Importance

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Abstract

According to one aspect, the invention comprises an hermaphroditic key assembly for electrical connectors which includes a first connector (10) having first and second pairs of diametrically opposed key positions (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d) at either of which a pair of keys (42a, 42b) may be provided, and a second connector (12) having first and second pairs of diametrically opposed key-receiving positions (46a, 46b, 46c, 46d) at either of which a pair of key-receiving openings (47a, 47b) may be provided. The connectors (10, 12) are permitted to mate when the diametrically opposed keys (42a, 42b) are aligned with the diametrically opposed key-receiving openings (47a, 47b), and are not permitted to mate when the keys (42a, 42b) are not aligned with the openings (47a, 47b), providing two possible keying orientations for the keying means. According to a further aspect of the invention, the hermaphroditic keying assembly is used in conjunction with a further keying element, such as a polygonal keying element, to double the number of available keying combinations possible with the other keying assembly alone.

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First Claim