Abstract: A flame-retardant shield or cap for isolating a fastener securing a high current connection to a conductor in a power distribution box (PDB) is manufactured separately from a much larger PDB cover that is not made from flame-retardant material. The cap has a closed end and sides forming an inner chamber for isolating the fastener from the cover and a surface of the PDB on which electrical components are received and mounted. The closed end and sides of the cap snap into a cup-shaped extension positioned on an underside of the cover such that when the cover is closed over the PDB an open end of the cap receives the fastener.

Abstract: A grommet mainly made of soft, pliable material has a flange section for sealing against a first side of a vehicle panel around an aperture through the panel. A groove separates the flange section from a conical section that tapers from the groove to a narrower tubular section for tightly fitting around a wire harness passed through the grommet. The conical section has a wider end adjacent the groove that presses against a second, opposite side of the panel when the groove receives an edge of the aperture and the grommet is seated on the panel. The conical section has a region that engages the edge of the aperture as the grommet is pulled to an installed position. A plurality of raised, hard, rigid contact pads are arranged in a circumferential row around the engagement region to provide low friction while sliding past the edge of the aperture when the grommet is pulled through the aperture.

Abstract: A grommet fits around a wire harness and seats within and passes through an opening in a vehicle panel. The grommet has an internal tube section for snugly receiving the harness. At a first end of the grommet, a flange section is sized to seal against one side of the opening. A groove immediately adjacent the flange section receives an edge of the opening. From a side of the groove opposite the flange section, a tapered section converges to the tube section at a second end of the grommet. An engagement area of the tapered section immediately adjacent the groove is wider than a depth of the groove, so the engagement area rubs against the edge of the opening as the second end of the grommet and the tapered section are pulled through the opening. Multiple circumferential rows of depressions are provided around the tapered section within the boundaries of the engagement area. The depressions are circular in shape at an outer surface of the engagement area and bowl-shaped extending into the tapered section.

Abstract: A lever is attached to a power distribution module by a bracket. The lever has cam elements positioned over a conductor connected to the power distribution system within the module. The cam elements each have a rounded surface and an adjacent flat surface. The conductor is bowed away from a nonconductive supporting surface of the module. A locating pin extends from the nonconductive surface near the conductor. An eyelet terminal on the end of a power supply cable from a battery or alternator is placed over the locating pin to properly position the terminal between the cam elements and the bowed conductor. The lever is operated to rotate the cam elements. The rounded surfaces press the terminal down upon the bowed conductor, deflecting the conductor until the flat surfaces of the cam elements move into contact with the terminal and hold the lever in position. A secondary, releasable latch on the module secures the lever in a position fully connecting the terminal to the conductor.

Abstract: A right-angle coaxial cable connector has an inner cable stop for positioning an end of a coaxial cable in a specific location within an electrically conductive connector housing. A terminal device of the connector includes a center contact terminal with insulation displacement blades on one end. A dielectric member is sandwiched between the center contact terminal and an outer electrical contact. The cable stop surface may be a direct projection from the housing or an extension of the dielectric member. The projection or dielectric member electrically isolates a conductive core of the cable from the connector housing. Full insertion of the terminal device or a part of the terminal device into the connector housing causes the blades to cut through insulation of the cable and electrically connect the conductive core of the cable with the center contact terminal.

Abstract: A gauge or dial has multiple displays for indicating various vehicle operating conditions. Pointers indicate a range of measured values on some of the displays. A fixed hub covers ends of the pointers where they connect with their drive shafts and extend through the dial. The hub has a display screen with a graphic or symbol imprinted on it. A conduit directly under the hub on an opposite side of the dial extends to a printed circuit board. A light emitting diode is mounted on the printed circuit board within the conduit. Light from the diode is reflected through the conduit to backlight the symbol on the display screen. Switching on and off of the diode is controlled in response to sensing or measurement of a vehicle condition or vehicle component operation, such as a turn signal.

