Abstract: A termination 76 of a conductor and a terminal includes an electrical conductor 46 having insulation 40 therearound and extending to an end 48 exposed at an end 42 of the insulation. The terminal 60 includes a termination end 70 having at least a pair of cutting edges 72 aligned with the conductor 46. The cutting edges 72 are sliced into the end of the conductor 46 a selected axial distance and receive a first portion 52 of the conductor 46 between the cutting edges 72 and outer portions 54 of the conductor 46 along outer surfaces of the termination end 70 of the terminal 60.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (10) includes a housing (24) having an inner terminal (50) with a spring biasing member (54), an outer conductive shell (14), and an electrical component (60) having electrodes (62) on ends thereof disposed in a recess (28) of the housing (24). The recess (28) is adjacent an inner surface of the shell (14) and the spring biasing member (54). The component is completely enclosed within the assembly (10) and is biased against the shell (14) with the electrodes (62) thereof in electrical engagement with the biasing member (54) and the inner surface of the shell (14). The improvement comprises a soldered connection (64) between the biasing member (54) and one of the electrodes (62) of the component (60) whereby the soldered connection assuredly maintains the position of the component (60) during the assembly process and thereafter.

Abstract: A card (12) is inserted by pushing against a rubber roller (44) at the leading end of the card (12). The action of the rubber roller (44) pivots an actuation lever (24) to actuate a switch (36), which, in turn, starts a motor (16). The card (12) is moved inwardly by the rotation of the rubber roller (44) thereby pushing the card against support legs (62) causing a pinion (58) to engage with a rack (56) mounted on a card holder (48). The card holder (48) then holds the card (12) and is driven by the pinion (58) causing hook portions (84a, 84b) of pushing arms (72a, 72b) to engage the trailing edge (12b) of the card (12) thereby connecting the card (12) with contact pins (22) of an electrical connector (20) by pushing the card at its trailing edge.

Abstract: A connector 20 for disk-shaped batteries 90 including a housing 22 with a battery receiving cavity 48, opposed end walls 30 having spring arms 32 that extend outwardly from the cavity 48 for retaining the battery 90 in the housing 22, and terminals 50 connector 20 is adapted for receiving a battery in a horizontal orientation. The lower and upper terminals 52, 54 are disposed in respective terminal receiving passageways 36, 42 of the housing 22 with spring arm contact sections 60 opposing each other along the housing side walls 24,28 and with surface mountable connecting sections 70 of both the terminals 52,54 extending outwardly from the housing base 34 at spaced locations for electrical connection to pads on a circuit board.

Abstract: The assembly of contacts for printed circuit boards 1, 1a consists of contacts 2, 2' and a housing 4, 4' fabricated by insert molding method. The mounting sections 8, 8' have lugs which fit into openings made in pads of the printed circuit board 50 in a staggered pattern. The printed circuit board assembly 70 consists of the printed circuit board 50 with contact assemblies 1, 1a attached to the bottom edge 56 and front edge 62 by surface mounting technique.

Abstract: A right-angle coaxial electrical connector (22) mountable to a circuit board includes a housing (24) having a plurality of contact-receiving passageways (32) and at least two coaxial contacts (36, 38) disposed in the same column defining a stacked configuration. Each coaxial contact (36, 38) includes an inner terminal and an outer conductor, the inner terminal including a right angle body portion (46) extending outwardly of the housing (24) and concluding in a first connecting portion (44) adapted for mounting to the circuit board. A metal shell (64) having two interlocking halves joinable at opposed assembly faces is disposed over the outwardly extending body portion (46) of the inner terminal thereof and engageable with the outer conductor for connection to ground. In one embodiment, the inner terminal is comprised of two terminal subassemblies (40, 52). As an alternative, the connector housing (222) could be used with an intermixture of board mountable contacts (36, 38) and cable terminated contacts (235).

Abstract: A connector (10) including a housing (12) and a plurality of terminals (40) extending in respective passageways (30) through the housing (12) from a mating face (14) to a board-mounting face (16) , the terminals (40) having board-mounting sections (60) extending beyond the board-mounting face (16) . Each passageway (30) has a preselected dimension from an outer housing wall (20) to an inner housing wall (26) . Each terminal (40) has a thickness dimension less than the passageway dimension. The board-mounting section (60) and at least a portion of the body section (50) of the terminal (40) adjacent thereto is embossed laterally from the plane of the body section a selected distance. Upon staking the terminals (40) in the respective passageways (30) , the embossed portion (52) of each terminal (40) is disposed adjacent the outer housing wall (20) and the remaining portion of the body section (50) is disposed adjacent an inner housing wall (26) .

