Patent Description:
The field of this disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors and, in particular, to a streamlined design of a modular barrel contact system suitable for use with a variety of electrical connectors.

In the field of computers and technology, input/output (or I/O) interfaces are used to enable communication between computers, electronic devices, or other information processing systems. Typically, an I/O interface is the mechanism used for accommodating communications or information transfer between computers and electronic devices. In computing, there are several industry standard specifications that are commonly used for facilitating such communications. For example, electronic devices may include one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) ports, or Digital Visual Interface (DVI) ports that can be used for transferring a variety of signals to and from electronic devices.

Each of these I/O interfaces has an industry standard arrangement of contacts that requires specialized connectors having a corresponding contact arrangement to establish successful communication between the devices. For example, <CIT> discloses a pin and socket connector having a high resistance to tensile or pull-out forces. To facilitate large-scale volume manufacturing of the contacts for these standard I/O connectors, the contacts are typically machine-stamped and designed for cable wire attachment via soldering methods using high-heat soldering equipment. For most standard uses, this manufacturing process works well, and any wire repairs may be accomplished using soldering equipment in the field as needed.

In the above mentioned <CIT>, a tubular housing is proposed, one end of which is swaged on the rear end of a contact pin, while the other is crimped on the bared end of a cable.

<CIT> proposes a connector with a plurality of contact pins attached to respective wires by means of tubular crimp barrels, with the option of not simultaneously crimping the barrel to the contact pin and to the wire end.

In certain industries, such as aerospace, these conventional processes may be problematic for various reasons as high-heat soldering equipment may not be available to use for wire repairs due to safety concerns or onerous permit requirements. For example, with gasoline or other fuel on board the aircraft, high-heat equipment presents a high risk of resulting in catastrophic damage. Accordingly, the present inventors have recognized a need for crimpable wire-cable contacts that may be used in conjunction with any suitable electrical connector. In this arrangement, the contacts are designed for assembly and repair without requiring soldering (or other high-heat) equipment. The present inventors have also recognized a need for such contacts that are easily removable and replaceable as needed to facilitate repair efficiency. Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Against this background the invention resides in a barrel contact system for an electrical connector, the contact system comprising a barrel body having a cavity extending in an axial direction from a front face of the barrel body to an opposite rear face; a wire section disposed within the barrel body, a portion of which extending outwardly from the rear face of the barrel body; and an electrically conductive contact having an attachment tab, the attachment tab disposed within the barrel body along the front face and abutting the wire section, the electrically conductive contact extending outwardly from the barrel body. The barrel body is crimpable. The wire section and attachment tab are crimped together within the barrel body. The barrel body further includes a shoulder formed adjacent the front face or the rear face of the barrel body for securing the barrel body in a contact-receiving cavity of the electrical connector.

The barrel body may further include one or more slots formed thereon for securing the barrel body in a contact-receiving cavity of the electrical connector.

The barrel body may have a generally tubular shape with a rounded side surface and a substantially planar upper surface and an opposite substantially planar lower surface, wherein the one or more slots each extend vertically along the rounded side surface of the barrel body from the substantially planar upper surface to the substantially planar lower surface.

The attachment tab may further include one or more recessed regions formed thereon, the recessed regions being disposed within the cavity of the barrel body.

The barrel body may further include a first opening and second opening formed thereon. The openings may be arranged generally orthogonal relative to the cavity of the barrel body.

The invention also extends to an electrical connector comprising: a housing including a front face and an opposite rear face, the housing further including a plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending in an axial direction from the front face to the rear face; and a plurality of barrel contact systems as described above. Each barrel contact system is received in a corresponding one of the contact-receiving cavities of the housing, and for each barrel contact system the wire section extends outwardly along the rear face of the housing and the electrically conductive contact extends outwardly along the front face of the housing.

The barrel body may further comprise one or more slots formed thereon the electrical connector further comprising one or more fastening mechanisms, wherein the fastening mechanisms engage with the one or more slots on the barrel body to secure the barrel body within the housing.

The shoulder of each barrel body may engage a corresponding stop formed in the housing to restrain movement of the barrel body along the axial direction within the contact-receiving cavity for securely seating the barrel body within the housing.

The barrel body may further include a recess formed thereon, and the housing may further include a plurality of openings formed along a top surface of the housing, the top surface being generally orthogonal to the front face and the rear face of the housing. The electrical connector may further comprise a plurality of securement mechanisms, each securement mechanism extending through a corresponding one of the openings on the top surface of the housing and engaging the recess on the barrel body to secure the barrel body within the housing of the electrical connector.

