Patents Represented by Attorney Thomas D. Paulius
  • Patent number: 7052335
    Abstract: An electric wire connecting device 50 has a housing 53 as an outer body; a screw 55 that can rotate freely about a rotation axis 55a at a prescribed position in the housing 53 but is prevented from moving in the axial direction; a slider 57 that is threadedly engaged with the screw 55 and makes a go-movement or a return-movement in accordance with the rotation direction of the screw 55; a guide hole 61 through which to introduce an electric wire 59 into the housing 53; and a cam 63 that is in contact with a go-side surface 91 or a return-side surface 93 of the slider 57 and rotates clockwise or counterclockwise in accordance with the movement direction of the slider 57, and presses, at a prescribed rotation position, a portion of the electric wire 59 that is located in the guide hole 61.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Naoya Matsuura, Kotaro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7048567
    Abstract: A surface mount connector has a dielectric housing with first and second opposing mating faces. The first mating face includes first terminals and the second mating face includes second terminals. The first and second terminals each have a tail portion, a contact portion and a terminal retention portion. The terminal retention portion engages the connector housing, and an opening, or hole, is formed in the retention section of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Emanuel G. Banakis, Patrick R. Casher
  • Patent number: 7037138
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with opposing and interengageable first and second connector components. Each of the two components has internal cavities that contain terminal assemblies of either plug or receptacle structure and may further include either a plurality of power terminals or differential signal terminals. The terminals have contact portions, tail portions and interconnecting portions that are partially encapsulated by an insulative outer support frames. The shell forms a wafer and two such wafers are combined together to form a terminal assembly. The terminal assemblies are identical in shape, other than for an engagement means that serves to hold two subframes together as a single assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Keith Lang, Kent E. Regnier, Emanuel G. Banakis, David E. Dunham, Robert A. Owsley
  • Patent number: 7025617
    Abstract: A surface mount connector has a dielectric housing with first and second opposing mating faces. The first mating face includes first terminals and the second mating face includes second terminals. The first and second terminals each have a tail portion, a contact portion and a terminal retention portion. The terminal retention portion engages the connector housing, and an opening, or hole, is formed in the retention section of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Emanuel G. Banakis, Patrick R. Casher
  • Patent number: 7023703
    Abstract: A housing for an adapter module is provided with a bail latch mechanism that serves to engage and disengage the frame into which the adapter module housing fits. The housing is stamped and formed from a piece of sheet metal and the bail latch is rotatably mounted in the housing. The bail latch is movable between two positions and the bail latch engages a cam member that is stamped and formed in one side of the housing so that movement of one end of the bail latch over the cam member cams one of the two free ends of the bail latch inwardly into the housing to thereby release the housing from the adapter frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Kirk B. Peloza
  • Patent number: 7018239
    Abstract: A shielded electrical connector is provided for mounting on a printed circuit board. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities and a plurality of board-engaging pads projecting from the bottom of the housing. A plurality of terminals are received in the cavities. Portions of the housing between the terminals are plated with conductive metal material to electrically shield the terminals from each other and to provide a controlled impedance. The plating is continuous onto the pads for connection to appropriate ground circuit means on the printed circuit board. In an alternative embodiment, a shielded electrical connector assembly includes a pair of connectors both of which have plated housings with interengaging plated portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Victor Zaderej, Kent E. Regnier, David E. Dunham, Kevin Alberts, David Brearley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7004767
    Abstract: A high-speed cable connector includes a cable holder fixed to ends of cables to locate and hold the cable in a connection position and terminals that are connected at one end to wires of the cable extending out of the cable holder. The terminals include one grounding terminal connected to a grounding terminal of the cable. The connector has a housing that has an upper body and a lower body, between which the cable holder and terminals are seated, the upper body having an upper grounding hole extending through the upper body, the lower body having a lower grounding hole extending through the lower body and formed under the upper grounding hole. The connector housing includes a number of mating holes corresponding to the number of cable lead wires, the mating holes are formed through a front end of the lower body so that a mating connector can be connected with the terminals through the mating holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Jung Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 6990733
    Abstract: A land grid array connector is formed by attaching a reinforcing member to a frame and coating the reinforcing member with an elastomeric compound to form a reinforced, flexible body portion of the connector. Conductive wires are inserted in pairs in an array in the fabric extent. Free ends of the wires extend past the elastomeric compound to provide contacts of the connector. The pairs of wires provide redundancy for the contacts to ensure a reliable connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: John E. Lopata, James L. McGrath, Arindum Dutta, Marvin Menzin, Daniel Fisher, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6979215
