Electrical connector system with a male terminal assembly having a compression limiting means

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electrical connector system having a male connector assembly and a female connector assembly. The male connector assembly includes a male housing assembly and a male terminal assembly having a male terminal, a spring member with at least one contact arm with a significantly bent configuration and an openable jacket that encloses a substantial extent of the male terminal and the spring member. The male terminal assembly also includes a compression limiting means that prevents an external force from overly deforming the contact arm inward. Preventing excessive depression of the contact arm is desirable because it can damage the contact arm and/or the spring member thereby introducing a failure mode to the male connector assembly that can cause the overall connector system to become inoperable and unusable. The female connector assembly includes a female housing assembly and a female terminal assembly. The female housing assembly is designed to receive the female terminal assembly as well as an extent of the male terminal assembly in a connected state during operation of the electrical connector system.