Molex Corporation

Edward J Plocek

Stephen A Colleran

Thomas G Premo

Bill B Wilson

Fred L Krehbiel

Burke J Crane

Duane M Fencl

Robert M Fuerst

Jeffrey J Pawlicki

James T Roberts

Timothy R Ponn

Raymond A Silbernagel

Scott P Marceau

Maciej J Pike-Biegunski

William D Gruhn

William H Hyslop

Stephen Z Weiss

An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a forward mating end and a rearward terminating end and at least one terminal-receiving cavity extending in a direction between the ends. A terminal is insertable into the cavity from the rearward terminating end of the housing. A TPA device is selectively engageable with the housing at the terminating end thereof, with a terminal retention portion insertable into the cavity in locking engagement with the terminal. An abutment shoulder on the TPA device engages an aperture in the terminal for moving the terminal from at least one incomplete position of insertion to a fully inserted position in response to engaging the TPA device with the housing and fully inserting the terminal into the cavity.

Electrical connector with terminal position assurance device that

A multi-terminal filtered electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways. A plurality of terminals are received in the passageways, with tail portions of the terminals projecting from the housing. A flexible capacitor filter circuit is mounted on the housing and through which the terminals extend. A ferrite block is provided with a plurality of through holes for receiving therethrough portions of the terminals. A terminal alignment plate may be provided for mounting the ferrite block. A second flexible capacitor filter circuit may be provided through which portions of the terminals extend. The ferrite block may be disposed between the two flexible capacitor filter circuits. The housing is constructed for mounting on a printed circuit board to provide either a right angle connector or a direct mounted connector.

Filtered electrical connector assembly

A multi-terminal filtered electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways. A plurality of terminals are received in the passageways, with tail portions of the terminals projecting from the housing. A terminal alignment plate, independent of the housing, includes a plurality of through holes for receiving and aligning the tail portions of the terminals. First complementary interengaging latch devices are provided between the housing and the alignment plate for readily assembling the alignment plate on the housing. A ferrite block is mountable on the alignment plate and includes a plurality of through holes alignable with the holes in the alignment plate for receiving therethrough the tail portions of the terminals. Second complementary interengaging latch devices are provided between the alignment plate and the ferrite block for readily assembling the ferrite block on the alignment plate. Therefore, the alignment plate and the ferrite block can be assembled as a subassembly about the tail portions of the terminals, and the subassembly can be readily assembled to the housing. A flexible capacitor filter circuit is mounted on a rear face of the housing and through which filters the terminals extend.

A sealing system is provided between an electrical connector assembly and another connector component, panel or the like. The connector assembly includes a housing having a mating end with a seal-receiving channel and a resilient seal received in the channel. The seal includes a sealing groove having a given width and a given depth. The connector component includes a sealing lip insertable into the sealing groove when the connector assembly and the connector component are mated along a mating axis. The sealing lip has a width greater than the width of the sealing groove and a length relative to the depth of the sealing groove such that the lip is spaced from the bottom of the groove when the connector assembly and the connector component are in mated condition. Therefore, only sealing forces normal to the mating axis are effected between the sealing lip and the sealing groove. A radio frequency seal is provided by point contacts between an edge of a flange of the connector assembly engaging an abutment surface of the connector component, the flange being overlapped with the sealing lip and another flange of the connector component, whereby a labyrinth path is defined through an interface area including the point contacts.

Sealing system for electrical connectors

An electrical connector is provided for floatable mounting to a panel. The connector includes a plurality of centering beams for engaging edge regions of a mounting aperture in a panel and for exerting centering forces against the edge regions to return the connector to a centered and aligned position. At least one of the centering beams includes a latch for engaging an aperture adjacent to the mounting aperture in the panel to enable float and centering in each of two opposite directions. The connector further includes a TPA component engaged to the rear of the connector housing in a preload condition and in a final seated position. The forward end of the TPA component includes secondary locking latches for engaging the terminals.

Floatable electrical connector with terminal position assurance component

An electrical connector assembly is provided for a vehicular suspension system component. The connector assembly includes a male connector which is engageable in the suspension system component. The housing of the male connector includes polarization and anti-rotation lugs which are engageable with corresponding structures on the suspension system component. A female connector is engageable over the end of the suspension system component for electrical connection with the terminals of the male connector. The terminals of both connectors in the assembly are insert molded into the nonconductive housings. The locking engagement of the female connector on the suspension system component can be achieved with a metallic retention lever that biasingly engages an annular groove in the exterior of the suspension system component.

Electrical connector assembly for vehicular suspension system component

An electrical connector assembly is provided for components that are rotatable relative to one another, such as a steering column and a steering wheel for a vehicle. The assembly comprises a steering column cassette and an opposed mateable steering wheel cassette. Concentric recesses are formed in the mating face of at least one of the cassettes. The opposed mating surfaces are further defined by discrete concentric conductive portions formed on or disposed in the cassettes. At least one resilient electrically conductive contact member is resiliently engaged between the cassettes to make redundant electrical contact with the opposed cassette. The cassettes may be appropriately configured for environmental sealing.

Electrical connector assembly for vehicular steering wheel

An electrical connector assembly is provided including a panel mountable connector that can float relative to a mounting aperture in the panel and that is self-alignable relative to the mounting aperture. The floating connector includes a generally rectangular housing having a mounting flange extending outwardly therefrom. The connector further includes clusters of deflectable beams extending from each side. The deflectable beams include a locking beam having a locking projection for engaging a side of the panel opposite the side engaged by the panel. Each cluster further includes a pair of deflectable centering beams for centering and rotationally aligning the connector to the mounting aperture in the panel.

Floatable panel mountable electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector assembly is provided for components that are rotatable relative to one another, such as a steering column and a steering wheel for a vehicle. The assembly comprises a steering column cassette and an opposed mateable steering wheel cassette. Concentric recesses are formed in the mating face of at least one of the cassettes. The opposed mating surfaces are further defined by discrete concentric conductive portions formed on the cassettes. At least one resilient electrically conductive contact member is resiliently engaged between the cassettes to make redundant electrical contact with the opposed concentric contact portions of each cassette. The cassettes may be appropriately configured for environmental sealing.

An I.C. chip carrier and header assembly is provided. The assembly comprises a generally rectangular shrouded header with pins force fit therein. The pins are connectable to conductive traces on a printed circuit. A protective tape may be disposed over the header to control the locations at which conformal coatings may be applied, and thereby avoid extensive cleaning operations. The assembly further comprises a carrier with receptacles for receiving box-type double female carrier terminals. The I.C. chip is mountable in the carrier with the leads thereof being connectable to the carrier terminals by soldering. A cover is locked into engagement with the carrier to define a plugable subassembly. The subassembly is then urged into lockable but removable engagement with the header and the pins thereof.

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Lisle, IL, United States of America

Edward J Plocek