Abstract: A low profile board to board connector system is disclosed. Retention areas in the respective mating connectors are utilized to receive portions of opposed mating contact terminals. Utilization of centralized retention structures allows optimum placement of areas to receive distal portions of mating contact terminals. These centralized retention structures also allow maximization of contact beam length in limited available space, so that favorable contact characteristics are achieved. Contact insertion/retention features are positioned at intermediate locations of the contact beams, for enhanced contact retention and improved beam performance. Terminal contacts may be retained in a passage by projections that engage openings formed in the retention portion of the contact terminal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mounting an electrical connector on a printed wiring board. The printed wiring board is initially positioned on locating projections on a tooling plate. Eyelets are positioned in hold down apertures in the connector. The hold down apertures initially engage the locating projections to align the connector pins with pin receiving apertures on the printed wiring board. Engagement continues until the pins are positioned in the apertures and the lower end of the eyelet is deformed to engage the innerside of the down aperture and the lower side of the printed wiring board.

Abstract: A modular jack assembly which includes an insulative housing with a first longitudinal wall, a second longitudinal wall superimposed over the first longitudinal wall in spaced parallel relation. A third longitudinal wall is superimposed over the second longitudinal wall in spaced parallel relation. There is a first pair of spaced transverse walls interposed between the first and second longitudinal wall to form a first plug receiving port. There is also a second pair of spaced transverse walls interposed between the second and third longitudinal wall to form a second plug receiving port. The first plug receiving port is longitudinally displaced from said second plug receiving port. A first insulative insert having base and upper sides and rear end terminal ends is positioned so that its terminal end extends into the first plug receiving port. A second insulative insert having base and upper sides and rear and terminal ends is positioned so that its terminal end extends into the second plug receiving port.

Abstract: Disclosed is a receptacle for an electrical connector comprising a plurality of conductive terminals at least in part enclosed within a housing and there being a plurality of windows in said housing to allow access to said conductive terminals and said housing being extended to at least partially restrict at least some of said windows.

Abstract: An ejecting mechanism-equipped card connector is provided which includes an actuator member which moves lineraly over a width direction of a slider during the opening of the slider. The actuator member is supported by at least two positions on end faces along the slide direction. A push rod is displaced inwardly by means of the actuator member to operate the ejecting mechanism in a manner so that the application of excessive unbalanced force on component parts is avoided.

Abstract: A connector for electronic elements with recessed contacts, such as flash memory cards, is disclosed. The connector enables substantially linear insertion of the card through a wall of an electronic component utilizing the card. A floating guide member receives the card and permits clearance movement toward and away from the connector contact terminals. A simplified form of compression connector is disclosed. It employs multiple point engagement of the terminal with the side walls of the terminal receiving passage to hold the contact terminals in the housing prior to installation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical connector in which the contacts are fused to a solder ball conductive material which are reflowed to provide a primary electrical current path between the connection and a substrate. Also disclosed is a method for fusing the conductive element to the contacts of the connector. There is at least one recess on the exterior side of the connector elements. A conductive contact extends from adjacent the interior side of the conductor element into the recess on the exterior side of the housing. A conductive element which will ordinarily be a solder ball is positioned in the recess on the exterior side of the housing. The metallic element emplaced in the recess is then heated to a temperature sufficient to soften the metallic element and fuse the metallic element to the contact extending into said recess.

Abstract: A modular plug having an insulative housing comprising a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of lateral walls perpendicularly interposed between the top two bottom walls. There are a number of longitudinal terminal receiving slots in the front and top wall. There is a cable receiving cavity in the rear wall. A number of conductors means extend from the rear wall of the jack to adjacent to a different one of the said pin receiving slots. There are also a number of metallic contacts, and each of the contacts is adjacent to a different one of the terminal receiving slots and is connected to a different one of the conductors. At least one of the contacts has a different shape from at least one of the other contacts. A surprising and unexpected reduction in cross talk is achieved.

Abstract: A connector having a set of terminals (10) that are preferably coplanar and are used to connect electrical components, such as surface mount components, with a printed circuit board (PCB). The connector uses an insulative wafer (50) to achieve and to maintain the coplanarity of the terminals (10). Initially, the terminals (10) are overbent so that as the wafer (50) is being placed in the connector housing (5), the terminals (10) contact the wafer (50) on a slope (55) of the wafer (50). In other words, as the wafer (50) is being mated with the connector housing (5), the wafer (50) pushes against the terminals (10) to establish coplanarity. Thus, the wafer (50) works in conjunction with the terminals (10) in the connector housing (5) to establish coplanarity. Therefore, the connector supports the terminals (10) for positioning while ensuring that the terminals (10) are coplanar.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multifiber optical cable array connector which includes a central block having a plurality of bores that is made up of a lower chip having v-grooves on its upper surface and an upper chip having v-grooves on its lower surface which is superimposed over the lower chip to form the bores. An optical fiber ribbon cable has its insulation removed and the fibers are inserted through every other bore in the block. A second optical fiber ribbon cable similarly has its insulation removed at one end and is superimposed over the first ribbon cable with its fibers being inserted through the remaining bore. Because of this construction substantial numbers of fibers may be received in this connector.

