(57) A housing (10) for a two-part electrical connector comprising a male member (12)
having a front face (24) and a lower side (30) with an open-side channel (34) formed
in the lower side, extending in an axial direction (A), and opening through the front
face; a female member (14) having a bore (70) for receiving the male member on relative
movement in the axial direction, the female member having a front face (60) and a
lower side (66) with an open-side channel (72) formed in the lower side, extending
in the axial direction, and opening through the front face; a first coding member
(16) having a front face (38) and a lower side (44), the first coding member being
separately formed from the male member and positioned in the channel in the male member
with the front faces, and with the lower sides of the male member and the first coding
member, being substantially aligned; a second coding member (18) having a front face
(76), and an upper side (80), the second coding member being separately formed from
the female member and positioned in the channel in the female member with the front
faces of the female member and the second coding member being substantially aligned,
and with the upper side of the second coding member defining a lower surface of the
bore (70) in the female member; wherein the lower side of the first coding member
and the upper side of the second coding member have corresponding aligning means (96,98)
which align with one another, and engage with one another, on mating of the male and
female members. The use of separately formed coding members allows a large number
of variants without the need to change the design of the male and female housing members.
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