Abstract: A ZIF socket is provided having a movable inner frame for protecting an electronic package received therein. The socket is comprised of a base having an outer frame and a separate movable inner frame disposed within the outer frame. The inner frame is movable between an open position, for receiving an electronic package, and a closed position, wherein the electronic package is locked in the socket. The inner frame is moved between the open and closed position by inserting a bladed tool into a tool receiving area and urging the blade against the inner frame.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cap housing for carrying electrical connectors to be mounted onto solder pads or through-holes on a printed circuit board or other circuitry. The cap housing has a plurality of electrical connector receiving cavities profiled to be relatively complementary in shape and of slightly larger dimension to the exterior profile of the electrical connector received within the cap housing. A floating arrangement of the electrical connector within the cap housing is thereby created which prevents coplanarity problems which contribute to non-filled or partially filled solder joints.

Abstract: The invention comprises a modular electrical connector assembly having a housing, a first contact module, a second contact module, and a retention member. The first and second contact modules house a plurality of contacts terminated to flexible etched circuits, or other conductors, which are routed out of the rear of the assembly. The first contact module is loaded into the housing proximate the mating end. The second contact module is loaded behind the first contact module within the housing. Both modules are then retained by a retention member inserted behind both modules. The mating end of the electrical connector assembly is configured to receive a printed circuit card edge.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities for housing a plurality of terminals connected to conductors. The terminals are held in the cavities by primary latches which are reinforced by projections on a shroud which extend behind the primary latches. The shroud provides wire dressing and strain relief for the conductors while providing a terminal position assurance function and secondary locking for the terminals.

Abstract: A connector assembly having a trough-shaped accommodating part and a plug part which can be plugged into the latter where the plug part has an essentially rectangular cross-section and in the vicinity of the two end edges, a safety rib extends in the plugging direction outward therefrom in such a way that the width the respectively opposite safety ribs is greater than the width of the basic plug part and the accommodating part has a plug channel with safety grooves for accommodating the safety ribs in the longitudinal side walls such that the plug part is receivable therein, the plug part having a surrounding housing and a socket housing that can be telescopically pushed into the surrounding housing through an insertion opening on a transverse side surface and complementary latching structure is provided on the surrounding housing and on the socket housing, for the purpose of latching the socket housing in the surrounding housing where the safety ribs are fitted to the socket housing or the surrounding housin

Abstract: A switch (10) is provided that has a housing (12), an actuator (20), a contact blade (18), first and second shape-memory wires (28,30), and first and second contact points (70,71). The actuator (20) has a first end portion (52) pivotally coupled to the housing (12), and a second end portion (22) with first and second generally opposed arm portions (24), (26) extending therefrom. The contact blade (18) has the first contact point (70) positioned thereon, and is coupled to and moveable with the actuator (20). The first and second shape-memory wires (28,30) respectively extend between the first and second arm portions (24,26) of the actuator (20) and the housing (12). The second contact point (71) is coupled to the housing (12) and is electrically engageable with the first contact point (70) in response to movement of the actuator (20).

Abstract: A connector 20 for disk-shaped batteries 102 includes a housing 22 with a battery receiving cavity 38, first and second pairs of side walls 30, 34 and first and second terminal-receiving slots 40, 54 for receiving respective terminals 66, 84 therein and located between the side walls of the first and second pairs respectively. Each side wall 30, 34 includes an inwardly directed retention flange 32, 36 respectively for securing the battery 102 in the housing 22. The base 24 includes a plurality of board standoffs 62 of sufficient length to permit portions of the connector base 24 to be flexed downwardly toward a circuit board 108 a sufficient distance to move the retention flange 36 of one of the side walls 34 outwardly thereby releasing the battery 102 from said connector 20.

Abstract: Capacitive coupling adapter (40) associated with a shielded electrical connector (12) and including at least one capacitive subassembly (54). Each capacitive subassembly (54) includes a capacitor (46) and a pair of contacts (50,52) engaged with respective electrodes thereof. One contact section (68) of a contact (52) extends from a surface (58) of the adapter housing (42) to engage a shell of a connector (12), and one contact section (64) of a contact (50) extends from an outer surface of housing (42) to engage a cutout peripheral surface (14) of a conductive panel (16) when the adapter/connector (40,12) is mounted in the cutout. The connector shell (22) is thus capacitively coupled to the panel.

Abstract: A plurality of wires 4 are linearly disposed along the direction of length of a long slender insulating support 2, and contacts 6 are formed as terminals on both ends of each wire. The contacts 6 are symmetrically disposed on the outer periphery of the long slender insulating support 2 while being prevented from slipping out by means of checking engagement parts or shoulders 21 which are provided at both ends of the long slender insulating support 2, and which prevent slipping out in the direction of length. Frame-form bodies or caps 8 are disposed on the outer peripheries of the contacts 6 so that these frame-form bodies 8 engage with all of the plurality of contacts 6 and the contacts 6 abnd caps 8 can shift axially to facilitate connedction to another component.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes two plug connectors 2 that can be mounted in separate pockets 66 in a pin header 62 that can be mounted on an electronic module. Separate plug connectors 2 can be attached to separate wiring harnesses. To insure that an adequate number of wires can be connected in a header of substantially the same size, terminal latches 18 on inner ends of terminal rows are deflectable in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in other terminal latches 16 in the same row are deflected when terminals 20 are inserted into the housing 4. A terminal position assurance member 30 includes a cantilevered plate 32 that engages terminal latches 16 and a cantilevered arm 24 that engages the terminal latch 18. This provides space for a force applying bolt 50 to be used in each connector.

