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Electrical connectors with keying means

  • US 3,944,316 A
  • Filed: 08/26/1974
  • Issued: 03/16/1976
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1974
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an electrical connector assembly comprising a male connector with at least one male contact and a female connector with at least one female contact, said male and female connectors each terminating at least one electric cable and being adapted to be mated with said at least one male contact in engagement with said at least one female contact, the improvement comprising keying means in association with said male and female connectors enabling the mating of said male and female connectors with each other and preventing the mating of said male and female connectors with other similar female and male connectors and an electrical switch in association with said keying means, said keying means comprising a keying pin and mounting means therefor and an elongated member having a socket adapted to receive said keying pin, said mounting means for said keying pin comprising an elongated body, the longitudinal axis of said keying pin being parallel to and radially offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of said body, the longitudinal axis of said socket being parallel to and radially offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of said elongated member, said keying pin and said mounting means therefor being affixed to one of said male and female connectors with the axis of said keying pin being parallel to the axis of said at least one contact of said one of said male and female connectors, said elongated socket-bearing member being affixed to the other said male and female connectors with the axis of said socket being parallel to the axis of said at least one contact of said other of said male and female connectors, said mounting means for said keying pin being of hexagonal transverse cross section, said elongated socket-bearing member being of hexagonal transverse cross section, said keying pin mounting means being affixable to its respective connector in any one of six rotative positions about its longitudinal axis, said socket-bearing member also being affixable to its respective connector in any one of six corresponding rotative positions about its longitudinal axis, said radial offsets of said socket and said keying pin corresponding and said keying pin and mounting means therefor and said elongated socket-bearing element being so oriented on their respective connectors that said keying pin is receivable within said socket enabling mating of said male and female connectors and their respective male and female contacts, said switch mounted within said elongated socket-bearing member and means in association with said switch whereby said keying pin will activate said switch upon complete mating of said connectors and will deactivate siad switch when said connectors are disengaged.

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