Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6821160
-
Patent Number
6,821,160
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, April 1, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 23, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Ta; Tho D.
- Leon; Edwin A.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 701
- 439 752
- 439 352
- 439 357
- 439 851
- 439 842
- 439 816
- 439 787
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A high voltage electrical connection includes an electrical receptacle connector and a mating electrical plug connector. The electrical receptacle connector includes a receptacle that is mounted over a hole in the casing and fastened thereto with a plurality of terminated electrical leads that are attached to an internal component of an electrical device inside the casing and threaded through a hole in the casing. The receptacle has a chamber including an inlet at one end that is aligned with the hole in casing and an outlet at the other end. The electrical receptacle connector also includes a terminal holder and a terminal housing, both of which are made of electrical insulation material. The holder retains the plurality of terminals, of the respective leads is inserted into the chamber through the outlet of the receptacle and retained in the chamber. The terminal housing is then inserted into the chamber via the outlet with its flange being disposed in the outlet. The flange has a plurality of spaced holes, each one of which receives one of the plurality of terminals. Flange includes a stop to locate the terminal housing with respect to the receptacle in a longitudinal direction of the terminals, and an integral shroud that extends outwardly of the outlet whereby the electrical receptacle connector is adapted to receive the mating plug connector. The mating electrical plug connector which includes a plurality of terminals each attached to one of a plurality of electrical leads, a connector body housing the plurality of terminals, a terminal position assurance (TPA)/wire dress feature for the plurality of terminals and electrical leads, and an, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to high power electrical connection for an electrical induction device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An electrical induction device, such as an electric transmission requires a high voltage electrical connection on the order of 220 volts. The electric transmission which is a three phase induction machine controlled through electronic switching is fabricated with three electrical leads that are connected to an internal stator and lead out of a hole in the casing for connection to an external power source. Presently, pass through adapters and grommets are used to seal the hole in the casing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an electrical connection system for electrical leads that pass through a hole in a casing that seals the hole without any need for a pass through adapter or a grommet.
In one aspect, the invention provides a high voltage electrical receptacle connector that can be assembled outside of a casing using a plurality of short electric leads sticking out of a hole in the casing. The electrical receptacle connector is then attached to the casing to seal the hole in the casing. The electrical leads are preferably as short as possible to minimize lead feed back into the casing while being of sufficient length to be made part of the electrical receptacle connector that is assembled outside the casing so that the electrical leads can be connected to an external power source.
In another aspect, the invention provides a mating high voltage electrical plug connector for the receptacle connector that is assembled outside of the casing.
In still another aspect, the invention provides a high voltage terminal for the high voltage electrical plug connector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a high power electrical connection in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the electrical receptacle-connector that is part of the electrical connection shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a cross section of the electrical receptacle connector taken substantially along the line
3
—
3
of
FIG. 2
looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of a subassembly of the electrical receptacle connector that is shown in
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 5
is a cross section of the electrical receptacle connector taken substantially along the line
5
—
5
of
FIG. 2
looking in the direction of the arrows with the terminal housing removed for clarity;
FIG. 6
is an exploded perspective view of the electrical receptacle connector shown in
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 7
is an exploded perspective view of the electrical plug connector that is shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 8
is a cross section of the electrical plug connector taken substantially along the line
8
—
8
of
FIG. 7
looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 9
is a perspective view of one of the terminals of the electrical plug connector that is shown in
FIG. 7
;
FIG. 10
is an exploded perspective sectioned view of the electrical plug connector shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8
;
FIG. 11
is a perspective rear view of the electrical plug connector that is shown in
FIG. 7
,
FIG. 12
is a perspective front view of the electrical plug connector that is shown in
FIG. 7
, and
FIG. 13
is a perspective section of the high power electrical connection of
FIG. 1
showing details of an interruption link and mating connectors.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings,
FIG. 1
shows a high voltage electrical connection
10
of the invention comprising an electrical receptacle connector
12
and a mating electrical plug connector
14
. The electrical receptacle connector
12
which is attached to a motor casing
16
is shown in detail in
FIGS. 2 through 6
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the electrical receptacle connector
12
comprises a right angled metal receptacle
18
that is mounted over the hole in the casing
16
and fastened to the motor casing
16
with bolts or the like. Receptacle connector
12
has an internal chamber
20
including an inlet
22
at one end that is aligned with the hole in casing
16
and a stepped outlet
24
that is perpendicular to the inlet. A compression gasket (
25
) is disposed between the receptacle
18
and the motor casing
16
to seal the interface between receptacle
18
and motor casing
16
.
