Clip ring for an electrical connector

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an integrally formed clip ring made out of a conductive resilient material such as beryllium copper. The clip ring is used for retaining a male member and a female member of an electrical connector and for forming a ground circuit between the male member and the female member of the electrical connector. The clip ring of the present invention fully engages the outside diameter of the male retaining groove and the inside diameter of the female retaining groove simultaneously. Advantageously, this eliminates the potential for discontinuities in a ground circuit in a vibrational environment. The clip ring includes an annular-shaped body having an inner wall and an outer wall where the outer wall has a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots. The outer wall has a first end circumferentially spaced from a second end wherein when the clip ring is compressed a first end and a second end are brought into contact with each other. In this manner, a complete 360° contact is maintained when the male member and the female member are fully engaged.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.