ARCLESS POWER CONNECTOR
First Claim
1. An electrical connector matable to and unmatable from a separable mating electrical connector, the electrical connector comprising:
- a housing having a terminal channel and an auxiliary terminal channel;
a power terminal received in the terminal channel, the power terminal being matable with and unmatable from a mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector;
an auxiliary power terminal received in the auxiliary terminal channel;
a terminal position assurance (TPA) device movably coupled to the housing and movable between an open position and a blocking position, the TPA device blocking removal of the power terminal from the terminal channel when in the blocking position; and
a protective thermal coupler held by and movable with the TPA device, the protective thermal coupler having a variable resistive member electrically coupled between the power terminal and the auxiliary power terminal, the variable resistive member providing a shunt so that arcing does not occur when the power terminal is disconnected from the mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical connector matable to and unmatable from a separable mating electrical connector includes a housing having a terminal channel and an auxiliary terminal channel with a power terminal received in the terminal channel and an auxiliary power terminal received in the auxiliary terminal channel. A TPA device is movably coupled to the housing between an open position and a blocking position for blocking removal of the power terminal from the terminal channel. A protective thermal coupler is held by and movable with the TPA device. The protective thermal coupler has a variable resistive member electrically coupled between the power terminal and the auxiliary power terminal. The variable resistive member provides a shunt so that arcing does not occur when the power terminal is disconnected from the mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrical connector matable to and unmatable from a separable mating electrical connector, the electrical connector comprising:
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a housing having a terminal channel and an auxiliary terminal channel; a power terminal received in the terminal channel, the power terminal being matable with and unmatable from a mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector; an auxiliary power terminal received in the auxiliary terminal channel; a terminal position assurance (TPA) device movably coupled to the housing and movable between an open position and a blocking position, the TPA device blocking removal of the power terminal from the terminal channel when in the blocking position; and a protective thermal coupler held by and movable with the TPA device, the protective thermal coupler having a variable resistive member electrically coupled between the power terminal and the auxiliary power terminal, the variable resistive member providing a shunt so that arcing does not occur when the power terminal is disconnected from the mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrical connector matable to and unmatable from a separable mating electrical connector, the electrical connector comprising:
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a housing having a terminal channel and an auxiliary terminal channel; a power terminal received in the terminal channel, the power terminal being matable with and unmatable from a mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector; an auxiliary power terminal received in the auxiliary terminal channel; a terminal position assurance (TPA) device movably coupled to the housing and movable between an open position and a blocking position, the TPA device blocking removal of the power terminal from the terminal channel when in the blocking position; and a protective thermal coupler held by and movable with the TPA device, the protective thermal coupler having a variable resistive member electrically coupled between the power terminal and the auxiliary power terminal; wherein the power terminal is separable from the mating power terminal before the auxiliary power terminal is disconnected from a circuit including the mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector so that the resistance in the variable resistive member increases after disconnection of the main power terminal from the mating power terminal and prior to disconnection of the auxiliary power terminal from the circuit so that both the main power terminal and the auxiliary power terminal can be disconnected without arcing. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An electrical connector matable to and unmatable from a separable mating electrical connector, the electrical connector comprising:
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a housing having a terminal channel and an auxiliary terminal channel, the housing having a pocket; a power terminal received in the terminal channel, the power terminal being matable with and unmatable from a mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector; an auxiliary power terminal received in the auxiliary terminal channel, the auxiliary power terminal being matable with and unmatable from a mating auxiliary terminal of the mating electrical connector; a terminal position assurance (TPA) device received in the pocket of the housing, the TPA device including a block having a blocking surface, the TPA device being movably coupled to the housing between an open position and a blocking position, the block of the TPA device being positioned behind the power terminal to block removal of the power terminal from the terminal channel when in the blocking position; and a protective thermal coupler held by and movable with the TPA device, the protective thermal coupler having a first contact coupled to the power terminal and a second contact coupled to the auxiliary power terminal, the protective thermal coupler having a variable resistive member between the first contact and the second contact and being electrically coupled between the power terminal and the auxiliary power terminal, the variable resistive member providing a variable resistance path through the electrical connector immediately after disconnection of the power terminal from the mating power terminal of the mating electrical connector.
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Specification