Receptacle connector
12
further comprises a terminal holder
26
and a terminal; housing
28
, both of which are made of thermoplastic or other suitable electrical insulation material. Holder
26
is used in assembling receptacle connector
12
outside of casing
16
as explained below.
Referring now to
FIGS. 4 and 5
, terminal holder
26
comprises a plurality of laterally spaced terminal retainers
30
and a plurality of press tabs
32
. Each press tab
32
is located at the top of a pedestal
33
that is disposed between a pair of terminal retainers
30
as best shown in FIG.
4
. Electrical leads
34
are attached to an internal component of the electrical device inside casing
16
(such as the stator of an electric transmission) and threaded through the hole. Electrical leads
34
are preferably terminated before attachment to the internal component.
In either event, the electrical leads
34
are terminated with barrel type terminals
36
that have a barrel shaped contact
38
at one end and an opposite end
40
that is attached to the lead core
41
at an insulation stripped end of the electric lead
34
, usually by a crimping operation. The opposite or attachment end
40
also includes an end collar
42
and an annular recess
44
. Annular recess
44
which is spaced inwardly of the end collar
42
toward the contact
38
receives an elastomeric O-ring seal
46
.
Each terminal
36
is held in one of the terminal retainers
30
by a clip
48
of holder
26
with the end collar
42
of each terminal
36
cooperating with its associated clip
48
and retainer
30
for axial retention of the terminal
36
as best shown by the terminal
36
in the middle retainer
30
in FIG.
4
.
FIG. 4
shows a open retainer
30
at the left, a retained terminal
36
in the middle retainer
30
and a terminal
36
being inserted into the retainer
30
at the right. When three terminals
36
are retained in holder
26
, holder
26
is pushed through stepped outlet
24
of chamber
20
into receptacle
18
until holder
26
engages shoulder
49
and press tabs
32
engage in retention slots
50
to retain the holder
26
in receptacle
18
as best shown in FIG.
5
. The use of holder
26
and above assembly procedure minimizes the extra length of leads
34
that must be fed back into casing
16
because the leads
34
extend beyond their assembled position shown in
FIG. 5
only a short distance (about 10 mm) for assembly into holder
24
. Terminals
36
are preferably male pin terminals.
Referring now to
FIGS. 2
,
3
and
6
, the terminal housing
28
comprises a flange
52
that fits in the intermediate part
54
of the three part stepped outlet
24
of chamber
20
in receptacle
18
against a back wall
55
. Flange
52
has a plurality of spaced holes
56
extending through the flange, each hole
56
receiving one of the terminals
36
. An integral terminal collar
58
extends from the inner side of flange
52
for each hole
56
as best shown in
FIGS. 3 and 6
. The terminal collar
58
cooperates with the O-ring seal
46
of the associated terminal
36
to seal the passage through the hole
56
as best shown in FIG.
3
. Each terminal collar
58
includes a stop tab
60
that extends through a space in holder
26
and engages the shoulder
49
of receptacle
18
to locate the terminal housing
28
with respect to the receptacle
18
in the longitudinal direction of the terminals
36
. The inner side of flange
52
includes an oval shaped groove
62
that receives an oval shaped face seal
64
that engages the back wall
55
of the receptacle
18
to seal the interface between the terminal housing
28
and the receptacle
18
as best shown in
FIGS. 3 and 6
. The face seal
64
is compressed when flange
52
is bolted to receptacle
18
by bolts that extend through flange
52
outwardly of face seal
64
as shown in FIG.
3
.
The outer side of flange
52
has an integral shroud
66
as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
. The inside of shroud
66
is shaped to receive electrical plug connector
14
as explained below. Shroud
66
includes a pair of laterally spaced slots
68
that hold for a flat metal electrical interruption link
70
that is best shown in FIG.
13
. The flat metal link
70
has two extended electrical arms
71
. Mating plug connector
14
houses two female terminals
14
, which are locked in laterally spaced terminal housings
143
of connector body
78
via flexible arms
146
as best shown in
FIGS. 10 and 13
. The female terminals
141
have an environmental seal
144
crimped to the terminal and the electrical lead. A terminal position feature
145
prevents female terminals
141
from backing out of connector body
78
.
