Electrostatic discharge conductor to shell continuity

Claim 2

A plug type multiple contact electrical connector comprising: a body portion formed from an insulative material, said body portion having a base and at least one outwardly projecting blade member extending from said base and terminating in a leading edge; a plurality of electrical contacts mounted to each of said at least one projecting blade members; an outer housing formed from an electrically conductive material and attached to said insulative body portion, said conductive outer housing at least partially surrounding said at least one projecting blade member; a conductive material mounted on the leading edge of at least one of said projecting blade members, said conductive material extending along the surface of said insulative body portion and terminating at an electrical connection with said conductive outer housing.

Claim 3

A plug type electrical connector comprising: a block of insulative material, said block of insulative material including a widened base section and a narrower section integrally formed with and extending from said widened base section, said narrower section of said block of insulative material having a top side, a bottom side and a leading edge; at least one electrical contact mounted to each of said top and bottom sides of said narrower section of said block of insulative material; a conductive outer shell attached to said widened base section of said block of insulative material, said conductive outer shell at least partially surrounding said narrower section of said block of insulative material; and an electrical conductor mounted to said narrower section of said block of insulative material, said electrical conductor positioned forward of said top and bottom side mounted electrical contacts relative to said leading edge such that electrostatic voltage potentials are discharged to said electrical conductor; wherein said narrower section of said block of insulative material further comprises sidewalls, said electrical conductor mounted on said leading edge of said insulative block extending along said sidewalls and the surface of said widened base section, said electrical conductor terminating at said conductive outer housing.

Claim 4

A plug type electrical connector comprising: a block of insulative material, said block of insulative material including a widened base section and a narrower section integrally formed with and extending from said widened base section, said narrower section of said block of insulative material having a top side, a bottom side and a leading edge; at least one electrical contact mounted to each of said top and bottom sides of said narrower section of said block of insulative material; a conductive outer shell attached to said widened base section of said block of insulative material, said conductive outer shell at least partially surrounding said narrower section of said block of insulative material; and an electrical conductor mounted to said narrower section of said block of insulative material, said electrical conductor positioned forward of said top and bottom side mounted electrical contacts relative to said leading edge such that electrostatic voltage potentials are discharged to said electrical conductor; wherein said narrower section of said block of insulative material further comprises sidewalls, said electrical conductor mounted on said leading edge of said insulative block extending along said sidewalls and the surface of said widened base section, said electrical conductor terminating at said conductive outer housing.

Claim 5

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 2 wherein said leading edge of block of insulative material is grooved and said electrical conductor is mounted in said groove.

Claim 6

A plug type multiple contact electrical connector comprising: a body portion formed from an insulative material, said body portion having a base and at least one outwardly projecting blade member extending from said base and terminating in a leading edge; a plurality of electrical contacts mounted to each of said at least one projecting blade members; an outer housing formed from an electrically conductive material and attached to said insulative body portion, said conductive outer housing at least partially surrounding said at least one projecting blade member; a conductive material mounted on at least one of said projecting blade members, said conductive material extending along the surface of said insulative body portion and terminating at an electrical connection with said conductive outer housing.

Claim 7

A plug type multiple contact electrical connector comprising: a body portion formed from an insulative material, said body portion having a base and at least one outwardly projecting blade member extending from said base and terminating in a leading edge; a plurality of electrical contacts mounted to each of said at least one projecting blade members; an outer housing formed from an electrically conductive material and attached to said insulative body portion, said conductive outer housing at least partially surrounding said at least one projecting blade member; a conductive material mounted on at least one of said projecting blade members, said conductive material extending along the surface of said insulative body portion and terminating at an electrical connection with said conductive outer housing.

Claim 8

A plug type electrical connector as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said at least one projecting blade members further include sidewalls and wherein said conductive material mounted on the leading edges of each of said at least one projecting blade members extend along said sidewalls of said projecting blade member and the surface of said insulative body portion, said conductive material terminating at said conductive outer housing.

Claim 9

A plug type electrical connector as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said electrical contacts further comprises an electrical contact for providing a first electrical connection and a pin connector for providing a second electrical connection.

Claim 10

A plug type electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said leading edge of each of said projecting blade members is grooved and wherein said conductive material further comprises a conductive wire insertably mounted into each of said grooves.

Claim 11

A plug type electrical connector as set forth in claim 7 wherein said at least one projecting blade member further comprises first, second and third projecting blades.

Claim 12

A plug type electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 wherein said projecting blades further include top and bottom sides and wherein electrical contacts are mounted on both said top and bottom sides of each of said projecting blades.

Claim 13

A plug type electrical connector as set forth in claim 9 wherein said top and bottom sides of each of said projecting blades are slotted and wherein said electrical contacts are insertably mounted in said slots.

