US 12,272,905 B2
Plug-in connector with authentication feature
Dean Drake, Oklahoma City, OK (US); Melissa Fritz, Rudy, AR (US); Raheel Chaudhry, Dallas, TX (US); Rajendra R. Pai, Bangalore (IN); and M. Deepan Ponraj, Chennai (IN)
Assigned to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Jun. 7, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/737,297.
Application 18/737,297 is a continuation of application No. 18/319,282, filed on May 17, 2023, granted, now 12,034,258.
Application 18/319,282 is a continuation of application No. 18/305,198, filed on Apr. 21, 2023, granted, now 11,967,788, issued on Apr. 23, 2024.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/363,401, filed on Apr. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0332871 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H01R 13/66 (2006.01); H01R 24/30 (2011.01); H01R 107/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01R 13/665 (2013.01) [H01R 24/30 (2013.01); H01R 2107/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plug-in connector comprising:
a housing having four adjacent terminal receiving cavities, and a first contact terminal disposed in one of the terminal receiving cavities, wherein the four adjacent terminal receiving cavities are disposed in a linear arrangement, and wherein the first contact terminal is an output terminal for an identification device, the identification device comprising a resistor;
wherein the identification device is in electrical communication with the output terminal, and wherein the identification device is configured to authenticate the plug-in connector; and
wherein authentication of the plug-in connector facilitates establishment of at least one of: a power or data path.