Abstract: A connector of electromagnetically insulative material includes a shaft section on a drive shaft end and a matching probe section on an eddy current probe mating to the shaft section with face to face contact surfaces to prevent electromagnetic fields from propagating along the surfaces. The connector includes upper and lower portions with power line connecting pins and matching sockets in the upper portions of the sections and communication line connecting pins and matching sockets in the lower portions of the sections. The pins and sockets are fitted within electrically nonconductive inserts within probe and shaft section bores, the inserts having magnetic permeabilities less than those of the probe and shaft sections.

Abstract: A board-connection connector for making connections between electronic circuit boards has a planar housing that is fixed to an electronic circuit board, with contacts provided on the upper surface of this housing. The side surface of the housing has a guide groove and a mating protrusion which mates by insertion into the guide groove of the connector another electronic circuit board having a corresponding mating protrusion and guide groove.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a pair of hermaphroditic connectors having opposed mating faces which are juxtaposed generally along a plane when the connectors are mated. The connectors are adapted for mating in either opposite direction generally parallel to the plane of the mating faces. Each connector includes a housing having a plurality of spaced-apart ribs defining respective grooves between adjacent ribs. The ribs of each connector are interleaved with the ribs of the other connector when the two connectors are mated. The housing of each connector includes complementary interengaging latches to lock the connectors against unmating in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the mating faces. A plurality of terminals are mounted on each housing and have contact portions of at least some of the terminals between the ribs for engaging the contact portions of the terminals on the housing of the other connector.

Abstract: A connector includes a first connector housing having a primary surface formed with a plurality of channels, with a first set of contacts arranged three-dimensionally along the primary surface for electrical connection to a circuit board such as a module or a daughtercard. Attached to the main board of the computer system is a second connector housing, also having a primary surface. A corresponding set of second contacts is disposed along the primary surface of the second connector housing, with the primary surface of the second connector housing being formed with a corresponding plurality of fingers mated to the channels.

Abstract: A hermaphroditic electric terminal (1) having a connection portion (6) for connection to an electric cable (7), and a contact portion (8) cooperating with a contact portion of an identical terminal; the contact portion (8) having a rigid half-shell-shaped contact element (20) and an elastic contact blade (21), both extending substantially parallel to the connection direction (A) of the terminal; and the elastic contact blade (21) facing the concavity of the half-shell-shaped contact element (20).

Abstract: A water tight quick connect electrical connector is provided for electrically coupling the ends of two conductors together. The connector includes a cylindrical plastic sleeve and a pair of generally cylindrical inserts insertable in the open ends of the sleeve. Each insert has an angled face and is formed with a longitudinal passageway that terminates on the angled face of the insert. In use, conductors are inserted through the passageways of the inserts until their bared ends are exposed on the angled faces of the inserts. The inserts are then pressed into the sleeve until their angled faces engage each other and the bared ends of the conductors are pressed together and held in firm engagement between the faces to form an electrical connection. Locking ribs on the inserts and locking grooves on the inside of the sleeve lock the inserts in place and form a water tight seal.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for electrically connecting a pair of generally coplanar printed circuit boards. The assembly includes a pair of hermaphroditic connectors adapted for mating in either opposite direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the circuit boards. Each connector includes a housing having a plurality of spaced-apart ribs defining respective spaces between immediately adjacent ribs. The ribs of each connector are interleaved with the ribs of the other connector when the two connectors are mated. A plurality of terminals are mounted on each housing and have rounded hermaphroditic contact portions on the same sides of the ribs so that the contact portions on one connector facingly engage the contact portions on the other connector when the connectors are mated in either opposite direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the circuit boards.

Abstract: Microconnectors are described that can be fabricated on circuitry, the microconnectors for physically and/or electrically connecting separate structures. The microconnectors permit partitioning of a function among a plurality of chips. The microconnectors include a latching member.

Abstract: An electrical connector (20) includes a dielectric housing (22) having a mating face (24) and a pair of contacts (44,54) disposed therein. Each contact (44,54) has a contact section (46,56) exposed at the mating face (24). The first contact section (46) is associated with a forwardly extending shroud (26) spaced from and circumscribing the first contact section (46). The second contact section (56) is associated with a forwardly extending silo (28) closely surrounding the second contact section (56). The second contact section (56) is complementary to the first contact section (46) and the silo (28) is complementary to the shroud (26), whereby the connector mating face (24) is hermaphroditic.

Abstract: An electrical connector that includes a pair of hermaphroditic electrical connector members which are identically formed having a connector body supported within a flexible jacket, wherein the connector body includes a male plug and a female receptacle, whereby the first male plug of the first connector is positioned to be coupled to the second female receptacle of the second connector, and wherein the first female receptacle of the first connector is arranged to be coupled to the second male plug of the second connector when one of the connector members is inverted and latched to the opposing connector member.

