Solderless bussing contact for multi-pin connector systems

The solderless bussing contact system with a dielectric spacer and removable fastening mechanism addresses the challenge of high-current connections in multi-pin connectors, offering flexible configurations and secure, solder-free connections for hazardous environments.

WO2025174428A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2025-08-21ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES LLC
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/US2024/054619
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-02-15
Filing Date
2024-11-06
Publication Date
2025-08-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing multi-pin connector systems face challenges in providing efficient and flexible electrical connections that can handle high currents without the need for soldering, especially in hazardous environments or where electromagnetic interference is a concern.

Method used

The implementation of a solderless bussing contact system comprising a dielectric spacer with through-holes and recesses, busbars with pin contacts, and crimp terminal lugs that allow for removable fastening, enabling various bussing configurations and accommodating different wire sizes without soldering.

Benefits of technology

This solution provides a flexible and reliable electrical connection system that can handle high currents, supports multiple bussing configurations, and ensures secure connections without soldering, suitable for heavy-duty applications and environments with special sealing or electromagnetic interference requirements.

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Abstract

Various structures for solderless bussing contacts in multi-pin connector systems are described. A connector sub-assembly may include a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of the dielectric spacer; one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; and one or more crimp terminal lugs, each crimp terminal lug configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar. The plurality of through-holes and the plurality of recesses of the dielectric spacer may be arranged to facilitate a plurality of bussing configurations.
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Description

SOLDERLESS BUSSING CONTACT FOR MULTI-PIN CONNECTOR SYSTEMSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63 / 553,677 filed on February 15, 2024. The disclosures of the Provisional Application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted as prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0003] Connector systems provide electrical interconnection between different devices allowing exchange of data, control information, power, and other electrical signals. Depending on implementation, size, shape, pin numbers, and other characteristics of the connectors may vary. Some Connector systems are for special environments such as hazardous environments, and may therefore include special sealing properties. Others may be shielded against electromagnetic interference, Pin numbers and sizes may also differ depending on the implementation such as expected current levels, number of signals to be exchanged, etc.SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure generally describes various structures to provide solderless bussing contacts for multi-pin connector systems.

[0005] According to some examples, a Connector sub-assembly may include a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of the dielectric spacer; one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; and one or more crimp terminal lugs, each crimp terminal lug configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar. The plurality of through-holes and the plurality of recesses of the dielectric spacer may bearranged to facilitate a plurality of bussing configurations.

[0006] According to further examples, a connector assembly may include a shell; a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of the dielectric spacer; one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; one or more crimp terminal lugs, each crimp terminal lug configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar; and a back shell mechanically coupled to the shell, where the back shell covers the dielectric spacer and the crimp terminal lugs.

[0007] According to some examples, a method for assembling a connector may include positioning a plurality of socket contacts or pin contacts within a connector shell; positioning one or more busbars into a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses of a dielectric spacer, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a crimp terminal contact; positioning the dielectric spacer at least partially inside the connector shell, where the one or more busbar pin contacts make electrical contact with the plurality of socket contacts or pin contacts; and fastening One or more crimp terminal lugs to corresponding crimp terminal contacts of the one or more busbars,

[0008] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting, In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to die drawings and the following detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The foregoing and other features of this disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which:FIG. 1 illustrates perspective views of an example pair of a circular connector systems with multiple contacts, where solderless bussing contacts may be implemented;FIG. 2 A and 2B illustrate a multiple solderless bussed contact circular connector system with a spacer;FIG. 2C illustrates a 2 -wire bussing configurations in a circular connector;FIG. 3A through 3C illustrate 3-, 4-, and 5-wire bussing configurations with and without spacers in a circular connector;FIG. 4 illustrates a spacer for a multiple solderless bussed contact circular connector system;FIG. 5A illustrates perspective partial assembly view of a circular bussed connector with busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs;FIG . 5B illustrates perspective disassembled view of a circular bussed connector with busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs;FIG. 5C illustrates perspective assembled view of a circular bussed connector with busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs;FIG. 6A through 6D illustrate various views of crimp terminal lugs and bussing contacts for a solderless bussed connector; andFIG. 7A through 7C illustrate various views of a circular bussed connector with 90- degree angle busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. The aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

[0011] This disclosure is generally drawn, inter alia, to methods, apparatus, systems and / or devices related to providing various structures for solderless bussing contacts for multi-pin connector systems.

