Abstract: A test probe consists of an elongated screw machine contact biased by a helical spring and mounted in a through hole of a non-conductive substrate. One end of the contact includes a crown for engaging a solder ball lead of an IC package, and the contact includes an intermediate collar which maintains the contact within the through hole. The helical spring is disposed about the contact, with one end thereof engaging the lower end of the collar. The other end of the helical spring has contiguous coils and is of a reduced diameter so as to extend beyond the lower end of the non-conductive substrate to make electrical contact with a printed circuit board. When the test probe is compressed between the IC package and the printed circuit board, the inherent twisting of the helical spring causes the contact to tilt and make electrical contact with the contiguous coils, thereby establishing a direct electrical path between the IC package and the printed circuit board, with minimum resistance and minimum inductance.

Abstract: Tapered retainer-side guides (49) are formed at opening edges of through holes (47) excluding their communicating areas with corresponding jig insertion openings (48), and the front end surface of a housing (10) is formed with slanted housing-side guides (15) in the communicating areas of the opening edges of the through holes (47) with the jig insertion openings (48) when a retainer (40) is at a full locking position. Slanted guiding surfaces are formed over the entire peripheries of the opening edges of the through holes (47) by the retainer-side guides (49) and the housing-side guides (15). Thus, tabs of male terminal fittings can be securely guided to insertion openings (14).

Abstract: A female housing (20) connectable with a male housing (10) to be mounted on a panel (P) is provided with a terminal-accommodating portion (21) for accommodating terminal fittings (29). A jaw (22) bulges out from the outer surface of the terminal-accommodating portion (21) over the entire circumference to face the panel (P) substantially in parallel. A grommet (23) is attached to the jaw (22) and is held in close contact with the panel (P) by being present between the panel (P) and the jaw (22). A protrusion (40) is provided on the jaw (22) to surround the terminal-accommodating portion (21).

Abstract: A female housing is provided with cavities (41) into which terminal fittings are insertable, and locks (43) provided in the cavities (41) and resiliently engageable with the terminal fittings being inserted to lock the terminal fittings. Openings (64) formed by removing a mold for forming locking surfaces (58) of the locks (43) engageable with the female terminals are so formed in the female housing as to be open forward. Each lock (43) is supported at both front and rear ends, and a section thereof projecting more forward than the locking surface (58) is connected with side surfaces (64b, 64c) of the circumferential surfaces of the corresponding opening (64) extending along a deforming direction of the lock (43).

Abstract: A female connector has a housing (6) in which terminal fittings can be accommodated. A retainer (12) can be engaged lightly with the housing (6) at a partial locking position. The retainer (12) also can be engaged more deeply at a full locking position where the retainer (12) locks the terminal fittings. Housing ribs (7B) project from an outer surface (25) of the housing (6), and retainer ribs (27) project from the retainer (12) and extend along the extension of the housing ribs (7B). The retainer ribs (27) project beyond the housing ribs (7B) when the retainer (12) is at the partial locking position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting whether substances of interest are present in a sample of air. The apparatus includes a detector, such as an ion trap mobility spectrometer. The detector is operated at a high drift voltage and then is switched to a low drift voltage. Spectra are collected at the high and low field strengths and are compared with standard spectra at those strengths to determine whether materials of interest are present.

Abstract: A joint connector has wire holders (15a, 15b, 15c) that project in a wire draw-out direction from wire draw-out portions (14b) of housings (12a, 12b, 12c) where wires (W) connected with terminal fittings (20) are drawn out. The wires (W) are held tightly between the inner surfaces of the opposite wire holding portions (15a, 15b, 15c). Holding projections (16) project from the inner surfaces of the wire holding portions (15a, 15b, 15c) toward the opposite surfaces, so that the wires (W) can be so held as not to come out while being partly squeezed.

Abstract: Connecting terminals (25a to 25d) are accommodated side by side in a terminal box casing (21). Diodes (30a to 30c) are connected electrically between the respective connecting terminals (25a to 25d). The diodes (30a to 30c) are connected in series via the intermediate terminal mounts (28a, 28b). Partition walls (24) for partitioning diode accommodation spaces (23a to 23c) for at least partly accommodating the diodes (30a to 30c) are formed in the terminal box casing (21).

Abstract: A housing (10) of a connector has vertical screw holes (14) parallel to a connecting direction of the housing (10) and horizontal screw holes (19) normal to the connecting direction. Thus, the housing (10) is both horizontally and vertically mountable on a circuit board (P), and flexibility in the use of the housing (10) is improved. Further, the horizontal screw holes (19) are normal to the connecting direction and can be formed by a pair of molds movable along the connecting direction. Therefore, costs necessary for the molds can be reduced.

