Abstract:
A connector assembly includes a terminal crimped to an electrical conductor. The terminal is retained in a terminal area of a connector housing. A cable seal is positioned within an opening of the connector housing that leads to the terminal area. A spacer at a rear side of the connector housing provides a mechanical barrier to prevent injected thermoplastics from entering the terminal area during an overmolding process.

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/643,682 filed Jan. 13, 2005. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention generally relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly that includes a spacer that provides a mechanical barrier to an injected thermoplastic or rubber material. 
   Connector assemblies are utilized to provide an electrical connection to various electronic devices found throughout a vehicle. Typically, a connector assembly and a cable jacket that houses electrical conductors are overmolded in thermoplastic or rubber by an injection mold to provide a barrier against moisture ingress. The connector assembly is assembled by crimping a pair of terminals onto the electrical conductors. The electrical conductors (including the crimped terminals) are then inserted into a plastic housing. Cable seals provide a moisture seal between the housing and the electrical conductors. The connector assembly is placed into an injection mold where a thermoplastic or rubber material is injected around and over the housing to complete the overmolded connector assembly. 
   The pressures during the overmolding process can be overpowering such that an amount of the thermoplastic or rubber material passes by the cable seals and enters the housing. Disadvantageously, thermoplastic or rubber material that passes through the cable seals and enters the terminal area may interfere with proper connection and function of the connector assembly. 
   Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved electrical connector assembly that is easy to assemble and that blocks injected thermoplastic or rubber material from interfering with terminal connections. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An electrical connector assembly according to the present invention provides a terminal area with a mechanical barrier to injected thermoplastics during an overmolding process. 
   The connector assembly includes an electrical conductor with a terminal crimped to the electrical conductor. The terminal is inserted into a terminal area of a connector housing and snapped into place by a cantilever arm. A spacer is positioned at a rear side of the connector housing. The connector assembly is placed into a mold and overmolded with an injected thermoplastic. 
   In one example, the spacer is split along its length to comprise a first half piece and a second half piece. The first half piece and the second half piece of the spacer seal the terminal area of the connector assembly from the injected thermoplastic. 
   The electrical connector assembly of the present invention is easy to assembly and provides a mechanical barrier to injected thermoplastics during an overmolding process. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a connector assembly according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the connector assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cut away view of an overmolded connector assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of a spacer of the connector assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the spacer of the present invention interfaced with a connector; and 
       FIG. 6  is another example of the spacer of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a connector assembly  10  includes a cable jacket  12  that includes a plurality of electrical conductors  14  (two electrical conductors  14  are shown in  FIG. 1 ). The example cable jacket  12  is made of a thermoplastic, however other materials may be used as are known. The electrical conductors  14  are preferably insulated wires that conduct an electrical current. A terminal  16  is crimped to the end of each of the electrical conductors  14 . A cable seal  17  is positioned around each of the electrical conductors  14 . 
   A spacer  18  is positioned around the electrical conductors  14  after the terminals  16  are crimped to the electrical conductors  14 . The terminals  16  are inserted into openings in a connector housing  20 . The connector housing  20  includes a cantilever arm  19  to retain the terminals  16  within a terminal area  22  of the connector housing  20 . The cantilever arm  19  provides a snap-fit between the terminals  16  and the connector housing  20 . The cable seals  17  are inserted into the openings within the connector housing  20  that lead to the terminal area  22  and form a moisture seal between the connector housing  20  and the terminals  16 . Once the terminals  16  and the cable seals  17  are inserted into the connector housing  20 , the spacer  18  is positioned at a rear side  24  of the connector housing  20  to form the connector assembly  10 . The spacer  18  is prevented from being pressed into the openings of the connector housing  20  because of a slight interference fit between the spacer  18  and the inner diameter of the connector housing  20 , as is further discussed below. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the connector assembly  10  includes an overmold boot  26 . The overmold boot  26  is formed during an injection molding process in which a material, such as rubber, is injected into a mold. The overmold boot  26  encases at least a portion of the cable jacket  12  and the connector housing  20  and prevents water intrusion within the connector housing  20  of the connector assembly  10 . The spacer  18  seals the terminal area  22  of the connector housing  20  from intrusion of material during the overmolding process. A desired connection between the terminals  16  and the terminal area  22  is achieved for proper connection and function of the connector assembly  10 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , and with continuing reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , an example of the spacer  18  is shown and is a pre-molded plastic part. The spacer  18  is split along a length to include a first piece  28  and a second piece  30 . The two piece configuration of the spacer  18  provides for ease of assembly around the electrical conductors  14 . Each of the pieces  28  and  30  of the spacer  18  include a flange portion  32  and at least one half cylinder  34  (two are illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) transversely protruding from the flange portion  32 . The example flange portion  32  is generally crescent shaped. However, the shape of the flange portion  32  can be of any shape to correspond to the connector housing  20 . 
   The first piece  28  and the second piece  30  of the spacer  18  are placed against each other around the electrical conductors  14 . The cylinders  34  of the first piece  28  and the second piece  30  combine to define tubular grooves  36  for receiving the electric conductors  14 . The inner diameters of the tubular grooves  36  are sized to achieve a press fit between the spacer  18  and the electrical conductors  14 . 
   Each of the half cylinders  34  of the first piece  28  and the second piece  30  of the spacer  18  combine to form a protruding tube  37  (two are shown in  FIG. 5 ). The protruding tubes  37  provide an interference fit with openings  38  within the connector housing  20  such that the flange portions  32  of the spacer  18  contact the outer diameter of the connector housing  20  and the protruding tubes  37  at least partially enter the openings  38  within the connector housing  20  (See  FIG. 2 ). Retention of the interference fit between the spacer  18  and the connector housing  20  is aided by the compression of the electrical conductors  14  within the tubular grooves  36  of the spacer  18 . 
   Another example spacer  21  is illustrated with reference to  FIG. 6 . The spacer  21  in this example is nearly identical to the spacer  18  shown in  FIG. 2 . In this example, however, the spacer  21  is a single piece. During assembly of the connector assembly  10 , the spacer  21  in this example is positioned around the electrical conductors  14  before the terminals  16  are crimped to the electrical conductors  14 . 
   That the foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense is thus made apparent. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.