[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates perspective viewsx>f an example pair of a circular connector systems with multiple contacts, where solderless bussing contacts may be implemented, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0013] Diagram 100 shows a receptacle 102 with contact pins 104. In an example implementation, a ground contact 106 may be in cavity “A” and a standard pin. The other cavities may include shorter contacts. Diagram 100 also shows a plug 108 with socket contacts 110. In some examples, the plug 108 and the receptacle 102 may be used to deliver power to electronic devices and may cany high currents. Thus, the connections between the contacts (pins and sockets) and respective wires may need to accommodate high currents. In some examples, the connectors may or may not include spacers. Diagram 100 shows receptacle 102 without a spacer and plug 108 with a spacer 112.

[0014] The plug 108 and the receptacle 102 are shown with 7 contacts (pins and sockets) and have a circular shape as an illustrative example. Embodiments are not limited to a specific number of contacts and / or shape or size of connector system. Any number of pins and any shape of connectors may be implemented with soideriess bussing contacts using the principles described herein.

[0015] FIG. 2A and 2B illustrate a multiple solderless bussed contact circular connector system with a spacer, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0016] Diagram 200A shows a front view of a 7 -contact circular receptacle connector with contact pins 210 in respective connector cavities. In the illustrated configuration, a ground contact p[in 206 is in a separate cavity 208. The contact cavities are within a connector insulator (not shown) surrounded by a shield 204, all within the connector shell 202, In some examples, a spacer 222 may be used. Diagram 200B shows a perspective view of a plug connector with socket contacts and the spacer 222.

[0017] FIG. 2C illustrates bussing configurations in a circular connector, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. Diagram 200C shows a 7-contact circular connector configuration with six signal contacts (B through F) 210 and buss paths 212 between the contacts. A seventh contact (A) 208 is a dedicated ground contact. Any two or moresignal contacts (B through F) may be electrically connected through a busbar of a contact on the buss path(s). For example, a pin or socket may include a single, dual, triple, or more connection busbar. The busbar may enable that pin or socket to distribute its signal (i.e., power) over two or more contacts allowing higher currents to be carried by the connector.

[0018] Bussed connectors are designed for use in heavy duty applications, where multiple circuits may require a common electrical pathway. A busbar, or buss, is a thin conductive strip connecting two or more contacts of the connector within the body of a connector. As shown in the diagram 200C, the number of contacts in a connector (or any size dr shape) may be reduced through bussing. The contacts to be coupled together (electrically) may be selected based on application requirements, symmetry, spacing, or other considerations.

[0019] FIG. 3A through 3C illustrate 3-, 4-, and 5-wire bussing configurations with and without spacers in a circular connector, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0020] Diagram 300A shows top and perspective views of a 3-wire bussed connector, where a pair of three contacts (C-D-E and B-F-G) 304 are each bussed together to two contacts 306, 308. Thus, the connector has two signal contacts 306, 308 (carrying current) and a ground contact (A) 302.

[0021] Diagram 300B shows top and perspective views of a 4-wire bussed connector, where three pairs of two contacts (E-F, D-G, and B-C) 314 are each bussed together to three contacts 316, 318, and 320. Thus, the connector has three signal contacts 316, 318, 320 (carrying current) and a ground contact (A) 312.

[0022] Diagram 300C shows top and perspective views of a 5-wire bussed connector, where three single contacts (B, F, G) 324 are each coupled to a single signal contact (socket or pin) and three contacts (C-D-E) 326 are bussed together to another single signal contact. Thus, the connector has four signal contacts 328 (carrying current) and a ground contact (A) 322,

[0023] While diagrams 300A through 300C show various configurations with specific contacts being bussed together, solderless bussed connectors may be implemented with other configurations using the principles described herein. Any two or more contacts may be selected to be bussed together depending on desired total wire number, wire size, spacing requirements, etc.

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a spacer for a multiple solderless bussed contact circular connector system, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0025] Diagram 400 shows a dielectric spacer with through-holes (A through G) 402 for the contactsand buss paths 404 between the through-holes. Buss paths 404 are recesses on a wire side of the spacer to receive busbars for bussed contacts. The busbars, as discussed herein, may connect two or more contacts in a variety of configurations. Thus, the buss paths 404 form a mesh that can accept any configuration bussed contact(s).

