The Whitaker Corporation

Harry R Lowry

Victor Eugene Slack

Clifford F Lincoln

Henry L DelGuidice

Invention relates to a high performance electrical data connector of the type which may be mated with a like connector. The connector comprises an insulative housing having a connector mating face and a conductor receiving face, a floor extending between the faces and a pair of upstanding side walls, plural contact terminals upstanding from the floor intermediate the mating face and the conductor receiving face. The plural contact terminals comprise a conductor receiving portion, a base portion, and a resilient tongue portion reversely bent from the base portion and extending toward the connector mating face. An important feature hereof is the provision of an insulative member integrally molded between the side walls and overlying at least part of each resilient tongue portion, where the insulative member includes staggered plural through slots. Each slot contains a formed shorting assembly consisting of a U-shaped configured, oxide resistant wire having a circular cross section, where the assembly comprises a base portion and a pair of arms angularly extending therefrom, and each arm terminates in an end portion adapted to contact one resilient tongue portion, of a preselected pair of terminals, when the connector is in an unmated condition. By the use of the specially configured, oxide resistant shorting assembly, the skin effect and other factors affecting insertion loss are reduced resulting in improved performance.

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Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Harry R Lowry