes connector complexity and size. The first connector (12, FIG. 3) has a pair of sensing contacts (20, 22) with deflectable front end portions (106) that are biased together to touch each other, with the front end portions being accessible from the front of the connector. A second mating connector (14) has a separator (24) at its front end that is positioned to wedge apart the front end portions of the sensing contacts as the connectors approach a fully mated position.

Abstract: An optical fiber connection system is provided, of the type wherein the front tips (30, 32, FIG. 2) of two optical fibers substantially abut one another, which precisely aligns the two fiber tips while keeping them pressed together, in a low cost plastic construction. Each connector of a mating pair includes an optical fiber assembly (24, 26) mounted in a housing, the assembly including a forward ferrule (40, 42) crimped to the front end portion of a fiber. One connector housing has an alignment sleeve (70) lying about the forward ferrule of that connector, the sleeve having slots forming tines (80-84) with free front ends extending forward of the corresponding ferrule (40). The other connector housing has a tine deflector (96) that deflects the free front ends of the tines against the front ends of the substantially abutting ferrules.

Abstract: First and second connectors are provided, wherein when the connectors are mated a wire bail on the first connector is pivoted to a position over the second connector, which more securely retains the bail and facilitates its release. The bail (20B, FIG. 1) has arms (22, 24) with lower ends (30) forming shaft parts received in holes in the first connector housing. Accidental pullout of the shaft parts is prevented by a bail retainer (60) that lies beyond the shaft part and prevents it from pulling out except when the bail is in an open position (20A) wherein a crossleg (26) at its top lies beyond an end (44) of the first connector. The top of the second connector includes latch and stop walls (36, 38) that form a recess (34) therebetween which receives the crossleg of the bail. The latch wall forming a laterally-extending ramp (100). When the bail in its closed position is twisted so its crossleg (at 26A in FIG.

Abstract: A connector system is described, of the type which includes a connector with a pair of contacts and a spring-operated device that shorts the contacts until the connector is mated with another pair of contacts, which is of simple and reliable construction. The spring-operated device includes a largely Z-shaped spring (24, FIG. 2) lying in a slot (30) in a connector housing, with the middle of the spring supported by the slot walls and with opposite ends of the spring resiliently biased against the contacts. The housing is an integrally-molded part with first and second housing parts (50, 52) joined by a hinge, and with the first part having a pair of elongated holes (64, 65) for receiving first and second contacts (16, 18) and with a second housing part having a pair of elongated holes (82, 84) for receiving the mating contacts.

Abstract: An adaptor is provided that can be mounted on a typical straight fuel injector having narrowly-spaced upwardly projecting terminals, so the straight injector can be used in place of an inclined injector which has widely spaced terminals projecting at a 45.degree. incline from the vertical. The adaptor includes a housing (40) with a lower part that opens along a downward axis (44) and an upper part that opens along an upwardly inclined axis (50). A pair of bent plate-like contacts (52, 54) are mounted in the housing, with each contact having an upper part (56) lying within the upper housing part and extending along the inclined axis, and a lower contact part (60) lying in the lower housing part and extending perpendicular to the downward axis. The lower housing part is permanently mounted on an upper end of the injector body, with the injector terminals (24) projecting through holes in the contact lower parts to hold the contact securely in position.

Abstract: A system is described for use with fuel injectors mounted on fuel rails of an engine, to connect the output lines of an electrical circuit to the fuel injectors, which provide an orderly and reliable connection. The system includes a connector assembly with a printed circuit board sandwiched between upper and lower molded housing parts. The circuit board has pairs of contacts at each injector location for mating with the fuel injector contacts, and the circuit board has conductors thereon leading from a connector end portion to the pairs of contacts. In an assembly where the connector end portion extends largely perpendicular to the rest of the assembly, a flexible circuit board is provided which is held in a bend by correspondingly angled upper and lower housing parts. In an assembly where the axes of the fuel injectors do not extend perpendicular to the length of the fuel rail, the lower housing part has several face locations angled from the length direction of the board.