Abstract: A rotary head for dethatching machine includes a plurality of channels which are evenly distributed along the outer periphery of the rotary head for receiving flexible dethatching filaments. The dethatching filaments are elongated with a plurality of barb-like protrusions on one end thereof for engagement in the channels of the housings. Once a filament is inserted into a channel, it cannot be pulled out due to the protrusions engaging the interior and exterior walls of the channel of the rotary head. A plurality of rotary heads are mounted on a shaft of a machine. During rotation of the shaft and the rotary heads, the flexible filaments contact the accumulated dethatch with sufficient force to dislodge thatch for later retrieval and clean up.

Abstract: A lever-type connector (10) has a frame-shaped holder (11) for accommodating auxiliary connectors (24). A lever (40) is mounted on the holder (11) and is adapted to connect the lever-type connector (10) and a male connector (50) by cam action effected as the lever (40) is rotated. The lever (40) extends along only one wall surface of the holder (11). Thus, wires (27) and the lever (40) are unlikely to interfere with each other. Further, the lever (40) is accommodated in a recess (16) of the holder (11) and is held from opposite sides along a direction of the rotational axis. Thus, the lever (40) will not deform along the direction of the rotational axis and will not detach from the holder (11).

Abstract: A connector has a housing (11) with a cavity (12) for receiving a rectangular tube (Ta) of a terminal fitting (T). A lock (13) is formed on a surface of the cavity (12) for engaging the terminal fitting (T). The cavity (11) has a first guiding surface (14a) at a corner adjacent a surface of the cavity (12) opposed to the lock (13) for narrowing the width of a cavity (12). A retainer (21) engages a lower surface of the lock (13) for pressing the lock (13) and the terminal fitting (T) up into the first guiding surface (14a) to prevent shaking of the terminal fitting (T) in the cavity (12).

Abstract: There is provided a high-pressure metal pipe which has a connecting head capable of solving the risk of cavitation erosion in the inside of the connecting head by changing the contour shape of a pocket or notch to be formed in the inside of the connecting head during head working into a contour shape having a shallow depth and a gentle cross section. A reduced-diameter connecting head having an outside circumferential surface which is a seat surface having a truncated conical or spherical shape corresponding to a mating seat is provided at a connecting end portion of a thick-walled steel pipe having a comparatively small diameter. An annular concave groove to be formed in the inside of the connecting head during the formation thereof has a contour shape having a shallow depth and a gentle cross section, and the high-pressure metal pipe has a sleeve washer having a cylindrical portion which covers the outer circumferential surface of the reduced-diameter connecting head.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a multilayer silicone release surface comprising a backing, a support layer on the backing, and a silicone layer of the support layer. The various layers of the multilayer release surface are deposited substantially simultaneously, as for example by a dual die or using curtain coating techniques.

Abstract: A laser alignment system is provided. The system includes a plurality of lasers which are sequentially operative for producing first and second laser beams that are parallel to one another. The system further includes a target assembly. The target assembly includes lenses and mirrors disposed such that the first laser beam impinges directly on the target to provide displacement data. The second laser beam is focused and reflected so that the focal point of the reflected second beam impinges on the target. In a similar manner, a third parallel beam may be provided and may be focused to impinge on the target. Additionally, the plural laser beams may be substituted for by a single laser plane. The second and/or third beams provide alignment data, while the first beam provides displacement data.

Abstract: A flexible flat cable connecting method includes stripping an insulation coating (5) surface of a flexible flat cable (1) to be connected with a busbar (2) to expose a conductive element (4). The method continues by introducing the flexible flat cable (1) and the busbar (2) between a horn (7) and an anvil (6) of an ultrasonic welding machine (3), and then transmitting an ultrasonic vibration to the horn (7). The horn (7) has a plurality of elongated projections (9) of tapered cross-section pressed in contact with the insulation coating (5) of the flexible flat cable (1).

Abstract: A terminal fitting (10) has a forwardly open tube (11) for receiving a male tab (T). An inner resilient contact piece (16; 22) has a base end (16A; 22A) unitary with a first wall of the tube (11) and an outer resilient contact piece (15; 21) has a base end (15A; 21A) unitary with a second wall of the tube (11). The respective base ends (15A, 21A; 16A, 22A) are in face-to-face contact, but a clearance (17; 23) is defined between the resilient contact pieces (16, 22; 15, 21) forward of the base ends (15A, 21A; 16A, 22A) prior to insertion of the male tab (T) into the tube (11). A male tab (T) can be inserted into the tube (11) and gradually closes the clearance (17; 23) from the rear end toward the front end. Thus, the support for resilient deformation shifts and stress concentrations are avoided.

Abstract: A lock projection (17) is formed on an outer surface of a lock arm (16) as a locking means for locking a first and a second connectors (10, 40) in their connected state and locking projections (19F, 19R) are formed on an inner surface of the lock arm (16) for holding a detector (30) at a standby position. Thus, the lock arm (16) has a higher strength as compared to the one formed with an opening penetrating the lock arm from the outer surface to the inner surface.