Granted Patent B1

US 7,306,474 · App. 11/582,202 · Granted Dec 11, 2007

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A socket electrical connector adapted to receive a portion of a mating plug electrical connector, the socket electrical connector comprising:

a housing comprising a first housing member and a second housing member, wherein the second housing member is located in the first housing member and forms a scoop proof dome having a height extending above a top side of the first hosing member, wherein the second housing member forms at least one receiving area for receiving the portion of the mating plug electrical connector;

at least two electrical contact terminals connected to the first housing member and extending into the at least one receiving area of the second housing member; and

a contact shorting member mounted on the second housing member and contacting the electrical contacts,

wherein the at least one receiving area comprises a first inner receiving area having the terminals therein, and a second outer receiving area at least partially separated from the first inner receiving area by a wall of the second housing, wherein the second outer receiving area at least partially surrounds the first inner receiving area.

2. A socket electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the terminals comprise spaced, parallel male contact pins.

3. A socket electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the second housing member comprises a shorting member retainer section having the contact shorting member mounted thereon, and wherein the shorting member extends through the shorting member retainer section between an inner side of the shorting member retainer section and an outer side of the shorting member retainer section.

4. A socket electrical connector adapted to receive a portion of a mating plug electrical connector, the socket electrical connector comprising:

a housing comprising a first housing member and a second housing member, wherein the second housing member is located in the first housing member and forms a scoop proof dome having a height extending above a top side of the first hosing member, wherein the second housing member forms at least one receiving area for receiving the portion of the mating plug electrical connector;

at least two electrical contact terminals connected to the first housing member and extending into the at least one receiving area of the second housing member; and

a contact shorting member mounted on the second housing member and contacting the electrical contacts,

wherein the second housing member comprises a shorting member retainer section having the contact shorting member mounted thereon, wherein the shorting member retainer section comprises a ramp section above the shorting member adapted to move a portion of the mating plug electrical connector when the mating plug electrical connector is inserted into the at least one receiving area.

5. A squib electrical connector assembly comprising:

a plug electrical connector comprising a plug housing, female electrical contacts and at least one ferrite tube, wherein the at least one ferrite tube surrounds a male pin receiving section of the female electrical contacts; and

a socket electrical connector as in claim 1 connected to the plug electrical connector,

wherein the plug housing comprises an extended height plug portion to accommodate a height of the scoop proof dome, and wherein the at least one ferrite tube comprises an extended height which extends above a top plane of the scoop proof dome at least about 20 percent of the height of the ferrite tube.

6. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 5 wherein the extended height of the at least one ferrite tube extends above the top plane of the scoop proof dome at least about 30 percent of the height of the ferrite tube.

7. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 5 wherein the plug electrical connector further comprises a connector position assurance (CPA) member movably connected to the plug housing, wherein the plug housing comprises a latch adapted to retain the CPA member at an unlocked position, and wherein the latch is adapted to be moved by a ramp portion of the second housing member when the plug housing is inserted into the at least one receiving area.

8. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 7 wherein the ramp portion of the second housing member comprises a top of the scoop proof dome.

9. A squib electrical connector assembly comprising:

a plug electrical connector comprising a plug housing, female electrical contacts and at least one ferrite tube, wherein the at least one ferrite tube surrounds a male pin receiving section of the female electrical contacts; and

a socket electrical connector connected to the plug electrical connector, the socket electrical connector comprising a socket housing, male electrical contacts and a contact shorting member, wherein the socket housing comprises a first housing member and a second housing member, wherein the second housing member is located in the first housing member and forms a scoop proof dome having a height extending above a top side of the first housing member, wherein the second housing member forms at least one receiving area having a portion of the plug housing mounted therein,

wherein the portion of the plug housing comprises an extended height plug portion to accommodate a height of the scoop proof dome, and wherein the at least one ferrite tube comprises an extended height which extends above a top plane of the scoop proof dome at least about 30 percent of the height of the ferrite tube.

10. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 9 wherein the extended height of the at least one ferrite tube extends above the top plane of the scoop proof dome at least about 30 percent of the height of the ferrite tube.

11. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 9 wherein the second housing member comprises a shorting member retainer section having the contact shorting member mounted thereon, and wherein the shorting member extends through the shorting member retainer section between an inner side of the shorting member retainer section and an outer side of the shorting member retainer section.

12. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 9 wherein the second housing member comprises a shorting member retainer section having the contact shorting member mounted thereon, wherein the shorting member retainer section comprises a ramp section above the shorting member adapted to move a portion of the plug electrical connector when the plug electrical connector is inserted into the at least one receiving area.

13. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 9 wherein the plug electrical connector further comprises a connector position assurance (CPA) member movably connected to the plug housing, wherein the plug housing comprises a latch adapted to retain the CPA member at an unlocked position, and wherein the latch is adapted to be moved by a ramp portion of the second housing member when the plug housing is inserted into the at least one receiving area.

14. A squib electrical connector assembly as in claim 13 wherein the ramp portion of the second housing member comprises a top of the scoop proof dome.

15. A method of assembling a squib electrical connector comprising:

providing a first housing member;

connecting an electrical contact shorting member to a second housing member, wherein the second housing member comprises an elevated height scoop proof dome portion;

connecting electrical male contact terminals to the first housing member;

inserting the second housing member into the first housing member wherein the elevated height scoop proof dome portion extends above a top side of the first housing member; and

electrically connecting the male contact terminals to each other by the electrical contact shorting member,

wherein connecting the electrical contact shorting member to the second housing member comprises mounting the shorting member to a wall of the second housing member, wherein the wall separates two plug housing receiving areas from each other, and wherein a portion of the wall located above the shorting member forms a ramp adapted to move a portion of a mating plug electrical connector when the mating plug electrical connector is inserted into the two plug housing receiving areas.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein inserting the second housing member into the first housing member comprises locating the male contact terminals in a plug receiving area of the second housing.

17. A socket electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the first housing member comprises a keying slot on a top side and the second housing member comprises a keying section inserted into the keying slot.

18. A socket electrical connector as in claim 1 wherein the first housing member comprises offset keying slots on a top side and the second housing member comprises offset keying sections inserted into the keying slots.

19. A socket electrical connector as in claim 4 wherein the first housing member comprises a keying slot on a top side and the second housing member comprises a keying section inserted into the keying slot.

20. A socket electrical connector as in claim 4 wherein the first housing member comprises offset keying slots on a top side and the second housing member comprises offset keying sections inserted into the keying slots.

21. A squib electrical connector assembly comprising:

a plug electrical connector comprising a plug housing, female electrical contacts and at least one ferrite tube, wherein the at least one ferrite tube surrounds a male pin receiving section of at least one of the female electrical contacts; and

a socket electrical connector having the plug electrical connector mounted therein, the socket electrical connector comprising a socket housing, male electrical contacts and a contact shorting member, wherein the socket housing comprises a first housing member and a second housing member, wherein the second housing member is located in the first housing member and forms a scoop proof dome having a height extending above a top side of the first housing member, wherein the second housing member forms at least one receiving area having a portion of the plug housing mounted therein, wherein the portion of the plug housing comprises an extended height plug portion to accommodate a height of the scoop proof dome, and wherein the at least one ferrite tube comprises an extended height which extends above the top side of the first housing member.

Assignments (8)