Abstract: An electrical wiring system for conducting electricity through an insulated casing is described. The electrical wiring system includes a substantially rigid conducting line having an insulating casing and a plurality of electrical conducting cells embedded in the insulating casing, each conducting cell comprising a metal conductor, and a substantially rigid connector for connecting to the conducting line, the connector comprising an insulating sheath and a plurality of insulated electrical conducting metal through-prongs recessed within the insulating sheath. The insulating casing and the connector plug-in to each other without hard-wiring. The electrical wiring system includes additional plug-in components such as electrical receptacle boxes and switches, corner adapters and power adapters which extend the system without hardwiring.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly having an interleaved multilayer structure includes a first connector structure having at least a first connector layer, and a second connector structure having at least second and third connector layers. A plurality of conductive contact surfaces are disposed along edge portions of the connector layers. Upon engagement of the first connector structure and the second connector structure, the first connector layer is oriented to engage a gap defined between the second and third connector layers. The interleaved engagement of the connector layers results in an low-profile electrical connector assembly providing a large number of interconnections between respectively aligned contact surfaces with precise alignment and reliable electrical contact. The connector layers may include conductive contact surfaces on one or both sides of each layer to provide higher interconnection densities.

Abstract: An electrical connector (2) comprising: an insulating housing (3) a mating face (9) extending laterally and rearward of a front mating end (6), electrical contacts (4) along the mating face (9), the mating face (9) laterally overlapping a mating face (9) on a mating connector (2), and opposing fingers (7) on the two connectors (2) that press against each other to bias the mating faces (9) laterally toward each other during mating.

Abstract: A low profile hermaphroditic electrical connector is provided for mounting on the surface of a first printed circuit board and is adapted to mate with an identical second connector mounted on the surface of a second printed circuit board to electrically and mechanically couple the boards together. Each connector includes a housing mounting a plurality of stamped female and male terminals. Each terminal includes a surface mounting portion for electrically engaging the respective printed circuit board, a mating portion adapted to mate with the mating portion of the terminal of the opposite gender of the other hermaphroditic connector, and a portion for holding the terminal in the housing. The mating portion of the female terminal includes two opposed, spaced apart contact arms. The arms and the terminal holding portion both project from the mounting portion. The mating portion of the male terminal includes a contact post adapted to be received between the contact arms of the female terminal.

Abstract: An adapter having solderless wire terminals for receiving the wire leads from an electrical equipment such as a radio or stereo player set is installed on the back of such set. Such terminals have solderless spring connectors for the wire leads, these connectors employing a pair of opposing apertured fingers which overlap when manually urged together against the spring action to permit the insertion of a wire lead in the aperture thereof and to be retained therein by the spring action. The equipment or stereo set is removably installed in a mounting frame which is mounted in the vehicle. The mounting frame has a terminal therein which the terminal of the set matingly engages to provide electrical connections therebetween. The terminal of the mounting frame has solderless spring connectors similar to those of the terminal of the equipment, such connectors receiving the various wiring leads from the equipment to the power source, speakers, etc.

Abstract: A vertically insertable-detachable connector which includes male and female connectors, and can be reduced in height to provide a compact construction when the two connectors are connected together, and can easily achieve waterproof and dust-prevention effects, and can save a space required for mounting a harness. The male connector include a male terminal having a wire retaining portion and a fitting contact tongue extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction of extension of a wire, and a housing containing the male terminal therein and having a notch which is formed at a front end portion thereof, the watch opening in a direction of extension of the fitting contact tongue.

Abstract: A connector includes a jack and a plug having corresponding staggered contacts formed by alternating projections and recesses which permits the connector to have a higher contact density than conventional connectors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connector housing and a method of manufacturing the waterproof connector housing. The waterproof connector housing according to the present invention includes: an engagement frame for receiving a mating connector at a front portion thereof; a ring-like primer layer formed on a wall of at least an engagement face of the engagement frame; and addition-reaction fluid silicone rubber formed on the ring-like primer layer, wherein the addition-reaction fluid silicone rubber is combined with the primer layer by vulcanizing the fluid silicone rubber such that a ring-like packing is integrally formed with the connector housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided with electrical contacts comprising three contact zones or regions. The primary contact region is planar and parallel with the axis of insertion when two identical hermaphroditic connectors are mated. The tip of the contact assembly is formed to create a second contact zone and a third contact zone is formed at the same orientation as the second contact zone and disposed to be engaged by the second contact zone of the mating contact assembly. The housing of the connector is keyed to permit connection only with an identically keyed connector housing. The connector is provided with a strain relief formed integrally with the housing to resist the pulling of the conductors from the connector. The contact assembly engages the wire in the conductor when final assembly occurs, by means of a double insulation displacement contact.

