Electrical connector

In combination with an electrical connector of the type having a housing, a plurality of electrical contacts, means for mounting said contacts with said housing, and a moisture sealing grommet comprised of a resilient material having a plurality of logitudinal bores adapted to receive wires terminating at respective contacts, said grommet located adjacent said contact mounting means, the improvement comprising:

• a second grommet having a central passage extending from a first surface to a second surface and a wire receiving slot extending from said central passage to the periphery of said grommet, one of said surfaces extending radially inwardly to said central passage, a plurality of said wires passing through said central passage for connection to different ones of said electrical contacts;
• and
• means for mounting said second grommet spaced apart from said moisture sealing grommet with said inwardly extending portion of said second grommet facing said first grommet,
• said second grommet preventing radial forces applied to the wires from being transmitted to the moisture sealing grommet.

A method of preventing moisture from entering an electrical connector of the type having a shell, a contact retainer, a moisture sealing grommet adjacent the retainer, said grommet and retainer being assembled within the shell and a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the retainer and electrically terminated to the end of a wire, the wires extending outwardly from and aftwardly of the moisture sealing grommet, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a strain relief grommet, the strain relief grommet of the type including first and second surfaces, an outer periphery, a plurality of wire receiving grooves for receiving some of said wires arranged about the outer periphery and a central passage for receiving other of said wires extending between the end surfaces, one of said end surfaces extending radially inwardly to said central passage, said wires passing through said central passage and across said grooves for connection to different ones of said electrical contacts;
• providing means for mounting the strain relief grommet aftwardly of the moisture sealing grommet wherein said one end surface faces the wires extending outwardly from the moisture sealing grommet;
• positioning the strain relief grommet adjacent to and in spaced apart relation to the moisture sealing grommet;
• directing the wires from the contacts and the contact retainer through the central passage and/or along the grooves of the strain relief grommet;
• and
• assembling the strain relief grommet with the mounting means,
• said strain relief grommet preventing radial forces applied to the wires from being transmitted to the moisture sealing grommet.