Having Integral Means To Interlock Or Interfit With A Duplicate Insulating Block Or Board Patents (Class 439/717)
  • Patent number: 5368491
    Abstract: This invention hereof is directed to a high density electrical connector utilizing a flexible film having etched circuitry thereon for electrically interconnecting to conductive traces or pads on at least a pair of planar electronic devices. The connector includes a pair of opposed housing members, where each housing member comprises a plurality of aligned housing segments. The segments are characterized by a pair of end walls and at least a pair of planar sides containing plural, parallel grooves for receiving coiled springs therein, where the springs are positioned to apply a normal force to the overlying flexible film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald P. Locati
  • Patent number: 5336117
    Abstract: A split type card-edge connector including a pair of identical connector halves, each having contacts to be connected to corresponding terminals provided on opposite surfaces of a substrate, and securing members which secure the connector halves when the respective contacts are connected to the corresponding terminals of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Kyocera Elco Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Mizuguchi, Teruyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 5326285
    Abstract: A connection system between terminal blocks whereby one block has an extension and one block has a mating pocket. Upon connection, the various surfaces of the extension and pocket cause a frictional relationship between the blocks and maintain a uniform distance between the termination points around the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald R. Maros
  • Patent number: 5315489
    Abstract: A telecommunications closure (1) includes a pressure clamp (21) for sealingly clamping mating parts (47, 48) of the closure together so as to form a water tight seal. The clamp member requires no tools during installation and creates no uncertainty as to the generation of appropriate clamp pressure on a sealing O-ring when installed. The pressure clamp includes an over-center latch which is rotatable between a first unlatched position and a second latched position, a clamping pressure generated by the latch increasing to a maximum value as the rotatable latch is moved from its first position to an intermediate position between the first and second positions and then decreases from this maximum value as the latch is moved from the intermediate position to the second position so as to generate a predetermined appropriate clamping pressure when in its second position so as to appropriately compress the O-ring disposed within a groove between the closure parts at their mating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Raynet Corporation
    Inventors: Mark McCall, Donald Del Fava, Thomas Wong, Lowell I. Koht
  • Patent number: 5314350
    Abstract: A multiple wire-splice module for splicing a plurality of pairs of wires together and disconnecting the pairs of wires without impairing the integrity of the wire junction between a wire and the contact of either module. The module has an elongate base for supporting the wires, which base will mate with an elongate body of insulative material having opposite surfaces, and the body supports a plurality of conductive contacts, each with a slotted wire receiving end portion, a second connecting member at the other end and a third connection portion intermediate the ends of the contact, the slotted insulation displacing wire receiving end portion is adapted to connect to a wire in the base when assembled and the second connecting member and the third connection portion are accessible at opposite sides of the base and body for connection to other modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Gary B. Matthews, Jerome A. Pratt
  • Patent number: 5295870
    Abstract: A modular electrical connector assembly for use with the wiring systems of vehicles. The assembly includes a plurality of modular blocks, each having one or more tapering mortises formed on the sides thereof and a plurality of tubular, singled walled, double tenon wedges which are insertable into the mortises to assemble the blocks together. Preferably, wedges are formed with an upwardly tapering ramp disposed on each tenon which terminates in an upwardly depending stop surface for engagement with a downwardly depending stop surface formed on the mortises of the modular blocks to prevent relative verticle motion between the blocks and the wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Electro-Wire Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Rei, Allen F. VanDerStuyf, Christopher J. Volpe
  • Patent number: 5288250
    Abstract: A connector comprising constituent connectors combined vertically with each other comprising: an arm-shaped rib projecting downwardly from the lower ends of both side walls of each connector except a lowermost connector; a claw projecting inwardly from the lower end of the rib; and a locking portion, for locking the claw, formed on both side walls of each constituent connector. In the above construction, the claw of the rib of an upper connector is locked by the locking portion of a lower connector so as to fix the upper connector and the lower connector to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sumida
  • Patent number: 5288251
