Sealed multiple-contact electrical connector

A connector shell for attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors, said connector shell comprising:

• a housing having a floor, said floor having a plurality of apertures therethrough arranged in a predetermined pattern, said apertures adapted to receive electrical contacts therethrough;
• an outer backshell extending from said floor of said housing and encompassing the extended axes of said apertures
• an inner backshell extending from said floor of said housing and disposed within said outer backshell, said inner backshell encompassing the extended axis of at least one of said aperture but less than all of the extended axes of said apertures to isolate said at least one of said apertures from others of said apertures;
• and
• said less than all of the extended axes of said apertures being disposed between said inner and said outer backshells.

An environmentally protected connector for substantially sealed attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors, each such conductor terminated at an end thereof with an electrical contact, said connector comprising:

• a housing having a floor and walls with an upper edge, said walls defining a central cavity, said upper edge defining an opening to said cavity, and said floor having a plurality of apertures therethrough arranged in a predetermined pattern;
• a flange extending laterally from said walls proximate to and projecting over portions of said upper edge to hood such portions;
• a cover for closing said cavity opening, said cover pivotally mounted adjacent to and at least partially underlying said flange to be hooded thereby at its axis of pivotal mounting;
• a biasing member cooperating with said housing and said cover to bias said cover toward a closed position;
• a seal carried by said cover to be biased against said upper edge when said cover is in said closed position;
• a backshell extending from said floor of said housing and encompassing the extended axes of said apertures;
• a plurality of releasably electrically engageable electrical terminals secured in place within said housing, each of said electrical terminals having a portion extending through one of said apertures and connected to one of the said electrical contacts of said conductors, said terminal portion having a locking member for retaining its respective one of said terminals in a fixed relationship to its corresponding one of said apertures;
• and
• a sealing member extending at least from said outer backshell to an exterior of the cable and encompassing the electrical conductors thereof, for shielding said contacts and the conductors from the environment.

An environmentally protected connector for attachment to a cable having a plurality of electrical conductors, each conductor terminated at an end thereof with a contact, said connector comprising:

• a housing having a floor and walls with an upper edge, said walls defining a central cavity, said upper edge defining an opening to said cavity, and said floor having a plurality of apertures therethrough in a predetermined pattern;
• a flange extending laterally from said walls proximate to said upper edge;
• a cover for enclosing said cavity opening, said cover pivotally mounted to said housing adjacent said flange;
• a biasing member cooperating with said housing and said cover to bias said cover toward a closed position;
• an outer backshell extending from said floor of said housing and encompassing the extended axes of said apertures, said outer backshell having at least one bead portion protruding from an outer surface of said outer backshell and extending at least partially therearound;
• an inner backshell extending from said floor and concentrically disposed within said outer backshell, said inner backshell encompassing the extended axis of at least one of said apertures, but less than all of the extended axes of said apertures to isolate said at least one of said apertures from others of said apertures;
• a plurality of electrical contacts within said housing, each of said electrical contacts having a portion extending through one of said apertures and mated to one of the electrical conductors, said portion having a locking member for retaining its respective one of said contacts in a fixed relationship to its corresponding one of said apertures;
• a sheath of heat-shrinkable material shrunk onto and secured fixedly to said outer backshell and extending from said at least one bead of said outer backshell to an exterior of a cable to surround said electrical conductors;
• and
• an adhesive disposed within said sheath, said adhesive having a flow state and arranged to coat at least portions of an interior of said backshells, at least portions of said contacts, and at least portions of said electrical conductors when said sheath is heat-shrunk onto said outer backshell and about said cable, to insulate said coated portions from the environment.