Patent ID: 7959463

Claim:
A heated connector assembly, comprising: a first electrical connector having a first plurality of electrical contacts contained therein which may be respectively electrically connected to a first plurality of electrical conductors extending from said first electrical connector; a second electrical connector having a second plurality of electrical contacts contained therein which may be respectively electrically connected to a second plurality of electrical conductors extending from said second electrical connector, wherein said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector may be removably connected to each other to place said first plurality of electrical contacts in said first electrical connector into electrical contact with respective ones of said second plurality of electrical contacts in said second electrical connector; and a first electrical heat generating element located in said first electrical connector, said first electrical heat generating element being electrically connected in series between a first one of said first plurality of electrical contacts in said first electrical connector and a first one of said first plurality of electrical conductor extending from said first electrical connector, wherein the heat generating element is energized through both connectors and only when the first and second electrical connector are coupled together.