    Abstract: A connector includes a plurality of constituent box-shaped connectors, having flat upper and lower walls, combined with each other by piling the constituent connectors one on the other vertically. A plurality of openings and projections is formed on upper and lower walls of each connector so as to insert each of the projections into each of the openings. As a result, in combining the constituent connectors with each other vertically, each of the projections locks the terminal accommodated in the terminal-accommodating chambers. In this manner, the terminal is double- or triple-locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sumida
  • Patent number: 5286225
    Abstract: A connector housing assembly 2 comprises a plurality of housings 3 each having a series of laterally arranged terminal accommodating chambers 4 and combined and united in a plurality of layers with the longitudinal direction of the terminal accommodating chambers 4 being trued up. The assembly further has a terminal locking mechanism comprising locking ports 6 provided in one of adjacent housings 3 in such a manner as to be situated at the rear of the locking portions 8 of terminals 1; and locking projections 10 provided on the other housing 3 in such a manner as to project therefrom so that the locking projections 10 are inserted through the locking ports 6 to be brought into engagement with the locking portions 8 of terminals accommodated in the one of the adjacent housings 3. Furthermore, a case unit 12 is provided for securely covering and locking said housings in a combined and united posture. The plurality of housings are preferably of similar shape and size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitsugu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 5251106
    Abstract: An electronic system having a plurality of electronic devices contained in a plurality of stackable enclosures is provided. Each of the plurality of stackable enclosures is stackable and interlockable together with another one of the plurality of stackable enclosures. Each of the plurality of stackable enclosures comprises a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface. A first plurality of projections are provided to extend upwardly from the top surface. The first plurality of projections are spaced to define a first group of grooves therebetween. A second plurality of projections are provided to extend downwardly from the bottom surface. The second plurality of projections are spaced to define a second group of grooves therebetween. Each of the second group of grooves corresponds to a respective one of the first plurality of projections. Each of the first group of grooves corresponds to a respective one of the second plurality of projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Everex Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Hui
  • Patent number: 5201674
    Abstract: A connector comprising an upper housing and a lower housing connected with each other vertically and each having terminal accommodating chambers arranged in parallel with each other therein and a cover interposed therebetween with projections extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom. An electric wire is fixedly sandwiched in the longitudinal direction of the electric wire between the upper and lower edges of the projections and the rear end of the upper and lower end surfaces of the terminal accommodating chambers. The terminal is locked at the rear end thereof by the front end of the projections and also locked at a front portion thereof by a terminal-locking portion formed on the wall of each terminal accommodating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Okura
  • Patent number: 5122077
    Abstract: A multi-stage connector is disclosed in which a plurality of connector housings each having open terminal receiving chambers are slidably received in a connector housing body in a multi-stage stacked manner; a retainer projection and a fixing projection are formed on an outer surface of the connector housing; a real retainer window and a provisional retainer window are formed in the connector housing body and juxtaposed in a direction of pulling of the connector housing; and a cover having fixing windows is engaged with the fixing projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Maejima, Masaru Fukuda, Seiji Kozono, Masakuni Samejima
  • Patent number: 5114367
    Abstract: An electrical connection terminal has a foot with two oppositely directed fingers, the underside of which has a receiving claw and a U-shaped extension with an inwardly open mouth-like recess for engaging the side flanges of a carrier rail, as well as a screw for clamping the recess. The U-shaped extension is wider than the carrier rail, such that the screw passes through externally of the carrier rail. A resiliently deformable element is arranged in the mouth-like recess which at least temporarily holds the terminal fast on the carrier rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Oskar Woertz, Inhaber Hans Woertz
    Inventor: Roman Bolliger
  • Patent number: 5098316
    Abstract: The invention concerns an equipment terminal plug for wiring electrical equipment with tight space ratios. An extremely compact plug construction is proposed, which has the socket part of a plug connection in addition to the conductor terminal plugs for various electrical conductors per terminal pole, by means of which the equipment terminal plug can be plugged into the electrical apparatus, whereby a high degree of integration of all connections is obtained by special arrangements of the socket part with respect to the conductor terminal plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Wago Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Hans-Josef Kollmann, Wolfgang Hohorst