Abstract: A first electrical wire terminal is designed to mate with a second, identical electrical wire terminal rotated ninety degrees about a longitudinal axis and turned to face the first terminal. In one embodiment, the first and second terminals each have an insertion member and a semi-rectangular receiving member forming a slot. The slot has a bowed side providing a resilient contact surface biased against the insertion member. The insertion member and the receiving member are arranged in a pattern such that they have adjacent edges with the insertion member extending perpendicular to the receiving member. The receiving member includes an aperture for accepting a projection on the insertion member to help maintain the electrical contact. In another embodiment, each terminal has a pair of insertion members and a pair of receiving members. The pairs are arranged in a box-like pattern with the insertion members having adjacent edges and the receiving members having adjacent edges as well.

Abstract: A reflector provides different-colored backlighting to indicia and a background field of an instrument dial. The dial is mounted on a reflector, forming an interior space. The reflector is assembled on a printed circuit board (PCB). A recessed section of the reflector has an opening exposing a portion of the PCB to the interior space. Another section of the reflector provides a short tube having an inner cavity suspended over the opening. A first group of light emitting diodes is mounted on the exposed portion of the PCB under the tube such that light from the first group is reflected through the inner cavity to light a pointer. A second group of light emitting diodes having a different color is mounted outside the tube and backlights the indicia of the dial. A gap between the exposed portion of the PCB and an end of the tube enables light to leak from the inner cavity and backlight the background field of the dial a different color than the indicia.

Abstract: In a smart or intelligent electrical connector assembly, a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted in a first connector has circuit traces that extend from various locations on the PCB to a single, particular area between edges of the PCB. Components such as switches and microcontrollers for controlling the connector assembly circuits are electrically connected to the traces at the various locations. A terminal block is mounted at the single, particular area. The terminal block has terminals with ends electrically connected with the traces. The other ends of the terminals extend outward from surfaces of the block towards the edges of the PCB. Wire harness terminals within the first connector and within a second, mating connector of the assembly electrically connect with the terminal block terminals.

Abstract: A ferrule is designed to be laser welded to a fiber optic cable. The ferrule has an inner annular wall and an outer cylindrical surface. Sets of cavities are spaced along the inner annular wall of the ferrule. Each cavity is connected to the outer surface of the ferrule by an open passage. The inner annular wall of the ferrule leads to a narrow channel for receiving a length of exposed core of the cable. The inner annular wall is sized to snugly receive an outer covering of the cable. When a fiber optic cable end is inserted into the ferrule and the exposed core extends through the channel, lasers are directed through the passages and cavities to melt the outer covering of the fiber. The outer covering expands into the cavities and secures the cable within the ferrule when the lasers are removed and the covering cools. The cavities provide an increased bonding surface area.

Abstract: A mounting device has a lock component attached to a wire harness shield and a bracket component for attachment to an engine part. The bracket component has two spaced, upright parallel arms defining an opening between them. The arms have free ends extending toward each other and separated by a gap. The lock component has a box-like shape with spaced sides. A deflectable section is formed in a first side. A stem extends from the deflectable section toward a second side of the lock component and through a slot in the second side. A push element is formed on an end of the stem extending from the slot. Latches or ledges are formed on ramp-shaped protrusions formed on the deflectable section on each side of the stem. When the lock component receives the parallel arms of the bracket component, the free ends of the arms act on the protrusions to force the deflectable section outward until the ledges snap beneath the free ends of the arms.

Abstract: An angled connector has a main body and a cover hinged to the main body. When the cover is in an open position, the main body receives a bent terminal attached to a coaxial cable. When the cover is swung to a closed position on the main body, the main body and cover form a particularly configured or tuned cavity that follows the bend of the terminal. The cavity has walls spaced from but shaped to match the bend in the terminal, providing a smooth direction transition to minimize radio frequency interference caused by the change in direction of a signal through the terminal. A ferrule on the cable is slid over engaging parts of the cover and main body to hold the cover in the closed position and secure the terminal in the connector. The cavity could use air as a dielectric or could be lined with a dielectric member. The dielectric member is fit around the bent terminal. The dielectric member has hinged pieces if needed to enable ease of assembly of the terminal and connector.

Abstract: A connector assembly has mating first and second electrical connectors and a holder in which the mated connectors are adjustable in an axial direction. The holder secures the first connector in a first position wherein electrical terminals within the first connector are engaged with shorting contacts in the holder. The first connector is held in this position while the second connector is pushed into the holder and mated with the first connector, causing terminals within the second connector to be brought into electrical connection with the terminals in the first connector and releasing the first connector from the holder securement. Further pushing of the second connector into the holder locks the connectors together and moves the mated connectors as a unit to a second position within the holder. Simultaneously, parts of the first connector force the shorting contacts out of electrical connection with the terminals. These parts exert a wiping action on the shorting contacts.

