Selective shorting of plug pins/socket contacts in an electrical connector

A shorting link is provided having legs adapted to interlock with contacts of an electrical connector. The contacts may be connected by the link to ground, or one or more of the link-connected contacts may also engage conductors in an electrical circuit. In one link embodiment the link legs may comprise contacts housed in a connector insulator for engaging mating contacts of a mating connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a method and device for shorting together 
selected plug pins and/or socket contacts of an electrical connector while 
leaving the other plug pins/socket contacts free for connection to other 
leads. 
During manufacture or assembly of an electrical connector it is often 
necessary to short together two or more of the pins (if it is a plug) or 
contacts (if it is a socket), for example so that they may be attached to 
an earth lead via a single connection. Conventionally, this is done for 
example by soldering a lead to the rear end of each plug pin or socket 
contact which is to be shorted and then soldering together the leads. This 
method is laborious and the resulting network of junctions at the rear of 
the insulating connector body can obstruct the connections of other leads 
to the individual unshorted plug pins or socket contacts. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a shorting link for selectively shorting 
together plug pins and/or socket contacts which assemble into the 
insulating body of an electrical connector. 
The shorting link of the present invention is a flat blank of conductive 
material comprising a plurality of legs formed on a connecting portion. In 
certain embodiments of the invention the rear ends of the plug pins or 
socket contacts to be shorted are formed for crimping engagement to 
respective legs of the shorting link while it is flat and then the legs 
are bent relative to the connecting portion so that the plug pins or 
socket contacts are in the correct attitude for introduction into the 
insulating connector body. 
The shorting link of this invention is readily assembled with contacts of 
known construction, such as contacts employed in solderless termination 
systems including systems employing insulation-displacing contacts, as 
will hereinafter be described in greater detail. 
In yet other embodiments of the invention the legs of the shorting link 
themselves form plug pins or socket contacts of the electrical connector. 
In these cases the shorting link need not be made as a flat blank but 
could be formed in a bent shape suitable for inserting the legs into the 
insulating connector body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 shows a multi-way (15 pin) D-type electrical connector plug 
incorporating a shorting link according to the present invention, with the 
unshorted plug pins omitted for greater clarity. Two staggered rows of 
plug pins 1 are mounted in an insulating body 2 made of moulded plastics 
material. In this example the insulating body 2 is a two-part moulding 
with a rear, open-fronted moulding 2a in which the plug pins 1 are mounted 
and a front moulding 2b through which the tips of the plug pins protrude. 
A shorting link 10 is connected to the rear of each plug pin to be shorted 
together by a respective leg 11 passing into a hole 3 in the rear moulding 
2a of the insulating body 2. Central portion 12 of the shorting link 10 
extends along the rear of the insulating body 2 and is provided with an 
upstanding tab 14 at one end thereof for connection to an earth lead or 
the like. 
The shorting link 10 is spaced from the insulating body 2 so that if the 
tab 14 is soldered to a lead, or any of the legs 11 are soldered to plug 
pins, or socket contact the heat will not be directly conducted to the 
moulding; thus melting of the moulding is prevented. 
A two-part metal case 6 encloses the insulating connector body 2 to promote 
mating of the connector plug with a corresponding socket. The two halves 
of case 6 are held together in a conventional manner, e.g. eyeleted or 
riveted together. 
FIG. 2 shows the shorting link 10 of FIG. 1 as a flat blank, i.e. before 
connection to the plug pins 
The number, spacing and staggering of the legs 11, and the width of the 
central portion 12, are specifically designed to match the characteristics 
of the connector plug of FIG. 1. Clearly, these factors may all be varied 
so as to produce shorting links for connectors of different types, and in 
particular to accommodate a single row of plug pins (or socket contacts), 
non-staggered parallel rows of plug pins/socket contacts, non-parallel 
rows of plug pins/socket contacts, and different numbers and/or pitches of 
plug pins/socket contacts. Shorting links according to the present 
invention may be made for circular plugs. One embodiment of such a 
shorting link has a "starfish" shape, i.e. with a circular or ring-shaped 
central portion and legs extending radially. 
Each leg 11 of the shorting link 10 corresponds to the position of a plug 
pin to be shorted, in this case pins 2,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,12,13 and 15. 
Semi-circles of material are cut out from the shorting link 10 at 
locations 15 corresponding to plug pins which are not to be shorted, in 
this case pins 1, 6, 7 and 14. The shape of the cut-outs 15 is adapted to 
match the contours of the holes 3 in the rear of the connector insulating 
body 2 so that the shorting link 10 will not unduly obstruct the 
connections of leads to the rear of unshorted plug pins. 
