Filtered electrical connector

Claim 2

A contact for use in a filtered electrical connector, said contact comprising: a longitudinally extending electrically conductive body; a pair of flanges projecting outwardly from said conductive body and spaced from one another along the length of said conductive body; a capacitive casing which surrounds a portion of said electrically conductive body between said pair of spaced flanges; and resilient conductive spacers held in compression between each end of said capacitive casing and an adjacent one of said spaced flanges to support said capacitive casing relative to said conductive body; wherein said contact further comprises: a hollow shell extending from each of said pair of spaced flanges towards the adjacent end of said capacitive casing, each of said hollow shells overlying at least a part of the outer surface of said resilient conductive spacer between said flange from which said hollow shell extends and the adjacent end of said capacitive casing.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said hollow shells defines an annular edge at the opposite end of said hollow shell to said one of said flanges from which said hollow shell extends, and wherein the distance between said annular edges of said hollow shells is slightly greater than the length of said capacitive casing therebetween.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer diameters of each of said flanges and of said hollow capacitive casing are substantially the same so that the peripheral surfaces thereof form a substantially continuous surface.

Claim 5

The invention set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said resilient conductive spacers is a hollow body through which said conductive body extends.

Claim 6

A filtered electrical connector comprising one or more contacts as defined in claim 1.

Claim 7

A contact for use in a filtered electrical connector, said contact comprising: a longitudinally extending electrically conductive body; a pair of flanges projecting outwardly from said conductive body and spaced from one another along the length of said conductive body; a filter element which surrounds a portion of said electrically conductive body between said pair of spaced flanges; and resilient spacers held in compression between each end of said filter element and an adjacent one of said spaced flanges to support said filter element relative to said conductive body; wherein said contact further comprises: a hollow shell extending from each of said pair of spaced flanges towards the adjacent end of said filter element, each of said hollow shells overlying at least a part of the outer surface of said resilient spacer between said flange from which said hollow shell extends and the adjacent end of said filter element.

Claim 8

A contact for use in a filtered electrical connector, said contact comprising: a longitudinally extending electrically conductive body; a pair of flanges projecting outwardly from said conductive body and spaced from one another along the length of said conductive body; a filter element which surrounds a portion of said electrically conductive body between said pair of spaced flanges; and resilient spacers held in compression between each end of said filter element and an adjacent one of said spaced flanges to support said filter element relative to said conductive body; wherein said contact further comprises: a hollow shell extending from each of said pair of spaced flanges towards the adjacent end of said filter element, each of said hollow shells overlying at least a part of the outer surface of said resilient spacer between said flange from which said hollow shell extends and the adjacent end of said filter element.

Claim 9

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said hollow shells defines an annular edge at the opposite end of said hollow shell to said one of said flanges from which said hollow shell extends, and wherein the distance between said annular edges of said hollow shells is slightly greater than the length of said filter element therebetween.

Claim 10

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein the other diameters of each of said flanges and of said filter element are substantially the same so that the peripheral surfaces thereof form a substantially continuous surface.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said resilient spacer is a hollow body through which said conductive body extends.

Claim 12

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one of said resilient spacers are conductive.

Claim 13

The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein said conductive body retains a degree of flexibility without damaging the filter element.

Claim 14

A filtered electrical connector comprising one or more contacts as defined in claim 6.

Claim 15

The invention set forth in claim 12, wherein said one or more contacts are crimp terminated to a wire and are rear insertable and rear removable from the connector.

Claim 16

A filtered electrical connector, said connector comprising: a hollow connector casing; a filter contact located within said connector casing; a first non-conductive retaining plate, located within said connector casing, having an aperture formed therein through which said filter contact extends, and having one or more resilient tines formed about said aperture, said resilient tines contacting said filter contact behind a shoulder thereof to retain said filter contact in place; and a second retaining plate located within said connector casing, of substantially the same shape and size as said first retaining plate and having formed therein an aperture through which said filter contact extends, and having one or more resilient tines formed about said aperture, said resilient tines contacting said filter contact; at least a part of the surface of said second retaining plate, extending over the surface of at least one of said one or more tines adjacent said aperture is electrically conductive so as to connect electrically to ground potential the external surfaces of the filter contact extending through the aperture therein.

Claim 17

A filtered electrical connector, said connector comprising: a hollow connector casing; a filter contact located within said connector casing; a first non-conductive retaining plate, located within said connector casing, having an aperture formed therein through which said filter contact extends, and having one or more resilient tines formed about said aperture, said resilient tines contacting said filter contact behind a shoulder thereof to retain said filter contact in place; and a second retaining plate located within said connector casing, of substantially the same shape and size as said first retaining plate and having formed therein an aperture through which said filter contact extends, and having one or more resilient tines formed about said aperture, said resilient tines contacting said filter contact; at least a part of the surface of said second retaining plate, extending over the surface of at least one of said one or more tines adjacent said aperture is electrically conductive so as to connect electrically to ground potential the external surfaces of the filter contact extending through the aperture therein.

Claim 18

The invention set forth in claim 14, wherein said second retaining plate is molded of resilient plastics material and said conductive part of said surface is provided by a layer of conductive material formed on said plastics material.

Claim 19

The invention set forth in claim 14, wherein said first retaining plate and said second retaining plate are molded of the same resilient plastics material.

Claim 20

The invention set forth in claim 15, wherein said layer of electrically conductive material is deposited over substantially the whole surface of said resilient plastics material from which said second retaining plate is molded.

Claim 21

The invention set forth in claim 15, wherein said conductive material is copper or silver or a mixture thereof.

Claim 22

The invention set forth in claim 14, wherein said connector casing is an electrically conductive connector casing around said filter contact and said second retaining plate and spaced apart therefrom and further comprising means for electrically connecting said connector casing and said second retaining plate.

Claim 23

The invention set forth in claim 19, wherein said means for electrically connecting said connector casing and said second retaining plate comprises an electrically conductive elastomer disposed in the aperture defined therebetween.

Claim 24

The invention set forth in claim 19, wherein said means for electrically connecting said connector casing and said second retaining plate comprises a flat spring strip of electrically conductive material positioned in the aperture defined therebetween, said strip having a number of resilient tines formed therein which, when said strip is in position in said aperture, contact both said connector casing and said second retaining plate.