Patent ID: 7153170

Claim:
An electrical connector assembly comprising: a first and a second electrical connector connectable along a first axis, each electrical connector including a housing configured and dimensioned for receiving a pair of electrical contact housings, each electrical contact housing having electrical contacts therein, wherein each electrical contact of the first electrical connector contacts a corresponding contact of the second electrical connector during connection thereof; a first keying arrangement for polarizing to assure proper orientation of the first electrical connector with the second electrical connector during connection thereof; and a second keying arrangement for inhibiting the connection except for connecting a first electrical connector to a designated second electrical connector, comprising: a first keying surface defined by the first electrical connector housing and a second keying surface defined by the second electrical connector housing, where the first and second keying surfaces are substantially complementary with respect to each other for enabling connection of the first and second electrical connector housings along the first axis when the housings are in axial alignment; a third keying surface and a fourth keying surface each extending adjacent the first keying surface of the first electrical connector; and a fifth keying surface and a sixth keying surface each extending adjacent the second keying surface of the second electrical connector, the third, fourth, fifth and sixth keying surfaces each defining an axis parallel to the first axis when the housings are in axial alignment, wherein the third keying surface engaging the fifth keying surface, and the fourth keying surface engaging the sixth keying surface when the housings are connected.