Make-first-break-last ground connections

Claim 2

A pair of mating contacts (38,96) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the contact surface (110) of the first contact spring (108) is substantially equal to the width of the tab (64) and the width of the contact surface (120) of the second contact spring (114) is substantially equal to the width of the contact blade (40).

Claim 3

A pair of contacts (38,96) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab (64) projects centrally from a forward edge (66) of the contact blade (42).

Claim 4

A pair of contacts (38,96) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second contact spring (114) comprises a pair of spring arms (116) connected to said base (102) on opposite sides of the first contact spring (108), and a strap (118) connecting the spring arms (116), the strap (118) being bowed towards the first contact spring (108) to define the second contact surface (120) which is continuous.

Claim 5

A pair of contacts (38,96) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blade support (40) of the blade contact (38) is a plate which is coplanar with the contact blade (42) and the tab (64), the support (40) having compliant contact tails (52) projecting from an edge (50) of the plate transversely of the contact blade (42).

Claim 6

A pair of contacts (38',96) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact blade (42') is formed with raised areas (140,142,144) extending longitudinally of the contact blade (42') and projecting on opposite sides of the plane of the contact blade (42') for engaging the contact surfaces (110,120) of the contact springs (108,114) of the receptacle contact (96).

Claim 7

An electrical connector assembly (2) comprising mating electrical connectors (4,6) having a ground blade contact (38) for mating with a ground receptacle contact (96) and current transmitting blade contacts (68) for mating with respective current transmitting receptacle contacts (96), the ground blade contact (38) having a contact blade (42), each current transmitting blade contact (68) having a contact blade (70) for engaging with the respective current transmitting receptacle contacts (96) as the contact blade (42) of the ground blade contact (38) engages with the ground receptacle contact (96), said assembly (2) being characterized in that: said ground blade contact (38) has a projecting tab (64) which is narrower than the contact blade (42), for engaging with the ground receptacle contact (96) before the contact blade (42) engages with the ground receptacle contact (96); and said ground receptacle contact (96) has an opening for receiving the tab (64) as the contact blades (42,72)are being mated with the receptacle contacts (96).

Claim 8

An assembly (2) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ground receptacle contact (96) has a first and a second contact spring (108,114) upstanding from a base (102), the first contact spring (108) having a contact surface (110) of substantially same width, transversely of said contact spring (108), as the tab (64), and the second contact spring (114) having a contact surface (120) of substantially the same width, transversely of that contact spring (114), as the contact blade (42) of the ground blade contact (38).

Claim 9

An assembly (2) as claimed in claim 7, wherein each blade contact (38,70)is substantially coplanar, and has a contact blade support plate (40,40) retained in a cavity (16) in an insulating housing (8) of the respective connector (4), at least one contact tail (52) projecting from a lateral edge (50) of the support plate and being electrically connected to a conductor on a circuit board CB1.

Claim 10

A right angle electrical connector (4) including a housing (8) having a mating face (14), an assembly face (15) opposed from said mating face (14) for receiving at least one electrical contact (38) therein, and a third face (23) at right angles to said mating face (14) for establishing electrical connection with a complementary electrical article (90), said housing (8) including at least one contact-receiving passageway (16) extending from said assembly face (15) to said mating face (14) and, an electrical contact (38) disposed in an associated one of said at least one housing passageway (16), each said contact (38) having a first connecting portion (42) exposed at said mating face (14) and a second connecting portion (52) at right angles said first connecting portion (42) and extending from said third face (23) and outwardly from said housing (8) for electrical connection to said electrical article (90); said connector (4) being characterized in that: said contact-receiving passageway (16) includes a contact-receiving slot (20) open to said third face (23) and to said assembly face (15); said contact (38) includes a retention section (53) remote from and opposite said second connecting portion (52)and associated with a cooperable housing portion (33)thereat, said cooperable housing portion (33)being opposite from said third face (23) and defining a channel (16a) extending forwardly from said assembly face (15) toward said mating face (14) and in communication with said slot (20), said channel (16a) being adapted to receive said retention section (53) thereinto upon receiving said contact (38) from said assembly face (15) of said housing (8); and said contact retention section (53) having a barb (62) at a leading end thereof receivable in a forward end (16b) of said channel (16a) with said barb (62) dimensioned to create an interference fit to resist rearward movement of said contact (38) after full assembly of said contact (38) into said housing (8).

Claim 11

The connector (4) of claim 10 wherein said contact (38) has a thickness and said contact-receiving passageway (16) has a width greater than the thickness of said contact (38), and wherein said contact (38) further includes an intermediate body portion having an outwardly directed protrusion (56) which is received in a forward end of said contact-receiving passageway (16) in an interference fit to hold said first connecting portion (42) in alignment at said mating face (14).

Claim 12

The connector (4) of claim 10 or 11 wherein said contact retention section (53) of said contact (38) includes a lance (54) directed outwardly from a surface thereof, said lance (54) being received in a contact-positioning channel of said housing (8).

Claim 13

The connector of claim 10 or 11 wherein said contact retention section (53) of said contact (38) includes an embossment (146) directed outwardly from a surface thereof, said embossment (146) being received in a contact-positioning channel of said housing.

Claim 14

An electrical contact (96) includes a body portion (102) having first and second connecting sections (106,115) at opposite ends thereof; and at least three legs (132,134,136) extending from a common end of said body portion (102) altogether comprising one (106) of said first and second connecting sections (106,115) of said contact (96); the contact (96) being characterized in that: a first (132) of said at least three legs (132,134,136) is spaced from a second (134) of said at least three legs(132,134,136) a selected first distance (d 1 ) and said second leg (134) is spaced from a third (136) of said at least three legs (132,134,136) a selected second distance (d 2 ), said first distance (d 1 ) being different from said second distance (d 2 ); whereby said at least three legs (132,134,136) are adapted to be received in respective through-holes (152,154,156) of a circuit board (150) in a polarized arrangement.

Claim 15

The electrical contact of claim 14 wherein said first distance (d 1 ) is greater than said second distance (d 2 ).

Claim 16

A connector assembly (6,61) including a housing (172) and at least one electrical contact (96) having a body portion having first and second connecting sections (106,115) at opposite ends thereof; and at least three legs (132,134,136) extending from a common end of said body portion (102) altogether comprising one of said first and second connecting sections (106,115) of said contact (96), the assembly (6,61) being characterized in that: a first (132) of said at least three legs (132,134,136) of said at least one legs (132) is spaced from a second (134) of said at least three legs (132,134,136) a selected first distance (d 1 ) and said second leg (134) is spaced from a third (136) of said at least three legs (132,134,136) a selected second distance (d 2 ), said first distance (d 1 ) being different from said second distance (d 2 ); whereby said connector assembly thus defined need have no other polarizing feature.

Claim 17

The connector assembly (6,61) of claim 16 further including at least one other electrical contact.