  • Patent number: 5062024
    Abstract: This invention proceeds from the type of stackable connectors for printed circuit boards, and it addresses the problem of being able to fasten such terminals in pricise and stable position to a printed circuit board, so that the solder connections of the terminals can be soldered to the conductive tracks with no problems. It is suggested to provide such connectors with a narrow-base catch peg that is located next to the solder connection of the terminal in the direction of stacking, with the width dimension measured across the solder connection and the narrow-base catch peg being equal to or smaller than the grid spacing of the conductive tracks of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Lothar R. Hennemann
  • Patent number: 5022862
    Abstract: Connector formed by the juxtapositioning of modules whose bases (1a, 1b, 1c) have dimensions similar to those of a surface mounted component, so as to be able to gripped and positioned by the same machine, and have connecting elements passing therethrough with one of their ends bent back under the base, characterized in that the modules are not mechanically fixed to each other and held solely by soldering the bent back ends (5b) of the connecting elements on tracks (6) of a printed circuit (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Societe C E T R A
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Martin, Guy Kolozsvari
  • Patent number: 5014163
    Abstract: A circuit board assembly which is flexibly set up in horizontal, vertical, horizontal/vertical, and N-dimensional directions according to requirements, by means of the connection of basic solderless circuit boards, which comprises each four raised dovetail strips on its four vertical sides, via one or more double-sided connecting members, which comprise each two opposite dovetail grooves, one or more four-sided connecting members, which comprise each four dovetail grooves on its four sides, and/or one or more dovetail grooved clampings, which comprise each at least a dovetail groove and at least a corrugated hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Inventor: John Lin
  • Patent number: 4973267
    Abstract: Electrical connectors each having one row of electrical terminals, are joined together in end to end relationship by slugs formed integrally with end walls of the connectors. Lead receiving portions of the terminals of both of the connectors are loaded with electrical leads, which extend therefrom in the same direction. The slugs are then removed so as to separate the connectors. Dovetail cross section ribs on a side wall of one connector are then slid into complementary grooves in a side wall of the other connector so as to couple the connectors together in back to back relationship, with the leads projecting from opposite sides of the composite two row connector so provided. The invention enables the leads to be loaded into the connectors by means of a lead loading apparatus which is capable of loading electrical connectors only from one side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventor: Bernard Ramelet
  • Patent number: 4956747
    Abstract: A multiple signal transmission unit includes input/output modules having top and bottom portions which are connected electrically and mechanically via a plug connection. The bottom portions are designed exclusively for the current supply of the neighboring module of a line of modules by spring contacts which pass through the bottom portions from lineup side to lineup side. These modules are in contact connection from bottom portion to bottom portion via the spring contacts, while all elements of the circuit are associated with the top portions for the control of the machines, subassemblies, and the like that are connected with the modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: C. A. Weidmuller GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Dieter Beer, Horst Reddehase, Siegfried Kerbstat, Detlef Hanning, Ulrich Plass, Hermann Krause
  • Patent number: 4929186
    Abstract: A circuit board terminal assembly includes a circuit board having a plurality of conductor strips arranged thereon and a plurality of connector and functional terminals mounted on the circuit board. The connector terminals are adapted for connection with an electrical conductor and with the circuit board conductor strips while the functional terminals are adapted solely for electrical connection with the circuit conductor strips. Thus, a functional terminal is selectively electrically connected with the connector terminals and the other functional terminals via the conductor strips. Each terminal includes on its side walls elements for mechanically connecting adjacent terminals together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: C. A. Weidmuller GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Ferdinand Steinkuhle, Klaus Strate, Willi Durkop, Ulrich Moller
  • Patent number: 4891020