The plurality of securement mechanisms may be formed as a plurality of retaining pins, the retaining pins extending from a common base to form an integral, unitary component.

The electrical connector further comprises a retention plate having a plurality of openings formed thereon, the openings aligning with the contact-receiving openings on the housing when the retention plate is coupled to the rear face of the housing.

The shoulder of each barrel body may engage with a wall surrounding the opening of the retention plate to secure the barrel body within the housing.

The barrel body may further include a shoulder formed along the front face thereof adjacent the electrically conductive contact, the shoulder engaging a corresponding stop formed within the contact-receiving cavity to secure the barrel body in position within the housing.

Preferred and/or optional features of any aspect or embodiment described above may be used alone, or in appropriate combination, with other aspects and embodiments also, insofar as they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

With reference to the drawings, this section describes various embodiments of an electrical connector system and its detailed construction and operation. Throughout the specification, reference to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "some embodiments" means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in at least one embodiment of an electrical connector. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," or "in some embodiments" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, and characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments, provided that these combinations fall within the scope of the appended claims. In view of the disclosure herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, or the like.

The following describes example embodiments of a multi-piece barrel contact system and related components for electrical connectors that may be used in for aerospace applications, such as for aircraft electronic systems, or for any other suitable application. In the following description, certain components of the electrical connector system are described in detail. It should be understood that in some instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or not described in detail to avoid obscuring more pertinent aspects of the embodiments. In addition, although the embodiments may reference electrical connectors having a specific arrangement of contacts, other embodiments may include differently configured components adapted to house more or fewer contacts in different arrangements than those illustrated.

With general reference to the figures, the following description relates to a multi-piece barrel contact system for electrical connectors as noted previous. In particular, the barrel contact system is designed for assembly without requiring soldering or the use of high-heat equipment to couple the cable wire and contacts. As further described in detail below, the system includes a crimp barrel designed to receive a contact on a front end and a cable wire on an opposite rear end. The crimp barrel may include notches or keys formed on its body, where the notches are designed for securing the crimp barrel and contact within a connector housing of the electrical connector during an assembly process. The notches on the crimp barrels may take any one of several suitable forms depending on the dimensions and features of the connector housing being used. As noted previously, the streamlined design of the crimp barrel facilitates repair in environments where soldering or high-heat equipment is unavailable or otherwise cannot be used. In addition, the modular design of the crimp barrel accommodates use of any one of a variety of contact configurations without requiring different crimping tools of assembly processes. Additional details and features of the barrel contact system and electrical connectors are provided below with reference to the figures.

<FIG> collectively illustrate various details of a multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> according to different example embodiments. Each of the contact systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be used in conjunction with any one of a variety of electrical connectors as further described in detail below with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> is an enlarged, partially transparent view of one of the multi-piece barrel contact systems <NUM> illustrating crimping details in accordance with one embodiment. With collective reference to these figures, the following describes additional details of each of the multi-piece barrel contact systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, followed by example configurations using these contact systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in various electrical connectors.

With reference to <FIG>, the multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM> includes a crimp barrel <NUM> having a generally tubular body <NUM>. The body <NUM> includes a cavity or lumen <NUM> extending therethrough and arranged along the longitudinal axis of the body <NUM>. The cavity <NUM> has a first opening (not shown) positioned along a rear face <NUM> of the body <NUM>, and includes a second opening positioned at an opposite front face <NUM> of the body <NUM>. The opening at the rear face <NUM> is designed to receive a wire section <NUM> therethrough. Similarly, the second opening at the front face <NUM> is designed to receive an attachment portion or tab <NUM> of an electrical contact <NUM>. In some embodiments, the attachment tab <NUM> includes various recesses or notches <NUM> formed thereon (e.g., slots, knurled sections, or other suitable cuts), where the recesses or notches <NUM> help create a gas tight seal within the crimp barrel <NUM> during the crimping process as further described below with particular reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the contact <NUM> (or <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) may include any one of several contact front-end designs to allow the use of a singular crimp barrel <NUM> design (or a small sub-set of designs) for accommodating numerous different contact designs as needed for a suitable electrical connector. For example, with reference to <FIG>, the multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM> may include a similar crimp barrel <NUM> for accommodating an electrical contact <NUM> having a different front end design as compared to contact <NUM>. The contact <NUM> may also have a unique attachment tab <NUM> with recesses or notches <NUM> arranged differently as compared to those of electrical contact <NUM>. It should be understood, however, that despite these mechanical differences with the contact design, the functionality and characteristics of the overall multi-piece barrel contact systems remains substantially similar. Accordingly, it should be understood that although much of the focus of the written description relates to contact system <NUM> of <FIG>, the other illustrated contact systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> include the same or substantially similar characteristics.

