Abstract: A connector 60 for disk-shaped batteries 40 including a housing 62 with a battery receiving cavity 74, opposed endwalls 66 having spring arms 68 that extend outwardly from the cavity 74 for retaining the battery 40 in the housing 62, a surface mountable positive terminal 77, and a surface mountable negative terminal 79. The positive and negative terminals 77,79, are disposed in respective terminal receiving passageways 72 of the housing with spring arm contact sections 80 opposing each other along the housing sidewalls and with surface mountable connecting sections 84 of both the terminals 77,79, extending outwardly from respective the housing sidewalls 64 at the bottoms thereof.

Abstract: A straddle connector avoids scraping off the solder from the conductive pads by the connection sections of electrical contacts during the connection of the connector to a circuit board. The straddle connector 10 comprises a housing 20 having an opening 21, and a separator 30 which is pushed by an edge 52 of the circuit board 50 when the latter is inserted in the opening 21. Connection sections 41 of the contacts 40 arranged in two rows along the inner walls of the opening 21 of the housing 20 are in contact with cam surfaces 31, 32 of the separator 30 which establishes a gap between opposing connection sections 41 during the insertion of the circuit board 50. After the insertion is completed, the gap between the connection sections 41 becomes smaller than the thickness of the circuit board 50, and the connection sections are applied to the solder-coated conductive pads 51 located on the surfaces of the circuit board at an appropriate pressure without scrapping solder from the conductive pads 51.

Abstract: A surface mountable card edge connector 10 includes a housing 16 having a transverse base 18 and opposed endwalls 28; a generally C-shaped outer shell member 44; a generally C-shaped inner support member 60; two resilient members 76 disposed in channels 74 defined between portions of the shell and support members 44,60; and a flexible film circuit assembly 80. Free ends 56 of the shell member 44 define a card receiving slot 58 of selected width greater than the thickness of a card 112 insertable thereinto. Facing portions 78 of each the resilient members 76 extend into the card receiving slot 58. The film assembly 80 is disposed in a loop extending into the card receiving slot 58 and around the sides 19 of the shell member 44 such that exposed circuitry 88,90 at selected regions of the film assembly 80 is located in the card receiving slot 58 and proximate the resilient members 76.

Abstract: A connector assembly (20) includes a plug connector (22) having a housing (24) and an array of first contacts (40), the housing including latch projections (36) extending laterally from at least both of the opposed sides (30) or both the opposed ends (32) thereof; and a complementary receptacle connector (50) having a housing with a plug receiving cavity (68) and corresponding array of second contacts (70), the housing (52) including latch receiving recesses (66) adjacent the cavity floor (68) alongside at least both of the sidewalls (62) or both of the endwalls (64) corresponding to the sides (30) and ends (32) of the plug portion.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for making a connector 20 having co-planar contact surfaces including the steps of: providing a housing 22 having a plurality of contact-receiving slots 30, each having stop surfaces 32 that are precisely co-planar to define a referenced datum in the housing 22; selecting a plurality of contacts 40 having cooperating stop surfaces 44 and a surface mountable connecting portion 50 bent from a first connecting portion 42 and defining a contact surface facing away from the stop surface 44, the contacts 40 being bent at an angle slightly less than 90.degree.; inserting the contacts 40 into respective slots 30; and striking the surface mountable contact portions with a tool having a precisely planar surface and applying force thereto until the respective stop surfaces 32,44 engage each other and the second connecting portions 50 are at precisely right angles to the respective first connecting portions 42 such that the surface mountable contact surfaces are co-planar.

Abstract: A board lock device 10 holding an electrical connector 40 to a one-piece essentially planar board lock member adapted to be received in a passageway 48 extending through a connector housing 40 and a board mounting post 50 extending from a mounting face 46 thereof includes a body 12 and a pair of cantilevered beams 18 extending outwardly in a first direction in the plane from a transverse body edge 14 to free ends 24. The beams 18 defining a slot 36 therebetween. The board mounting post 50 includes a protrusion 54 extending into the passageway 48 at least at the leading end 52 thereof. The inner edges 28 of the beams 18 are adapted to enter into locking engagement with the protrusion 54 upon full insertion of the device 10 into the passageway 48 to prevent any backward movement of the device when the connector 40 is mounted to a circuit board 60.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly 20 for a card reader including a housing 24 having opposed major and minor sides 26,30 defining a card receiving mouth 32, a plurality of conductive electrical terminals 36 disposed in the housing 24 and having portions 38 thereof extending into the mouth 32, and a conductive shroud 50 encircling the housing 24, the shroud 24 having inwardly spaced contact portions extending into the mouth 32 along at least one of the major sides 26 of the housing 24, the shroud contact portions being spaced from the electrical terminal portions 38 when the shroud 50 is assembled to the housing 24. The inwardly spaced contact portions can be spring fingers 54 extending into the mouth 32 from an edge 53 of the shroud 50 or dimples 254 expressed into the mouth from an outer surface of the shroud 250.

