Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; a slide slidably mounted to the housing, wherein the slide comprises a rack section with teeth; a cam member and a connector position assurance (CPA) member. The cam member is rotatably mounted to the housing. The cam member comprises a caming surface adapted to contact a cam portion of a mating electrical connector. The cam member comprises a gear section with teeth engaging the teeth of the slide. The CPA member is movably connected to the housing. The CPA member is adapted to directly engage the cam member for preventing the cam member for rotating relative to the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; electrical contacts connected to the housing; and a mate assist system for assisting in mating the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector. The mate assist system includes a lever pivotably connected to the housing, a slider slidably connected to the housing, and a system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever from an unlocked position. The system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever includes a first latch adapted to be manually actuated by a user and a second latch on the slider adapted to be automatically moved by the mating electrical connector when the housing is initially mounted on the mating electrical connector. Both the first and second latches are moved to enable movement of the lever from the unlocked position.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; electrical contacts connected to the housing; and a mate assist system for assisting in mating the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector. The mate assist system includes a lever pivotably connected to the housing, a slider slidably connected to the housing, and a system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever from an unlocked position. The system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever includes a first latch adapted to be manually actuated by a user and a second latch on the slider adapted to be automatically moved by the mating electrical connector when the housing is initially mounted on the mating electrical connector. Both the first and second latches are moved to enable movement of the lever from the unlocked position.

Abstract: An electrical connector sub-assembly including a housing having at least one electrical contact receiving area configured to receive an electrical contact; and a terminal position assurance (TPA) member located on a front section of the housing. The TPA member is laterally movable on the front section between an unlocked position and a locked position. The TPA member comprises two spaced sections configured to lock the electrical contact in the electrical contact receiving area at two spaced locations when the TPA member is moved to the locked position. This prevents unintentional withdrawal of the electrical contact from the electrical contact receiving area.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; electrical contacts connected to the housing; and a mate assist system for assisting in mating the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector. The mate assist system includes a lever pivotably connected to the housing, a slider slidably connected to the housing, and a system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever from an unlocked position. The system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever includes a first latch adapted to be manually actuated by a user and a second latch on the slider adapted to be automatically moved by the mating electrical connector when the housing is initially mounted on the mating electrical connector. Both the first and second latches are moved to enable movement of the lever from the unlocked position.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; electrical contacts connected to the housing; and a mate assist system for assisting in mating the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector. The mate assist system includes a lever pivotably connected to the housing, a slider slidably connected to the housing, and a system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever from an unlocked position. The system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever includes a first latch adapted to be manually actuated by a user and a second latch on the slider adapted to be automatically moved by the mating electrical connector when the housing is initially mounted on the mating electrical connector. Both the first and second latches are moved to enable movement of the lever from the unlocked position.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; a slide slidably mounted to the housing, wherein the slide comprises a rack section with teeth; a cam member and a connector position assurance (CPA) member. The cam member is rotatably mounted to the housing. The cam member comprises a caming surface adapted to contact a cam portion of a mating electrical connector. The cam member comprises a gear section with teeth engaging the teeth of the slide. The CPA member is movably connected to the housing. The CPA member is adapted to directly engage the cam member for preventing the cam member for rotating relative to the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; electrical contacts connected to the housing; and a mate assist system for assisting in mating the electrical connector to a mating electrical connector. The mate assist system includes a lever pivotably connected to the housing, a slider slidably connected to the housing, and a system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever from an unlocked position. The system for preventing unintentional movement of the lever includes a first latch adapted to be manually actuated by a user and a second latch on the slider adapted to be automatically moved by the mating electrical connector when the housing is initially mounted on the mating electrical connector. Both the first and second latches are moved to enable movement of the lever from the unlocked position.

Abstract: A right-angled electrical connector assembly is provided for connection to a printed circuit board. The assembly includes a terminal support member for supporting the assembly on an appropriate support structure such as a chassis of a right-angled electrical connector module. A plurality of right-angled conductive terminals have compliant pin portions and generally perpendicular contact portions. The pin portions have retention portions. A terminal pin alignment member is supported on the support member and includes a plurality of pin-receiving passages for receiving the pin portions of the terminals therethrough in a direction generally perpendicular to the support member for connection to the printed circuit board. The passages have retention sections for engaging the retention portions of the terminals. A contact alignment member has a plurality of contact-receiving passages for receiving the contact portions of the terminals therethrough to define a mating portion of the assembly.

Abstract: An electrical connector system is provided for a vehicle seat assembly which includes a seat frame movably mounted to a floor of a vehicle for movement between a raised position and a lowered position. The system includes a first connector mounted to the vehicle floor. A second connector is mounted to the seat frame and is mateable with the first connector. The second connector includes a protective shroud fixed to the seat frame and a mating portion movably mounted in the protective shroud. A motion linkage is connected between the mating portion of the second connector and the vehicle seat assembly for moving the mating portion from a protective position within the protective shroud to an exposed position for mating with the first connector, automatically in response to movement of the seat frame from its raised position to its lowered position.

Abstract: A plurality of terminals are assembled in a housing of an electrical connector with pin portions of the terminals projecting from the housing. The pin portions are inserted in an insertion direction in a plurality of free passages in a support member from one side thereof until retention portions of the terminals pass retention sections of a plurality of retention passages in the support member. The pin portions are moved transversely of the insertion direction through a plurality of communication openings in the support member from the free passages, into the retention passages and into alignment with the retention sections in the retention passages in the support member.

