Transient suppression assembly

An electrical connector for electrical connection to first and second electrical articles, comprising:

• a housing assembly of a dielectric housing member having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough and a like plurality of electrical terminals secured in said housing member, each said electrical terminal having first and second contact sections, and sections proximate said first contact sections disposed in respective said passageways, said first contact sections being exposed for electrical connection with corresponding contact means of a first electrical article, and said terminals extending outwardly from respective said passageways and from said housing such that said second contact sections are exposed for electrical connection with corresponding contact means of a second electrical article, each said electrical terminal further including proximate said second contact section thereof an exposed terminal portion disposed in a substrate receiving aperture means of said housing member;
• a transient suppression subassembly adapted to be received and secured in said substrate receiving aperture means of said housing member after said terminals are secured in said housing member and comprising a dielectric substrate having a plurality of terminal receiving aperture means extending from a first major side to a second major side through a first portion thereof each associated with a respective one of said terminals, said substrate including a like plurality of conductive paths disposed on said first major side thereof each having a first portion adjacent a respective said terminal receiving aperture means and adapted to be electrically connected to a respective one of said terminals extending therethrough upon assembly of said transient suppression subassembly to said housing assembly, said substrate further including a ground conductive means at least including a ground conductive surface area on one of said first or second major sides of said substrate electrically separated from said plurality of conductive paths thereof, and remote from said first portion of said substrate and exposed for engagement with a ground means after assembly to said housing assembly, said ground conductive means extending to surface portions proximate second portions of said conductive paths;
• said transient suppression subassembly further including transient suppression devices secured on said first major side of said substrate and electrically connected to respective said second portions of said conductive paths and to respective said surface portions of said ground conductive means;
• and
• means securing said transient suppression subassembly to said housing member upon assembly thereto;
• whereby
• said transient suppression subassembly is securable to a preexisting said housing assembly such that said terminals extend through respective terminal receiving aperture means, and upon establishment of a ground connection with said ground conductive means, voltages outside a specific level are suppressed as they are conducted through signal ones of said terminals.