Patent ID: 7097469

Claim:
A multi-contact cartridge removably insertable into an open-ended housing of a first connector moiety for engagement with corresponding external contacts of a second connector moiety upon mating of the first and second moieties to make a selectively separable multi-function electrical connection of a multi-conductor cable between a tow vehicle and a towed vehicle, each conductor of the cable having a termination contact connected to it within the first moiety housing, the cartridge comprising: a nonconductive body having a first end and a second end and a plurality of openings extending from the first end to the second end; an electrically conductive common cartridge contact member carried by the body and having a female contact end and an opposite contact end, wherein the female contact end is disposed in and the opposite contact end extends from a corresponding one of the plurality of openings, and wherein the female contact end has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the corresponding body opening in which it is disposed to allow for a lateral movement of the female contact end within the body; a plurality of electrically conductive noncommon cartridge contact members carried by the body and each having a female contact end and an opposite contact end, wherein each female contact end is disposed in and each opposite contact end extends from a corresponding one of the plurality of openings in the body, and wherein each female contact end has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the corresponding body opening in which it is disposed to allow for a lateral movement of each female contact end within the body, the cartridge body being sized and arranged to be insertable into and securable within the first connector moiety housing in a selected relation to the housing with each cartridge contact member in conductive engagement within the housing with a respective cable conductor termination contact at one end of the cartridge contact member and with the other end of the cartridge contact member disposed adjacent the open end of the housing so as to be engaged with a corresponding external contact of the second connector moiety upon mating of the first and second moieties.