Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
An electrical connector (12) comprising housing means (14) having a mating face (16) and a mounting face (18), and a body portion (22) extending therebetween, the body portion (22) having a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways (32) extending therethrough and a plurality of first terminal members (40) disposed in respective passageways (32), the first terminal members (40) being adapted to mate with complementary terminal members of a complementary mating connector; the connector (12) being characterized in that: the housing means further includes a transverse body section (20) extending along the mounting face 18 and having two opposed outer sidewalls (24) spaced from the body portion (22) and extending from the mounting face (18) to the mating face (16)and defining elongate cavities (36) between the body portion (22) and the respective outer side walls (24), and at least one second contact terminal member (46) disposed in the transverse wall (20), the terminal member having a terminal section extending into at least one of said elongate cavities (36), the at least one second terminal member (46) being adapted to mate with ground bus means of a complementary mating connector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein at least one of the elongate cavities (36) includes a plurality of second contact terminal members (46).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The connector of claim 2 further including at least one shunt terminal member (54) adapted to common at least two of the second contact terminal members(46).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
359 words
An electrical connector assembly (10) comprising a receptacle member (12) and a complementary mating pin header (60), the receptacle member (12) including housing means (14) having a mating face (16) and a mounting face (18) and a body portion (22) extending therebetween, the body portion (22) including a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways (32) extending therethrough and a plurality of first terminal members (40) disposed in respective passageways (32), the first terminal members (40) being adapted to mate with complementary terminal members of the mating pin header (60); and the pin header (60) including a housing member (62) having a mating face (64), a mounting face (68), opposed sides, and a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways (76) extending through the housing member, and a plurality of other electrical contact terminal members (78) disposed in respective terminal-receiving passageways (76) and adapted to mate with the first terminal members (40); the connector assembly (10) being characterized in that: the receptacle housing (22) means further includes a transverse body (20) section extending along the mounting face (18), and having two opposed outer sidewalls (24) spaced from the body portion and extending from the mounting face (18) to the mating face (16) and defining elongate cavities (36) between the body portion (22) and the respective outer side walls (24) and at least one second contact terminal member (46) disposed in the transverse wall, the terminal member (46) having a section (48) extending into at least one of the elongate cavities (36), the at least one second terminal member (46) being adapted to mate with ground bus means of a complementary mating connector (60); and at least one ground member (90) disposed along at least one of the sides of the pin header housing member (60), the at least one ground member (84) being adapted to be received in one of the respective elongate cavities (36) of the receptacle member (12) when the receptacle member (12) and the pin header (60) are mated, the at least one ground member (90) being disposed at a selected location opposing the at least one second contact terminal member (46) of receptacle member (12) to electrically engage therewith upon mating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The connector assembly (10) of claim 4 wherein at least one of the respective elongate cavities (36) includes a plurality of second contact terminal members (46).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The connector assembly (10) of claim 4 or 5 wherein at least one ground member (84) defines a bus means and extends continuously along at least one side of said pin header.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
The connector assembly of claim 4 or 5 wherein the pin header includes at least one second ground plate member (84) disposed along another side of the pin header housing member (62), the second plate member (84) being adapted to be received in the other of said elongate cavities of said receptacle member and be electrically to at least one second terminal member therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the other cavity (36) includes a plurality of second terminal members (46) and the at least one second ground plate member includes a plurality of segments (284) adapted to be received in the other cavity (36) whereby selected groups of associated second terminal members (46) of the receptacle (12) are commoned.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The connector assembly of claim 4 or 5 further including at least one shunt terminal member (54) adapted to electrically common at least two of the second terminal members (46) of said receptacle member (12).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The connector assembly of claim 4 or 5 wherein the inner body portion (22) of the receptacle member (12) further includes means for securing a shunt terminal member (54) thereto, the shunt terminal member (54) being adapted to electrically common at least two adjacent second terminal members (46) when the receptacle member (12) is not mated to the pin header (60).