Abstract: A tube conductor, for example made in copper, is interconnected to a connector housing, for example made of aluminum alloy, by stuffing an insert, for example a steel ball, into the tube. The steel ball expands the tube and clamps it in the cavity of the housing. This construction enables elastic energy to be stored that increases the reliability and lifetime operation of the connector. It also enables a copper conductor to be reliably connected to aluminum connector, even though their thermal expansion coefficients differ, by suitable choice of material and dimensioning of the insert.

Abstract: Integral terminals are formed on the bare ends 4, 24, 64, 84 of insulated wires 2, 22, 62, 82. Male and female terminal configurations are stamped and formed on the wires. When necessary the bare wire ends are upset to increase the width of the portion of the bare wire on which the terminals are formed. Cylindrical pins 10 can be formed by removing material and cylindrical sockets 8 can be formed by drilling and reaming the end of a wire that may have been upset by a cold heading operation. Retention flanges 38 can be formed to retain pins 30 and sockets 28 in a connector housing 40. Hermaphroditic blade terminals 62 can also be formed on bare wire ends. Quick disconnect tabs 92 can be formed by forming a flat blank from the bare wire 84 or from an upset section 88.

Abstract: A method and structure is disclosed for providing a plurality of parts (34, 80, 110) to a tool (22) in a work station (20) for use in a manufacturing operation. The parts, such as electrical components, wire connectors or connector parts are arranged in a chain (40, 100) or block (112) wherein each part is separably connected to another part in the chain or block without the use of a carrier tape (10) or integral sections (14) that must be broken or removed and discarded. The parts are interconnected by means of first and second features (54, 66) that are formed integral to the parts. The first feature (54) is a projection and the second feature (66) is an opening that conformably receives the projection and, when mated, holds the two parts together. The chain may be stored on a reel and later dereeled to be fed into a tool for performing a manufacturing operation. A single part can easily be removed from the chain or block.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for evaluating a crimped electrical connection measures the crimping force over a range of positions of the crimping apparatus ram and derives a statistical envelope of acceptable forces. Each crimp is measured and the force measurements are compared against that envelope to determine the acceptability of the crimp. Acceptable crimps are then further evaluated to determine whether their data should be added to the data base.

Abstract: A portable electronic component transport and interconnection assembly 2 includes a removable console 50 that can be mounted in a host or vehicle and connected to a permanently mounted output connector 10 by simple linear longitudinal movement followed by linear lateral movement. The removable console 50 includes input contact members 62, 64 and 66 for connecting the console to a source of power, ground and electrical signals. The input contact members are L-shaped with a contact interface 72 located on the rear of the input contact member. The output connector includes a curved resilient contact 12 that is located on the inside of a connector front wall adjacent to one of several openings 30, 32, 34. A spring loaded door 40 normally closes these openings, but the input contact members push this door 40 during initial longitudinal movement. The input contact members are then moved laterally so that the contact interfaces 72 engage corresponding resilient contacts 12.

Abstract: An assembly of electric connectors and plug connectors and cap connectors used therein has guiding ribs providing for a smooth joining of the plug connectors and cap connectors, Ribs 16a, 16b and 16c extending from the bottom wall 14 are provided respectively in cavities 6, 8 and 10 of the cap connector 1. All ribs are of the same configuration and have outside surfaces 26, 28 perpendicular to the bottom wall 14, an outside surface 30 parallel to the bottom wall and a slanted surface 20 forming a roughly P-shaped cross section. In the plug connectors, slots of the same configuration as said ribs are formed, thus providing smooth connection by limiting vertical and horizontal deviations during their joining.

Abstract: A terminal applicator (10) is disclosed having a shut height adjustment mechanisms (68, 120) for controlling the shut height (102, 220) of both the terminal barrel crimping bar (26) and the insulation crimping bar (28). The mechanism includes upper and lower ramp members (126, 128) having opposed ramp surfaces (140), the lower ramp member being attached to the tooling ram (40) and the upper ramp member being rotationally coupled to the ram. By incrementally rotating the upper ramp member (128), the relative spacing between a press ram (222) and the tooling ram (40) can be adjusted, thereby changing the shut height (220) of the barrel crimping bar (26). A cam (72) is rotationally coupled to the tooling ram (40) at right angles to the axis (24) of the upper and lower ramp members (126, 128). The cam has a series of flat surfaces (98), each of which is a different distance from its center of rotation (79).

Abstract: The invention comprises a retention system for retaining a component within a housing, the system having a body to receive the component therein. The body has a bottom wall against which the component will be mounted. A resiliently deflectable latching arm extends upwardly from the bottom wall. The latching arm has a lower section, an angled section, and a latching section. The angled section has an opening therein. The latching section offset section has a latching surface. The opening receiving a latching tooth therein and the latching surface engaging the latching tooth to secure the component.

Abstract: A terminal applicator (10) includes a terminal feed mechanism (46) having a feed finger (84) attached to a slide member (70) that is adjustably movable with respect to a yoke (45) of the feed mechanism for positioning the end feed point of the feed finger (84). An adjusting screw (110) is arranged to move the slid member (70) to the desired position. A locking member (164) is arranged to both frictionally bind the threads of the adjusting screw so that it cannot be turned and to frictionally engage the mating surfaces of the slide member and the yoke (45) so that the slide member (70) cannot slide with respect to the yoke (45).

Abstract: A process for fabricating an electrical terminal (48) having an integral capacitor (50) formed on the exterior of the terminal includes a laser ablation process for deposition of a thin layer of dielectric material (44) on to the body of the terminal (48). An outer electrode (46) is then deposited on the exterior of the dielectric layer and the terminal can be used in a filtered electrical connector. A wire (2) can be cleaned by, for example, a plasma cleaning step prior to the deposition of the dielectric layer (44) by laser ablation and lasers (12) can be used to anneal at least the outer portion of the additively deposed dielectric layer (44). The wire (2) can be rotated to provide complete coverage.