Patent ID: 11967788
Assignee: RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  G | IPC H

Claim 25:
26. A plug-in connector for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the plug-in connector comprising:
a housing comprising a first terminal receiving cavity, a second terminal receiving cavity, a third terminal receiving cavity, and a fourth terminal receiving cavity, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth terminal receiving cavities are disposed in a linear arrangement;
a first contact terminal disposed in the first terminal receiving cavity;
a second contact terminal disposed in the second terminal receiving cavity;
a third contact terminal disposed in the third terminal receiving cavity, wherein the third contact terminal is terminated onto a first power line;
a fourth contact terminal disposed in the fourth terminal receiving cavity, wherein the fourth contact terminal is terminated onto a second power line; and
an identification device disposed in the housing, wherein the identification device is in contact with the first contact terminal and the second contact terminal, and wherein the identification device comprises a unique identifier;
wherein one of the first contact terminal or the second contact terminal is an output terminal of the identification device, and wherein the output terminal is not terminated onto a cable;
wherein the unique identifier of the identification device is configured to be determined via the output terminal for authenticating the plug-in connector; and
wherein authentication of the plug-in connector, by a control unit, facilitates establishment of a power and data path through a mating connector or electric device.