Patents by Inventor Alexander R. Mathews

Alexander R. Mathews has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9891388
    Abstract: A ferrule (10) has a receiving area for receiving and securing an optical waveguide (20) and an optical element (13) for receiving light from an optical waveguide received and secured at the receiving area and changing at least one of a divergence and a propagation direction of the received light. A plurality of registration features (30, 31, 32, 33, 34) are configured to permit a stacking of the ferrule in a stacking direction such that the ferrules in the stack are aligned relative to each other along a length of the ferrule and along a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9894750
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to shielded transmission lines, electrical systems including the shielded transmission lines, cables using shielded transmission lines, and electrical connectors using shielded transmission lines. In particular, the present disclosure provides transmission lines that include floating shields capable of isolating interference between conductors that can result in reduced crosstalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Zulfiqar A. Khan, Alexander W. Barr, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9876285
    Abstract: An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Publication number: 20170302008
    Abstract: An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Publication number: 20170256868
    Abstract: An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Patent number: 9728864
    Abstract: An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Patent number: 9703041
    Abstract: Optical connectors are provided for connecting sets of optical waveguides (110), such as optical fiber ribbons to each other, to printed circuit boards, or to backplanes. The provided connectors include a waveguide alignment member (105) for receiving and aligning a plurality of optical waveguides (110) such that central light rays of light exiting the plurality of optical waveguides propagate along a same incident direction (115) in a same incident plane XY. The optical connectors also include a light redirecting side that comprises a plurality of segments (130) forming a row of segments (130a, 130b, . . . ), each segment corresponding to a different optical waveguide. A first segment (130a) redirects light along a first redirected direction (140a) and a second segment (130b) redirects light along a second redirected direction (140b) different from the first redirected direction. Other segments redirect light to either a first redirected direction or a second redirected direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20170077647
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulative connector housing including a longitudinal bottom wall defining a plurality of contact openings for receiving a plurality of contacts, first and second side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing sides thereof, first and second end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing ends thereof, first and second pairs of latch openings at opposing ends of the bottom wall, and first and second protrusions extending upwardly from the bottom wall and disposed between respective first and second pairs of latch openings. Each latch opening extends through the bottom wall and through a side wall and is configured to allow a latch to eject a mating connector by moving within the opening Each of the protrusions is configured to engage a corresponding opening in a latch of a mating connector cover or strain relief assembled to the electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Steven A. Neu, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9553401
    Abstract: A strain relief for an electrical cable includes a longitudinal base portion including curved side portions extending upwardly from opposing longitudinal sides thereof, and first and second opposing strain relief latches extending from opposing lateral sides of the base portion. Each latch includes a curved connecting portion extending from a lateral side of the base portion first curving upwardly and then curving downwardly and terminating at an arm portion that extends downwardly. The arm portion is configured to resiliently deflect outwardly to accommodate secure attachment of the strain relief to an electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Publication number: 20170017044
    Abstract: A connector is disclosed that includes a light coupling unit designed to receive light from an input side of the light coupling unit and transmit the received light to a mating connector from an output side of the light coupling unit along a direction different than the mating direction of the connector. The light coupling unit rotates when the connector mates with the mating connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20170017047
    Abstract: A connector is disclosed that includes a housing and first and second attachment areas located in the housing and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction of the connector. The second, but not the first, attachment area is designed to move relative to the housing. The connector further includes an optical waveguide that is permanently attached to, and under a first bending force between, the first and second attachment areas. The connector also includes a light coupling unit located in the housing for receiving light from the optical waveguide and transmitting the received light to a mating connector along a direction different than the mating direction of the connector. The mating of the connector to the mating connector causes the optical waveguide to be under a greater second bending force between the first and second attachment areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9537236
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulative connector housing including a longitudinal bottom wall defining a plurality of contact openings for receiving a plurality of contacts, first and second side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing sides thereof, first and second end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing ends thereof, first and second pairs of latch openings at opposing ends of the bottom wall, and first and second protrusions extending upwardly from the bottom wall and disposed between respective first and second pairs of latch openings. Each latch opening extends through the bottom wall and through a side wall and is configured to allow a latch to eject a mating connector by moving within the opening. Each of the protrusions is configured to engage a corresponding opening in a latch of a mating connector cover or strain relief assembled to the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Steven A. Neu, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20160365649