Female terminals
141
engage the respective electrical arms
71
of flat metal link
70
when the electrical receptacle connector
12
and the electrical plug connector
14
are mated to form the high voltage electrical connection
10
. This drains off residual voltage stored within the high voltage connection
10
during use and thus eliminates the possibility of an electrical discharge when the electrical plug connector
14
is unplugged.
Details of the electrical plug connector
14
of
FIG. 1
are shown in
FIGS. 7 through 12
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, the electrical plug connector
14
comprises a plurality of terminals
72
each attached to an electrical lead
74
and holding a cable seal
76
. The electrical connector
14
includes a connector body
78
housing terminals
72
, a terminal position assurance (TPA)/wire dress feature
80
for terminals
72
and electrical leads
74
and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield
82
.
A typical terminal
72
is shown in FIG.
9
. It comprises a contact barrel
84
at one end and an attachment portion
86
at the opposite end. Attachment portion
86
comprises convention core and insulation crimp wings that are crimped onto the insulation stripped core end and adjacent insulation jacket of electrical lead
74
in a conventional manner. Contact barrel
84
is a split barrel with the seam of the barrel being formed by dove-tailed or interlocking tabs and slots to guard against the split barrel opening up after prolonged use. The front of contact barrel
84
has two diametrically opposed wings
88
that extend outwardly of the contact barrel. Terminals
72
are preferably female terminals and preferably also include a female contact insert
90
that comprises a plurality of resilient contact wires
92
inside a support sleeve
94
with the ends of the resilient contact wires
92
wrapped around the ends of the support sleeve
94
as best shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
and slightly bowed inwardly away from the support sleeve
94
between the ends of the support sleeve
94
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 7
,
8
and
10
, connector body
78
comprises a plurality of cylindrical portions
96
arrayed side by side with their abutting side walls integrally joined together. Each cylindrical portion
96
forms a cylindrical terminal cavity
98
; which receives a terminal
72
attached to one of the electrical leads
74
as best shown in FIG.
8
. Each terminal cavity
98
has a partial front wall
100
defining a tri-lobal opening
102
at the contact end as best shown in
FIGS. 7 and 10
. Tri-lobal opening
102
has a central or concentric lobe to provide access to the female terminal
72
and two eccentric lobes which facilitate the molding of two resilient, cantilevered, retention fingers
104
inside the cylindrical terminal cavity
98
that are integrally attached to the side wall of the enlarged rearward portion of each terminal cavity as best shown in
FIGS. 8 and 10
. The reduced forward portion of each terminal cavity
98
has diametrically opposed guide slots
106
for receiving the terminal wings
88
.
Terminals
72
are loaded into the terminal cavities
98
from the conductor or lead end. During the loading process, retention fingers
104
are pushed outwardly by contact barrels
84
as contact barrels enter the reduced forward portions oriented and guided by terminal wings
88
entering guide slots
106
as best shown in FIG.
10
. Retention fingers
104
are held outwardly until the terminals
72
are fully inserted into the terminal cavities
98
whereupon the retention fingers snap down behind the contact barrels
84
to retain the contact barrels between the retention fingers
104
and the partial front walls
100
as best shown in FIG.
8
.
Connector body
78
also includes a medial flange
108
that supports an annular hood
110
that extends toward the forward contact end of the connector body
78
to form an annular groove
112
. Groove
112
receives the shroud
66
of the receptacle connector
12
when the plug connector
14
is mated to the receptacle connector
12
. An annular elastomeric seal
114
is disposed at the inner closed end of the annular groove
112
to seal the interface between the plug connector
14
and the receptacle connector
12
.
After the terminals
72
are loaded into the terminal cavities
98
, cable seals
76
are slid onto each electrical lead
74
into a position behind the associated terminal
72
. The TPA/wire dress
80
which is pre-positioned around the electrical wires
74
as shown in
FIG. 7
is then assembled to the connector body
78
as shown in FIG.