Claim 14

An electrical connector with attached electrostatic discharge wires, comprising: a dielectric housing with a mating side, electrically conductive contacts supported by the housing, planar distal edges of the housing extending from the mating side, multiple electrostatic discharge wires aligned coplanar with respective planar distal edges, ends of each of the wires extending along the mating side while being coplanar with one of the distal edges, in each said distal edge a slot aligned with and receiving one of the wires therein, said slot extending from said distal edge and extending to channels along the mating side in alignment with the ends of one said one wire, a conductive shell encircling the planar distal edges, a conductive flange on the shell engaging and biasing the ends of the wires toward the channels, and the mating side and the flange being attached together and providing a clamp attachment of the ends of the wires between the mating side and the flange.

Claim 15

An electrical connector with attached electrostatic discharge wires, comprising: a dielectric housing with a mating side, electrically conductive contacts supported by the housing, planar distal edges of the housing extending from the mating side, multiple electrostatic discharge wires aligned coplanar with respective planar distal edges, ends of each of the wires extending along the mating side while being coplanar with one of the distal edges, in each said distal edge a slot aligned with and receiving one of the wires therein, said slot extending from said distal edge and extending to channels along the mating side in alignment with the ends of one said one wire, a conductive shell encircling the planar distal edges, a conductive flange on the shell engaging and biasing the ends of the wires toward the channels, and the mating side and the flange being attached together and providing a clamp attachment of the ends of the wires between the mating side and the flange.

Claim 16

An electrical connector as recited in claim 11, and further comprising: the distal edges are on fins, the fins project from a base adjacent to the mating side, and each said slot extends along the base and then to said channels.

Claim 17

An electrical connector with attached electrostatic discharge wires, comprising: a dielectric housing with a mating side, electrically conductive contacts supported by the housing, planar distal edges of the housing extending from the mating side, electrostatic discharge wires aligned coplanar with respective planar distal edges, ends of each of the wires extending along the mating side while being coplanar with one of the distal edges, in each said distal edge a slot aligned with and receiving one of the wires therein, said slot extending from said distal edge and to the mating side, a conductive shell encircling the planar distal edges, a conductive flange on the shell engaging and biasing the ends of the wires toward the mating side, and the mating side and the flange being attached together and providing a clamp attachment of the ends of the wires between the mating side and the flange.

Claim 18

An electrical connector with attached electrostatic discharge wires, comprising: a dielectric housing with a mating side, electrically conductive contacts supported by the housing, planar distal edges of the housing extending from the mating side, electrostatic discharge wires aligned coplanar with respective planar distal edges, ends of each of the wires extending along the mating side while being coplanar with one of the distal edges, in each said distal edge a slot aligned with and receiving one of the wires therein, said slot extending from said distal edge and to the mating side, a conductive shell encircling the planar distal edges, a conductive flange on the shell engaging and biasing the ends of the wires toward the mating side, and the mating side and the flange being attached together and providing a clamp attachment of the ends of the wires between the mating side and the flange.

Claim 19

An electrical connector as recited in claim 13, and further comprising: the distal edges are on fins projecting from the mating face, the fins project from a base adjacent to the mating side, and each said slot extends along the base and then to said channels.

Claim 20

An electrical connector with attached electrostatic discharge wires, comprising: a dielectric housing with a mating side, electrically conductive contacts supported by the housing, planar distal edges of the housing extending from the mating side, electrostatic discharge wires aligned coplanar with respective planar distal edges, ends of each of the wires extending along the mating side while being coplanar with one of the distal edges, in each said distal edge a slot aligned with and receiving one of the wires therein, said slot extending from said distal edge and to the mating side, a conductive shell encircling the planar distal edges, a conductive flange on the shell engaging and biasing the ends of the wires toward the mating side, and the mating side and the flange being attached together and providing a clamp attachment of the ends of the wires between the mating side and the flange.

Claim 21

An electrical connector with attached electrostatic discharge wires, comprising: a dielectric housing with a mating side, electrically conductive contacts supported by the housing, planar distal edges of the housing extending from the mating side, electrostatic discharge wires aligned coplanar with respective planar distal edges, ends of each of the wires extending along the mating side while being coplanar with one of the distal edges, in each said distal edge a slot aligned with and receiving one of the wires therein, said slot extending from said distal edge and to the mating side, a conductive shell encircling the planar distal edges, a conductive flange on the shell engaging and biasing the ends of the wires toward the mating side, and the mating side and the flange being attached together and providing a clamp attachment of the ends of the wires between the mating side and the flange.

Claim 22

An electrical connector as recited in claim 15, and further comprising: the distal edges are on fins projecting from the mating face, the fins project from a base adjacent to the mating side, and each said slot extends along the base and then to channels in the mating side aligned with the ends of said wire.

Claim 23

An electrical connector as recited in claim 15, and further comprising: the ends of said wire are welded to the flange.