Abstract: A card securing mechanism for retaining a card 90 in a reader includes a cam 66 pivotally mounted to a guide arm 20 associated with a side edge 94 of a card 90. The cam 66 is mounted at the entrance 34 of a card-receiving channel 30 proximate and beside a push button 36 slidably mounted along the guide arm 20 such that a first cam portion 74 can be rotated into and out of the channel 30. The first cam portion 74 has a notch 76 dimensioned to receive and secure a corner 96 of a card 90 when the card 90 is fully within a reader and the first portion 74 is rotated into the channel 30. A second cam portion 78 is adapted to be engaged by an actuator activated by the card ejection mechanism 50. The cam 66 is pivoted to a card engaging position upon insertion of a card 90 into the card reader.

Abstract: A conductive ground shroud (50) for use with an electrical connector (22) having a plurality of electrical terminals (36) with surface mountable contact sections (42) for electrically engaging circuitry (84) on a circuit board (80). The shroud (50) provides ground reference for the terminals (36). Shroud 50 includes an electrically conductive plate-like body 52 having first and second portions, (54, 62) the first portion (54) adapted to be disposed on a board remote surface (26) of the connector housing. The second portion is configured to extend over the surface mountable contact sections (42) when the shroud (50) is disposed on housing (24). The second portion (62) includes at least one second contact section (70) extending outwardly therefrom for engagement to ground circuitry of circuit board (80). The second portion further includes at least one elongated aperture (64) extending therethrough proximate the surface mountable contact sections (40).

Abstract: An initially integral terminal assembly 84; 94 useful for terminating a selected conductor 74; of a flat power cable 72 having at least two insulated conductors 74, 76 includes upper and lower plate sections 26, 50 extending in diverging directions from a common bendable hinge 46 defining a cable receiving region therebetween. Each plate section 26, 50 has at least a first portion 28, 52 corresponding to the first conductor 74 and a second portion 36, 60 associated with a second conductor 76 of the cable 72. Each portion 28, 52; 36, 60 further includes conductor terminating regions 30, 38, 54, 62 intermediate opposed upstanding side walls 42, 66 of the upper and lower plate sections 26, 50.

Abstract: The electrical wiring device 20 for power control having low voltage input includes a first electrical connection element 46 for interconnection to conductors in a first group, a second electrical connection element 50 for interconnection to conductors in a second group, a mounting strap 52 for mounting the wiring device 20 in an electrical device box 84, a housing 22 in which the first electrical connection element 46 is located, and a tubular projection 32 mountable on the housing 22, the projection 32 separating the conductors in the first group from the conductors in the second group. The first group of conductors includes power-limited Class 2 and Class 3 conductors. The second group includes electric light, power, Class 1, or non-power limited fire protection signaling conductors.

Abstract: An electrical connector 50 of the type having a C-shaped body member 52 having laterally opposing arcuate ears 60 extending therealong from a wide to a narrow end, the wide end being adapted to receive a wedge member 72 having opposed converging side surfaces 80 defining wire-receiving channels 70 in cooperation with corresponding ones of the arcuate ears 60 opposed therefrom, all for receipt thereinto of respective uninsulated wire conductors therealong to be interconnected upon compression between the wedge member 72 and the C-shaped body member 52 by actuation of a drive bolt 44 causing the wedge member 72 to be driven into the wide end of the C-shaped body member and held therein. The C-shaped body member 52 includes an axial corrugation 64 extending from a far end to a transverse section at a bolt receiving end 67 defining a bolt receiving relief 65, the relief 65 having a concave dimension just large enough to permit passage of a bolt shank therealong.

Abstract: A sealed terminal block assembly (10) includes a harness assembly (78) having first electrical terminal members (30) terminated to wires (74) of a cable (72); a housing (12) molded around the harness assembly (78), with each first terminal member (30) associated with a cavity (18) of the housing; second terminal members (46) for electrically engaging a corresponding first terminal member (30) upon insertion of the second terminal member into cavity (18); and an actuator member for moving each second terminal member (46) into electrical engagement with a second wire (80) inserted into the first terminal member (30) from a wire receiving face (26) of the housing (12).

Abstract: A fastener assembly 20 having a hook 68 for connecting a first article 78 to a continuous cable 70 includes first and second matable members 22,24, each having a body portion 26 at a cable-proximate end thereof, the body portion 26 having a work arm 32 and a cable-proximate arm extending outwardly from a mating face 28 thereof and defining therebetween a recess 48 for receiving the body portion 26 of the other member when the members are mated, and a hook portion 54. The work and cable-proximate arms 32,40 of the first member 22 are in opposite vertical orientation to the work and cable-proximate arms 32,40 of the second member 24.