    Abstract: A connector uses a plurality of individual terminal assemblies to form a high-density connector. The terminal assemblies all have insulative body portions that support arrays of signal terminals and ground terminals or ground members. The terminals all have their own associated body portions which are supported by the insulative body portions and contact portions that extend out from a front, or mating face, of the assemblies. The terminal contact portions and include flexing portions formed therewith which are disposed between the terminal body and contact portions. The terminals further include insulative support members that are applied to the terminals and which serve to define the contact and flexing portions of the terminals. The support members are fixed within a carrier, such as a shroud member, which is not attached to any one portion of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Hazelton P. Avery, Kathleen A. Sweeney, Daniel B. McGowen, Richard A. Nelson, Galen F. Fromm, Gary Humbert
  • Patent number: 6976881
    Abstract: Termination assemblies for terminating high-frequency data signal transmission lines include housings with one or more cavities that receive ends of the transmission line therein. The transmission line typically includes a dielectric body and a plurality of conductive elements disposed thereon, with the plurality of conductive elements being arranged in pairs for differential signal transmission. The termination assemblies, in one embodiment include hollow end caps that are formed from a dielectric and which have one or more conductive contacts or plated surfaces disposed on or within the cavity so that they will frictionally mate with the conductive traces on the transmission line. In another embodiment, a connector housing is provided with a center slot and a plurality of dual loop contacts to provide redundant circuit paths and low inductance to the termination assembly. A coupling element may be utilized in the slot to achieve a desired level of coupling between the termination contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: David L. Brunker, Daniel L. Dawiedczyk, John E. Lopata, Arindum Dutta
  • Patent number: 6969268
    Abstract: A terminal contact arrangement for a connector promotes reduction in deviation of the impedance of the connector when mated to an opposing connector and energized. The connector has an insulative housing with a plurality of terminal-receiving passages disposed in it. Conductive terminals are supported in some, but not all of the passages. The terminal contain distinct terminal sets that include a pair of differential signal terminals and at least two associated ground reference terminals. The two associated ground reference terminals are interconnected together so that electrically, they act as a single ground terminal having a width equal to the sum of the widths of the two connected ground reference terminals. The ground reference terminals of the sets are disposed in a single row of terminals, while the differential signal terminals of the same terminal set are disposed in another row of terminals spaced apart from the row of ground reference terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: David L. Brunker, Daniel L. Dawiedczyk, Maxwill P. Bassler, Patrick R. Casher
  • Patent number: 6955565
    Abstract: A cable connector is provided that has a connector housing that is thin and takes the form of a wafer. Terminals are held within the housing and termination portions extend lengthwise from the terminals. The termination portions extend out from the housing for terminating bare conductors of signal wires to them. A grounding shield is provided that extends over the signal terminals from their contact portions at the front end of the connector to their rear termination portions. The grounding shield thereby provided a ground extent over the termination area that increases the electrical affinity of the signal wires to the grounding shield so as to reduce crosstalk and noise during operation at high frequencies. In one embodiment, the grounding shield includes a separate extension that is connected to the base grounding shield. In another embodiment, the grounding shield has a length sufficient to extend over the termination area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Keith Lloyd, Richard A. Hays, Edward Seamands, Kenneth F. Janota, Munewar Ahmad, Michael Magajne
  • Patent number: 6953351
    Abstract: A termination structure for mating a cable connector to a circuit board includes a plurality of associated sets of terminals, each terminal set including a pair of differential signal terminals and a ground reference terminal. Each associated set of terminals is arranged in triangular pattern through the connector in order to reduce the impedance through the connector, and the sets are fixed within modules or blocks that are engageable together to form a connector housing. The housing modules permit adjacent associated terminal sets to be easily inverted so that the ground reference terminals of alternating associated terminal sets are located along one row of the connector along with signal terminals of intervening terminal sets, while the ground reference terminals of intervening terminal sets are located along a second row of the connector, along with the signal terminals of alternating associated terminal sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Galen F. Fromm, Jay H. Neer
  • Patent number: 6953347
    Abstract: A land grid array connector is formed by attaching a reinforcing member to a frame and coating the reinforcing member with an elastomeric compound to form a reinforced, flexible body portion of the connector. Conductive wires are inserted in pairs in an array in the fabric extent. Free ends of the wires extend past the elastomeric compound to provide contacts of the connector. The pairs of wires provide redundancy for the contacts to ensure a reliable connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: James L. McGrath, John E. Lopata, Arindum Dutta, Marvin Menzin, Daniel Fisher, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6945796
