Patent ID: 8513552

Claim:
A mating connector system, comprising: a mating electrical device including a latch and at least a pair of conductive contacts; and an electrical connector assembly including an insulating housing, at least a pair of conductive input and output terminals mounted on the housing, the terminals including contact portions for engaging contacts of the mating electrical device, and a switch mechanism movably mounted on the housing for movement between a connecting position and a disconnecting position, whereby in the connecting position a closed circuit flow is maintained through the electrical device, and in the disconnecting position a closed circuit flow is maintained through the input and output terminals with a shorting circuit; wherein the switch mechanism includes a shaft and a locking member, the shaft including at least one switch terminal, wherein in the connecting position the locking member is interengaged with a lock on the mating electrical device where the switch terminal is out of engagement with the input and output terminals, and in the disconnecting position the locking member is disengageable from the lock on the mating electrical device so that the device can be removed from the assembly where the switch terminal is in engagement with the input and output terminals forming the short circuit to maintain a closed circuit flow through the connector when the mating electrical device is removed, the switch mechanism designed so that the switch terminals engage the appropriate input and output terminals before the locking member is disengaged from the lock.