Abstract: An electrical connector has improved locking characteristics for mating with an opposing complementary connector component. The connector has an insulative housing with a series of walls defining a mating space which receives the complementary connector component. Terminals are arranged in the mating space to interconnect with the complementary connector component. Sidewalls have two distinct inner and outer sections wherein the inner sidewall section are flexible and include an engagement surface for engagement with the complementary connector component.

Abstract: A terminal is disclosed for terminating the shield of a high speed cable having an outer jacket and an inner metallic shield with a portion of the outer jacket removed to expose a portion of the metallic shield. The terminal includes a ground plate portion. A loop projects from the ground plate portion for receiving the high speed cable at a location along the cable in registry with the exposed metallic shield thereof. A solder connection is established between the metallic shield and the loop.

Abstract: An improved wire harness-making apparatus includes a wire supply in the form of a plurality of wire reels, a wire measuring and feeding unit, connector terminating units, a wire pulling unit, and a wire holding and shifting unit. The wire pulling unit includes a reciprocatable harness wire guide member a plurality of guides that receive therein harness wires fed as a set wire measuring and feeding unit, and a gripping unit for holding the leading ends of the harness wires in place at the entrances of the wire guides. The guide member has a predetermined length corresponding to a desired length of wire, and the gripping unit is disposed proximate to the front end of the guide member. In operation, each wire is fed from the wire measuring and feeding unit into a corresponding wire-receiving guide of the guide member when the front end of the guide member is moved toward and near to the wire measuring and feeding unit.

Abstract: A flat flexible electrical cable includes a pair of pseudo-twisted conductors on a flexible dielectric substrate. Each conductor includes alternate straight and oblique sections. The straight sections of the conductors are generally parallel to each other and of uniform width. The oblique sections of the conductors cross each other at a crossover point. Each oblique section of each conductor is reduced in width uniformly in a direction from the straight-to-oblique transfer point of the respective conductor to the crossover point of the conductors.

Abstract: A wire harness-making apparatus includes a wire supply, a wire feeding unit for feeding and measuring harness wires from the wire supply, a wire transport unit for transporting the harness wires, and two connector crimping units positioned on the opposite sides of the harness wire set. The wire transport unit includes first and second wire clamps movable from opposite sides of the harness wires. The first and second wire clamps are driven along an associated top and bottom guides on opposite sides of the harness wire set. These clamps may he operated into and out of contact from vertical directions so as not to interfere with the feeding of wires by the wire feed unit.

Abstract: An electrical connector (20) includes an elongated dielectric housing (22) having a longitudinal cavity (28) for receiving a terminal module (26). The module includes a dielectric insert (30) received in the cavity and mounting a plurality of terminals (32) having tail portions (42) projecting from the housing. An elongated tail aligning device (24) is mountable on the housing and has a plurality of apertures (68) through which the tail portions (42) of the terminals (32) project. The tail aligning device (24) includes flanges or guide rails (72) which, after full assembly, serve to hold the modules (26) in the housing cavity (28). The guide rails fit into guide channels (60) on the housing and the aligning device is held to the housing by snap-latches (62,76).

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a bail-type latch for latching the connector to a complementary mating connector. A housing has a base and laterally-spaced upstanding opposite sides. A generally U-shaped bail latch has a pair of spaced leg portions with upper ends joined by a bight portion and lower ends with inwardly directed shaft portions pivotally mounting the bail latch to the base for pivotal movement between and outwardly extending open position allowing mating of the connectors and an inwardly extending latching position. Knee portions of the leg portions grip the opposite sides of the housing to define a stored position for the bail latch. Stops on the shaft portions prevent movement of the bail latch outwardly beyond its open position. Redundant stop shoulders on the leg portions also prevent movement of the bail latch outwardly beyond its open position. The stops engage offset anchoring recesses in the housing to provide for polarization of a pair of bail latches at opposite ends of the housing.

