Abstract: An electrical cord entry system for a submersible pump. The cord entry system includes a receptacle assembly for providing unimpeded transmission of electrical power and/or electrical signals through a pump housing of the pump, and a connector assembly for interfacing with the receptacle assembly. The receptacle assembly includes a ground tab for engaging the pump housing to electrically ground the pump housing.

Abstract: An electrical cord entry system for a submersible pump. The cord entry system includes a receptacle assembly for providing unimpeded transmission of electrical power and/or electrical signals through a pump housing of the pump, and a connector assembly for interfacing with the receptacle assembly. The receptacle assembly includes a ground tab for engaging the pump housing to electrically ground the pump housing.

Abstract: A strain relief attachment (10) is provided for coupling to the combination of an electrical connector (12) and a cable (14, 90, 92) extending from the rear of the connector, to provide strain relief for the cable. The attachment includes a housing (40) having a through passage (46) and having a front housing portion (42) that receives the electrical connector and a rear housing portion (44) that passes the cable. The rear housing portion has a slot (102) on one side to enable the fixing of the cable by pressing sidewardly through the slot to press the cable against an opposite side of the housing rear portion. For large cables, a simple tie (106) wrapped tightly around the housing rear portion presses directly against the cable. For smaller cables, an insert (120) that is molded as part of the housing, slides through the slot and presses the cable against the opposite side of the housing, with a tie pressing the insert against the cable.

Abstract: A connector is provided for connecting to a device in a high pressure environment, wherein a front portion of the connector body is inserted into a passage of the device so contacts mate, and a nut is screwed into the threaded rear end of the passage until the nut front end presses against a shoulder on the body to press an elastomeric portion of the body against a ledge of the device to seal thereagainst. A grounded wire has its front end crimped to a grounding terminal. A finger on the grounding terminal extends radially through a portion of the body to the outside of the body, the finger being bent and engaging a smooth inner surface on the nut. One connector is formed of an elastomeric front member and a hard plastic rear member that is overmolded to the front member and to a quantity of potting material, the attachment portion of the grounding terminal being molded in the hard plastic rear member.

Abstract: A combination of a connector (12) and an armored cable (14), where several inches of the front end of the cable armor tube (20) are stripped away to allow a front portion of the cable to bend up to about 90°. A flexible polymer overmold (50) is molded around the front of the armor tube and the rear of the connector and the several inches of wire extending forward of the armor tube. The wire front portions (54) are twisted at least a full turn about the cable axis (44) prior to the overmolding, to reduce wire tension when the front portion of the cable is bent. The overmold has flanges (102) that bottom on one another at a 90° bend of a moderate radius of curvature (R). A wire mesh braiding (80) has a rear end clamped (92) and soldered to the armor and a front end clamped (96) to the connector. An air valve (130) is automatically opened when connectors mate.

Abstract: Apparatus for replacing an electromagnetic device that senses vehicle wheel rotation by detecting slots in a rotary device, where the replacement apparatus avoids interaction with stray magnetic fields. A replacement apparatus (24) includes a connector frame (60) that holds a pair of optical fibers (40,42) having parallel front end portions. The frame forms a pair of highly reflective surfaces (70,72) that are angled so light moving forwardly from the first optical fiber tip is reflected through the slots to the tip of the second optical fiber. The optical fibers of the connector have rear end portions (110) where a sheath (44) of the optical cable has been stripped away. A metal ferrule (54) has a rear portion (112) that closely receives the bare optical fiber rear portion in a sliding fit therewith, the ferrule having a forward portion that is crimped around the sheath in a circular crimp (122).

