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An electrical connector includes a housing that may form a first contact channel and a second contact channel. A first contact having a longitudinal axis may be disposed within the first contact channel, and a second contact may be disposed within the second contact channel. A shorting arm may be co

An electrical connector includes a housing that may form a first contact channel and a second contact channel. A first contact having a longitudinal axis may be disposed within the first contact channel, and a second contact may be disposed within the second contact channel. A shorting arm may be configured to move generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first contact between a first position and a second position. When the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting arm electrically connects the first contact with the second contact, and when the shorting arm is in the second position, the shorting arm is separated from the first and second contacts.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An electrical connector comprising: a housing having a first contact channel and a second contact channel; a first contact having a longitudinal axis disposed within the first contact channel; a second contact disposed within the second contact channel; a shorting arm configu

What is claimed is: 1. An electrical connector comprising: a housing having a first contact channel and a second contact channel; a first contact having a longitudinal axis disposed within the first contact channel; a second contact disposed within the second contact channel; a shorting arm configured to move generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first contact between a first position and a second position; wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting arm electrically connects the first contact with the second contact; wherein when the shorting arm is in the second position, the shorting arm is separated from the first and second contacts; and wherein the shorting arm is configured to move from the first position to the second position before a mating first contact or a mating second contact of a mating electrical connector engages one of the first and second contacts. 2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a shroud. 3. The electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator for indicating the position of the shorting arm within the electrical connector. 4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a guide channel and the shorting arm includes a guide extension that moves in the guide channel. 5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the guide extension extends through a spring disposed to bias the shorting arm toward the first position. 6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting arm has an end disposed further from the housing than the ends of the first and second contacts. 7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second contacts and the shorting arm each include a shorting surface extending at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the first and second contacts and the shorting arm, wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting surface of the shorting arm abuts the shorting surfaces of the first and second contacts. 8. An electrical connector comprising: a housing; a first contact extending from the housing and having an end disposed remotely from the housing; a second contact extending from the housing and having an end disposed remotely from the housing; a shorting arm configured to move generally parallel to the first contact between a first position and a second position; wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting arm electrically connects the first contact with the second contact and the shorting arm has an end disposed further from the housing than the ends of the first and second contacts; and wherein when the shorting arm is in the second position, the shorting arm is separated from the first and second contacts. 9. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the shorting arm is configured to move from the first position to the second position before a mating first contact or a mating second contact of a mating electrical connector engages one of the first and second contacts. 10. The electrical connector of claim 8, further comprising a visual indicator for indicating the position of the shorting arm within the electrical connector. 11. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the housing comprises a guide channel and the shorting arm includes a guide extension that moves in the guide channel. 12. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the guide extension extends through a spring disposed to bias the shorting arm toward the first position. 13. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the first and second contacts and the shorting arm each include a shorting surface disposed at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the first contact, wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting surface of the shorting arm abuts the shorting surface of the first and second contacts. 14. A method of disconnecting an electrical connector from a mating connector having first and second mating contacts, the method comprising: disconnecting a first contact of the electrical connector from the first mating contact; disconnecting a second contact of the electrical connector from the second mating contact; moving a shorting arm of the electrical connector generally parallel to the first and second contacts of the electrical connector from a second position to a first position after the first and second contacts of the electrical connector have been disconnected from the first and second mating contacts, wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting arm electrically connects the first contact with the second contact, wherein when the shorting arm is in the second position, the shorting arm is separated from the first and second contacts; and completely separating the electrical connector from the mating connector. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of disconnecting a retention feature of the electrical connector from a mating retention feature of the mating connector. 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of indicating the position of the shorting arm within the electrical connector by a visual indicator. 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of supporting a guide extension of the shorting arm with a guide channel of a housing of the electrical connector. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting arm has an end disposed further from the housing than the ends of the first and second contacts. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second contacts and the shorting arm each include a shorting surface extending at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the first and second contacts and the shorting arm, wherein when the shorting arm is in the first position, the shorting surface of the shorting arm abuts the shorting surfaces of the first and second contacts. 20. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a retention feature configured to secure the coupling of the electrical connector with a mating connector.