Returning to multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM>, the body <NUM> includes a cutaway region, illustrated as a slot <NUM>, formed into a side surface of the body <NUM>. As further discussed in detail below with particular reference to <FIG>, the cutaway region <NUM> on the body <NUM> may be used to retain the crimp barrel <NUM> and contact <NUM> in position within a housing of an electrical connector during the connector assembly process.

As noted previously, <FIG> collectively illustrate other embodiments of different crimp barrel and contact designs. As briefly described above, multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM> is similar to multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM>, but includes a different front-end contact <NUM>. Accordingly, the same details described previously with reference to contact system <NUM> may apply equally to contact system <NUM>. With particular reference to <FIG>, the multi-piece barrel contact systems <NUM>, <NUM>, however, include a modified crimp barrel design, the features of which are further described in detail below.

With reference to <FIG>, multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM> includes a crimp barrel <NUM> with a generally tubular body <NUM> having a similar arrangement as body <NUM> of <FIG>. For example, the body <NUM> includes a cavity or lumen (not shown) extending therethrough along its longitudinal axis, the cavity opening at a rear face <NUM> and at an opposite front face <NUM> of the body <NUM>. The rear face <NUM> of the crimp barrel <NUM> is designed to receive a wire section <NUM>, while the opening at the front face <NUM> is designed to receive an attachment tab (not shown) of an electrical contact <NUM>. In some embodiments, the attachment tab may include various recesses or notches formed thereon similar to those described previously with reference to recesses/notches <NUM> (e.g., slots, knurled sections, or other suitable cuts), where the recesses or notches help create a gas tight seal within the crimp barrel <NUM> during the crimping process as further described below with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the body <NUM> of the crimp barrel <NUM> may have a substantially flat upper section <NUM> and opposite lower section <NUM>. In addition, the body <NUM> may include one or more vertical slots <NUM> formed into a side surface of the body <NUM>, the vertical slots <NUM> being generally perpendicular to the flat upper and lower sections <NUM>, <NUM>. As further discussed in detail below with particular reference to <FIG>, the flat upper and lower sections <NUM>, <NUM> and slots <NUM> on the body <NUM> may be used to seat and retain the crimp barrel <NUM> and electrical contact <NUM> in position within a housing of an electrical connector after assembly.

In a similar fashion as described previously, the contact <NUM> may include any one of several contact front end designs, which allows the use of a singular or uniform crimp barrel <NUM> design for accommodating a variety of contacts as needed. For example, with reference to <FIG>, the multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM> may include a similar crimp barrel <NUM> for accommodating a contact <NUM> with a different front end design as compared to contact <NUM>. The contact <NUM> may also have a unique attachment tab <NUM> with notches <NUM> arranged differently as compared to those of contact <NUM>.

<FIG> is an enlarged, partially transparent view of one of the multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM> of <FIG> illustrating crimping details in accordance with one embodiment. With reference to <FIG>, the following describes additional details relating to an example process for crimping the wire section <NUM> and electrical contact <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the wire section <NUM> is inserted into the body <NUM> via the opening (not shown) on the rear face <NUM>, and the electrical contact <NUM> is inserted into an opposite side of the body <NUM> via the opening (not shown) on the front face <NUM>. Both the wire section <NUM> and electrical contact <NUM> are pushed toward one another until they are fully seated in the crimp barrel <NUM>, whereat an end of the wire section <NUM> contacts an end of the attachment tab <NUM> of the contact <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>.

Thereafter, the barrel <NUM> is crimped to achieve proper bonding of the components. When the barrel <NUM> is crimped, the material around the attachment tab <NUM> is deformed into and around the recesses or notches <NUM> for improved mechanical strength and to maintain good electrical performance. As mentioned previously, each of the crimp barrel and contact designs described in <FIG>, may be crimped in a similar fashion as described with reference to <FIG>. The following sections provide additional details for inserting and securing the crimped barrel into an electrical connector in accordance with various embodiments.