8
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 7
,
8
and
11
, the TPA/wire dress
80
comprises a forward TPA portion
116
and a rearward wire dress portion
118
connected together by a transition
120
. The TPA portion
116
includes an end wall
122
and a forward, projecting hood
124
that is sized and shaped to fit over the rearward end of connector body
78
. End wall
122
has a plurality of lead slots
126
with integral forward projecting collars
128
that align with the terminal cavities
98
respectively. Hood
124
has a plurality of loading slots
130
that align with lead slots
126
respectively and two retention slots
132
as best shown in FIG.
11
.
The top of transition
120
is open while the rearward dress portion
118
is a closed collar
134
as shown in
FIGS. 7 and 11
. Collar
134
has a plurality of longitudinal slots
136
that are open at the rear or conductor end which includes a flange
138
that is divided into a number of segments by the slots
136
. Slots
136
increase the flexibility of the conductor end portion of collar
134
so that the flange segments can be depressed radially inwardly
The TPA/wire dress
80
which as stated above, is pre-positioned around the electrical leads
74
so that the electrical leads
74
extend through collar
134
as shown in FIG.
7
. The electrical leads
74
are then loaded into the lead slots
126
, respectively, via loading slots
130
. The TPA/wire dress
80
is then slid forward so that the projecting hood
124
slides onto the rearward portion of the connector body
78
until the hood
124
is locked in place by lock tabs
131
engaging in retention slots
132
as best shown in FIG.
11
. When hood
124
is locked in place, the forward projecting collars
128
of end wall
122
project into the ends of the terminal cavities
98
and engage the cable seals
76
as best shown in
FIG. 8
, thus assuring that the cable seals
76
as well as the terminals
72
are properly located in the terminal cavities
98
.
After the TPA/wire dress
80
is secured in place, the EMI shield
82
which is also pre-positioned around the electrical wires
74
as shown in
FIG. 7
, is then slid forward over the collar
134
into place over the annular hood
110
of the connector body
78
as shown in
FIGS. 8 and 12
. A tri-annular gasket
140
is then attached to the front wall
100
of the connector body
78
using the integral studs
142
of the front wall which are headed over to keep the face seal
140
in place as shown in FIG.
12
.
The electrical plug connector
14
is then plugged into the electrical receptacle connector
12
and held in place by two bolts as shown in FIG.
1
.
The foregoing description discloses and describes various aspects and embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such description, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and also such modifications, changes and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
- 1. An electrical plug connector for a plurality of electrical leads comprising:a plurality of terminals each attached to one of the plurality of electrical leads, a connector body housing the plurality of terminals, a terminal position assurance(TPA)/wire dress feature for the plurality of terminals and electrical leads, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield, wherein the connector body comprises a plurality of cylindrical portions, each cylindrical portion forming a cylindrical terminal cavity which receives one of the plurality of terminals attached to one of the plurality of electrical leads, wherein the TPA/wire dress feature comprises a forward TPA portion that includes an end wall that has a plurality of lead slots with internal forward projecting collars that align with the terminal cavities respectively.
- 2. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1 wherein the TPA/wire dress feature comprises a rearward wire dress portion.
- 3. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the terminals comprises a contact barrel at one end and an attachment portion at the opposite end, the contact barrel being a split barrel with the seam of the barrel being formed by interlocking tabs and slots to guard against the barrel seam opening up after prolonged use, the front of contact barrel having two diametrically opposed wings 88 that extend outwardly of the contact barrel.
- 4. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 3 wherein each of the terminals is a female terminal that includes a female contact insert that comprises a plurality of contact wires inside a support sleeve with the ends of the contact wires wrapped around the ends of the support sleeve.
- 5. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of cylindrical portions are arrayed side by side with their abutting side walls integrally joined together, each terminal cavity having a partial front wall defining a tri-lobal opening that includes a concentric lobe to provide access to the terminal and two eccentric lobes which facilitate the molding of two resilient, cantilevered, retention fingers inside the cylindrical terminal cavity that are integrally attached to the side wall of an enlarged rearward portion of each terminal cavity, the reduced forward portion of each terminal cavity having diametrically opposed guide slots for receiving the terminal wings, the retention fingers being pushed outwardly by contact barrels as contact barrels enter reduced forward portions the respective terminal cavities oriented and guided by terminal wings entering the guide slots and snapping down behind the contact barrels when the contact barrels are fully inserted to retain the contact barrels between the retention fingers and the partial front walls.
