Abstract: A base element and a surge protection system incorporating the base element are provided. The base element includes a housing having a front portion and a rear portion. Apertures in the rear portion provide access to contacts secured within the housing, and a receiving portion extending from the front portion includes at least one receiving section for receiving a surge protection cartridge. Plug receptacles in the receiving portion are in electrical communication with the contacts to incorporate the surge protection device in a circuit when the surge protection cartridge is inserted. The base element is configured to mount orthogonally to a case such that conductors secured to the contacts extend through the apertures and into an enclosure defined by the case in a substantially linear direction. The system includes a case configured to be attached to a rack mount system and a plurality of base elements secured to the case.

Abstract: A base element and a surge protection system incorporating the base element are provided. The base element includes a housing having a front portion and a rear portion. Apertures in the rear portion provide access to contacts secured within the housing, and a receiving portion extending from the front portion includes at least one receiving section for receiving a surge protection cartridge. Plug receptacles in the receiving portion are in electrical communication with the contacts to incorporate the surge protection device in a circuit when the surge protection cartridge is inserted. The base element is configured to mount orthogonally to a case such that conductors secured to the contacts extend through the apertures and into an enclosure defined by the case in a substantially linear direction. The system includes a case configured to be attached to a rack mount system and a plurality of base elements secured to the case.

Abstract: A base element and a surge protection system incorporating the base element are provided. The base element includes a housing having a front portion and a rear portion. Apertures in the rear portion provide access to contacts secured within the housing, and a receiving portion extending from the front portion includes at least one receiving section for receiving a surge protection cartridge. Plug receptacles in the receiving portion are in electrical communication with the contacts to incorporate the surge protection device in a circuit when the surge protection cartridge is inserted. The base element is configured to mount orthogonally to a case such that conductors secured to the contacts extend through the apertures and into an enclosure defined by the case in a substantially linear direction. The system includes a case configured to be attached to a rack mount system and a plurality of base elements secured to the case.

Abstract: A surge protection system including a pluggable surge protection cartridge and its corresponding base is disclosed. The cartridge includes a housing, a surge protection assembly situated within the housing containing a surge protection element and a plurality of cartridge contacts in electrical contact with the surge protection assembly. The cartridge contacts are configured to engage a base within an electrical load center to carry a surge current from the load center across an electrical path of the surge protection assembly through the surge protection element. The cartridge is configured to be situated within the base such that the cartridge is removable from the base while the base remains in electrical contact with the load center.

Abstract: A terminal block is disclosed that includes a terminal body housing, a plurality of conductive elements arranged within the terminal body to create a continuous electrical path therethrough, and a disconnect switch integral the terminal body, the switch arranged to open the continuous electrical path and expose a terminal.

Abstract: A base element and a surge protection system incorporating the base element are provided. The base element includes a housing having a front portion and a rear portion. Apertures in the rear portion provide access to contacts secured within the housing, and a receiving portion extending from the front portion includes at least one receiving section for receiving a surge protection cartridge. Plug receptacles in the receiving portion are in electrical communication with the contacts to incorporate the surge protection device in a circuit when the surge protection cartridge is inserted. The base element is configured to mount orthogonally to a case such that conductors secured to the contacts extend through the apertures and into an enclosure defined by the case in a substantially linear direction. The system includes a case configured to be attached to a rack mount system and a plurality of base elements secured to the case.

Abstract: A terminal block is disclosed that integrates a surge protection base, a disconnect and connection points to provide a Kelvin connection in which a surge protection element is in electrical communication with the ground and the connection points for incoming and outgoing wires. The terminal block includes a terminal body having a terminal body housing, a plurality of conductive elements arranged within the terminal body to create a continuous electrical path therethrough and a disconnect switch integral the terminal body, the switch arranged to open the continuous electrical path and expose a terminal. The terminal body is configured to receive a surge protection element and the surge protection element, when received in the terminal body, forms a portion of the continuous electrical path.

Abstract: A surge protection system including a pluggable surge protection cartridge and its corresponding base is disclosed. The cartridge includes a housing, a surge protection assembly situated within the housing containing a surge protection element and a plurality of cartridge contacts in electrical contact with the surge protection assembly. The cartridge contacts are configured to engage a base within an electrical load center to carry a surge current from the load center across an electrical path of the surge protection assembly through the surge protection element. The cartridge is configured to be situated within the base such that the cartridge is removable from the base while the base remains in electrical contact with the load center.

Abstract: A terminal block is disclosed that includes a terminal body housing, a plurality of conductive elements arranged within the terminal body to create a continuous electrical path therethrough, and a disconnect switch integral the terminal body, the switch arranged to open the continuous electrical path and expose a terminal.

Abstract: A terminal block is disclosed that integrates a surge protection base, a disconnect and connection points to provide a Kelvin connection in which a surge protection element is in electrical communication with the ground and the connection points for incoming and outgoing wires. The terminal block includes a terminal body having a terminal body housing. a plurality of conductive elements arranged within the terminal body to create a continuous electrical path therethrough and a disconnect switch integral the terminal body, the switch arranged to open the continuous electrical path and expose a terminal. The terminal body is configured to receive a surge protection element and the surge protection element, when received in the terminal body, forms a portion of the continuous electrical path.