Abstract: A power management system comprises a busboard for selectively managing the power from a forty-two volt source and a fourteen volt source in a vehicle dual voltage electrical system. The busboard has a lower plate with recesses for receiving variously configured busbars. The busbars have upright terminals for electrical connection with the voltage sources. The power from the voltage sources is directed along the busbars to other terminals extending at assorted locations from the busboard. An upper cover fits over the lower plate and covers the recesses. The upper cover has an area accommodating the forty-two volt source and housings for partially enclosing the other terminals. One of the housings forms a forty-two volt jump start post. Another of the housings forms a fourteen volt jump start post.

Abstract: An instrument panel comprises multiple instrument clusters with differently arranged display devices. The clusters are selectable and viewable one at a time behind a viewing surface. The clusters are mounted on a single support or frame. A rotating mechanism controlled by a vehicle driver moves the selected cluster into the line of sight of the viewing surface. A source of light backlights only the selected cluster when the selected cluster is lined up with the viewing surface. A reflector between the light sources and cluster spreads the backlighting evenly across the cluster. The light source is set on a PCB that includes a microcontroller for controlling the lights and sending display information to each cluster.

Abstract: A diagnostic relay has a casing mounted on a relay base and enclosing components of the relay. The casing includes a top wall having a plurality of apertures. The apertures are aligned with contacts inside the casing. The contacts are integral with or electrically connected to relay prongs traversing the base. A diagnostician replaces a circuit relay with the diagnostic relay, then inserts probes of a circuit tester through selected apertures into engagement with the contacts to determine the location of faults in the circuit. In one embodiment, the casing is clear or transparent so the diagnostician may observe whether moving components of the diagnostic relay are operating properly.

Abstract: A reflector for backlighting an indicating instrument has two groups of flutes arranged for evenly distributing light and reducing bright spots. A plate has a recessed portion for receiving the indicating instrument and a semi-bowl-shaped compartment extending away from the plate and opening to the indicating instrument. The compartment has a base with a central projection formed by parabolic flutes and a semi-circular wall connecting the base with the recessed portion of the plate. The semi-circular wall has an inner surface facing the parabolic flutes. The inner surface has flutes extending in a radial direction from the base. Two apertures are positioned in the compartment across a boundary between the base and semi-circular wall. The apertures each receive a light emitting diode mounted on a printed circuit board when the board is assembled on the reflector. The parabolic flutes distribute the light from the light emitting diodes to evenly backlight the indicating instrument.

Abstract: A sensor is attached to a backing plate of a brake pad. The sensor comprises a metal arm extending to one side of the brake pad. The metal arm is electrically insulated from the backing plate. A tab made from a dielectric material projects from a free end of the arm in the same direction that the brake pad extends from the backing plate. The tab is bonded to the arm by an electrically conductive paste. The tab has a wear face spaced from the backing plate the same distance as a brake surface of the brake pad. When a brake is applied by a vehicle operator, both the brake pad brake surface and the tab wear face frictionally engage a brake rotor fixed to a wheel hub. The dielectric material is selected so the tab wears at the same rate as the brake pad. A lead wire connected to the arm enables the capacitance of the tab to be measured by a grounded capacitance meter when the brake is applied. The capacitance changes as the dielectric material wears away.

Abstract: A forearm and wrist support for computer mouse users. The support is made of a foam inner cushion covered by an outer shell of soft, durable, breathable material. The foam has a density which resists bending. The outer shell may be, for example, POLARTEC fabric. The bottom surface of the support is comprised of nylon for smooth, easy, controllable sliding movement of the support over a table or desk top. The length of the support is sized to hold the elbow and wrist in a straight line, supporting the underside of the wrist and nearly the entire length of the forearm. A groove extends along the length of the support and is contoured to provide a comfortable, natural rest without gripping the forearm. The wrist end of the support inclines outward from the bottom surface of the support to the groove depth so the mouse may be snugly fit against the wrist end of the support.