Abstract: A transformed current sensing relay with reduced AC impedance of the operating coil is accomplished by adding a shorted secondary winding to an otherwise conventional current sensing reed relay. The shorted secondary winding is preferably implemented with a copper tube over the existing coil and inside the magnetic circuit. This transformed current sensing relay is particularly advantageous for the line current sensing function in switched network communications equipment such as high speed modems, where the transformed relay exhibits substantially lower impedance at high frequencies than the conventional current sensing relay. This transformed current sensing relay allows for the elimination of bypass capacitors and results in significant cost and space savings. Moreover, the transformer nature of the transformed current sensing relay allows for the elimination of suppression resistors from the interface resulting in additional cost and space savings.

Abstract: A contact element for an electrical connector or an integrated circuit which is used with a hold-down mechanism has a base portion, a spring portion having at least partially helical spring elements, and a tapered contact portion which mates in a biased manner with the conductive rim of a hole. The contact element is particularly useful for surface mount applications. The spring portion is preferably arranged with a partially helical spring configuration so that compression of the spring also effects a torsional rotation of the contact portion. The contact element can be fabricated from: a flat sheet with punching, rolling, and/or forming operations, thin walled drawn parts, or modular parts. Additionally, spring sections may be arranged in tandem, in either a co-rotational or counter-rotational manner to provide additional degrees of design freedom with respect to compression range, axial spring rate, and rotational rate.

Abstract: A pluggable electrical connector is provided having contact elements with first ends soldered to a daughter board, mid-sections which are crimped and bent through ninety degrees, and second ends which have a converging portion and which terminate in bifurcated conical contact portions which make contact with the rims of contact-quality plated through holes of a mother board. By causing contact between the rim and the cone surface, normal forces greater than the mating force are generated. The connector housing includes self-centering funnel openings adjacent the mother board for centering the converging portions of the contact elements therein in a nominal position and for acting as a preloading stop. The housing also includes side-wall locking tabs which hold adjacent rows of contacts at identical fixing points relative to the ninety-degree bend to ensure identical spring parameters for all contact elements.

Abstract: Electrical connectors are provided with spring contact elements each having a tapered contact portion for mating with the plated rim of a hole. The tapered contact portion can be configured as a bifurcated cone, a suitably shaped wire, or other tapered, flexible contact. Besides the contact portion, the contact elements also include spring portions which can assume various configurations and tail portions which can also assume various configurations. Where the tapered contact portion is a suitably shaped wire, the spring portion and the contact portion are essentially the same. The tail portions can be arranged to have tapered contact portions where permanent connection of the tail is not desired. The disclosed electrical connectors have housings for the spring contact elements, and a first make, last break function can be provided by configuring the housings appropriately. The holes with which the tapered spring contact elements mate can be part of a printed circuit board, a flex circuit, or other object.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package is provided with a plurality of contact element leads, each lead having a first portion for making electrical connection with the integrated circuit and a second tapered contact portion for mating with a conductive rim of the hole of a circuit board. In conjunction with the integrated circuit package, a fastener is provided for holding the tapered contact elements in mating relationship with the conductive rims. The tapered contact portion of the lead of the integrated circuit package may take any of various forms, as long as the lead is tapered and resilient so that proper mating with a conductive rim can be accomplished. Likewise, the fastener which holds the tapered contact elements in mating relationship with the conductive rims may take any of numerous forms. All that is required is that the fastener couple to both the circuit board and the integrated circuit package, and that the integrated circuit package be removable from the fastener.

Abstract: A pluggable electrical connector is provided having contact elements with first ends soldered to a daughter board, midsections which are crimped and bent through ninety degrees, and second ends which have a converging portion and which terminate in bifurcated conical contact portions which make contact with the rims of contact-quality plated through holes of a mother board. By causing contact between the rim and the cone surface, normal forces greater than the mating force are generated. The connector housing includes self-centering funnel openings adjacent the mother board for centering the converging portions of the contact elements therein in a nominal position and for acting as a preloading stop. The housing also includes side-wall locking tabs which hold adjacent rows of contacts at identical fixing points relative to the ninety-degree bend to ensure identical spring parameters for all contact elements.

Abstract: Apparatus is described that regulates the transfer of voltage, current, or power from an AC line to a load. The basic controller comprises an inductive element and a switch whose closing converts the inductive element from a series inductance between line and load to a step-down auto-transformer between line and load thus reducing the voltage available to the load and thereby reducing or terminating energy transfer to the load. The switch is connected in series with the inductive element and the combination of the switch and one winding of the auto-transformer is connected in parallel with the load. The controller can therefore be thought of as a switched reactance AC shunt regulator. Theoretically, shunt power in the controller is losslessly returned to the source. The controller is used to regulate any parameter related to the current through the load, the voltage across the load, or the power dissipated by the load simply by controlling the switch with any suitable means for sensing that parameter.