    Abstract: A low profile, metal shell insulation displacement contact (IDC) connector comprises an elongate insulative housing having two spaced longitudinally extending sidewalls and two transversely extending longitudinally spaced end walls. Within the interior of the housing sidewalls, there are a plurality of pockets formed therein for securing a metal shell to the housing. The metal shell is preferably made in two-part construction wherein a lower portion defining a continuous D-shaped configuration is attached by deformable tabs to an upper portion and the upper portion comprises a plurality of deformably prongs that are adapted to be received in the pockets of the housing and deformed therein for securing the composite metal shell thereto. A cover is latchably secured to the end walls of the housing and a strain relief is provided for sandwiching a flat multiconductor ribbon cable between the strain relief and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventor: James S. Dunn
  • Patent number: 4872855
    Abstract: An assembly of one, two or more rows of terminal blocks are movable to allow limited extension and contraction of each row so that the spacing of terminals of a row of the terminal blocks can be varied. A selected form of elongated member has spaced-apart formations that cooperate with the respective terminal blocks to fix the terminals of the row of terminal blocks at inch-based modular positions or at millimeter-based modular positions corresponding to the spacing of electrical equipment terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: Connectron, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander R. Norden
  • Patent number: 4840572
    Abstract: A quick clip telephone connector block having a grounding strip extending axially along an exposed surface thereof, the grounding strip having means for electrical and mechanical interconnection with the grounding strip of a second axially aligned block for ultimate connection with a source of ground potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Porta Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Paul V. De Luca, Helmuth Neuwirth
  • Patent number: 4830625
    Abstract: A connector comprises a housing body (1) receiving a contact member (6) having a conductor receiving end (7) formed with wire connecting slots (12) into which a wire (46) is stuffed by an insulating cover member (2). The exit end of the wire (46) is secured bent through ninety degrees by arms (34) extending from the housing body (1) which are also used to link releasably adjacent connectors together to form a connector strip by receipt of projections (35) on the ends of the arms (34) in eyes (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventor: Guido Vignoli
  • Patent number: 4820169
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes modules which intermate to interconnect electrical circuits between mother and daughter printed circuit boards. The modules are provided with resilient projections which latch on relative rotation of the modules, enabling the handling of resultant modular assemblies. High current carrying terminals of the modules have contact posts of different spacings and lengths from a contact point to assure equal resistivity to avoid hot spots for high current. A polarizing key locking feature is provided by a snap ring including a slot to permit engagement and disengagement by a simple tool such as a screwdriver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald M. Weber, Robert C. Swengel, Jr., Charles H. Weidler, James H. Wise
  • Patent number: 4797123
    Abstract: A modular connector assembly for the distribution of power to printed circuit board comprising first and second pairs of matable individual connector modules having different power carrying characteristics. A first connector module of each pair has a pluggable mating face located transversely of a board engaging face and a second connector module of each pair has a complimentary pluggable mating face located opposite the board engaging face, board engaging faces having the same common dimensions. Individual modules of respective pairs are provided with latch members engageable by relative rotation of adjoining modules, to link and interlock them together to form a composite connector body mounted in a row along one edge of a daughter board, and when additional matable modules are mounted along the face of a mother board respectively, the matable modules of respected pairs are in corresponding positions, whereby the daughter board can simply be plugged to and unplugged from the mother board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventor: Ronald M. Weber
  • Patent number: 4790763
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes modules which intermate to interconnect electrical circuits between mother and daughter printed circuit boards. The modules are provided with resilient projections which latch on relative rotation of the modules, enabling the handling of resultant modular assemblies. High current carrying terminals of the modules have contact posts of different spacings and lengths from a contact point to assure equal resistivity to avoid hot spots for high current. A polarizing key locking feature is provided by a snap ring including a slot to permit engagement and disengagement by a simple tool such as a screwdriver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald M. Weber, William C. Van Scyoc
  • Patent number: 4767339