Abstract: A connector element for connecting a flexfoil and a pin-like contact member, the connector element being made of a conducting material and comprising a base part, at least one clamp extending from a first side of the connector element for clamping said flexfoil and at least one further clamp extending from a second opposing side of the connector element for clamping said flexfoil, and walls arranged relative to said base part to form a opening for receiving said pin-like contact member.

Abstract: A modular plug which has an insulative housing comprising a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of lateral walls which are perpendicularly interposed between the top two bottom walls. There are a plurality of front longitudinal terminal receiving slots in the top wall adjacent the front wall. There is also a cable receiving cavity in the rear wall. A plurality of rear longitudinal terminal contact receiving slots are in the top wall and between the front longitudinal terminal contact receiving slots and the rear wall. A medial component housing cavity is interposed between the front longitudinal terminal contact receiving slots and the rear longitudinal terminal contact receiving slots. There is also a first plurality of conductors, each of which extends from the rear wall of the jack to adjacent a different one of said rear longitudinal contact terminal receiving slots.

Abstract: A receptacle adapted to be mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB). The receptacle includes an insulative member comprising a first section extending from a base to an upper side and a second section extending perpendicularly from said vertical section to a terminal edge and said second section having a plurality of longitudinal slots. A plurality of conductive contact means extends first parallel to the second section of the insulative contact in the longitudinal slots and then parallel to the first section of the insulative member. A conductive shield has a first side superimposed in spaced relation over the second section of the insulative member and a second side positioned in spaced relation beneath the second section of the insulative member. A rear side of the shield extend downwardly from the first side. Opposed spaced lateral sides connect the first and second sides of the shield to form a plug receiving cavity between the first side and the second side of the insulative member.

Abstract: An electrical connector illustrated as a plug and receptacle is disclosed. In one embodiment, the connector includes a base member having a plurality of bores. A first plurality of contact elements is positioned in certain of the bores. The tail portion of each contact element extends a distance beyond the base member. A second plurality of contact elements is positioned in others of the bores. Insertion of the tail portion of the second plurality of contact elements into a circuit board is sufficient to hold the tail portions of the first plurality of contact elements against the circuit board. It is preferred for the tail portions of the second plurality of contacts to be capable of axial movement when a compression force is applied. In another embodiment, the connector includes a frame and a layer of contact elements, wherein each of the contact elements includes a forward end and a tail portion. The ends of the tail portions are positioned proximate the bottom surface of the frame.

Abstract: A connector for connecting electrical conductor areas of flexible circuits with associated conductor pads of an edge connector portion of a circuit board, comprising a connector housing having a circuit board opening sized to at least partially accommodate the edge connector portion, and a further opening allowing passage of the flexible circuits into an interior cavity of the connector housing. A first spring and second spring each have a resilient arched feature for supporting one of the flexible circuits to resiliently bias an electrical conductor area of the associated flexible circuit into electrical contact with associated conductor pads when the connector engages the edge connector portion. The electrical conductor areas of the flexible circuits face each other.

Abstract: A novel high density receptacle is disclosed. The receptacle includes a housing portion, having a plurality of openings formed in its front face. A first column containing a first number of contact elements is positioned in relation to the housing so that the receiving portions of the contact elements are aligned with certain of the openings. A second column containing a second number of contact elements is positioned in relation to the housing so that the receiving portions of the contact elements are aligned with other of said openings. It is preferred for the receptacle to include a plurality of said first and second columns, wherein the columns are arranged side by side in an alternating pattern. The first column preferably includes a first wafer, wherein the contact elements are attached to said first wafer. A peg is formed on one of the side surfaces of the first wafer. The second column is preferably constructed similar to the first column, however, the second wafer to has a bore formed therein.

Abstract: Modular connectors employ terminal carriers for gang mounting of terminals onto circuit substrates. The carriers may be shielded for providing shielding through the connector. Substrate mounting systems include press fit, floating surface mount, solder ball and intrusive reflow arrangements.

Abstract: A high speed, low impedance shielded connector is disclosed. The shield is formed of sheet material and includes multiple integral shield-to-plug contacts in a limited longitudinal space. Such contacts are forwardly facing, to reduce ground path lengths or are arranged substantially parallel to a plug insertion axis, to below development of high normal forces. Shielding of an array of connectors is enhanced by the use of transverse flanges having interfitting sections that provide effective shielding are allow close spacing or adjacent connectors in the array.