The shorting link 10 may be made from a range of conductive materials, e.g. 
plated and unplated metals, plated plastics. Brass is a convenient 
material to work with because it is easily formed, resilient, relatively 
cheap and a good conductor. The manufacturing process depends on the 
conductive material used for the shorting link: for a metal such as brass 
the shorting link may be made in a stamping press, for a plated plastics 
shorting link plastics material may be first moulded and then metallized. 
For a given type of electrical connector the shorting link 10 may be 
manufactured with a full set of legs 11 so that the users may determine 
which plug pins/socket contacts are to be shorted together and remove the 
unwanted legs 11 themselves. Alternatively customized shorting links 10 
may be manufactured which already have cut-outs 15 at the desired 
locations. 
The legs of the shorting link 10 shown in FIG. 2 are in the form of flat 
blades with a section of reduced width at the end thereof remote from the 
central portion 12. This reduced width section is used to promote the 
attachment of plug pins/socket contacts by crimping. The connection of 
plug pins 1 to the legs 11 will now be described with reference to FIG. 3 
which shows a pin contact designed for attachment to a lead by crimping. 
It is to be understood that the plug pins could be attached to the 
shorting link legs 11 by other methods, e.g. by soldering. 
The pin contact 1 of FIG. 3 has a first crimp portion 21 and a second crimp 
portion 22 at the rear end thereof. As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and (b) the 
first crimp portion 21 is preferably already crimped before the pin is 
attached to the shorting link 10, while, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(c), 
the second crimp portion 22 is not crimped before attachment. The 
partially crimped rear end of the pin contact 1 is slid over the free end 
of a leg 11 of the shorting link so that the first crimp portion 21 makes 
a tight fit over the leg section of normal width and the second crimp 
portion 22 encircles the leg section of reduced width. The second crimp 
portion 22 is then crimped so as to prevent sideways movement of the leg 
11 relative to the attached pin contact 1. 
The pin contact 1 could be presented to the shorting link leg 11 in an 
uncrimped form rather than partially crimped as described above, however 
when the electrical connector involved has a narrow pitch between plug 
pins/socket contacts the space available for manoeuvre of a crimp tool is 
limited and it is preferable to use the partially formed crimp. 
Connection of socket contacts to the legs 11 of the shorting link may be 
made in a similar way. 
Once the selected plug pins/socket contacts have been attached to the 
appropriate legs 11 of the shorting link 10 the legs 11 are bent relative 
to the central portion 12, in this case to an angle of 90), so that the 
plug pins/socket contacts are correctly aligned for insertion into the 
rear of the rear moulding 2a of the insulating connector body 2. The legs 
11 of the shorting link 10 of FIG. 2 are necked where they meet the 
central portion 12 so as to facilitate bending. When the shorted plug 
pins/socket contacts are inserted in the insulating connector body they 
are fixed in place. In this example fixing is achieved by means of a 
shoulder 23 provided on each plug pin/socket contact and a plurality of 
split collars (resembling cells of a beehive) provided inside the rear 
moulding 2a, each split collar aligned with a respective hole 3 in the 
rear moulding. On insertion of a plug/socket contact into a hole 3 in the 
rear moulding 2a the shoulder 23 forces apart the two halves of the 
respective collar until it has passed through and the collar halves snap 
back. The collar subsequently prevents the shoulder 23, and therefore the 
plug pin/socket contact, from moving backwards relative to the rear 
moulding 2a. Other conventional fixing methods could alternatively be 
used. 
The other plug pins/socket contacts may now be attached (e.g. crimped or 
soldered) to their respective leads, inserted from the rear into the 
appropriate locations in the insulating connector body and fixed into 
place. When all of the plug pins/socket contacts have been mounted in the 
rear moulding then the front moulding 2b may be fitted over the plug pin 
tips (or free ends of the socket contacts) to prevent further forward 
motion thereof relative to the rear moulding 2a. 
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a shorting link 24 in which the legs thereof 
comprise male contacts 26 similar to male contacts 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
Collars 23A of the leg-contacts of FIG. 5 function similarly to collars 23 
of the contacts 1 described above. 
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view illustrating a link-contact arrangement 30 in 
which the link legs comprise female contacts 28 adapted to receive a male 
pin blade or the like. Collar portions 23B of contacts 28 also function 
similarly to collars 23 of contacts 1. It will be noted that the female 
contacts 28 are similar to the female contact 4 illustrated in FIG. 5 with 
the exception that the collars adapted to engage a link leg are absent 
inasmuch as the same are unneeded. 