- 6. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 5 wherein the connector body also includes a medial flange that supports an annular hood that extends toward the forward contact end of the connector body to form an annular groove for receiving a shroud of a matable receptacle connector when the plug connector is mated to the receptacle connector and wherein an annular elastomeric seal is disposed at the end of the annular groove to seal the interface between the plug connector and the receptacle connector.
- 7. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 6 wherein a cable seal at disposed on each lead in a position behind the terminal.
- 8. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 7 further including a TPA/wire dress feature which comprises a forward TPA portion and a rearward wire dress portion connected together by a transition, the TPA portion including an end wall and a forward projecting hood that fits over the rearward end of the connector body, the end wall having a plurality of lead slots with integral forward projecting collars that align with the terminal cavities respectively, the hood having a plurality of loading slots that align with lead slots respectively and retention slots, the top of transition being open while the rearward dress portion is a closed collar.
- 9. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 8 wherein the collar has a plurality of longitudinal slots that are open at the rear or conductor end which includes a flange that is divided into a number of segments by the slots that increase the flexibility of the conductor end portion of collar so that the flange segments can be depressed radially inwardly, the electrical leads extending through collar and disposed in the lead slots, respectively, the projecting hood being disposed on the rearward portion of the connector body and locked in place by lock tabs engaging in retention slots, the forward projecting collars of end wall projecting into the ends of the terminal cavities and engaging the cable seals to assure that the cable seals as well as the terminals axe properly located in the terminal cavities.
- 10. The electrical plug receptacle connector as defined in claim 9 wherein the EMI shield engages over the collar and the annular hood of the connector body and wherein a gasket is attached to the front wall of the connector body using the integral studs of the front wall which are headed over to keep the gasket in place.
- 11. An electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said plug connector has received a mating electrical receptacle connector for a plurality of electrical leads that are attached to an internal component of an electrical device inside a casing and threaded through a hole in the casing, the plurality of electrical leads having a plurality of receptacle terminal respectively, the electrical receptacle connector comprising:a receptacle that is adapted to mount over the hole in the casing and be fastened thereto, the receptacle having a chamber including an inlet at one end that is aligned with the hole in casing and an outlet at the other end, a receptacle terminal holder and a plurality of receptacle terminals retained thereby being insertable into the chamber through the outlet and retained in the chamber, a receptacle terminal housing being insertable into the internal chamber via the outlet and having a flange that is retained in the outlet, and the flange having a plurality of spa holes extending through the flange, each hole receiving one of the plurality of receptacle terminals, respectively.
- 12. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 11 wherein the flange includes a stop to locate the terminal housing with respect to the receptacle in a longitudinal direction of the receptacle terminals and an integral shroud that extends outwardly of the outlet whereby the electrical receptacle connector is adapted to receive a mating plug connector.
- 13. An electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said plug connector has received a mating electrical receptacle connector for a plurality of electrical leads that are attached to an internal component of an electrical device inside a casing and threaded through a hole in the casing, the plurality of electrical leads having a plurality of receptacle terminals respectively, the electrical receptacle connector comprising:a receptacle that is adapted to mount over the hole in the casing and fastened thereto, a receptacle terminal holder and a receptacle terminal housing, both of which are made of electrical insulation material, the receptacle having a chamber including an inlet at one end that is aligned with the hole in casing and an outlet at the other end, the holder having a plurality of laterally spaced terminal retainers retaining the plurality of receptacle terminals, respectively, the holder and the plurality of receptacle terminals retained thereby being insertable into the chamber through the outlet and retained in the chamber to minimize the length of leads fed back into the chamber, the receptacle terminal housing being insertable into the internal chamber via the outlet and having a flange that is disposed in the outlet, the flange having a plurality of spaced holes extending through the flange, each hole receiving one of the plurality of receptacle terminals, respectively, and the flange including a stop to locate the receptacle terminal housing with respect to the receptacle in a longitudinal direction of the receptacle this, and an integral shroud that extends outwardly of the outlet whereby the electrical receptacle connector is adapted to receive a mating plus connector.
- 14. An electrical plug connector as defined in claim 13, wherein the outlet of the chamber is a stepped outlet having an inner portion and a larger intermediate portion of the stepped outlet, wherein the terminal holder is retained in the inner portion of the stepped outlet, wherein the flange is retained in the larger intermediate portion of the stepped outlet and wherein the stop of the flange comprises a plurality of stop tabs that extend through spaces of the holder to engage an internal shoulder of the receptacle.