<FIG> collectively illustrate various details of an electrical connector <NUM> incorporating the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> of <FIG> in accordance with one embodiment. With reference to <FIG>, the electrical connector <NUM> is illustrated as a standard Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector for connecting a video source to a display device. Briefly, the connector <NUM> includes a contact housing <NUM> having a plurality of contact-receiving cavities <NUM> extending through the contact housing <NUM> along a longitudinal axis from a rear face <NUM> toward a front face <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. As illustrated, the cavities <NUM> open at both the front face <NUM> and the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. In some embodiments, the cavities <NUM> may be aligned into an arrangement of columns and rows (illustrated as <NUM> columns and <NUM> rows for a total of <NUM> contact-receiving cavities for electrical connector <NUM>). It should be understood that in other embodiments, such as for other connector types, the cavities <NUM> may be arranged differently.

The electrical connector <NUM> further includes a rear retention plate <NUM> configured to be coupled to the contact housing <NUM> along its rear face <NUM>. The rear retention plate <NUM> includes a plurality of openings <NUM> formed thereon, the openings <NUM> arranged in a similar fashion as the openings of the cavities <NUM> on the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. In an assembled configuration, the openings <NUM> of the rear retention plate <NUM> are aligned with the openings of the cavities <NUM> along the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. The connector <NUM> further includes a shield <NUM> and a digital key <NUM>, each mating with the contact housing <NUM> along its front face <NUM>.

<FIG> collectively illustrate enlarged views of the rear face <NUM> of the electrical connector <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a view of a barrel <NUM> of the contact system <NUM> and <FIG> is a cross-section view illustrating an example loading arrangement of the contact system <NUM> in the electrical connector <NUM>. With collective reference to these figures, the following describes an example embodiment for securing the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> into the electrical connector <NUM>.

As described previously with reference to <FIG>, the wire <NUM>, barrel <NUM>, and contact <NUM> are crimped together to create the multi-piece barrel contact system <NUM>. To begin the assembly process, the barrels <NUM> and contacts <NUM> are inserted into the contact-receiving cavities <NUM> via the openings on the front face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. During this front-loading process, the wires <NUM> are first inserted through the openings, followed by the barrels <NUM> and then the contacts <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, and described previously with reference to other barrel embodiments, the barrels <NUM> may have a substantially flat upper section <NUM> and opposite lower section <NUM>, where the flat upper and lower sections <NUM>, <NUM> create a pair of shoulders <NUM> (bottom shoulder not shown) on the barrels <NUM>. As the barrels <NUM> are loaded into the contact-receiving cavities <NUM>, the shoulders <NUM> of the barrels <NUM> abut against internal stops <NUM>, <NUM> formed on an interior portion of each of the cavities <NUM>. The stops <NUM>, <NUM> and shoulders <NUM> on the barrels <NUM> cooperate with one another to ensure that each of the barrels <NUM> and contacts <NUM> is located at a proper depth within the contact housing <NUM>.

As noted previously, the barrels <NUM> each include one or more slots <NUM> formed along an end portion thereof (similar to slots <NUM> of barrel <NUM> described previously). When the barrels <NUM> are loaded onto the contact housing <NUM>, an interior wall <NUM> adjacent the opening <NUM> on the retention plate <NUM> engages the slot <NUM> to further secure the barrel <NUM> and contact <NUM> in position along the rear face <NUM> of the connector <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>). Once all the contacts <NUM> are loaded into the contact housing <NUM>, the retention plate <NUM> is driven downwardly to capture all the barrel slots <NUM> and contacts <NUM> in position (see <FIG>). With the retention plate <NUM> in position, the barrels <NUM> and contacts <NUM> are secured within the housing <NUM> of the electrical connector <NUM>. When repairs are needed for damaged contacts <NUM>, the retention plate <NUM> may be moved upwardly and select barrels <NUM> and contacts <NUM> pushed outwardly along the front face <NUM> of the electrical connector <NUM> for replacement.

