Electrical connector with programmable keying

• US 6,394,856 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Wertz, Darrell Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/477,587
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 439/681,679,680,171,173,289
• US Class Current: 439/681
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/642 by position or shape of contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/645 by exchangeable elements on case or base

Abstract

An electrical connector (22) having an array of terminals (50) disposed in respective terminal receiving passageways (30) therein and a programmable keying member (60) disposed into a key receiving opening (32) extending into the mating face (26) among the array of terminal receiving passageways (30). The key receiving opening (32) is configured to receive the keying member (60) in any of a plurality of orientations. The keying member (60) further may include other terminals (82, 84) disposed in terminals receiving passageways (78, 80) of the keying member (60).

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a housing having a mating face, an assembly face, an array of terminal receiving passageways extending between the two faces and a key receiving opening extending into the mating face and disposed among the array of terminal receiving passageways; and

a programmable keying member maintained in the key receiving opening, the keying member including a body having a polygonal flange extending therearound and the key receiving opening having a like polygonal shape configured to receive the keying member in a plurality of orientations.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the key receiving opening includes a latch receiving slot in each side of the polygonal shape and the body of the keying member includes at least one latch extending outwardly therefrom dimensioned to be received in any of the slots of the opening.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the keying member includes a body having a columnar portion extending forwardly from the body for engaging a complementary keying member of a mating connector.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the key receiving opening extends to the assembly face and the keying member comprises a body having at least one terminal receiving passageway and a terminal disposed in the at least one terminal receiving passageway of the keying member.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein the keying member includes a body having a polygonal flange extending therearound and the key receiving opening has a like polygonal shape configured to receive the keying member in a plurality of orientations.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein the key receiving opening includes a latch receiving slot in each side of the polygonal shape and the body of the keying member includes at least one latch extending outwardly therefrom dimensioned to be received in any of the slots of the opening.

7. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein the body of the keying member further comprises a columnar portion extending forwardly from the body for engaging a complementary keying member of a mating connector.

8. The electrical connector of claim 4 wherein the key receiving opening extends to the assembly face and the columnar portion further comprises at least one terminal receiving passageway and a terminal disposed in the at least one terminal receiving passageway of the columnar portion.

9. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

first and second connectors, each connector including a housing having an array of terminals receiving passageways extending between a mating face and an assembly face thereof;

each housing further comprises a key receiving opening extending into the mating face and disposed among the array of terminal receiving passageways; and

each housing further comprising a programmable keying member maintained in the key receiving opening, the keying member including a body having a polygonal flange extending therearound and the key receiving opening having a like polygonal shape configured to receive the keying member in a plurality of orientations.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein each the key receiving opening includes a latch receiving slot in each side of the polygonal shape and the body of the keying member includes at least one latch extending outwardly therefrom dimensioned to be received in any of the slots of the opening.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein the each the key receiving opening extends to the assembly face and each the keying member further includes at least one terminal receiving passageway anda terminal disposed in the at least one terminal receiving passageway of the keying member.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 11 wherein the body of each keying member has a polygonal flange extending therearound and the corresponding key receiving opening has a like polygonal shape configured to receive the keying member in a plurality of orientations.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein each keying member includes a body having a columnar portion extending forwardly from the body for engaging a complementary keying member of a mating connector.

14. The electrical connector assembly of claim 13 wherein each columnar portion is semi-cylindrical and includes at least one complementary terminal adapted to mate with a corresponding one of the at least one terminal of a mating key receiving member.

15. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein the keying members of the first and second connectors are hermaphroditic.