Abstract: A pivotable connector assembly includes first and second matable connectors (20, 20) adapted to be brought into mated engagement by rotating the connectors in a first angular direction about a center of pivoting, and adapted to be disengaged by rotating the connectors in an opposite second angular direction about the center of pivoting. Each connector (20) includes a housing (22) having at least one contact having an arcuate section mounted therein. One of the contacts (96) is rigidly mounted within its respective connector housing and the other of the contacts (60) is resiliently mounted within its respective connector housing such that upon mating of the first and second connectors (20, 20) the arcuate section of the resiliently mounted contact (60) is engaged by the arcuate section of the rigidly mounted contact (96) along an elongate mating path and laterally deflected therefrom under bias.

Abstract: A electrical connector (10) adapted to be inserted into and retained in a panel opening (46) includes a dielectric housing (12) having flanges (22) extending outwardly from opposed sides (16) thereof proximate a panel mounting face (14), each flange (22) having a resilient latching arm (24) and a spacing arm (30) extending forwardly therefrom, the spacing arm (30) being outward of the latching arm (24). The latching arm (24) has a latching surface (26) at the leading end thereof. The leading end (32) of the spacing arm (30) is spaced rearwardly from the latching surface (26) a selected distance such that, upon inserting the connector (10) into the panel opening (46) from the second side (44), the latching arms (24) engage the first side (42) of the panel (40) and the leading ends (32) of the spacing arms (30) engage the second side (44), thereby securing the connector (10) in the panel opening (46).

Abstract: An antenna (20) including a continuous planar conductor (22) in a coaxial connector. The planar conductor (22) is made by stamping an array of slots (30) in a continuous sheet of metal with ends of adjacent slots (30) being offset from each other in an alternating pattern of long and short slot portions (32, 36) on each side of a centerline of the array; at least filling each slot (30) with a dielectric material (50), thereby defining a slot filled strip; and cutting along each side of the slot-filled strip intersecting each filled long slot portion (32) at a sufficient distance from the ends of adjacent ones of the filled short slot portions (36) to define a strap (42) of metal connecting the metal strips on each side of each slot (30).

Abstract: A device (20) for coupling first and second electrical connectors (40,70) comprises a dielectric member having a plurality of openings (32) extending therethrough, a first portion (34) of the openings (32) being adapted to grip corresponding exposed body portions (68) of terminals (60) secured in a first connector (40), and a second portion (36) of the openings (32) being adapted to grip corresponding exposed body portions (98) of terminals (90) secured in a second connector (70). Upon placing the first and second connectors (40, 70) adjacent each other and positioning the openings (32) in gripping relationship with respective body portions (68, 98) of the terminals (60,90) of the first and second connectors (40,60), the device (20) mechanically secures together the first and second connectors (40, 70) adjacent each other.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (10) includes an insulating housing (12) and assembled thereto a plurality of terminal modules (30) and electrically conductive shields (60) therebetween. Each terminal module (30) includes an alternating pattern of first and second contacts (42,44), the intermediate portions (50) thereof being formed at selected locations therealong such that the intermediate portions of the first contacts (42) are encapsulated in the insulating web (54) proximate a first side surface (32) and the intermediate portions of the second contacts (44) are encapsulated in the web (54) proximate the second major surface (34) of the module. In the assembled connector (10), the first contacts (42) are spaced more closely to shield (60) along surface (32) and the second contacts (44) are spaced more closely to shield (60) along surface (34) thereby assuring primary coupling between each signal contact (40) and a respective ground shield (60) rather than to an adjacent signal contact (40).

Abstract: A surface mounted miniature electrical connector (12) includes a housing (14) having at least a pair of terminal-receiving cavities (30), each having an electrical terminal (40) disposed therein. Each terminal (40) includes a planar body portion (48) having a contact-receiving receptacle (41) defined at one end and a solder tail (56) extending from the other end. The body portion (48) is disposed along a central wall (22) of the housing (14) dividing the at least one pair of terminal-receiving cavities (30) with the solder tail (56) extending outwardly of the housing cavity (30) and then at a right angle to the body portion (48) along the mounting face (26) of the connector (12). The solder tail (56) extends beyond an outer wall (16) of the housing (14) to a contact section (60) adjacent a free end thereof for electrical connection to a respective circuit pad of a circuit board.

Abstract: A card reader 20 includes a dielectric housing 22, a plurality of resilient connector elements 70 disposed along the bottom wall 28 of the housing 22 and adapted to establish electrical connection between contact pads 104 of a circuit board 102 and contact pads 96 of a card 90 inserted into a card-receiving slot 40 of the reader 20, a horizontal plate 42 slidably mounted within the housing 22, and an actuator 54 for moving the plate 42. The horizontal plate 42 is proximate the top surface of the housing 22 and is movable upon actuation toward a card 90 inserted into the card receiving slot 40 beneath the plate 42 to exert pressure on and moving the card 90 toward said bottom wall 28 to effect electrical engagement between the contact pads 96 of the card 90 and the resilient connector elements 70 that, in turn, engage the contact pads 104 of the board 102.