Abstract: A wire (12) is bent into a row of contactors (14) that are each of miniature cloverleaf shape with each cloverleaf having a plurality of loops (21-24), the cloverleafs are then cut apart at cuts (40) to electrically isolate them from each other, and the middles of the cloverleafs are embedded into a block (43) of polymer. The combination of a row of cloverleafs and the block, are placed between upper and lower groups of terminals (30, 32) and compressed between them, to connect each upper terminal to a lower one.

Abstract: Tails (20) projecting from an electrical component (12) that lies on a circuit board surface, are terminated to traces on a multi-layer circuit board (14) in a manner that minimizes the disadvantages of long through hole soldering and of surface mount techniques. A blind hole is drilled and plated to form a shallow well (70). The well is filled with a soldering composition (130). A tail (20) is projected downward into the soldering composition with the extreme tip of the tail lying above the bottom of the hole, and the soldering composition is heated to solder the tail to the hole plating.

Abstract: Tails (20) projecting from an electrical component (12) that lies on a circuit board surface, are terminated to traces on a multi-layer circuit board (14) in a manner that minimizes the disadvantages of long through hole soldering and of surface mount techniques. A blind hole is drilled and plated in a first layer (31) that will become the topmost layer of the stack, to form a shallow well (70). The well is filled with a soldering composition (130). A tail (20) is projected downward into the soldering composition, and the soldering composition is heated to solder the tail to the hole plating.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector (14) is provided, of a type that has a housing (70) and a fiber block (72) slideable between forward and rearward positions within a passage of the housing, the housing having guide-receiving spaces (120, 122) on opposite sides of the passage for receiving guides (60) of a mating connector device, which assures that the block will remain in its forward position prior to mating of the connector with the connector device. A sheet metal retainer (110) for retaining the fiber block in the forward position, includes a latch (112) that lies in the path of rearward movement of a shoulder (118) on the fiber block as the fiber block moves rearwardly from its forward position, to resist such movement with a force of a plurality of pounds.

Abstract: Tails (20) projecting from an electrical component (12) that lies on a circuit board surface, are terminated to traces on a multi-layer circuit board (14) in a manner that minimizes the disadvantages of long through hole soldering and of surface mount techniques. A blind hole is drilled and plated in a first layer (31) that will become the topmost layer of the stack, to form a shallow well (70). The well is filled with a soldering composition (130). A tail (20) is projected downward into the soldering composition, and the soldering composition is heated to solder the tail to the hole plating.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector (14) is provided, of a type that has a housing (70) and a fiber block (72) slideable between forward and rearward positions within a passage of the housing, the housing having guide-receiving spaces (120, 122) on opposite sides of the passage for receiving guides (60) of a mating connector device, which assures that the block will remain in its forward position prior to mating of the connector with the connector device. A sheet metal retainer (110) for retaining the fiber block in the forward position, includes a latch (112) that lies in the path of rearward movement of a shoulder (118) on the fiber block as the fiber block moves rearwardly from its forward position, to resist such movement with a force of a plurality of pounds.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (30) includes an insulating housing (32) and assembled thereto a plurality of terminal modules (50). Each terminal module (50) has a plurality of terminals (56), each including a cantilevered beam (58) having a protuberance (59) at the leading end thereof, a conductor connecting portion (62) and an intermediate portion (60) therebetween encapsulated in an insulative web (76). The beams (58) of all the terminals (56) extend in a single line. The protuberances (59) of a first group (64) of adjacent terminals (56) in the row extend in one direction in the single line and the protuberances (59) of the beams of a second group (66) extend in an opposite direction in the single line.

Abstract: An electrical connector (10) for interconnecting discrete circuits on a first circuit board (14) with discrete circuits on a second circuit board (16), includes an insulating housing (18) having a series of contact members (20) arranged in side by side cavities (22). Each contact member (20) has a straight shank (130) that is only partially supported by the floor (32) of the housing. The shank (130) has a first beam (136) at one end and a second beam (138) at the other end, each end of which has a respective one of first and second contacts (140, 142) attached thereto. Each contact terminates in a pre-load member (144, 146) that is formed parallel to the shank and slidingly extends into a recess (120) in the housing. Each pre-load member (144, 146) includes a latch surface (168) that abuts against a stop surface (124) formed in the housing (18) to limit movement of the contacts and thereby provide a desired pre-load to each contact (140, 142).

Abstract: A method for connecting two ends (34, 36) of a conductive member (32) to a circuit-bearing article (20) includes the steps of: selecting a conductive member (32) having two ends (34,36) adapted to be terminated to receptacles; selecting at least two heat-insensitive terminals (40), electrically connecting the terminals (40) to a respective circuit terminus (24) with a selected amount of fluid conductive material; and mating the conductive member ends (34, 36) to respective receptacles (44) of the terminals (40).

Abstract: An antenna (20) including a continuous planar conductor (22) in a coaxial connector. The planar conductor (22) is made by stamping an array of slots (30) in a continuous sheet of metal with ends of adjacent slots (30) being offset from each other in an alternating pattern of long and short slot portions (32, 36) on each side of a centerline of the array; at least filling each slot (30) with a dielectric material (50), thereby defining a slot filled strip; and cutting along each side of the slot-filled strip intersecting each filled long slot portion (32) at a sufficient distance from the ends of adjacent ones of the filled short slot portions (36) to define a strap (42) of metal connecting the metal strips on each side of each slot (30).