- 15. An electrical plug connector as defined in claim 14, wherein the end receptacle terminals are barrel type terminals that have a barrel shaped contact at one end and an opposite end that is attached to one of the electrical leads, wherein the opposite end includes an end collar, and wherein the laterally spaced terminal retainers retain the plurality of receptacle terminals respectively, by clips of holder with end collars cooperating with the clips and the retainers for axial retention of the receptacle terminals.
- 16. An electrical plug connector as defined in claim 15, wherein the opposite ends of the end receptacle terminals include an annuls recess which is spaced inwardly of the collar toward the contact and which receives an elastomeric O-ling seal, and wherein the flange has an integral terminal collar extending from an inner side of the flange for each hole that cooperates with the O-ring seal of the associated receptacle terminal to seal the passage through the hole.
- 17. An electrical plug connector as defined in claim 16, wherein the receptacle is a right angled metal receptacle and the stepped outlet is perpendicular to the inlet, wherein the receptacle terminal holder has a plurality of press ta, each of which is located between a pair of receptacle terminal retainers, and wherein the press tabs are received in retaining blots of the receptacle.
- 18. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1 wherein the forward TPA portion includes a forward projecting hood that fits over the rearward end of the connector body.
- 19. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 18 wherein the hood has a plurality of loading slots that align with lead slots and retention slots, respectively.
- 20. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 18 wherein a cable seal is disposed on each lead in a position behind the terminal.
- 21. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 20 wherein the hood is configured to engage the cable seals, so as to assure that the cable seals and the terminals are properly located in the terminal cavities.
- 22. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 1 wherein the rearward dress portion is a closed collar.
- 23. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 22 wherein the rearward wire dress portion is connected together with the forward TPA portion by a transition.
- 24. The electrical plug connector as defined in claim 23 wherein the top of the transition is open.
- 25. A female terminal comprising a contact barrel at one end and an attachment portion at the opposite end, the contact barrel being a split bawl with the seam of the barrel being formed by interlocking tabs and slots to guard against the barrel seam opening up at prolonged use, the front of contact barrel having two diametrically opposed wings that extend outwardly of the contact barrel,wherein the female terminal is received by a cylindrical terminal cavity formed by a cylindrical portion of a connector body wherein a cable seal is disposed on a lead that is attached to attachment portion of the terminal, and wherein the terminal cavity is adapt to cooperate with a TPA/wire dress feature so as to facilitate proper alignment of the cable seal and the terminal within the terminal cavity.
- 26. The female terminal as defined in claim 25 wherein the terminal is a female terminal that includes a female contact insert that comprises a plurality of contact wires inside a support sleeve with the ends of the contact wires wrapped around the ends of the support sleeve.
- 27. A method of assembling an electrical plug connector mated with an electrical receptacle connector for a plurality of electrical leads that are attached to an internal component of an electrical device inside a casing and threaded through a hole in the casing, the plurality of electrical wires having a plurality of terminals respectively, comprising the steps of:providing an electrical plug connector for a plurality of electrical leads comprising, the plug connector comprising a plurality of terminals each attached to one of the plurality of electrical leads, a connector body housing the plurality of terminals, a terminal position assurance(TPA)/wire dress feature for the plurality of terminals and electrical leads, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield; providing a receptacle having a chamber including an inlet at one end that is aligned with the hole in casing and an outlet at the other end, mounting the receptacle over the hole in the casing and fastening the receptacle thereto so that the plurality of electrical leads end through the chamber and out of the outlet; providing a receptacle terminal holder having a plurality of laterally spaced receptacle terminal retainers and a receptacle terminal housing having a flange with a plurality of spaced holes extending there through, both the receptacle terminal holder and the receptacle terminal housing being made of electrical insulation material; retaining the plurality of receptacle terminals, respectively in the plurality of laterally spaced receptacle terminal retainers of the receptacle terminal holder respectively; inserting the receptacle terminal holder into the chamber via the outlet and retaining the receptacle terminal holder in the chamber; inserting the receptacle terminal housing into the internal chamber via the outlet with each hole of the flange receiving one of the plurality of receptacle terminals, respectively, and retaining the terminal housing in the chamber; and mating the terminals of the electrical plug connector the receptacle terminals of the electrical receptacle connector.
US Referenced Citations (10)