Abstract: An improved connector for orthogonally mounting circuit boards. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes 40 female contacts which protrude from the two coplanar triangular surfaces. An additional 40 male contacts are located within channels in triangular projections. Further, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has an additional 16 leaf contacts located adjacent to the inner walls of the triangular projections. Each leaf contact protrudes from the inner wall of the triangular projections and comes into electrical contact with a corresponding leaf contact of a mating connector as the leaf contacts of each connector slide past one another.

Abstract: A spring array connector includes a unitary resilient layer of multiple springs having a layer of multiple electrically conducting lines, electrical contacts and electrical terminals. Each spring of the array is independently bendable and each of the conducting lines is electrically isolated from the other conducting lines. All of the springs in the spring array are fabricated simultaneously. Spring embodiments include sine, helix, cantilever and buckling beam shapes in sheet and wire forms.

Abstract: An N.times.M electrical connector suitable for use at microwave frequencies comprises a first set of N insulating parallel substrates each containing M notches with adjacent planar conductors and a second set of M parallel substrates having up to N spaced-apart conductors, wherein the notch-to-notch and conductor-to-conductor spacing of the first set matches the substrate-to-substrate spacing of the second set and vice versa, so that when the second set is pushed into the notches of the first set, each notch and associated conductor on the first set aligns with related conductors on the second set of "L" shaped relation. One or more spring contacts at each intersection provide positive electrical connection between the proximate conductors. The arrangement is especially useful for microwave systems since multiple signal lines and ground planes may be connected simultaneously without interference or substantial electrical discontinuity.

Abstract: An hermaphroditic connection comprising two identical mating connectors. Each connector has at least one axially extending finger and at least one space. The spaces and fingers are sized and configured so that a finger of one connector is firmly insertable into the space of the other connector. For electrical connections, each connector may be provided with one or more conductors. The conductors may be simple conductors or co-axial conductors. Each conductor is split equally longitudinally along the length of the finger through which is passes. When a connector is mated with another connector to make a connection with a wiping insertion action, the split conductors are mated along a relatively large interface area. Electrical connections having very good resistance and impedance characteristics and very good connection and disconnection physical characteristics are attained.

Abstract: A connector includes a pair of housings mutually engageable integrally, and a plurality of contactors secured at their base portions to each of the housings so that the contactors of the both housings are contactable with each other respectively at their free ends when the housings are engaged integral to each other, mutually with a clicking resiliency provided by means of a sloped step made in each contactor between the base and free end portions, whereby the contactor capable of providing a reliable clicking action denoting completion of the connection is rendered manufacturable without requiring highly precise administration.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an electrical connector includes a body having first and second portions. The connector also includes a plurality of first contacts situated in the first portion of the body. Each of said first contacts includes a first end portion configured to be coupled to a conductive member on a printed circuit board and a second free end portion situated within the first portion of the body to define a movable spring contact surface section. The connector further includes a plurality of second contacts situated in the second portion of the body. Each of said second contacts includes a first end portion configured to be coupled to a conductive member on the printed circuit board and a second end portion coupled to the second portion of the body to define a fixed contact surface section.

Abstract: A hermaphroditic or "genderless" electrical connector having a main housing and an auxiliary housing. The main housing contains primary electrical contacts while the auxiliary housing provides mechanical keying and, preferably, contains auxiliary electrical contacts. The auxiliary housing can be positioned within the main housing in a plurality of orientations to provide mechanical keying when the electrical connector is telescopically engaged with a duplicate electrical connector.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a cable especially suited to the transmission of audio-frequency signals, cable in which one or more of the conductors is tubular. The conductors are constructed and spaced so that the assembly approaches theoretical and empirical ideals of electrical signal transmission. Further, the cable's terminations are designed to enhance transmission by bringing the conductors into direct contact with the connectors on the devices with which the cable is used.

Abstract: The present invention comprises apparatus for connecting and disconnecting substantially planar arrays of electrical contact sites in a mechanically secure and functionally rapid and reversible manner. The invention utilizes technology availalble in the zipper manufacturing industry, to achieve a high contact site density by suitably disposing contact sites for electrical connections on zipper teeth, and through the use of a conventional zipper-type runner achieving the interconnection of a multiplicity of electrical contact sites.