[0026] FIG. 5A illustrates a perspective partial assembly view of a circular bussed connector with busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0027] Diagram 500A shows a connector with its shell 510, dielectric spacer 504, busbars 506, crimp terminal lugs 502, and fastening hardware 512. As mentioned herein, the dielectric spacer 504 may include through-holes and recesses arranged to accept different configurations of busbar pins and contacts. Thus, the connector may be reconfigured without complete replacement or configured easily using generic templates at manufacturing. Crimp terminal lugs 502 may be fastened to the busbar contacts through a removable fastening mechanism such as screws, a clip-on mechanism, a push-on mechanism, or similar ones. Thus, another degree of configurability for the connector is its wire sizes. Crimp terminal lugs 502 may be replaced with larger or smaller size ones without changing toe dielectric spacer or the busbars allowing larger or smaller wire size configurations (depending on carried current) to be used with toe connector. In example implementations, wire sizes between #4 AWG and #10 AWG may be supported, as well as others.

[0028] FIG. 5B illustrates a perspective disassembled view of a circular bussed connector with busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0029] Diagram 500B shows connector contacts 522 within connector shell 510, spacer 504, and a coupling ring 526. Hie coupling ring 526 may coupled the connector shell 510 and a back shell (not shown) covering the busbar contacts and crimp terminal lugs 502. In some examples, the back shell may be a universal back shell for use with any size and number crimp terminal lugs. Individual wires may be affixed inside toe crimp terminal lugs through push pins 524. Thus, a connector according to examples may avoid any use of solder with all couplingsbeing accomplished mechanically. The connector shell, coupling ring, and back shell may be made from an aluminum alloy, a tin-zinc-nickel alloy, or from a ceramic or plastic and have a conductive finish (e.g., plating). The spacer, connector insulator may be made from a thermoplastic, or other dielectric material.

[0030] FIG. 5C illustrates a perspective assembled view of a circular bussed connector with busbar contact and crimp terminal lugs, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0031] Diagram 500C shows connector contacts 522 within connector shell 510, coupling ring 526, and an overmold 532 covering the back shell and the cable 536 containing the . individual wires. The overmold may be made from silicon or similar elastic materials.

[0032] FIG. 6A through 6D illustrate Various views of crimp terminal lugs and bussing contacts for a solderless bussed connector, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0033] Diagram 600A shows two different sizes of a crimp terminal lug with mating surface contact 604 (larger size), 608 (smaller size) and crimp barrel 602 (larger size), 606 (smaller size). The mating surface contact 604, 608 may include a threaded hole for the fastening screw to fasten the crimp terminal lug to a busbar contact.

[0034] Diagram 600B shows various busbar configurations. The first view is a angle contact with contact pin 614 and mating surface contact 612. Second view shows a two-contact busbar with two contact pins 618 and single mating surface contact 616. The mating surface contact 616 also includes an optional alignment keying feature 615 to align the busbar contact with matching crimp terminal lugs for fastening. The third view is of a three-contact busbar with three contact pins 624 and single mating surfece contact 622.

[0035] While any type or size crimp terminal tag may be coupled to the busbars shown in diagram 600B, diagram 600C shows three example integrated crimp busbars. First view shows an example stogie crimp buss with a single contact pin 634 and integrated crimp barrel 632. Second view shows two contact pins 638 integrated with a single crimp barrel 636. Third view shows three contact pins 644 integrated with a single crimp barrel 642.

[0036] The crimp barrels in diagram 600C are for larger wire sizes (e.g., #4 AWG or #6 AWG). Diagram 600D shows two examples of smaller wire size (e.g., #8 AWG and #10 AWG)crimp barrels 652, 656 integrated with, respectively, a single contact pin 654 and two contact pins 658.

[0037] FIG. 7A through 7C illustrate various views of a circular bussed connector with busbar contacts and 90-degree angle crimp terminal lugs, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein.