Abstract: The retention system is provided for a threaded member (14, 54) and an electrical connector (10) which includes a sheet metal shield (46) juxtaposed on a dielectric housing (32). A threaded hole (58) is provided in the shield (46) for 4 threadingly receiving the threaded member (14, 54). A hole (64) is provided in the dielectric housing (32) behind the threaded hole (58) in the shield (46) for threadingly receiving the threaded member (14, 54) after the shank 54 of the threaded member (14, 54) passes through the threaded hole (58) in the shield (46).During assembly, the threaded members (14, 15) self thread into interfering portions of the housing (32) defined by the housing holes (64) to thereby increase the resistance of threading in order to prevent stripping of the threaded holes (58) in the shield (46).

Abstract: A method and structure of an electrical connector is provided for tuning the impedance of the connector according to a given impedance of an electrical circuit in which the connector is interconnected. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a receptacle for receiving a complementary mating connector. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing. The terminals include body portions located in the housing and contact portions located at the receptacle for engaging appropriate terminals of the mating connector when inserted into the receptacle. The areas of the body portions of the terminals are selectively varied to vary the capacitance of the terminals and, therefore, the impedance of the connector to match the given impedance of the electrical circuit.

Abstract: A board-to-board connector assembly includes two interengaging plug connector and receptacle connector halves with power and signal terminals integrated therein. Each of the plug and receptacle connector halves include respective dual plug and receptacle housings spaced apart from each other in a substantially parallel relationship. The dual connector housings of the plug and receptacle connector halves are evenly spaced apart by bridging pieces which extend between the connector housings to connect them together. The bridging pieces may either be integrally formed with the connector housings or they may be separately formed from the connector housings and include engagement members which engage the connector housings. The bridging pieces have power terminals disposed therein so that the connector assembly effects a connection not only between signal circuits of the circuit boards, but also between power circuits.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved termination apparatus for use in making wire harnesses. The apparatus includes: a connector holder for holding connectors in line; a connector holder drive; a punch for termination a selected terminal of a connector onto a selected wire; a wire insertion-and-guide station for inserting and guiding a wire to the termination position, a detector means for detecting arrival of the inserted wire at the termination position and a test pin for establishing a circuit with the inserted wire; and, a control circuit for controlling the connector holder drive. Under operation of the control circuit, a connector in the connector holder is first aligned with the termination punch.

Abstract: An electrical wire length measuring apparatus is capable of minimizing any error of the wire feed amount of respective wire per each measurement cycle and can realize more accurate length measurement of the wires. The measuring apparatus includes a plurality of wire length measuring roller assemblies that are arranged in parallel arrangement to each other, but extend perpendicular to the wire feed direction. Each of the wire length measuring roller assemblies feed a single wire independent of each other. Each of the wire length measuring roller assemblies are driven by a corresponding toothed belt which in turn is driven by an associated motor. The arrangement of the motors permits the wire measuring roller assemblies to be positioned nearer the outlet end of the apparatus to minimize feeding error.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing the free ends of individual wires of a multi-conductor cable is disclosed. The apparatus includes a wire nest for separating the individual wires into distinct multiple wire sets and each wire of the wire sets includes multiple conductive strands. A wire stripper is provided in alignment with the wire nest to grip outer insulative coverings of the wires in each set and strip a preselected length of the covering therefrom. A wire twister is provided generally adjacent the wire stripper to engage and twist the multiple strands of each wire and a trimming knife cuts the exposed, twisted wires after they have been twisted.

Abstract: Connector mounting jigs for simultaneously positioning and mounting a plurality of electrical connectors on a printed circuit board include a base member, and at least two sets of pairs of synthetic resin posts extending from one surface of and formed integrally with the base member for frictional engagement of respective corners of a cavity of each connector to support respective connectors in a predetermined positional relationship to each other.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for mating with a complementary connector. The electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a mating portion. A cross-shaped ground plate structure is disposed in the mating portion of the housing when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector. The cross-shaped ground plate structure defines four plate edges and four quadrants. At least one terminal is mounted in the mating portion of the housing in at least some of the quadrants defined by the cross-shaped ground plate structure. A pair of outboard terminals are mounted in the mating portion of the housing outside a pair of the plate edges of the cross-shaped ground plate structure.