<FIG> and <FIG> collectively illustrate various details of another embodiment of an electrical connector <NUM> incorporating the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> of <FIG>. With reference to <FIG>, the electrical connector <NUM> is illustrated as a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector for connecting a video source to a display device. The connector <NUM> includes a contact housing <NUM> having a plurality of contact-receiving cavities <NUM> extending through the body of the contact housing <NUM>, where the cavities <NUM> open onto a front face <NUM> and a rear face (not shown) of the contact housing <NUM> in a similar fashion as described with reference to the electrical connector <NUM> of <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the cavities <NUM> are aligned into an arrangement of columns and rows (illustrated as <NUM> columns and <NUM> rows for a total of <NUM> contact-receiving cavities). The contact housing <NUM> further includes a plurality of openings <NUM> formed along a top surface <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>, the top surface <NUM> being generally orthogonal to the front face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. The connector further includes a shield <NUM> and a digital key <NUM>. With particular reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the following describes an example embodiment for loading and securing the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> into the electrical connector <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the contacts <NUM> and wire <NUM> are crimped together as described previously with reference to <FIG>, and are thereafter loaded onto the contact housing <NUM> via its rear face. During the loading process, the barrels <NUM> are arranged such that the notches or slots <NUM> formed on the side of the barrels <NUM> are aligned relative to one another and align with a respective opening <NUM> formed on the top surface <NUM> of the connector housing <NUM>. Once all the contacts <NUM> are loaded into the contact housing <NUM>, a retaining pin <NUM> is inserted into the contact housing <NUM> via each of the openings <NUM>. The retaining pins <NUM> extend through the contact housing <NUM> and engage the respective slots <NUM> of the barrels <NUM>, thereby securing the contacts <NUM> in position.

The barrels <NUM> include a shoulder or stop <NUM> formed along an end thereof (see <FIG>). The shoulder <NUM> may be formed as a diameter step change in the barrel body, where the barrel <NUM> has a substantially uniform diameter through most of the body, but has a larger diameter adjacent an end thereof to form the shoulder <NUM>. In other embodiments, the shoulder <NUM> may be formed via other suitable means. In operation, the shoulder <NUM> may abut against an interior wall or shoulder (not shown) formed within the contact housing <NUM> to retain the barrel <NUM> in position and ensure proper alignment and depth of the barrel <NUM> and contact <NUM> prior to securing the retaining pins <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a variation on the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>. With reference to <FIG>, the electrical connector <NUM> includes a contact housing <NUM> with a plurality of contact-receiving cavities (not shown) having contacts <NUM> therein in a similar fashion as described previously with reference to the electrical connector <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>. It should be understood that many of the same features of the housing <NUM> of the electrical connector <NUM> may be present in the housing <NUM> of the electrical connector <NUM>. Accordingly, those features are not further described herein to avoid obscuring more pertinent aspects of the embodiment. With reference to <FIG>, the contact housing <NUM> may include a plurality of openings <NUM> formed along a top surface <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. The electrical connector <NUM> further includes a key <NUM> having an elongated base <NUM> and a plurality of retaining pins <NUM> extending upwardly from the base <NUM> such that the pins <NUM> are generally perpendicular to the base <NUM>. Preferably, the pins <NUM> are formed as integral components of the base <NUM>, but in other embodiments may be separate components affixed to the base <NUM>.

In an example assembly operation, the contacts <NUM> are loaded into the contact-receiving cavities of the contact housing <NUM> in a similar fashion as described previously with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. Once the contacts <NUM> are loaded, the key <NUM> may be positioned above the openings <NUM> and moved downwardly until the pins <NUM> are inserted into the openings <NUM> to engage the slots (not shown) on the crimp barrels (not shown) in a similar fashion as described previously to secure the contacts <NUM> in position.

<FIG> illustrates various details of another embodiment of an electrical connector <NUM> incorporating the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> of <FIG>. With reference to <FIG>, the electrical connector <NUM> is illustrated as a USB <NUM>/<NUM> Type A Cable Plug. The connector <NUM> includes a thermoplastic contact housing <NUM> having a plurality of contact-receiving cavities <NUM> extending longitudinally therethrough, the cavities <NUM> having openings <NUM> on a front face <NUM> and openings <NUM> on a rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. In some embodiments, the contact housing <NUM> further includes a plurality of openings (not shown) formed along a top surface of the contact housing <NUM>, the openings designed to receive retaining pins (such as retaining pins <NUM> or key <NUM> with retaining pins <NUM>) to retain the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> in position in a similar manner as described previously with reference to the embodiments of <FIG>. The connector <NUM> further includes a transition paddle card <NUM> and a plug <NUM> coupled to the card <NUM>. Preferably, the card <NUM> and plug <NUM> are supplied pre-soldered as one assembly to avoid the need to solder these components in the field. The barrels <NUM> include a shoulder <NUM> formed along an end thereof in a similar fashion as stop feature <NUM> described previously. With particular reference to <FIG>, the following describes an example embodiment for loading the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> into the electrical connector <NUM>.