The integral link-contact structures of FIGS. 5 and 12 dispense with the 
need for any link-contact engagement such as above described when separate 
links are employed for interfitting engagement with existing contacts. It 
will be noted by comparing FIGS. 5 and 12 that in FIG. 5 the link-contact 
arrangement is stamped from a conductive sheet and specific link legs may 
be omitted in the stamping operation 50 as to satisfy the shorting 
requirements of the connector in which the link is to be disposed. 
In the shorting link-contact 30 of FIG. 12 the female contacts extend from 
a link carrier strip portion 32 from which the individual leg-contacts may 
be readily broken free in accordance with the shorting requirements of the 
connector with which the link 30 is to be employed. Thus, FIG. 10 
illustrates formed link 22M in which a center top leg has been removed at 
junction 33 from central carrier portion 32. 
FIG. 6 is a perspective view partially in section of an electrical 
connector 34 adapted to house a plurality of contacts 36 illustrated not 
only in FIG. 6 but also fragmentarily illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11. 
The illustrated connector housing and contact assembly defines a 
solderless termination system of the type disclosed in McKee U.S. Pat. No. 
4,035,049; the disclosure of such patent is incorporated herein by 
reference. The contacts 36 of FIGS. 6, 9, 10 and 11 are adapted not only 
to effect desired electrical contact with a wire central conductor 38 (see 
FIG. 11) surrounded by insulation 40, but in addition the contacts 36 are 
readily engageable in a fixed relationship with legs 42 projecting from 
one side of carrier strip 32 as illustrated in FIG. 7 or from both sides 
of a carrier strip 32 as illustrated in FIG. 8. Shorting link 50 of FIG. 7 
may have the legs 42 thereof pressed downwardly into slots 54 formed in 
the insulator of connector 34 until the legs 42 bottom on base portions of 
the contacts 36. It will be most apparent from the sectional view of FIG. 
11 at a shorting link leg 42 is securely received between opposed 
insulation rupturing tabs 58 so as to deform opposed edge portions of each 
shorting link leg 42 engaged by each pair of insulation rupturing jaws 58. 
It is apparent from FIG. 11 that after a shorting link leg 42 is bottomed 
on the base of the illustrated contact 36 and the base of the insulator 
slot in which the contact is disposed a wire may be readily terminated 
between the opposed jaws 58 which readily cut through the surrounding 
insulation 40 in the course of effecting desired contact with the metallic 
core 38. 
It will be noted form FIG. 10 and particularly from the lower contact 36 
illustrated in the inverted positions that in the insulation displacement 
contact type illustrated there may be no contact floor between the opposed 
rupturing jaws 58. Accordingly as illustrated in FIG. 11 the shorting link 
may partially bottom on the insulator floor portion of the slot in which 
the contact 36 is disposed. 
It is also evident from FIG. 10 as well as FIG. 6 that each contact 36 
possesses two pairs of spaced insulation rupturing jaws 58 so that the 
conductor such as illustrated conductor 38 of FIG. 11 may be engaged twice 
by each contact 36. However, it is only necessary that the jaw pair 58 
disposed closer to the open end of each insulator slot 54 as illustrated 
in FIG. 6 engage the shorting link legs. 
The remaining contact structure such as locking tabs 58 which are adapted 
to be bent for interlocking with the insulator in which the contact is 
disposed is known to the art. Other known components of the illustrated 
contacts 36 are rear tabs 60 which prevent upward disengagement of a wire 
or wires after termination between the insulation rupturing jaws 58 of 
each contact and contact blades 61. 
It is apparent from FIG. 11 that as each leg 42 is deformed in the course 
of insertion between the opposed contact jaws 58 such leg and the shorting 
link as a whole is securely retained to the contacts and connector 
regardless of whether wires comprising a core and surrounding insulation 
as illustrated in FIG. 11 are subsequently inserted into the contact. 
Thus the provided shorting links may interconnect contacts having no 
conductors or leads attached thereto, with the link connected to ground as 
by means of a grounding tab 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing. 
Contacts such as the insulation displacement contacts 36 of the drawing 
may be connected to a shorting link only and the contacts and link 
securely retained in assembled position by virtue of the deformation of 
the link legs in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11 of the drawing. Or, one 
or more of the contacts joined by the link may be in electrical 
communication with conductors of a circuit. 
It is believed apparent that the specific form of the contacts, connector 
and shorting link may be varied without departing from the ambit of the 
invention above disclosed. The illustrated contacts 36 being presented by 
way of example only interlock with the insulation rupturing jaws 58 of 
contact 36 of the drawing as the width of the link legs are preferably 
approximately 0.002 to 0.004 inch greater in width than the interval 
between the jaws 58. The particular link configuration prior to bending 
may be stamped in a continuous process from a continuous strip of 
conductive material, in which the main link section from which the link 
legs extend comprises a carrier strip segment. 
This invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.