Electrical connector assembly with shorting member
First Claim
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1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a first insulating body;
at least three first contacts, said first contacts being at least partially housed in the first insulating body;
a second insulating body;
at least three second contacts, said second contacts being at least partially housed in the second insulating body, said first and second contacts being adapted for interengagement to produce an electrical connection; and
a shorting member mounted on said first insulating body and disposed for electrically connecting said at least three first contacts in an engaged position of the shorting member when the first and second contacts are not interengaged for simultaneously electrically shorting said at least three first contacts, wherein the shorting member is shaped and arranged on the first insulating body such that the second insulating body passes through the shorting member before engaging the shorting member.
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Abstract
An electrical connector assembly has a shorting member which is capable of electrically connecting or “shorting” certain contacts within a first connector when disconnected from a second connector to avoid an open circuit condition. The shorting member may be configured to short three or more contacts at the same time, and to be disengaged automatically upon connection of the first and second connectors. Moreover, the shorting member may be formed of a single piece of material and have an opposed pair of arms for engaging each contact.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a first insulating body;
at least three first contacts, said first contacts being at least partially housed in the first insulating body;
a second insulating body;
at least three second contacts, said second contacts being at least partially housed in the second insulating body, said first and second contacts being adapted for interengagement to produce an electrical connection; and
a shorting member mounted on said first insulating body and disposed for electrically connecting said at least three first contacts in an engaged position of the shorting member when the first and second contacts are not interengaged for simultaneously electrically shorting said at least three first contacts, wherein the shorting member is shaped and arranged on the first insulating body such that the second insulating body passes through the shorting member before engaging the shorting member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a first insulating body;
first contacts at least partially housed in the first insulating body;
a second insulating body;
second contacts at least partially housed in the second insulating body, said first and second contacts being adapted for interengagement to produce an electrical connection;
a shorting member mounted on said first insulating body and disposed for electrically connecting at least some of said first contacts in an engaged position of the shorting member when the first and second contacts are not interengaged for electrically shorting at least some of said first contacts;
an insulating shroud surrounding each of said second contacts, the insulating shrouds being sized and shaped for engaging the shorting member as said first and second insulating bodies are moved to interengage said first and second contacts for moving the shorting member to a disengaged position in which at least some of said first contacts are not electrically shorted. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a first insulating body formed for receiving at least three first contacts therein;
a second insulating body formed for receiving at least three second contacts therein, the second insulating body being adapted for connection with the first insulating body; and
a shorting member mounted on said first insulating body and disposed for engaging said first contacts upon insertion of said first contacts into the first insulating body for electrically connecting said at least three first contacts, wherein the shorting member is shaped and arranged on the first insulating body such that the second insulating body passes through the shorting member before engaging the shorting member. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a first insulating body;
first contacts at least partially housed in the first insulating body;
a second insulating body;
second contacts at least partially housed in the second insulating body, said first and second contacts being adapted for interengagement to produce an electrical connection;
a shorting member mounted on said first insulating body and disposed for electrically connecting at least some of said first contacts in an engaged position of the shorting member when the first and second contacts are not interengaged for electrically shorting at least some of said first contacts;
an insulating shroud surrounding each of said second contacts, the insulating shrouds being sized and shaped for engaging the shorting member as said first and second insulating bodies are moved to interengage said first and second contacts for moving the shorting member to a disengaged position in which the shorting member is free from electrical contact with at least some of said first contacts, wherein the shorting member has openings therein generally axially aligned with said first contacts and disposed for receiving said second contacts therethrough when said first and second contacts are interengaged.
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34. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a first insulating body formed for receiving at least three first contacts therein;
a second insulating body formed for receiving at least three second contacts therein, the second insulating body being adapted for connection with the first insulating body; and
a shorting member mounted on said first insulating body and disposed for engaging said first contacts upon insertion of said first contacts into the first insulating body for electrically connecting said at least three first contacts, wherein the shorting member comprises a web and at least two pairs of arms extending from the web, each pair of arms being disposed for engaging one of said first contacts on opposite sides of said one first contact, at least one arm of each pair of arms being disposed for engagement with the second insulating body for movement out of engagement with the first contact.
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Specification