During an assembly process, the contacts <NUM> (e.g., stamped cantilever contacts) and wire <NUM> (e.g., <NUM>-<NUM> AWG wire) are crimped together and loaded onto the contact housing <NUM> via the openings <NUM> on the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. During the loading process, the barrels <NUM> are advanced into the contact-receiving cavities <NUM> until the shoulder <NUM> abuts against the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. The shoulder <NUM> cooperates with the rear face <NUM> to retain the barrel <NUM> in position and ensure proper alignment of the contacts <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates various details of another embodiment of an electrical connector <NUM> incorporating the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> of <FIG>. With reference to <FIG>, the electrical connector <NUM> is illustrated as an HDMI Type A Cable Plug. The connector <NUM> includes a thermoplastic contact housing <NUM> having a plurality of contact-receiving cavities <NUM> extending longitudinally therethrough, the cavities <NUM> having openings <NUM> on a front face <NUM> and openings <NUM> on a rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. As illustrated, the cavities <NUM> are aligned into an arrangement of columns and rows (illustrated as <NUM> rows and <NUM> columns for a total of <NUM> contact-receiving cavities). The contact housing <NUM> further includes a plurality of openings <NUM> formed along a top surface <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>, the top surface <NUM> being generally orthogonal to the front face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. The connector <NUM> further includes a transition paddle card <NUM> and a plug <NUM> coupled to the card <NUM>. The barrels <NUM> include a shoulder <NUM> formed along an end thereof in a similar fashion as described previously with reference to <FIG>. With particular reference to <FIG>, the following describes an example embodiment for loading the multi-piece contact barrel system <NUM> into the electrical connector <NUM>.

During an assembly process, the contacts <NUM> (e.g., stamped cantilever contacts) and wire <NUM> (e.g., <NUM>-<NUM> AWG wire) are crimped together and loaded onto the contact housing <NUM> via the openings <NUM> on the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. As the contacts <NUM> are loaded, the barrels <NUM> are arranged such that the notches or slots <NUM> formed on the side of the barrels <NUM> are aligned relative to one another and aligned with a respective opening <NUM> on the top surface <NUM> of the connector housing <NUM>. The barrels <NUM> are advanced into the contact-receiving cavities <NUM> until the shoulder <NUM> abuts against the rear face <NUM> of the contact housing <NUM>. In this configuration, the shoulder <NUM> and the rear face <NUM> together retain the barrel <NUM> in position and ensure proper alignment of the contacts <NUM>. Once all the contacts <NUM> are loaded, retaining pins (not shown) are inserted into the contact housing <NUM> via the openings <NUM> in a similar fashion as described with reference to <FIG>. The retaining pins engage the slots <NUM> on the barrels <NUM> to retain the contacts <NUM> in position within the contact housing <NUM> in a similar fashion as described previously.

As described, the disclosed subject matter provides details for a crimpable, multi-piece barrel contact system that can be used for a variety of electrical connector systems, such as DVI, HDMI, and USB connectors. The multi-piece barrel contact system provides common barrel designs that can accommodate any one of a variety of suitable contacts designs as needed for particular electrical connectors to maximize flexibility in design and compatibility with various connector types. In addition, the disclosed system provides a design for crimpable wire-cable contacts that may be used in conjunction with any suitable electrical connector, where the contacts are designed for assembly and repair without requiring soldering (or other high-heat) equipment.

Although the description above contains much specificity, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some embodiments of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims. It should be understood that subject matter disclosed in one portion herein can be combined with the subject matter of one or more of other portions herein as long as such combinations are not mutually exclusive or inoperable, and as long as they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A barrel contact system (<NUM>) for an electrical connector, the contact system comprising:
a barrel body (<NUM>) having a cavity (<NUM>) extending in an axial direction from a front face (<NUM>) of the barrel body to an opposite rear face (<NUM>);
a wire section (<NUM>) disposed within the barrel body, a portion of which extending outwardly from the rear face of the barrel body; and
an electrically conductive contact (<NUM>) having an attachment tab (<NUM>), the attachment tab disposed within the barrel body along the front face and abutting the wire section, the electrically conductive contact extending outwardly from the barrel body,
wherein:
the barrel body is crimpable;
the wire section and attachment tab are crimped together within the barrel body and
the barrel body further includes a shoulder (<NUM>) formed adjacent the front face or the rear face of the barrel body for securing the barrel body in a contact-receiving cavity of the electrical connector.