    Abstract: An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Patent number: 9509094
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulative connector housing. The connector housing includes a longitudinal bottom wall having a plurality of contact openings, first and second side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing sides of the bottom wall, first and second end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing ends of the bottom wall, and first and second pairs of latch openings at opposing ends of the bottom wall. Each latch opening extends through the bottom wall and through a side wall and is configured to allow a latch to eject a mating connector by moving within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Patent number: 9509089
    Abstract: A latch for securing and ejecting a mating connector from a connector housing includes a hinge portion configured to pivotably attach the latch to a connector housing, an arm portion extending from a first side of the hinge portion along a first direction, and a pair of discrete spaced apart hinge arms extending from an opposite second side of the hinge portion along a second direction different than the first direction. The hinge arms are configured to eject the mating connector through a pair of corresponding spaced apart latch openings extending through a bottom wall and through side walls of the connector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Patent number: 9482827
    Abstract: Optical connectors are provided for connecting sets of optical waveguides (104), such as optical fiber ribbons to each other, to printed circuit boards, or to backplanes. The provided connectors (100) include a housing (110) that has an attachment area (102) for receiving and permanently attaching a plurality of optical waveguides. Additionally, the provided connectors include a light coupling unit (120) disposed in and configured to move with the housing. The provided connectors also include a second attachment area (108) for receiving and permanently attaching to the plurality of optical waveguides that causes each optical waveguide to be bent between the two attachment areas. The provided connectors utilize expanded beam optics with non-contact optical mating resulting in relaxed mechanical precision requirements. The provided connectors can have low optical loss, are easily scalable to high channel count (optical fibers per connector) and can be compatible with low insertion force blind mating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Ding Wang, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9455503
    Abstract: An electrical contact terminal includes a base portion for positioning and retaining the electrical contact terminal within a connector housing, an insulation displacement connecting portion extending upwardly from the base portion and comprising a pair of spaced apart arms defining an opening therebetween for receiving and making electrical contact with an electrical conductor, and a contact portion extending downwardly from the base portion and configured to float when the electrical contact terminal is retained and positioned within a connector housing. The contact portion includes a first arm, a second arm, and an arcuate base portion. The first arm extends downwardly and includes a first end attached to the base portion and an opposite second end. The second arm extends downwardly and includes a free first end closer to the base portion and an opposite second end farther from the base portion. The second arm is configured to deflect when making electrical contact with a mating contact pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander R. Mathews, Steven A. Neu, Steven Feldman
  • Publication number: 20160231521
    Abstract: An optical communication subassembly includes one or more optoelectronic devices, one or more optical elements, and a transceiver light coupling unit. Each optical element is configured to change a divergence of the outgoing light relative to a divergence of the incoming light and is spaced apart from and optically aligned with a corresponding optoelectronic device. The transceiver light coupling unit has a mating surface configured for mating with a connector light coupling unit attached to an optical waveguide. A mating direction of the optical light coupling unit forms an angle with the mating surface of the transceiver light coupling unit such that when the connector light coupling unit mates with the transceiver light coupling unit, the angle between the mating direction of the connector light coupling unit and the mating surface of the transceiver light coupling unit causes the optical waveguide to bend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Barry J. Koch, Michael A. Haase, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20160134034
    Abstract: A board mount electrical connector (3) includes an insulative connector housing (1100) including a longitudinal bottom wall (1102) defining a plurality of contact openings (1104) for receiving a plurality of contacts (1200), first and second side walls (1106, 1108) extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing sides thereof, first and second end walls (1110, 1112) extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing ends (1102c, 1102d) thereof, first and second pairs of latch openings (1114, 1116) at opposing ends of the bottom wall, and first and second protrusions (1154, 1156) extending upwardly from the bottom wall and disposed between respective first and second pairs of latch openings. Each latch opening extends through the bottom wall and through a side wall and is configured to allow a latch to eject a mating connector by moving within the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Steven A. Neu, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Publication number: 20150327357
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to shielded transmission lines, electrical systems including the shielded transmission lines, cables using shielded transmission lines, and electrical connectors using shielded transmission lines. In particular, the present disclosure provides transmission lines that include floating shields capable of isolating interference between conductors that can result in reduced crosstalk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Zulfiqar A. Khan, Alexander W. Barr, Alexander R. Mathews