Self-operative electrical shunting contact and method for forming

Claim 2

An electrical shunting contact for mounting in a first electrical connector between selected adjacent first contacts thereof, wherein a short circuit is created between the selected adjacent first contacts with the selected adjacent first contacts demated from second contacts of a corresponding second electrical connector, and further wherein an open circuit is created between the selected adjacent first contacts with the selected adjacent first contacts mated to the second contacts, said electrical shunting contact comprising: a conductive member having at least two opposing legs and a resilient bridge joining said at least two opposing legs wherein said at least two opposing legs include a foot segment, a non-conductive protuberance projecting outwardly from said foot segment, and a conductive contact edge along the base of said foot segment for forming an electrical contact between the selected adjacent first contacts, and further wherein said resilient bridge is operative to bias said at least two opposing legs outwardly from one another to create the short circuit between the selected adjacent first contacts with the selected adjacent first contacts demated from the second contacts, and to create the open circuit between the selected adjacent first contacts with the selected adjacent first contacts mated to the second contacts.

Claim 3

The electrical shunting contact of claim 1 wherein: said non-conductive protuberance is integrally formed as part of said foot segment.

Claim 4

The electrical shunting contact of claim 1 wherein: said non-conductive protuberance is integrally formed as part of the base of said foot segment.

Claim 5

The electrical shunting contact of claim 1 wherein: said non-conductive protuberance is a preformed plug mounted on said foot segment.

Claim 6

The electrical shunting contact of claim 1 wherein: said non-conductive protuberance is coated with an insulative material.

Claim 7

The electrical shunting contact of claim 5 wherein: said insulative material is an epoxy resin.

Claim 8

The electrical shunting contact of claim 1 wherein: said conductive contact edge comprises a chamfer along the outside border to provide a greater surface area of electrical contact between said conductive contact edge and said adjacent first contact.

Claim 9

The electrical shunting contact of claim 1 wherein: said conductive contact edge is plated with a highly conductive material to provide greater conductivity between said conductive contact edge and said adjacent first contacts.

Claim 10

The electrical shunting contact of claim 8 wherein: said highly conductive material is gold.

Claim 11

A self-shunting electrical connector having a plurality of first electrical contacts configured for mating with a second electrical connector having a plurality of second electrical contacts, said self-shunting electrical connector comprising: a housing of insulative material having a plurality of contact cavities, wherein each said contact cavity houses a first electrical contact and further wherein selected ones of said plurality of contact cavities include a chamber in adjacent relationship thereto, said chamber defining at least one pair of selected adjacent first electrical contacts; at least one electrical shunting contact mounted in said chamber between at least one pair of selected adjacent first electrical contacts, said at least one electrical shunting contact including a conductive member having at least two opposing legs and a resilient bridge for joining said at least two legs wherein said at least two opposing legs include a foot segment, a non-conductive protuberance projecting outwardly from said at least two legs, and a conductive contact edge along the base of said foot segment for forming an electrical contact between said selected adjacent first electrical contacts, and further wherein said resilient bridge is operative to bias said at least two opposing legs outwardly from one another to create a short circuit between said selected adjacent first electrical contacts with said self-shunting electrical connector demated from the second electrical connector and further to create an open circuit between said selected adjacent first electrical contacts with said self-shunting contact mated to the second electrical contact.

Claim 12

A self-shunting electrical connector having a plurality of first electrical contacts configured for mating with a second electrical connector having a plurality of second electrical contacts, said self-shunting electrical connector comprising: a housing of insulative material having a plurality of contact cavities, wherein each said contact cavity houses a first electrical contact and further wherein selected ones of said plurality of contact cavities include a chamber in adjacent relationship thereto, said chamber defining at least one pair of selected adjacent first electrical contacts; at least one electrical shunting contact mounted in said chamber between at least one pair of selected adjacent first electrical contacts, said at least one electrical shunting contact including a conductive member having at least two opposing legs and a resilient bridge for joining said at least two legs wherein said at least two opposing legs include a foot segment, a non-conductive protuberance projecting outwardly from said at least two legs, and a conductive contact edge along the base of said foot segment for forming an electrical contact between said selected adjacent first electrical contacts, and further wherein said resilient bridge is operative to bias said at least two opposing legs outwardly from one another to create a short circuit between said selected adjacent first electrical contacts with said self-shunting electrical connector demated from the second electrical connector and further to create an open circuit between said selected adjacent first electrical contacts with said self-shunting contact mated to the second electrical contact.