Abstract: A connector is described which can be easily installed in a hole of a barrier wall, which assures tight sealing when there is a substantial pressure difference on opposite sides of the wall, and which avoids set of the sealing material. The connector includes a frame with a radially inner portion and with a skirt extending around the inner portion and slightly bendable radially outward and inward. O-rings are mounted on the outside of the skirt, so when pressure causes the skirt to expand, the O-rings form a tight fit against the surface of the hole, while when pressure is relieved the seals are pressed with less force and avoid becoming set. A group of thin limiters extend between the skirt and the inner frame portion. The limiters allow the skirt to expand radially outwardly, but limit radially inward deflection of the skirt to assure that even when there is no pressure the O-rings push firmly against the hole surface.

Abstract: A latching arrangement for a connector is disclosed in which the cooperating latch elements are located inside the connector bodies whereby they are relatively well protected from damage. Latch levers mounted by torsion pivots on the plug ride up ramps on a center latch dog on the receptacle until latching shoulders on the levers engage catch shoulders on the dog to lock the plug and receptacle together. An interfacial seal between the plug and receptacle connector bodies urge the latching shoulders on the levers into firm engagement with the catch shoulders on the latch dog. This arrangement provides self ejection of the plug from the receptacle if the two parts are not fully mated.

Abstract: An electrical connector adapter is disclosed having front and rear insulators with corresponding contact cavities therein which are slightly laterally offset from each other. The contacts have intermediate bendable portions. One of the insulators is formed of a resilient material. After one end of the contacts are mounted in the other insulator, the contact cavities in the resilient insulator are expanded to slidably receive the other ends of the contacts therein. The expansive force is then released causing the resilient insulator to contract around the contacts therein to automatically bend the intermediate portions of the contacts to accommodate for the lateral offset of the contact cavities in the front and rear insulators.

Abstract: A stacking connector is disclosed for connecting the conductive traces on a pair of printed circuit boards. A row of conductive pins are mounted on each of the boards, with each pin connected to one of the conductive traces on the board and aligned with a pin on the other board. The stacking connector includes a plurality of double ended tuning fork contacts, one for each set of aligned pins on the two boards. The tuning fork contacts embody detent recesses which cooperate with the pins to provide a mechanical latching of the contacts, as well as an electrical connection, to the pins on the boards.

Abstract: A high performance, low-cost sealed electrical connector is disclosed which is suitable for rugged environmental applications. The connector uses three double-shot molded parts each comprising a rigid molded plastic section and an elastomeric sealing section. The sealing sections of two parts provide seals for the insulated wires connected to the contacts in the plug and receptacle of the connector. The elastomeric section of the third part provides the interfacial seal between the plug and receptacle. The contacts are removably mounted in the plug and receptacle by the use of integral retention fingers formed on the plastic sections of the plug and receptacle. An improved stabilized latching arrangement is also disclosed.

Abstract: A connector is described, of a type which has contacts at opposite ends that are of the same gender (male plug or female receptacle) and with each end having contacts arranged in the same pattern with respect to the key at that end, wherein the connector is of simple and low cost construction. The connector includes a plate of insulative material having a row of conductive traces thereon, each trace having upper and lower holes. Two corresponding pin contacts have inner ends received in different holes of the same trace, with the outer end of one pin projecting into a first end of the connector and the outer end of the other pin projecting into the second end of the connector. A key in the form of a shell with wide and narrow sides, is oriented at one end of the contact with its wide side uppermost and is oriented at the other end of the connector with its wide side lowermost.

Abstract: A filter connector is disclosed in which the insulator thereof contains a slot which is parallel to and intersects a row of contact cavities in the insulator. A monolithic capacitor is mounted in the slot with its live electrodes aligned with and facing the contact cavities. A contact in each cavity embodies an integral outwardly extending spring finger which engages one of the electrodes on the capacitor. A rear insulator retains the contacts and capacitor in the cavities and slot, respectively.

Abstract: A front release contact retention assembly for an electrical connector is disclosed in which the retention ring of the assembly is carried by the contact. The ring is a one-piece molded plastic part, and embodies an inner skirt and an outer skirt which surrounds the inner skirt. The inner skirt is disposed in an annular groove in the contact to retain the ring axially thereon, and the outer skirt extends rearwardly and outwardly to engage a forwardly facing abutment surface in the contact passage. The ring may embody a forwardly extending hood to protect the beams of a socket contact.