Patent ID: 8192089

Claim:
A connector, comprising: a first connector unit having a first contact chamber and a first contact assembly within the first contact chamber; a second connector unit having a second contact chamber and a second contact assembly within the second contact chamber; each contact chamber having a forward end opening; the connector units being movable between an unmated condition and a mated condition in which they are in releasable mating engagement and the first and second contact assemblies are in communication; at least one elastomeric face seal assembly which seals the forward end opening of one of the contact chambers in the unmated condition of the connector units, the face seal assembly comprising a first outer annular seal having a through bore and a first inner seal having a first pair of separate inner seal elements having outer surfaces and opposing seal faces; one of said seals being movable relative to the other seal between a sealed condition in which the outer surfaces of the inner seal elements are in sealing engagement with the through bore of the outer annular seal when the connector units are unmated and an open condition in which the inner seal elements are spaced from the outer annular seal when the connector units are mated; and the opposing seal faces of the inner seal elements being radially squeezed into face to face sealing engagement by the outer annular seal in the sealed condition, and the inner seal elements being radially spaced apart to define a passageway between the opposing seal faces through the inner seal in the open condition.