Abstract: An efficient antenna exhibiting primarily circular polarization is described. Electrical performance is similar to that of a patch antenna having the same volume; however, greater bandwidth is achieved. The antenna consists of four radiating elements arranged in a semi-spiral configuration on a dielectric material, with a shunt feed system. The novel feed system incorporates a phase delay line, with two adjacent elements fed. The other two elements are parasitically coupled to the first two, with a 180 degree phase difference, resulting in a progressive phase shift of 90 degrees between the four elements. Circular polarization is a product of the symmetric geometry, as opposed to a circularly polarized patch antenna, which utilizes an offset feed. The antenna may be placed directly on a printed wiring board having a ground plane. The antenna is well suited for GPS applications and has a smaller major surface area than a patch antenna with comparable performance.

Abstract: A method of making an optical component wherein an optical component carrier is introduced through an opening (2) into a mold (1). The carrier is aligned relative to the mold (1) by means of at least one positioning means. A removable closure member (4) is introduced into a coupling portion of the mold to form an optical window surface (3). A light transmissive moldable material is filled into the mold (1) and cured. The closure member (4) is then removed to complete the optical component.

Abstract: The circuit board edge connector described serves for connecting a first circuit board and a second circuit board adapted to be mated substantially vertically with said first circuit board, and is characterized in that that the part of the circuit board edge connector to be connected to the electrical connector located on one side of the second circuit board as well as the part of the circuit board edge connector to be connected to the electrical connector located on the other side of the second circuit board, are constituted by separate electrical connectors.

Abstract: An omni-directional antenna assembly is provided for wireless communication devices requiring multiple polarization characteristics. A loop antenna assembly for a communications device operating at a predetermined wavelength and having a transceiver circuit including a signal output and a ground plane, the antenna assembly including a conductive loop element and a conductive leg member coupled to the loop element proximate a loop perimeter, the leg member for supporting the loop element at a distance away from the ground plane of the communications device, the leg member also defining a ground point and a feed point for operatively coupling the loop element to the ground plane and the signal output, respectively, of the transceiver circuit.

Abstract: A transceiver package includes a substrate having an upper surface. An electronic component is mounted to the upper surface of the substrate. A shield encloses the electronic component and shields the electronic component from radiation. The transceiver package further includes an antenna and a dielectric cap. The dielectric cap is interposed between the shield and the antenna, the shield being a ground plane for the antenna.

Abstract: A load-disconnecting switch has a permanent-magnetic holding circuit. A coil (5), upon excitation thereof, generates a magnetic flux that is opposite to the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet (9). The armature (6) is biassed to an open position by an armature spring (10), so that the armature spring (10), when a defined operational excitation is exceeded, detaches the armature (6) from the core (7) of the magnet system, allowing said armature to open and thereby disconnecting a switching contact (15) and a fixed contact (16). The load-disconnecting switch can be switched on again by means of a spring clip (12) acting on said armature (6).

Abstract: The magnet system is part of a relay, which displays particularly low-noise switching. Components of the magnet system include a core unit (1), an armature (6) and a not represented coil, whereby the armature (6) is preloaded in an open position. The low-noise switching behavior is achieved in that the armature (6) is designed in such a manner that the armature pole face in the region of its front end (8a) in the closing direction is essentially perpendicular to a connecting line (16) towards the bearing edge (12). In addition, when the armature (6) is attracted, the core pole face (9) extends at least substantially parallel to the armature pole face (8). The arrangement according to the invention requires no additional parts for the purpose of noise reduction, resulting in a particularly simple and compact structure.

Abstract: A connector for an automobile airbag gas generator assembly requires only a single operator action to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector and three independent operator actions to disengage the connector from the socket connector. A further embodiment of the connector of the present invention provides a clamshell housing and cover to the connector thereby allowing an installer to terminate electrical conductors directly to the contacts within the connector. The connectors of the present invention may support either a inductor coil or a ferrite bead for suppressing induced currents. The connector of the present invention may terminate both standard round cables and flat cables.

Abstract: An antenna device is disclosed, which is intended for a portable radio communication device. The communication device includes a signal generating component having a signal output, said output defining a signal generating circuit impedance. The antenna device includes a substantially planar conductor having an associated impedance and preferably extending in a first dimension greater than approximately one-quarter of a predetermined operational wavelength. The antenna device further includes a matching network which is coupled to the signal generating output. The matching network having a substantially planar dielectric substrate and a conductive meander element and a conductive trace element, wherein said matching network transforms the impedance of the signal generating component to approximate the impedance of the planar conductor element.

Abstract: The power substrate is inserted in a housing (1) as base plate and together with the same forms a standardized power part from whose top side (11) there are projecting terminal pins (5) which are soldered by through-soldering to via holes of the board (4). The circuit board (4), in a strip portion (6) thereof that remains free, has contact pads (7) as control and power terminals by means of which the module can be soldered directly into the slot-like opening of a system circuit board (8).