Abstract: A one-piece hooded socket contact is disclosed which is formed from a sheet metal blank having alternately spaced fingers and tabs extending from a forward edge of the blank. The tabs are substantially shorter than the fingers. The tabs and fingers are bent rearwardly and the blank is formed into a cylinder forming the hood of the contact. The fingers extend inwardly toward the center axis of the hood to form the spring beams of the contact. The reversely bent tabs, together with the front ends of the fingers, form a lead-in chamfer at the front of the hood.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (10) is provided for connecting a pair of devices (12, 14) that have precision flat surfaces (20, 22) that lie facewise against each other. Each device has socket contacts (30, 32, 34, 36) with a socket contact end lying slightly inward of the corresponding precision surface, and a spring pin contact (40, 42) fits into each pair of sockets to electrically connect them. The spring pin contact is formed from a piece of sheet metal that is bent into a sleeve that has opposite end portions (80, 82) and a middle portion (84). Each end portion forms at least three radially-outward projections (86, 88) for providing large area engagement with the corresponding socket inside surface. The socket contacts preferably compress the sleeve so its edges (94, 96) abut one another.

Abstract: A switch is provided that includes a circuit board support (12) with a contact bump (24, 26) thereon, and a sheet metal terminal (16) having a deflectable blade (20,22) with an elongated H-shaped slot (70). The slot forms rear and front tines (72, 74) with adjacent free ends (84, 86) that lie over the bump, to contact the bump when the front end of the blade is allowed to move towards the support.

Abstract: A connector (30) that projects from a metal housing (12), is formed by molding plastic in place, and is braced to increase its strength against breakoff. A cavity (32) is formed in the housing with an undercut that forms an inwardly-facing cavity shoulder (54). A metal brace (70) projects from inside the cavity to outside the cavity, and plastic is molded to lie inside and outside the cavity and to be strengthened by the metal brace. The brace is in the form of a sleeve with a flange (74) that abuts the inwardly-facing undercut cavity shoulder (54), so forces applied to the molded connector are transmitted through the metal brace directly to the walls of the metal housing.

Abstract: A sensor assembly (10) for measuring oxygen in vehicle exhaust gasses, which must be connected by a plurality of wires (20) to a microprocessor, is modified to facilitate its installation and removal. In the modified assembly, each of a plurality of high temperature metal strips (34), which were previously crimped to cable wires, are instead bent to form contact pin parts (70) that are inserted into passages (74) of an insulative connector insert (72) to form a connector with pin contacts. Portions (120) of the metal strips are bent to have V-shaped cross-sections, to stiffen them against column collapse as the connector insert is moved forwardly to receive the pin parts, with front portions (110) of the insert passages being tapered to facilitate passage of the pin parts.

Abstract: A connector is described which can be surface mounted to a rigid or flexible circuit board. The connector includes a plurality of contacts (36) fixed to a dielectric locator (42), with the lower ends (46) of the contacts soldered to the surfaces of contact pads formed along traces on the circuit board (14). After the contacts are soldered in place, a connector housing (72) is slid downwardly around the locator and the lower end of the housing is adhesively sealed by adhesive (70A) to the circuit board around the contacts. A potting compound (92) such as epoxy is then injected into the housing, to bond the circuit board to the contacts and to the inside surface (86) of the housing. The connector is inserted up into an aperture (16) in a rigid mounting wall (20) and mounted thereat, with the circuit board being supported on the connector and through it on the mounting wall.

Abstract: A contact position assurance device is provided that indicates incomplete installation of a contact and that also prevents loss of a fully installed contact. Contact-receiving passages (12, FIG. 3) are arranged in groups of three that are clustered about a group axis (84), and an assurance post (82) projects into a hole lying at the group axis and can engage a first tine (44A) lying at each passage. The first tine includes an arm (90) extending forwardly from a tine abutting part (70) that engages a contact shoulder (72). If the contact (40) has been fully installed, the post substantially abuts a radially outer surface of the arm. However, if the contact has not been fully installed, the post engages a front end (112) of the tine arm, which prevents full rearward insertion of the post.

Abstract: A one-piece hooded socket contact is disclosed which is formed from a sheet metal blank having spaced trapezoidal-shaped fingers that extend from a forward edge of the blank. The fingers are bent rearwardly and the blank is formed into a cylinder forming the hood of the contact. The fingers extend inwardly toward the center axis of the hood to form the spring beams of the contact. The front portions of the fingers form a lead-in chamfer at the front of the hood.

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.