Abstract: A method of removing electrical terminals (14) having a compressible compliant section (16) disposed within a circuit board through-hole (46) in an interference fit, the terminal insertion end (18) projecting from the through-hole (46) and beyond a remote surface (44) thereof when fully inserted. The method includes the steps of: providing a tool (50)having a work surface (54) including an array of work sites (56), each associated with a terminal (14); urging the work surface (54) of the tool (50) against the remote side (44) of the board (40) and performing a work step on the insertion end (18) to at least temporarily alter the insertion end at the through-hole exit thereby reducing the retention force; and pulling the terminal (14) from the through-hole from the insertion side (42) of the board. In one embodiment an aperture (56) in the tool (50) is dimensioned to receive the insertion end and the alternation step includes compressing the outwardly extending portion of the compliant section.

Abstract: An electrical connector (12) including an insulative body (14) defining at least one row of terminal sites (36) containing respective terminals (40), the body (14) defining a connection face (16) and an opposed face (18) extending between opposed first and second sides (20, 28). At least one of the first and second sides (20, 28) defines a web (22, 30) between adjacent ones of all the terminals sites (36), whereby each web (22, 30) is adapted to be easily removed to define a corresponding keyway (26, 34). The connector (12) is thereby programmable to correspond with a complementary keyed electrical article (50).

Abstract: A card holder (10) for a card (11), such as a PCB, includes a bottom member (13) and a top cover (14) which easily snap together to enclose the card (11) therebetween. The bottom member (13) may be made from a precision hot-flow semi-solid aluminum forging operation, and the top cover (14) may be made as an aluminum stamping. The overall assembly of the card holder (10) has high mechanical strength and rigidity, and the top member (14) merely serves as a cover. A substantially complete EMI shielding is provided, and both members are hard anodized for electrical insulation. The card holder (10) is cost-effective, yet rugged and reliable, and the anodizing provides a pleasing product appearance. An injection molding operation is not necessary, and a separate plastic part is eliminated.

Abstract: A surface mountable electrical connector (20) includes an insulating housing (22) having a coaxial subassembly receiving cavity (54) extending thereinto to a cavity bottom (56) proximate the mounting face (28); a coaxial subassembly 60) having center and outer conductors (66, 76); and first and second contacts (82, 92) along the mounting face and extending into the housing to resilient inner ends (84, 94) exposed proximate the cavity bottom. The resilient inner ends are engaged by portions of the center and outer conductors (66, 76) at the insertion end of the coaxial subassembly (60) upon full insertion into the cavity. The first and second contacts (82, 92) include outer contact sections (88, 98) adapted to be surface mounted to a circuit board. The arrangement incorporates a coaxial contact into a multiple contact hybrid connector (20) fully surface mountable to a circuit board.

Abstract: A contact retention system using a self-seating contact (56) includes a housing (22) having at least one contact receiving passageway (30) and a contact (56) associated therewith. Contact (56) has leading and trailing end portions (62, 80) and an intermediate body portion (66). Body portion (66) has a dimension wider than end portions (62, 80) and defines forwardly facing and rearwardly facing latch surfaces (76, 74). Each of opposed passageway side surfaces (36, 42) has a latching projection (38, 44) extending toward the other passageway side surface (44, 38) defining forwardly and rearwardly facing stop surfaces (40, 46) offset from at least one edge (74, 76) of the contact (56) and axially spaced at a slightly greater length that the length of the body portion (66).

Abstract: A dimmer switch 2 for use in a lighting or electrical power control system includes an air gap switch 20 for open circuiting the load from the source of electrical power. Normal load control is provided by power control circuitry on a printed circuit board 24 in the dimmer switch 2. The air gap switch 20 includes two opposed contact springs 30 mounted on the same printed circuit board. These contact springs 30 include contact tabs 32 normally held in contact. An air gap actuator post 50 molded on one end of a dimmer switch rocker 4 can be moved between the contact tabs 32 to open the air gap switch 20. Convex latching surfaces or ridges 38 on each contact spring 30 engage channels 52 on the air gap actuator post 50 to disengagably hold the post 50 in place. The rocker 4 is rotated from a neutral position to a normal actuation position to activate push button switches 26 on the printed circuit board 24, and the rocker 4 can be rotated further to bring the air gap actuator between contact tabs 32.