<s>
An	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
is	O
an	O
electromechanical	O
device	O
used	O
to	O
create	O
an	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connection	I-Protocol
between	O
parts	O
of	O
an	O
electrical	O
circuit	O
,	O
or	O
between	O
different	O
electrical	O
circuits	O
,	O
thereby	O
joining	O
them	O
into	O
a	O
larger	O
circuit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
have	O
a	O
genderi.e.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
connection	O
may	O
be	O
removable	O
(	O
as	O
for	O
portable	O
equipment	O
)	O
,	O
require	O
a	O
tool	O
for	O
assembly	O
and	O
removal	O
,	O
or	O
serve	O
as	O
a	O
permanent	O
electrical	B-Protocol
joint	I-Protocol
between	O
two	O
points	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
adapter	B-Device
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
join	O
dissimilar	O
connectors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thousands	O
of	O
configurations	O
of	O
connectors	O
are	O
manufactured	O
for	O
power	O
,	O
data	B-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
audiovisual	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electrical	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
can	O
be	O
divided	O
into	O
four	O
basic	O
categories	O
,	O
differentiated	O
by	O
their	O
function	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
computing	O
,	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
are	O
considered	O
a	O
physical	O
interface	O
and	O
constitute	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
physical	B-Application
layer	I-Application
in	O
the	O
OSI	O
model	O
of	O
networking	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
classes	O
mentioned	O
above	O
,	O
connectors	O
are	O
characterised	O
by	O
their	O
pinout	B-Application
,	O
method	O
of	O
connection	O
,	O
materials	O
,	O
size	O
,	O
contact	O
resistance	O
,	O
insulation	O
,	O
mechanical	O
durability	O
,	O
ingress	O
protection	O
,	O
lifetime	O
(	O
number	O
of	O
cycles	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
ease	O
of	O
use	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electrical	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
essentially	O
consist	O
of	O
two	O
classes	O
of	O
materials	O
:	O
conductors	O
and	O
insulators	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
base	O
electrode	O
metal	O
is	O
often	O
coated	O
with	O
another	O
inert	O
metal	O
such	O
as	O
gold	O
,	O
nickel	O
,	O
or	O
tin	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fretting	O
(	O
so-called	O
dynamic	O
corrosion	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
common	O
failure	O
mode	O
in	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
that	O
have	O
not	O
been	O
specifically	O
designed	O
to	O
prevent	O
it	O
,	O
especially	O
in	O
those	O
that	O
are	O
frequently	O
mated	O
and	O
de-mated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fields	O
such	O
as	O
sound	O
engineering	O
and	O
radio	O
communication	O
also	O
use	O
circular	O
connectors	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
XLR	B-Device
and	O
BNC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
AC	O
power	O
plugs	B-Protocol
are	O
also	O
commonly	O
circular	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
Schuko	O
plugs	B-Protocol
and	O
IEC	O
60309	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
M12	O
connector	O
,	O
specified	O
in	O
IEC	O
61076-2-101	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
circular	O
electrical	O
plug/receptacle	O
pair	O
with	O
12mm	O
OD	O
mating	O
threads	O
,	O
used	O
in	O
NMEA	O
2000	O
,	O
DeviceNet	O
,	O
IO-Link	O
,	O
some	O
kinds	O
of	O
Industrial	B-Protocol
Ethernet	I-Protocol
,	O
etc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
housings	O
may	O
also	O
allow	O
intermixing	O
of	O
electrical	O
and	O
non-electrical	O
interfaces	O
,	O
examples	O
of	O
the	O
latter	O
being	O
pneumatic	O
line	O
connectors	O
,	O
and	O
optical	B-Device
fiber	I-Device
connectors	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
allow	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
composite	B-Protocol
cable	I-Protocol
assemblies	O
that	O
can	O
reduce	O
equipment	O
installation	O
time	O
by	O
reducing	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
individual	O
cable	O
and	O
connector	O
assemblies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
also	O
employed	O
for	O
digital	O
signals	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
method	O
to	O
sequence	O
connections	O
properly	O
in	O
hot	B-Device
swapping	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
prevent	O
mechanical	O
damage	O
to	O
connectors	O
,	O
from	O
being	O
jammed	O
in	O
at	O
the	O
wrong	O
angle	O
or	O
into	O
the	O
wrong	O
connector	O
,	O
or	O
to	O
prevent	O
incompatible	O
or	O
dangerous	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connections	I-Protocol
,	O
such	O
as	O
plugging	O
an	O
audio	B-Protocol
cable	I-Protocol
into	O
a	O
power	O
outlet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
instance	O
,	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
have	O
a	O
notch	O
to	O
ensure	O
proper	O
orientation	O
,	O
while	O
Mini-DIN	B-Protocol
plugs	B-Protocol
have	O
a	O
plastic	O
projection	O
that	O
fits	O
into	O
a	O
corresponding	O
hole	O
in	O
the	O
socket	O
(	O
they	O
also	O
have	O
a	O
notched	O
metal	O
skirt	O
to	O
provide	O
secondary	O
keying	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Locking	O
mechanism	O
designs	O
include	O
locking	O
levers	O
of	O
various	O
sorts	O
,	O
jackscrews	O
,	O
screw-in	O
shells	O
,	O
push-pull	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
,	O
and	O
toggle	O
or	O
bayonet	O
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
to	O
ensure	O
the	O
integrity	O
of	O
the	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connection	I-Protocol
and	O
housing	O
seals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
require	O
around	O
40%	O
less	O
insertion	O
force	O
as	O
low	O
as	O
per	O
contact	O
,	O
which	O
extends	O
the	O
lifespan	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
some	O
cases	O
offers	O