    Abstract: A modular fuseblock furnishes dovetail joint grooves and ridges that are accessible from above on both sides of the fuseblock. This provides for interlocking or joining additional fuseblocks on either side of a panel mounted fuseblock without unfastening the mounted fuseblock. Pilot grooves and ridges extending upwardly respectively from the dovetail grooves and ridges aid in engaging the dovetail groove and ridge joint means. Locking tabs on the sides of the fuseblock body detent joined fuseblocks to maintain them fixed in vertical position and end walls that ride in vertical tracks in the two side walls of the fuseblock prevent intrusion to the fuse clips and electrical connections from the ends of the fuseblock. An adapter provides mounting the fuseblock on a channel member while using the dovetail joint grooves and ridges. The adapter mounts on the channel member through rotational movement, and the fuseblock mounts on the adapter through translational movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph D. Comerci
  • Patent number: 4753614
    Abstract: A connecting system is disclosed for electric connector sockets. These sockets comprise, in a recess of an insulating housing, a supported contact member, the electric conductor elements of which are connectible to a further electric conductor element of a plug inserted from the outside. Several insulating housings can be releasably plugged together into a unit by way of detent means. The detent means of each housing serve simultaneously for fixing the connector socket in the adjoining housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans Weiner
  • Patent number: 4729744
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for assembling modular blocks of electric equipment side by side. The two molded cases of modular elements are first of all coupled together in the manner of a hinge by means of two hooks which fit respectively into two mating housings, then are applied one against the other by pivoting one of the cases, and are finally locked together by means of a flexible tongue which snap-fits on to a mating part of the other case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1988
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Robert Bet, Henri Pierrot
  • Patent number: 4716722
    Abstract: An assembly of an electronic computer apparatus and a carrier therefor which includes a computer apparatus casing which includes at least one side wall a front wall, a rear wall, an upper wall and, a lower wall electrical connector mechanism mounted on the side wall, coupling mechanism by which the carrier can be coupled to the computer apparatus, the carrier including a rear wall, at least one side wall, an upper wall, a lower wall, an electrical connector mechanism mounted on the side wall corresponding to the side wall of the computer apparatus on which the corresponding connector mechanism is mounted, and a coupling mechanism carried by one of the upper wall and one of the lower wall and the rear wall and arranged to couple the carrier and the computer apparatus, the coupling mechanism of the carrier including a first part enabling coupling motion of the computer apparatus to the carrier in a direction from the front to the rear of the carrier until the connector mechanism of the computer apparatus are al
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "S.N.E.C.M.A."
    Inventor: Daniel Rambach
  • Patent number: 4705332
    Abstract: A high density electrical connector is shown in which discrete dielectric wafers mount several contact elements within grooves on a first surface of the wafer while mounting a single ground plane within a recess on a second surface. This configuration, when the wafers are stacked side-by-side, forms the contacts in a stripline connection in which the impedance of each contact may be controlled. The wafers may be inserted into slots within a housing to form a high density connector for joining a daughter board to a mother board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Criton Technologies
    Inventor: Amir-Akbar Sadigh-Behzadi
  • Patent number: 4699442
    Abstract: An electrical connection housing, especially for undercarpet cable systems, including a fixed member (50) which is to be secured to a flat surface and which has an outer side face for receiving a module member (220, 222, 224). The module member has an inner face which conforms to the outer side face of the fixed member (50) and engagement extensions (230) which extend under the outer side face of the fixed member (50) for retention between the fixed member and the flat surface. Recesses (232) are provided in the bottom of a shroud (200) to receive T-shaped extensions (230). The module member may include telephone outlets, data outlets or power spurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
    Inventor: Arthur J. Riches
  • Patent number: 4693532
    Abstract: A modular, multi-row, mass terminated electrical connector which mates with an array of pins. The connector includes a housing having top and bottom rows of elongated terminal receiving cavities each with a forward pin receiving opening. A plurality of terminals are mounted in the cavities with each terminal having a forward pin engaging portion and a rear insulation displacement portion. The cavities of the top rows are staggered with respect to the cavities of the bottom row and the adjacent top row cavities are spaced apart from one another. An access slot is formed in the top of each cavity to expose the insulation displacement portion of the terminals. The insulation displacement portion of the terminals received in the bottom row cavities are accessible between adjacent top row cavities so that all of the terminals of both rows can be mass terminated from the top of the connector. The housing is made up of a plurality of modules connected together by means of selectively removable connecting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen A. Colleran, William R. Lenz