    Abstract: A termination structure for mating a cable connector to a circuit board has a ground terminal and two signal terminals arranged in triangular pattern through the connector in order to reduce the impedance through the connector. The width of the ground terminal increases along its extent with respect to the signal terminals. This increase occurs along either a transition or contact portion of the ground terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Maxwill P. Bassler, David L. Brunker, Daniel L. Dawiedczyk, John E. Lopata
  • Patent number: 6943287
    Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding cage for an electronic module is comprised an electrically-conductive bottom, an electrically-conductive rear panel electrically coupled to said bottom, an electrically-conductive, elongated cover electrically coupled to said bottom and first and second side walls that are electrically and mechanically coupled to said bottom, said rear panel and said elongated cover. Numerous ground lugs, electrically coupled to at least one of: said bottom; rear panel; and first and second side walls provide an electrical pathway for EMI signals to a reference potential. An electrically-conductive, compressible gasket encircling the bottom, top and side walls provides an electrical connection to a front panel, providing additional EMI suppression. Gasket engagement tabs in the top and bottom provide electrical connection between the gasket and panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Keith Lloyd, Dennis Lee Doye
  • Patent number: 6936917
    Abstract: A system for delivering power to an integrated circuit includes a decoupling capacitance located in a connector that is formed as a socket, or frame for the IC. The power delivery system takes the form of a power reservoir that is integrated into a connector, thereby eliminating the need for complex and expensive power traces to be formed in or discrete capacitors mounted on a circuit board to which the IC is connected. The system includes a connector that takes the form of a cover member that fits over the IC and which contains a recess that accommodates a portion of the IC therein. The cover member includes at least a pair of spaced-apart capacitor plates that are disposed therewithin. Electricity is supplied to the plates so that they will become charged as a capacitor and the plates are formed with a plurality of terminals that extend into contact with the IC so that the plates may selectively discharge to the IC and thereby provide it with operating and surge currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: John E. Lopata, Augusto P. Panella, Arindum Dutta, James L. McGrath
  • Patent number: 6926557
    Abstract: A reduced weight and size shielded receptacle connector includes an internal insulative connector housing having top and bottom walls, without any sidewalls interconnecting the top and bottom walls together. A plurality of conductive terminals are supported within the connector. A receptacle portion of the connector is formed in cooperation with the top and bottom walls of the connector housing and with a pair of metal sidewalls formed by bending a shield member around parts of the connector housing. A metal retaining shield is provided that also overlies a portion of the connector housing and which is partially retained on the connector housing by the metal shell. The shield not only provides shielding, but also serves to retain the opposing connector in mating engagement with receptacle connector by way of three retention members that extend in and engaged the opposing connector in three different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Tomisaburo Yamaguchi, Asakawa Tetsuya
  • Patent number: 6926539
    Abstract: A board to board connector for use in high speed signal transmission applications includes male and female connector components that interengage with each other. Each of the male and female parts has an insulative housing that holds a plurality of individual terminal assemblies in cavities defined by corresponding walls of each connector component. The exterior surfaces of the connector components are plated with a metal so as to provide a unitary grounding datum around each of the individual terminal assemblies. Each of the connector components may utilize a center engagement member that runs lengthwise through the connector components, one of the center engagement members having a contact blade formed integrally therewith and the other of the center engagement members including a plurality of spring arms, also integrally formed with the connector component so that the grounding shield portions of the two connectors make contact with each other first before the terminals of the connector make contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Victor Zaderej, Kenneth M. Stiles, Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 6918789
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with opposing and interengageable first and second connector components. Each of the two components preferably includes upper and lower housing formed from an insulative material, with cavities formed therein that receive terminal assemblies. The upper and lower housings are formed with internal cavities that extend in different directions. These cavities are aligned together when the upper and lower housings are assembled together to define a plurality of internal cavities that extend through the first and second connector components. Each cavity contains a terminal assembly with differential signal terminals. The terminals have contact portions, tail portions and interconnecting portions that are partially encapsulated by an insulative outer shell. The exterior surfaces of the connector components are plated with a conductive material so that the connector components serve as grounds for the differential signal terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Keith Lang, Kent E. Regnier, Emanuel G. Banakis, David R. Schmidgall, Yew Teck Yap