[0038] Diagram 700A shows a circular connector 702 with busbar contacts 704. The busbar contacts are affixed to 90-degree angle crimp terminal lugs 706 allowing die wires 708 and die cable 710 to be placed at 90 degrees with the connector 702. As with die straight crimp terminal lugs, the crimp terminal lugs 706 may be fastened to the busbar contacts 704 through a removable fastening mechanism such as screws, a clip-on mechanism, a push-on mechanism, or similar ones. The crimp terminal lugs 706 may be any suitable size allowing different size wires to be connected to the connector.(0039] Diagram 700B shows a top view of the circular connector 702 with the busbar contacts 704 and the 90-degree angle crimp terminal lugs 706. In some examples, die busbar contacts 704 and the 90-degree angle crimp terminal lugs 706 may be integrated- Diagram 7000 shows die busbar contacts 704, the 90-degree angle crimp terminal lugs 706, and the wires being covered by an overmoid 712.

[0040] According to some examples, a connector sub-assembly may include a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of the dielectric spacer; one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; and one or more crimp terminal lugs, each crimp terminal lug configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar. The plurality of through-holes and the plurality of recesses of the dielectric spacer may be arranged to facilitate a plurality of bussing configurations.

[0041] According to other examples, the busbars and die crimp terminal lugs may be arranged to be fastened through respective mating contact surfaces and a removable fastening mechanism. The removable fastening mechanism may include a screw-on mechanism, a clip-on mechanism, or a push-on mechanism. The mating surface contact of the busbar may include an alignment keying feature. The one or more crimp terminal lugs may be arranged to receive one or more different sizes of wires. The one or more different sizes of wires may include #4 AWG, #6 AWG, #8 AWG, and #10 AWG.

[0042] According to further examples, a connector assembly may include a shell; a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of the dielectric spacer; one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; one or more crimp terminal lugs, each crimp terminal Jug configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar; and a back shell mechanically coupled to the shell, where the back shell covers the dielectric spacer and the crimp terminal lugs.

[0043] According to yet other examples, the plurality of through-holes and the plurality of recesses of the dielectric spacer may be arranged to facilitate a plurality of bussing configurations. The busbars and the crimp terminal lugs may be arranged to be fastened through respective mating contact surfaces and a removable fastening mechanism. The removable fastening mechanism may be a screw-on mechanism, a clip-on mechanism, or a push-on mechanism. The connector assembly may also include a coupling ring to fasten the shell and the back shell together. The connector assembly may further include ah overmold to cover the back shell and a cable containing individual contact wires. The connector assembly may be a receptacle or a plug and may have a circular shape, a rectangular shape, a square shape, a parallelogram shape, or an irregular shape. The crimp terminal lugs may be 90-degree terminal allowing a 90-degree exit for the cable.

[0044] According to some examples, a method for assembling a connector may include positioning a plurality of socket contacts or pin contacts within a connector shell; positioning one or more busbars into a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses of a dielectric spacer, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a crimp terminal contact; positioning die dielectric spacer at least, partially inside the connector shell, where the one or more busbar pin contacts make electrical contact with the plurality of socket contacts or pin contacts; and fastening one or more crimp terminal lugs to corresponding crimp terminal contacts of foe one or more busbars.

[0045] According to other examples, the method may further include fastening a wire of selected size to each crimp terminal lug. The method may also include covering foe one or more crimp terminal lugs and the dielectric spacer with a back shell, where foe back shell and foe connector shell are coupled through a coupling ring. Fastening foe one or more crimp terminal lugs to foe corresponding crimp terminal contacts of the one or more busbars may includeremovably fastening each crimp terminal lug and corresponding crimp terminal contact of a busbar through a screw-on mechanism, a clip-on mechanism, or a push-on mechanism. The method may further include aligning each crimp terminal lug and corresponding crimp terminal contact of the busbar through corresponding alignment key features.

[0046] The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application, which are intended as illustrations of various aspects. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its spirit and scope. Functionally equivalent methods and apparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, are possible from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fell within fee scope of fee appended claims. The present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of fee appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0047] The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected wife, different other components. Such depicted architectures are merely examples, and in feet, many other architectures may be implemented which achieve fee same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such that fee desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality may be seen as "associated wife" each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermediate components. Likewise, any two components so associated may also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably coupled", to each other to achieve fee desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated may also be viewed as being "operably couplable", to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically connectable and / or physically interacting components and / or wirelessly interactable and / or wirelessly interacting components and / or logically interacting and / or logically interactable components.100481 With respect to the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein, those having skill in fee art can translate from fee plural to the singular and / or from the singular to fee plural as is appropriate to the contact and / or application. The various singular / plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

[0049] In general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation, no such intent is present For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., “a” and / or “an” should be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).

