Connector shunt structure

Claim 1

A ground shunt structure for a connector of the type having a body of insulating material, a plurality of electrically conductive contact members including a ground contact member carried by said body for making electrical contact with mating contact members of a mating connector, means for receiving an electrical cable having an electrically conductive shield and a plurality of electrical conductors within said shield, and housing means for containing and supporting said body and said means for receiving so that said electrical conductors are connectable to said contact members with a portion of said shield exposed within said housing means, said shunt structure comprising a unitary T-shaped strip of electrically conductive material having an elongated leg and two outwardly extending arms at one end of said leg, said leg being significantly longer than said arms and said arms being bent out of the plane of said leg to approximate chords of a circle, said arms encircling less than 180° of said exposed portion of said shield, the distal ends of said arms having openings therethrough, said leg having means at the other end thereof for making electrical contact with said ground contact member; and an electrically conductive spring encircling the remainder of said exposed portion of said shield and making physical and electrical contact therewith, opposite ends of said spring being hooked through the openings in said distal ends of said arms to hold said arms in good electrical and mechanical contact with said shield.