Minature electrical shunt connector

Claim 1

A miniature electrical shunt connector for commoning of adjacent terminal posts of at least one pair of posts of a post array, comprising: housing means having at least one cavity extending rearwardly from an entrance at a mating face to a rear wall thereof; at least one shunt member disposed in a respective said cavity; and means for retaining each said shunt member in a respective said cavity, each said shunt member being essentially disposed in a plane having a thickness substantially equal to the diameter of terminal posts with which it is to shunt, and each said shunt member having a central portion and end sections, said central portion including leg sections joined to and extending rearwardly from a large front bight, said end and leg sections being associated in pairs and joined to and coextending forwardly from respective rear bights to receive respective terminal posts therebetween, said end section and leg section of each said pair converging toward each other proceeding forwardly from said respective rear bight to a respective constriction and curving outwardly forwardly thereof defining a pair of outer and inner contact sections at said constriction engageable with a respective terminal post received therebetween, each said constriction being smaller than the dimension of the terminal post so that said outer and inner contact sections establish an assured electrical connection therewith, and said shunt member being adapted so that said end and leg sections of each said pair are simultaneously relatively urgeable apart at said constrictions by respective said terminal posts received simultaneously therebetween, and each said shunt member being formed of a length of extruded wire having spring characteristics whereby the surfaces of said shunt member engaging a terminal post are formed by extrusion and are smooth and substantially free of surface irregularities to enhance adhesion of plating material thereto and to minimize damage to the post.