[0050] Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general, such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and / or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

[0051] For any and all purposes, such as in terms of providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subranges and combinations ofsubranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing arid enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etc. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etc. As will also be understood by one skilled in the art all language such as “up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” and the like include the number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges as discussed above. Finally, a range includes each individual member. Thus, tor example, a group having 1-3 cells refers to groups having 1, 2, or 3 cells. Similarly, a group having 1-5 cells refers to groups having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 cells, and so forth.

[0052] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments are possible. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with die true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMSI / WE Claim:

1. A connector sub-assembly comprising: a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of die dielectric spacer; one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; and one or more crimp terminal tags, each crimp terminal tag configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar,2. The connector sub-assembly of claim 1 , wherein die plurality of through-holes and the plurality of recesses of the dielectric spacer are arranged to facilitate a plurality of bussing configurations.

3. The connector sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein the busbars and the crimp terminal lugs are arranged to be fastened through respective mating contact surfaces and a removable fastening mechanism.

4. The connector sub-assembly of claim 3, wherein the removable fastening mechanism comprises a screw-on mechanism, a clip-on mechanism, or a push-on mechanism.

5. The connector sub-assembly of claim 1, wherein die mating surface contact of the busbar includes an alignment keying feature.

6. The connector sub-assembly of claim I, wherein die one or more crimp terminal tags are arranged to receive one or more different sizes of wires.

7. The connector sub-assembly of claim 6, wherein die one or more different sizes of wires include #4 AWG, #6 AWG, #8 AWG, and#10 AWG.

8. A connector assembly comprising: a shell; a dielectric spacer defining a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses between the through-holes on a wire-side of the dielectric spacer, one or more busbars, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a mating surface contact; one or more crimp terminal lugs, each crimp terminal tag configured to receive a wire and to be removably fastened to a mating surface contact of a busbar, and a back shell mechanically coupled to the shell, wherein the back shell covers the dielectric spacer and the crimp terminal lugs.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of through-holes and the plurality of recesses of the dielectric spacer are arranged to facilitate a plurality of bussing configurations.

10. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein the busbars and the crimp terminal lugs are arranged to be fastened through respective mating contact surfaces and a removable fastening mechanism.

11. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the removable fastening mechanism comprises a screw-on mechanism, a clip-on mechanism, or a push-on mechanism.

12. The connector assembly of claim 8, further comprising: a coupling ring to fasten the shell and the back shell together.

13. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein the crimp terminal tags are arrangedio contact the busbar contacts at 90-degree angle.

14. The connector assembly of claim 8, further comprising: an ovennold to cover the back shell and a cable containing individual contact wires.

15. The connector assembly of claim 8, wherein the connector assembly is a receptacle or a plug and has a circular shape, a rectangular shape, a square shape, a parallelogram shape, or an irregular shape.

16. A method for assembling a connector comprising: positioning a plurality of socket contacts or pin contacts within a connector shell; positioning one or more busbars into a plurality of through-holes and a plurality of recesses of a dielectric spacer, each busbar comprising one or more busbar pin contacts, a buss, and a crimp terminal contact; positioning the dielectric spacer at least partially inside the connector shell, wherein the one or more busbar pin contacts make electrical contact wife the plurality of socket contacts or pin contacts; and fastening one or more crimp terminal lugs to corresponding crimp terminal contacts of the one or more busbars.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: fastening a wire of selected size to each crimp terminal lug.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: covering fee one or more crimp terminal lugs and fee dielectric spacer with a back shell, wherein the back shell and fee connector shell are coupled through a coupling ring.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein fastening the one or more crimp terminal lugs to the corresponding crimp terminal contacts of fee one or more busbars comprises: removably fastening each crimp terminal lug and corresponding crimp terminal contact of a busbar through a screw-on mechanism, a clip-on mechanism, or a push-on mechanism.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising aligning each crimp terminal lug and corresponding crimp terminal contact of the busbar through corresponding alignment key features.

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