Patent ID: 8038462

Claim:
A water-tight connector housing system, comprising: a receptacle housing configured for housing at least one receptacle electrical contact; a plug housing configured for housing at least one plug electrical contact, the plug housing being configured for mating with the receptacle housing in a mating direction so as to create an electrical connection between the receptacle electrical contact and the plug electrical contact; a latch mechanism which can be transitioned between an unlatched configuration and a latched configuration, the latch mechanism in the latched configuration being able to inhibit separation of the plug housing from the receptacle housing when the plug housing is mated to the receptacle housing, the latch mechanism including a plurality of latch tabs extending outward from the overlapping shell of the plug housing, a plurality of latch slots formed in the outer shell of the receptacle housing and configured to accept insertion therein of the latch tabs when the plug housing is mated with the receptacle housing, and a plurality of latch sliders mounted in the receptacle housing and slidable between latched positions and unlatched positions, the latch sliders being configured so as to pass behind the latch tabs and thereby trap the latch tabs within the latch slots when the plug housing is mated with the receptacle housing and the latch sliders are moved to the latched positions; a receptacle contact support structure contained within the receptacle housing and configured for supporting the at least one receptacle electrical contact, the receptacle contact support structure being substantially planar and oriented perpendicular to the mating direction, the receptacle contact support structure being supported by a curved wall surrounding a perimeter of the receptacle contact support structure and extending rearward from the receptacle contact support structure; an o-ring groove formed in an outward-facing surface of the curved wall, the o-ring groove lying in a plane that is perpendicular to the mating direction; a plug contact support structure contained within the plug housing and configured for supporting the at least one plug electrical contact, the plug contact support structure being substantially planar and oriented perpendicular to the mating direction; and an overlapping shell surrounding a perimeter of the plug contact support structure and extending forward from the plug contact support structure in the mating direction, the overlapping shell being configured so as to overlap and surround the curved wall and compress an o-ring located in the o-ring groove when the plug housing is mated with the receptacle housing, the o-ring being thereby compressed in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction so as to apply substantially no reactive force to the latch mechanism in the latched configuration.