an	O
alternative	O
to	O
zero	B-General_Concept
insertion	I-General_Concept
force	I-General_Concept
connectors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Whilst	O
technically	O
inaccurate	O
,	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
can	O
be	O
viewed	O
as	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
adapter	B-Device
to	O
convert	O
between	O
two	O
connection	O
methods	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
permanently	O
connected	O
at	O
one	O
end	O
and	O
(	O
usually	O
)	O
detachable	O
at	O
the	O
other	O
end	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
definition	O
,	O
each	O
end	O
of	O
this	O
"	O
adapter	B-Device
"	O
has	O
a	O
different	O
connection	O
methode.g.	O
</s>
<s>
the	O
solder	O
tabs	O
on	O
a	O
male	O
phone	B-Device
connector	I-Device
,	O
and	O
the	O
male	O
phone	B-Device
connector	I-Device
itself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Often	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
always	O
,	O
sockets	O
are	O
permanently	O
fixed	O
to	O
a	O
device	O
as	O
in	O
a	O
chassis	O
connector	O
,	O
and	O
plugs	B-Protocol
are	O
attached	O
to	O
a	O
cable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plugs	B-Protocol
generally	O
have	O
one	O
or	O
more	O
pins	O
or	O
prongs	O
that	O
are	O
inserted	O
into	O
openings	O
in	O
the	O
mating	O
socket	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
connection	O
between	O
the	O
mating	O
metal	O
parts	O
must	O
be	O
sufficiently	O
tight	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
good	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connection	I-Protocol
and	O
complete	O
the	O
circuit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
alternative	O
type	O
of	O
plug	O
and	O
socket	O
connection	O
uses	O
hyperboloid	O
contacts	O
,	O
which	O
makes	O
a	O
more	O
reliable	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connection	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
working	O
with	O
multi-pin	O
connectors	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
helpful	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
pinout	B-Application
diagram	O
to	O
identify	O
the	O
wire	O
or	O
circuit	O
node	O
connected	O
to	O
each	O
pin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
other	O
applications	O
the	O
two	O
ends	O
are	O
terminated	O
differently	O
,	O
either	O
with	O
male	O
and	O
female	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
connector	O
(	O
as	O
in	O
an	O
extension	O
cord	O
)	O
,	O
or	O
with	O
incompatible	O
connectors	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
sometimes	O
called	O
an	O
adapter	B-Device
cable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Plugs	B-Protocol
and	O
sockets	O
are	O
widely	O
used	O
in	O
various	O
connector	O
systems	O
including	O
blade	O
connectors	O
,	O
breadboards	O
,	O
XLR	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
,	O
car	O
power	O
outlets	O
,	O
banana	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
,	O
and	O
phone	B-Device
connectors	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
IEEE	O
315-1975	O
works	O
alongside	O
ASME	O
Y14.44-2008	O
to	O
define	O
jacks	O
and	O
plugs	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Crimping	O
is	O
used	O
in	O
splice	O
connectors	O
,	O
crimped	O
multipin	O
plugs	B-Protocol
and	O
sockets	O
,	O
and	O
crimped	O
coaxial	O
connectors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Crimping	O
usually	O
requires	O
a	O
specialised	O
crimping	O
tool	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
connectors	O
are	O
quick	O
and	O
easy	O
to	O
install	O
and	O
are	O
a	O
common	O
alternative	O
to	O
solder	O
connections	O
or	O
insulation	B-Protocol
displacement	I-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
can	O
cause	O
problems	O
because	O
the	O
thermal	O
conductivity	O
of	O
metals	O
causes	O
heat	O
to	O
quickly	O
distribute	O
through	O
the	O
cable	O
and	O
connector	O
,	O
and	O
when	O
this	O
heat	O
melts	O
plastic	O
dielectric	O
,	O
it	O
can	O
cause	O
short	B-Application
circuits	I-Application
or	O
"	O
flared	O
"	O
(	O
conical	O
)	O
insulation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
stripping	O
insulation	O
from	O
wires	O
is	O
time-consuming	O
,	O
many	O
connectors	O
intended	O
for	O
rapid	O
assembly	O
use	O
insulation-displacement	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
which	O
cut	O
the	O
insulation	O
as	O
the	O
wire	O
is	O
inserted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Insulation	B-Protocol
displacement	I-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
are	O
usually	O
used	O
with	O
small	O
conductors	O
for	O
signal	O
purposes	O
and	O
at	O
low	O
voltage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
common	O
example	O
is	O
the	O
multi-conductor	O
flat	O
ribbon	O
cable	O
used	O
in	O
computer	O
disk	O
drives	O
;	O
to	O
terminate	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
many	O
(	O
approximately	O
40	O
)	O
wires	O
individually	O
would	O
be	O
slow	O
and	O
error-prone	O
,	O
but	O
an	O
insulation	B-Protocol
displacement	I-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
can	O
terminate	O
all	O
the	O
wires	O
in	O
a	O
single	O
action	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
very	O
common	O
use	O
is	O
so-called	O
punch-down	B-Protocol
blocks	I-Protocol
used	O
for	O
terminating	O
unshielded	O
twisted	O
pair	O
wiring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
binding	O
posts	O
also	O
accept	O
a	O
banana	B-Protocol
plug	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
terminal	O
blocks	O
are	O
readily	O
available	O
for	O
a	O
wide	O
range	O
of	O
wire	O
sizes	O
and	O
terminal	O
quantity	O
,	O
they	O
are	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
flexible	O
types	O
of	O
electrical	B-Protocol
connector	I-Protocol
available	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Colors	O
are	O
standardized	O
according	O
to	O
DIN	B-Architecture
46245	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Twist-on	O
wire	B-Protocol
connectors	I-Protocol
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
