Universal aftermarket connector

A replacement kit for replacing an electrical device coupled to a vehicle via a plurality of vehicle lead wires, the replacement kit comprising:

• a replacement electrical device;
• a plurality of lead wires extending from the replacement electrical device;
• and
• a housing assembly for protecting a spliced connection formed with the vehicle lead wires and the replacement electrical device lead wires to create an electrical connection between the replacement electrical device and the vehicle, the housing assembly including:
• a base having a plurality of individually isolated bores extending therethrough, each bore being capable of housing a spliced connection of a respective vehicle lead wire and a respective replacement electrical device lead wire;
• a plurality of seal rings, at least one seal ring being receivable in each bore to form a substantially water-tight seal around a portion of the spliced connection;
• and
• a cap that can be secured to the base;
• wherein the base has four sides and each of the four sides includes a projection, wherein the cap has four sides and two of the four sides of the cap include a resilient locking tab configured to engage one of the projections, and wherein the cap can be secured to the base such that any one of the locking tabs engages any one of the projections;
• and
• wherein the cap further includes a slot in each of the two sides that do not include the resilient locking tab, the slots being configured to receive the projections not engaged by the resilient locking tabs.

A replacement kit for replacing an oxygen sensor coupled to a vehicle via a plurality of vehicle lead wires, the replacement kit comprising:

• an oxygen sensor;
• a plurality of lead wires extending from the oxygen sensor;
• and
• a housing assembly for protecting a spliced connection formed with the vehicle lead wires and the oxygen sensor lead wires to create an electrical connection between the oxygen sensor and the vehicle, the housing assembly including:
• a base having a plurality of individually isolated bores extending therethrough, each bore being capable of housing a spliced connection of a respective vehicle lead wire and a respective oxygen sensor lead wire;
• a plurality of seal rings, two seal rings being receivable in each bore with the spliced connection between the rings so that the rings form a substantially water-tight seal around the spliced connection;
• and
• a cap that can be secured to the base, the cap including a plurality of lead exit apertures, each lead exit aperture corresponding to a respective one of the bores;
• wherein the cap includes a boss corresponding to each individually isolated bore in the base, each boss in the cap being configured to retain a respective one of the two seal rings receivable in each individually isolated bore.

The combination of a spliced electrical connection, including a splice formed by a spliced pair of wire leads, and a weather-resistant housing assembly for protecting the spliced electrical connection, the housing assembly having a length and comprising:

• a base having a plurality of individually isolated bores extending therethrough;
• and
• a cap secured to the base, the cap including a plurality of apertures, each aperture corresponding to a respective one of the bores;
• wherein each aperture and corresponding bore define one of a plurality of chambers passing through the length of the housing assembly, each of the chambers being isolated from communication with the remaining chambers over the entire length of the housing assembly;
• and
• wherein at least one of the plurality of chambers includes two spaced-apart seal rings with the splice between the rings so that the rings form a substantially water-tight seal around the splice.