Modular connector for power systems

Claim 1

A modular connector, comprising: a first plurality of conductive terminals, each said terminal having a first mating end and a second mating end on a common linear axis with an integral web therebetween, said web having termination means thereon, said first end of one such terminal being matable to said second end of another such terminal by moving said first end of one such terminal axially toward said second end of another such terminal, a male housing having a first face and a second face, said first face having a first plurality of parallel male legs extending therefrom, each said leg having a remote end and a housing end, each said leg having a passage extending axially inward from said remote end to said housing end, each said passage communicating with said second face, one of said male legs being a male keying leg having a certain external profile, said keying leg being positioned centrally of the remaining male legs, said remaining male legs being a second plurality, said remaining male legs having radial symmetry about said male keying leg, said male keying leg being an extension of a male keying member having a profiled base which complements a profiled recess in said second face of said male housing in a second plurality of orientations, a female housing having a first face and a second face, said first face having a first plurality of parallel female legs extending therefrom, each said leg having a remote end and a housing end, each said leg having a passage extending axially inward from said remote end to said housing end, each said passage communicating with said second face and being profiled to accommodate a male leg, one of said female legs being a female keying leg, said passage having a certain internal profile which complements said certain external profile of said male keying leg, said female keying leg being positioned centrally on the remaining female legs, said remaining female legs being a second plurality, said remaining female legs having radial symmetry about said female keying leg, said female keying leg being an extension of a female keying member having a profiled base which complements a profiled recess in said second face of said female housing in a second plurality of orientations, each said orientation being such that one modular connector can be mated with another modular connector in only one orientation, whereby, a modular connector may be assembled by terminating a conductive element to said termination means on each of said terminals and sandwiching said terminals between said second faces of said male and female housings, each said terminal having its first end received in the passage of a male leg and its second end received in the passage of a female leg, said second faces being profiled to accommodate said termination means and said conductive elements therein, said modular connector being matable to another said modular connector by inserting said remote ends of said male legs into the passages in the remote ends of the female legs of said other modular connector, said first ends of said terminals in said modular connector mating to said second ends of said terminals in said other modular connector, and said orientation of each said keying leg relative to its housing may be changed by removing the respective keying member from the housing and rotating it to another orientation where said base complements said profiled recess and inserting the keying member back into the housing, said keying legs shaped to permit or prevent mating depending upon their rotational orientation.