The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 11, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 23, 1996
Kensaku Takata, Osaka, JP;
Satoshi Tasano, Osaka, JP;
Hitoshi Okumura, Yokkaichi, JP;
Masaji Suzuki, Yokkaichi, JP;
Mitsuru Itou, Yokkaichi, JP;
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Mie, JP;
Abstract
A connector assembly including a first connector having female terminals which are short-circuited through a short-circuiting terminal while the first connector is not connected to a second one. When the second connector is plugged into the first connector, an insulating piece of the second connector breaks the short-circuit connection between the female terminals. The short-circuiting terminal has contact portions. At least one of the short-circuiting terminal contact portions has a side extension. The second connector has a rib adapted to press the contact portions to form a gap between the short-circuiting terminals and the female terminals. The insulating piece is inserted between the gap thus formed, so that it encounters practically no resistance. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the insulating piece and thus to improve the long-term reliability of the connector assembly.