Plug-to-socket keying device and system

A plug-to-socket keying system, comprising:

• a keying device, including:
• A) a housing having an adjustment recess therein, the adjustment recess including a detent portion;
• a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the housing, the plurality of contacts facing a first direction relative to the housing;
• an alignment key including a mating end facing the first direction and an indexing segment connected to the mating end, wherein the indexing segment is shaped to define a plurality of rotational index positions of the alignment key;
• the alignment key being axially movable relative to the adjustment recess between a set position wherein the indexing segment is received by the detent portion so as to prevent rotation of the alignment key relative to the housing and an adjustment position wherein the indexing segment is removed from the detent portion so as to allow rotation of the alignment key relative to the housing;
• and
• a spring arranged to bias the alignment key toward the set position;
• wherein the alignment key is settable to a chosen one of the plurality of rotational index positions by temporarily moving the alignment key into its adjustment position and rotating the alignment key to the chosen rotational index position;
• whereby an angular orientation of the mating end of the alignment key is configurable by a user;
• and
• B) a receiving device, including:
• a receiving housing;
• a plurality of mating electrical contacts carried by the receiving housing configured to mate with the plurality of electrical contacts of the keying device;
• and
• an alignment key receiver, shaped to receive the mating end of the alignment key of the keying device, wherein the alignment key receiver is fixed relative to the receiving housing.

A plug-to-socket keying device, comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the housing and extending away from the housing in a first direction, the electrical contacts forming one of the following electrical connector types:
• DIN and D-sub;
• a plurality of keying mechanisms, the housing having a respective adjustment recess for each of the plurality of keying mechanisms, each keying mechanism including:
• an alignment key including a mating end facing the first direction and an indexing segment connected to the mating end, wherein the indexing segment is shaped to define a plurality of rotational index positions of the alignment key;
• the alignment key being axially movable relative to the adjustment recess of the alignment key between a set position wherein the indexing segment is received by the detent portion so as to prevent rotation of the alignment key relative to the housing and an adjustment position wherein the indexing segment is removed from the detent portion so as to allow rotation of the alignment key relative to the housing;
• and
• a spring arranged to bias the alignment key toward the set position;
• wherein the alignment key is settable to a chosen one of the plurality of rotational index positions by temporarily moving the alignment key into its adjustment position and rotating the alignment key to the chosen rotational index position;
• whereby an angular orientation of the mating end of the alignment key associated with each of the plurality of keying mechanisms is independently configurable by a user.