Indexing means for electrical connectors

Claim 2

A keyed plural-poled connector having a housing of the type provided at the connecting end thereof with a pocket portion disposed on one side of a transverse centerline and including at least two terminal receiving pockets and a socket portion disposed on the other side of the transverse centerline and including at least two sockets open to said transverse centerline and adapted to receive by insertion the terminal receiving pockets of an inverted second connector in longitudinal telescopic engagement with the pocket portions of said connectors being in aligned, opposed relation so that terminals positioned therein will be in electrical contact with each other, said housing further having a positive indexing means comprising a longitudinally disposed indexing member positioned between said pocket portions at said connecting end and having a predetermined unique facing configuration, and means at said connecting end defining a complementary indexing opening of substantially the same facing configuration as said indexing member in said socket portion to slideably receive by longitudinal insertion an indexing member of said predetermined unique configuration, whereby said connector may be longitudinally engaged only with an inverted second connector having a substantially identical indexing member and indexing opening.

Claim 3

The connector housing of claim 1 wherein said means defining a complementary indexing opening comprises a longitudinally extending central partition wall positioned between said socket portions and away from said centerline with the perpendicular distance from said centerline to said partition wall constituting the indexing opening.

Claim 4

The connector housing of claim 2 wherein said indexing means has a rectangular facing configuration with one side of said indexing member being co-extensive with said centerline, said indexing member further having a predetermined thickness dimension perpendicular to the centerline substantially equal to the perpendicular distance between said centerline and said central partition wall.

Claim 5

The connector housing of claim 2 wherein a portion of the facing periphery of said indexing member touches said centerline with the rest of said periphery positioned entirely on one side of said centerline, said indexing opening being complementarily disposed on the other side of said centerline.

Claim 6

The connector housing of claim 5 wherein a portion of said indexing member facing periphery remote from said centerline has a semicircular configuration.

Claim 7

A keyed plural-poled connector having a housing of the type provided at the connecting end thereof with a pocket portion disposed on one side of a transverse centerline and including at least two terminal receiving pockets and a socket portion disposed on the other side of the transverse centerline and including at least two sockets open to said transverse centerline and adapted to receive by insertion the terminal receiving pockets of an inverted second connector in longitudinal telescopic engagement, with the pocket portions of said connectors being in aligned, opposed relation so that terminals positioned therein will be in electrical contact with each other, said housing further having a positive indexing means comprising a longitudinally disposed indexing member positioned between said socket portions and away from said centerline at said connecting end with said indexing member having a predetermined unique facing configuration, and bridging means between said pocket portions at said connecting end defining a complementary indexing opening of substantially the same facing configuration as the indexing member in said socket portion to slideably receive by longitudinal insertion an indexing member of said predetermined unique configuration, whereby said connector may be longitudinally engaged with only an inverted second connector having a substantially identical indexing member and indexing opening.

Claim 8

A keyed plural-poled connector having a housing of the type provided at the connecting end thereof with a pocket portion disposed on one side of a transverse centerline and including at least two terminal receiving pockets and a socket portion disposed on the other side of the transverse centerline and including at least two sockets open to said transverse centerline and adapted to receive by insertion the terminal receiving pockets of an inverted second connector in longitudinal telescopic engagement, with the pocket portions of said connectors being in aligned, opposed relation so that terminals positioned therein will be in electrical contact with each other, said housing further having a positive indexing means comprising a longitudinally disposed indexing member positioned between said socket portions and away from said centerline at said connecting end with said indexing member having a predetermined unique facing configuration, and bridging means between said pocket portions at said connecting end defining a complementary indexing opening of substantially the same facing configuration as the indexing member in said socket portion to slideably receive by longitudinal insertion an indexing member of said predetermined unique configuration, whereby said connector may be longitudinally engaged with only an inverted second connector having a substantially identical indexing member and indexing opening.

Claim 9

The connector housing of claim 6 wherein the length of said indexing member measured perpendicularly to said centerline is substantially equal to the length of said complementary indexing opening measured perpendicularly to said centerline.