Abstract: A grid array 10 of terminals 20 secured with a fusible electrically conductive material 34 usable in conjunction with a source of constant amplitude high frequency alternating current of known frequency is formed by the steps of: selecting a plurality of terminals 20 having a thin magnetic layer 30 defined thereon, transforming the terminal into a Curie point heater, each terminal 20 including a first connecting section 24 having a fusible electrically conductive material 34 disposed thereon; releasably holding each of the terminals 20 precisely positioned within an array 22 corresponding to an array 14 of circuit termini 16 of a circuit bearing article 12 such that each of the first connecting sections 24 of the terminals 20 is substantially in physical engagement with a corresponding circuit terminus 16; interposing an electrical conductor 60 connected to the source of alternating current among and adjacent each terminal 20 positioned within the array 22; subjecting each heater body to said constant current

Abstract: The filtered tap connector 10 includes a body member 12, having a pair of contact members 40 secured therein; a pusher member 50 receivable into a large recess 18 of the body member 12, the pusher member 50 having wire engaging surfaces 52 adapted to engage portions of wires 92 and urge them into electrical engagement with contact members 40; a pair of electrical components 60 of the type having a pair of spaced exterior electrodes 62, 64 disposed within cavities 26 of the body member 12 such that one of the component electrodes 62 is engaged with the corresponding contact member 40; and a biasing member 70 securable to the body member 12 remote from the large recess 18 and including a pair of arm portions 82 for engaging respective ones of the second 64 of the pair of electrodes 60, the biasing member 70 including a conductive path extending from component engaging surfaces 84 to an exposed outer surface portion and means for maintaining the biasing member 70 in the closed position.

Abstract: A power receptacle 10 includes a housing 12 having a cover plate 46 therefore and securable thereto, an associated pair of receptacle contacts 70 mounted within the housing 12, the contacts 70 each having pair of arms 74 having openings 78 therethrough to define a beam receiving passage 80 completely through the receptacle contacts 70, means for directing a beam of light through the beam receiving passage and including at least a light emitting component 58, and means for detecting a beam of light passing through the beam receiving passage at least including a light receiving component 60, at least one of the components 58, 60 being electrically connected ultimately to a microprocessor. Upon entry of complementary blades 84 of a plug of an electrically powered device into the receptacle contacts, the beam receiving passage 80 is blocked, thereby breaking transmission of light between the emitter 58 and receiver 60, which is ultimately detected by the microprocessor.

Abstract: An electrical connector of the type having a housing with terminals extending from apertures thereof, is sealed at the aperture entrances around the extending terminal portions. The sealant material is polymerized of a major proportion of at least one vinyl ester resin, a minor proportion of at least one polymerizable acrylic diluent monomer and a polymerization activation system comprising from about 0.025% to about 17% by weight of the resin, by being exposed to actinic radiation selected to activate the system. The polymerized material excludes solder and solvents from the aperture entrances.

Abstract: A low profile connector 20 including a receptacle 22 and a plug 70, each having a housing 24,72 with respective arrays of contacts 44,92 secured therein, the contacts 44,92 being of thin metal set on edge in the housings 24,72 and including edge contact surfaces 50,98 projecting from the housings 24,72 in a common plane for soldering to the circuits. Each receptacle contact 44 has a C-shaped configuration including a base 48, an intermediate portion 60 and an arm 62, the arm 62 defining a contact surface 68 adapted to mate with a corresponding plug contact surface 110, the arm 62 extending transversely of the axis in a first direction. Each plug contact 92 has an L-shaped configuration including a base 94 and a post 104 extending from the base 94 parallel to the axis, a side surface 110 of the post 104 defining a mating surface for a corresponding one of the receptacle contacts 44.

Abstract: A device 10 for holding an electrical connector 50 to a circuit board, the device 10 including a one-piece essentially planar metal member 12 with a pair of diverging cantilevered first beams 20 extending outwardly in a first direction from one body edge 14 and a pair of diverging cantilevered second beams 30 extending outwardly in a second direction from the other edge 14 of the body 12. Each of the pair of second beams 30 includes a wall engaging portion 40 at the leading ends thereof and a board holding portion 36 intermediate the wall engaging portion 40 and the body 12. The pair of first beams 20 are compressible toward one another and are adapted to be received in a cavity 58 of the electrical connector housing 52 and define a holding section for the connector 50. The pair of second beams 30 are being compressible toward one another and are adapted to be received in and cooperate with a corresponding retention aperture 84 of circuit board 80.