Electrical contact assembly including a sleeve member

A crimpable and sealable contact assembly comprising:

• a contact member having a contactor portion extending from a distal end toward a barrel portion, said barrel portion extending from a proximal end toward said contactor portion, said barrel portion comprising a tubular member, said tubular member having an open end and a closed end, said open end being at approximately said proximal end, and said closed end being spaced from said open end toward said contactor portion, a hole extending through said tubular member approximately adjacent said closed end, said tubular member being adapted to receive a bare tip of a core of a wire inserted therein from said open end and extending to approximately said closed end, said core being electrically conductive and having a covering of electrical insulation thereon, said tubular member adapted to being crimpably deformed into electrical continuity with a spot on said bare tip being visible through said hole after said tubular member is crimpably deformed;
• and
• a tubular sleeve member, said tubular sleeve member being initially separate from said contact member, said tubular sleeve member adapted to slidably receiving therein both an insulation covered length of said wire adjacent said bare tip and a region of said barrel portion, said hole being in said region, one of said tubular sleeve member and barrel portion includes a detent element and the other includes a detent engaging element, said detent element being adapted to engage said detent engaging element when said insulation covered length and said region are received in said tubular sleeve member, said tubular sleeve member adapted to being deformable into sealing engagement with said insulation covered length and said region to hermetically seal said core.

A method of installing a crimped and sealed contact assembly comprising the steps of:

• selecting a contact member having a contactor portion and a barrel portion, said barrel portion extending from a proximal end of said contact member toward said contactor portion, and said contactor portion extending from a distal end of said contact member toward said barrel portion, said barrel portion comprising a tubular member extending generally axially from said proximal end toward said contactor portion, said tubular member having an open end at approximately said proximal end and a closed end axially spaced from said open end toward said contactor portion;
• inserting a bare tip of a core of a wire axially into said tubular member from said open end, said core being electrically conductive and having a covering of electrical insulation thereon;
• crimpably deforming said tubular member into electrical continuity with said bare tip;
• providing a generally tubular sleeve member generally around an insulation covered length of said wire adjacent said bare tip and at least an axially extending external region of said barrel portion, one of said tubular sleeve member and barrel portion including a detent element and the other of said tubular sleeve member and barrel portion including a detent engaging element;
• engaging said detent element with said detent engaging element;
• and
• deforming said tubular sleeve member to hermetically seal said core.