Abstract: A right-angled electrical connector assembly is provided for connection to a printed circuit board. The assembly includes a terminal support member for supporting the assembly on an appropriate support structure such as a chassis of a right-angled electrical connector module. A plurality of right-angled conductive terminals have compliant pin portions and generally perpendicular contact portions. The pin portions have retention portions. A terminal pin alignment member is supported on the support member and includes a plurality of pin-receiving passages for receiving the pin portions of the terminals therethrough in a direction generally perpendicular to the support member for connection to the printed circuit board. The passages have retention sections for engaging the retention portions of the terminals. A contact alignment member has a plurality of contact-receiving passages for receiving the contact portions of the terminals therethrough to define a mating portion of the assembly.

Abstract: A plurality of terminals are assembled in a housing of an electrical connector with pin portions of the terminals projecting from the housing. The pin portions are inserted in an insertion direction in a plurality of free passages in a support member from one side thereof until retention portions of the terminals pass retention sections of a plurality of retention passages in the support member. The pin portions are moved transversely of the insertion direction through a plurality of communication openings in the support member from the free passages, into the retention passages and into alignment with the retention sections in the retention passages in the support member.

Abstract: A technique for making acicular, branched, conductive dendrites, and a technique for using the dendrites to form a conductive compressible pad-on-pad connector are provided. To form the dendrites, a substrate is provided on which dendrites are grown, preferably on a metal film. The dendrites are then removed from the substrate, preferably by etching metal from the substrate. The so formed dendrites are incorporated into a compressible dielectric material, which then forms a compressible pad-on-pad connector between two conducting elements, such as connector pads on electrical devices, e.g. an I/C chip mounted on a substrate, such as a chip carrier.

Abstract: A technique for making acicular, branched, conductive dendrites, and a technique for using the dendrites to form a conductive compressible pad-on-pad connector are provided. To form the dendrites, a substrate is provided on which dendrites are grown, preferably on a metal film. The dendrites are then removed from the substrate, preferably by etching metal from the substrate. The so formed dendrites are incorporated into a compressible dielectric material, which then forms a compressible pad-on-pad connector between two conducting elements, such as connector pads on electrical devices, e.g. an I/C chip mounted on a substrate, such as a chip carrier.

Abstract: A technique for making acicular, branched, conductive dendrites, and a technique for using the dendrites to form a conductive compressible pad-on-pad connector are provided. To form the dendrites, a substrate is provided on which dendrites are grown, preferably on a metal film. The dendrites are then removed from the substrate, preferably by etching metal from the substrate. The so formed dendrites are incorporated into a compressible dielectric material, which then forms a compressible pad-on-pad connector between two conducting elements, such as connector pads on electrical devices, e.g. an I/C chip mounted on a substrate, such as a chip carrier.

Abstract: A molded structure formed in a mold having a space, the molded structure itself constituting a molding body when combined with an upper mold. The molded structure has a substrate which may be a carrier frame for an electrical connector. An insert which may be an elastomer is disposed on the substrate and formed in the space in the mold. A deformable (preferably elastic) molding seal is disposed directly on the substrate and under the elastomer, the molding seal preventing elastomer flash during molding. The molding seal may be a ridge surrounding the space of the mold in which the elastomer is formed. The substrate may also have a datum surface on which the mold locates, with the molding seal disposed in a plane which differs from the plane of the datum surface of the substrate. A process of molding the insert on the substrate is also provided.

Abstract: A molded structure formed in a mold having a space, the molded structure itself constituting a molding body when combined with an upper mold. The molded structure has a substrate which may be a carrier frame for an electrical connector. An insert which may be an elastomer is disposed on the substrate and formed in the space in the mold. A deformable (preferably elastic) molding seal is disposed directly on the substrate and under the elastomer, the molding seal preventing elastomer flash during molding. The molding seal may be a ridge surrounding the space of the mold in which the elastomer is formed. The substrate may also have a datum surface on which the mold locates, with the molding seal disposed in a plane which differs from the plane of the datum surface of the substrate. A process of molding the insert on the substrate is also provided.

Abstract: A socket connector system for forming a separable electrical contact between a first circuit substrate and a second circuit substrate. A dendrite interposer is disposed between the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. A solder body is disposed between the first circuit substrate and the dendrite interposer. The solder body may include one of several types of solder columns or a solder ball. The solder body has a contact end which engages the dendrite interposer. The contact end has a void. An area of the contact end engages the dendrite interposer when compressive forces are exerted on the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. This provides for all areas of a plurality of contact ends to engage and form reliable electrical contacts with the contact pads.

Abstract: A socket connector system for forming a separable electrical contact between a first circuit substrate and a second circuit substrate. A dendrite interposer is disposed between the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. A solder body is disposed between the first circuit substrate and the dendrite interposer. The solder body may include one of several types of solder columns or a solder ball. The solder body has a contact end which engages the dendrite interposer. The contact end has a void. An area of the contact end engages the dendrite interposer when compressive forces are exerted on the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate. This provides for all areas of a plurality of contact ends to engage and form reliable electrical contacts with the contact pads.