Abstract: A connector assembly comprises opposed mateable plug and receptable connectors. The plug and receptacle connectors each comprise identical hermaphroditic core insulators molded from an elastomeric material. The hermaphroditic core insulators comprise axially aligned terminal receiving slots extending generally radially inwardly into the outer circumference thereof. The mating end of the core insulator is of a stepped configuration to define a leading mating face and a trailing mating face, such that the leading mating face of one hermaphroditic core insulator is urged into mating face-to-face relationship with the trailing mating face of an opposed hermaphroditic core insulator. A generally cylindrical tubular shroud is disposed around the core insulator and the cable terminated therein. The shroud may be formed from a material that is heat shrunk into secure environmental sealing and strain relief connection with the core insulator and the cable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a termination of a multi-strand electrical conductor carrying relatively high current levels at high frequency in an environment having an ambient temperature of up to about 300.degree. C. The cable is separated into groups of wire strands which are fanned outwardly so that each group projects away from the longitudinal axis of the cable. A retainer is provided to guide the groups of wire strands and to hold them against an annular terminal. The tips of the wire strands and adjacent surfaces of the retainer and the annular terminal are melted into a monolithic fused ring or welded surface, by means of heli-arc welding apparatus. A similar mating connector half is similarly formed, both halves of which mate to form an in-line connector.

Abstract: This invention relates to a terminal unit for cable pairs in telecommunication systems, comprising an electrical connector made of two plastic bodies each having a cutting and clamping contact inserted thereinto. The cutting and clamping contacts extend into clamping slots of the connector for cable pairs. The connectors are affixed to a mounting frame for receiving said electrical connectors. The plastic bodies forming the contact housings are advantageously identical and preferably each receives a pair of cutting and clamping contacts. Each connector housing body is provided on its base face opposed to the clamping slots with latching elements for joining together two said plastic bodies to form a casing the casing is provided on two opposed outer faces with latching structures, by means of which the two said plastic bodies are releasably latchable in an aperture of a mounting frame to permit both said plastic bodies to protrude on either side from said mounting frame.

Abstract: A data connector is disclosed herein which includes a plurality of terminals situated in an insulative housing, and the housing is surrounded by shielding members to form a shielded subassembly, the shielded subassembly finally being inserted within a premolded one piece boot to form a data connector which is interconnectable to shielded data cable. The data connector of the instant invention can be field assembled and installed and is intermatable with similar data connectors having T-bars and T-slots. Alternatively, the data connector of the instant invention is interconnectable with a communications outlet locally mounted which houses similar terminals electrically interconnected to like shielded data cable.

Abstract: An electrical cable connector configured to physically and electrically mate and connect with an indentical such electrical cable connector. The cable connector includes both male and female connectors corresponding to each circuit lead of the cable configured to mate and electrically connect with the female and male connectors, respectively, corresponding to like circuit leads of another identical cable connector. The male connector is electrically insulated from its associated circuit lead when the cable connector is not electrically connected to a second cable conector and is electrically connected to the circuit lead when the cable connector is electrically connected to a second cable connector. The male connector is preferably a pin and the female connector a socket comprising two terminals electrically insulated from one antoher. The male pin is electrically connected to one of the terminals of the female socket.

Abstract: Hermaphroditic electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing having terminals therein with resilient contact tongues and shunt means fixed to a dielectric carrier which moves relative to housing in response to mating with a like connector as tongues engage respective like tongues. The shunt means engage portions of the terminals remote from the contact tongues to electrically connect alternate terminals when the connector is in an unmated conditon, the shunt means being in unmated relation with the terminals when the connector is mated.

Abstract: A specially constructed partition member subdivides a splice case into separate hermetically isolated compartments. A plurality of insulated conductors are wired through the partition member, with seals therebetween, and optionally fitted with multi-pair plug connectors at one or both ends. Incoming cables are fitted, as needed, with plug connectors for separable connection to any mating connectors on the pass through conductors on the respective side of the partition member. The parts of the splice case housing are independently separable from the partition member to permit reentry and access to any compartment.

Abstract: A connecting device is disclosed for electrically and mechanically linking multiple circuit boards arranged in two perpendicular stacks. The connecting device includes two identical connectors, each with a plurality of outwardly extended electrical socket contacts, and a pair of opposite, electrically insulative shoulders projected outwardly beyond the socket contacts. Electrical pin contacts are recessed into the shoulders. The pair of connectors can be engaged when in facing relation, with one of them rotated 90.degree. relative to the other. As the connectors are moved toward engagement, each shoulder of each connector enters into a nesting relation between the opposed shoulders of the other connector, pre-aligning the opposed pin and socket contacts. The shoulders have inclined edges at their outer faces, to assist in capturing their associated opposed shoulders and guide them, in a self-aligning manner, into the nesting relation. The connectors require a 90.degree.