Abstract: The invention relates to a relay, especially a miniaturized electrostatic relay, comprising a bridge-type make contact. The contact spring is designed as a torsion spring that is linked with a switching spring (3) via multiply bent spring parts (7). It is thus possible in particular to compensate fixed contacts (2) of different heights. The invention further relates to a method for producing the relay as a micro-mechanical electrostatic relay.

Abstract: The invention relates to a connector and connector system between a first substrate (1) which may be, for example, a back plane with a male connector (2), and a second substrate (3) on which a corresponding female connector (4) is mounted. For centering and coding, the first substrate has a perpendicularly projecting guide pin (6) arranged thereon on which a coding key (7) is mounted which, during connection of first substrate (1) and second substrate (3), is introduced during the mating operation into a coding box (8) having a corresponding complementary coding key (11). The guide pin (6) is clampingly retained in coding box (8) via a spring contact (10). With short centering pins, centering of the guide pin (6) in coding box (8) takes place by the cooperation of coding key (7) and complementary coding key (11).

Abstract: The invention features an improved semiconductor device comprising both active and passive devices and a method of manufacturing such semiconductor devices. A method in accord with the invention includes performing front side processing on a front side of the substrate to form an active semiconductor device on the front side of the substrate and performing back side processing on the back side of the substrate. The back side processing includes forming a via through the back side of the substrate to an electrically conductive layer formed on the front side of the substrate and forming a conductive layer in the via to form an electrically conductive path from the back side of the substrate to the electrically conductive layer formed on the front side of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention involves and encompasses an antenna assembly having an inventive ground plane design susceptible of a variety of implementations in the field of compact wireless communication device (WCD) component design. The present invention is directed to a family of antenna assemblies that effectively function within the desired bandwidth and gain of known, prior art antenna assemblies having a larger, single surface ground plane. The modified ground plane includes a first and second conductive portion adjacent to each other in a non-conducting relation yet operatively electrically coupled to each other by at least one electrically conducting element.

Abstract: An automatic tape feeder for use in component placement machines includes a novel sprocket wheel for driving component carrier tapes to a gross position by an electric drive motor. Before the electric drive motor reaches the final position desired, it is deactivated or turned off. A novel indexing cam is connected to the sprocket drive wheel. A spring loaded pawl or positioning cam is moved into a vee-shaped groove on the indexing cam so as to achieve an actual fine position of the indexing cam as well as the teeth on the sprocket wheel. By first achieving a gross position with the drive motor and then a fine position with an indexing cam and pawl, it is possible to achieve a positioning accuracy in a pick up station which is as accurate as the sprocket holes and component pockets in the carrier tape. The present invention has achieved accuracies of ± one 1,000th of one inch which exceeds positioning accuracies of devices known heretofore.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical and fluid interconnect for providing electrical connection between one or more circuits or electrical devices and a mateable circuit board or substrate, and for providing fluid coupling of a cooling fluid to permit fluid flow in relation to the electrical circuits or devices when mated to the circuit board or substrate. The fluid connector has a valve which in the absence of mating pressure is in a closed or off position. When mated to a fluid connector which is part of or coupled to the latch assembly, the valve is opened to permit fluid to flow.

Abstract: An antenna for wireless communication devices provides resonance over at least two frequency bands with a directional radiation pattern and reduced specific absorption rate (SAR). The antenna structure includes of a formed conducting plate resonator spaced from a larger substantially rectangular ground plane conductor. The antenna structure can be located near one end of ground plane conductor. Single feed and ground connections are provided on adjacent edges of the resonator. Two or more tuning capacitors cause the resonator to resonate over two or more frequency ranges. Tuning of the higher frequency band may be done without affecting the lower frequency band in the case of a dual band version. The sizes and shape of the resonator and ground plane are compatible with the dimensions of wireless communications devices such as cell phones.

Abstract: A simple internal or partly internal antenna system for optimizing the radiation pattern from hand held wireless communications devices HHWCD such as hand-held data devices and cellular telephones is disclosed. The antenna system consists of an essentially internal or partly internal asymmetrical dipole with quarter-wave resonator section and radiating planar section, in conjunction with a planar parasitic director element. The radiating planar section may be the ground traces of the HHWCDs printed wiring board PWB. The antenna system provides for single or multiple frequency band operation.

Abstract: An antenna assembly including a resonator element having a complex shaped surface topography and discrete edge features disposed at various elevations above a ground plane and which is operatively connected to the ground plane of a wireless communication device (WCD). The resonator assembly may comprise a flexible or deformable resonator support substrate of dielectric material supporting a conductive resonator element or portion. Alternatively, the resonator element may comprise a electrically conducting resonator element formed to retain its complex shape and surface topography. In the latter form, the resonator element may be formed by traditional metal stamping techniques.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electromagnetic relay, comprising a magnetic system (6) with an exciting field coil (WR), a core and an armature. Each load current circuit can be closed by a movable contact element and by at least one fixed contact element. A reed contact (KR) is coupled to a load current conductor (1) in each load current circuit. Means to generate and process an overcurrent signal and to disconnect the control current are coupled to the reed contact (KR).