Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for components that are rotatable relative to one another, such as a steering column and a steering wheel for a vehicle. The assembly comprises a steering column cassette and an opposed mateable steering wheel cassette. Concentric recesses are formed in the mating face of at least one of the cassettes. The opposed mating surfaces are further defined by discrete concentric conductive portions formed on or disposed in the cassettes. At least one resilient electrically conductive contact member is resiliently engaged between the cassettes to make redundant electrical contact with the opposed cassette. The cassettes may be appropriately configured for environmental sealing.

Abstract: A connector assembly is provided for electrically connected closely-spaced circuit elements disposed on two printed circuit boards one of which has a mating edge and a surface with a linear array of contact pads adjacent the edge. An elongate dielectric housing has a cavity along its length for receiving the mating edge of the one printed circuit board. The housing is mountable to the other of the printed circuit boards. A plurality of thin contact members are mounted on the housing to form a closely-spaced linear terminal array. Each contact member is adapted to engage a contact pad when the one printed circuit board is inserted into the cavity. Each contact member has a mounting socket, and the housing has a mounting post positionable in the mounting socket to seat the contact member on the housing.

Abstract: A tool head for use in crimping a connector to a conductor, where the connector and conductor extend in a longitudinal direction. The tool head defines a crimping area about which a plurality of crimping nibs are mounted for movement into the crimping area so that the nibs act to indent the connector during a crimping operation of the tool head. Each nib is elongated and includes a connector indenting surface formed by a segment of a cylinder the axis of which extends transverse to the direction of elongation of the nib. In the preferred embodiment, four nibs are provided to define two opposing pairs of nibs. The nibs of one opposing pair are elongated generally transverse to the longitudinal direction of the connector, and the other opposing pair of nibs are elongated generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the connector. Therefore, the nibs of each pair are elongated generally perpendicular to the nibs of the opposite pair.

Abstract: A reinforced latch structure for electrical connectors is provided. The latch structure comprises at least one latch on one connector in a mateable pair which is resiliently deflectable about a first axis and which is disposed to contact a cam on the opposed connector during mating. The deflectable latch and/or the cam on the opposed connector define a leading ramp surface, a trailing ramp surface and a locking surface. The leading ramp surface is disposed to resiliently deflect the latch arm and develop stored energy therein. The trailing ramp surface employs the stored energy developed in the latch arm to urge the connectors toward a fully mated condition. The latch arm includes a spring steel wire insert for reinforcement, such that the plastic latch arm does not become permanently deformed. The connectors may be disengaged from one another by biasing the latch arm about a second axis away from the associated connector a sufficient amount to clear the cam and enable disengagement of the connectors.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided including a panel mountable connector that can float relative to a mounting aperture in the panel and that is self-alignable relative to the mounting aperture. The floating connector includes a generally rectangular housing having a mounting flange extending outwardly therefrom. The connector further includes clusters of deflectable beams extending from each side. The deflectable beams include a locking beam having a locking projection for engaging a side of the panel opposite the side engaged by the panel. Each cluster further includes a pair of deflectable centering beams for centering and rotationally aligning the connector to the mounting aperture in the panel.

Abstract: A floating panel mount for an electrical connector is provided. The floating panel mount includes a central support post from which a pair of helically configured inwardly collapsible vanes extend. The vanes are tapered to define a minor cross sectional dimension less than the diameter of a mounting aperture in the panel and a major dimension which exceeds the diameter of the mounting aperture. The vanes are helically collapsed in response to ramping forces generated as the floating panel mount is urged into the mounting aperture of the panel. The vanes then resiliently return to their undeflected condition to engage the panel. In this mounted condition, the vanes permit radial float of the electrical connector relative to the panel, but prevent backup in response to mating forces.

Abstract: An electrical connector housing with a latch structure is provided. The latch is releasably engageable with corresponding structure on a mateable electrical connector housing. The latch structure resiliently and deflectably extends from the electrical connector housing. At least one rib extends from the surface of the electrical connector housing adjacent the deflectable end of the latch structure to prevent fishhooking of cables or the like into the space between the latch structure and the housing. The rib for preventing such fishhooking is further engageable with the latch structure to prevent overstress. Side walls disposed in spaced relationship to the latch structure may further prevent overstress and fishhooking.

Abstract: A multi-conductor electrical connector for mounting on a printed circuit board which includes two rows of staggered insertion holes. The connector includes a housing having an elongate cavity. A contact strip is formed with a continuous carrier and laterally extending contacts gang-mountable in the elongate cavity of the housing. Each contact includes a conductor receptacle positionable in the cavity, and a pair of laterally spaced terminal tails projecting through the housing from the cavity. The terminal tails are independently severable whereby a terminal tail of any contact can be inserted into a hole in either row of staggered insertion holes in the printed circuit board. The contact receptacle is formed by an anvil portion and a spring finger portion. The terminal tails are stamped and formed out of the anvil portion and the spring finger portion of the contact.

Abstract: A lockable electrical connector assembly which includes a plug terminal having a locking opening therein. A sheet metal receptacle is provided for receiving the plug terminal. The receptacle has a bottom wall, a pair of upstanding side walls terminating in end portions turned inwardly over the bottom wall for engaging the plug terminal, and a resilient tongue cut-out of an opening in the bottom wall. The tongue has a tang for locking in the opening in the plug terminal for securing the terminal against removal from the receptacle. The tongue projects below the bottom wall of the receptacle for exposure to bend the tongue and release the plug terminal. Stop tabs also are cut-out of the opening in the bottom wall of the receptacle in the path of bending movement of the tongue to prevent overstressing the tongue by limiting the amount of bending movement of the tongue.

Abstract: An electrical connector for making connection to a conductor cable, including a connector block which has an anvil surface against which the conductor cable is positionable. A resilient electrical contact member is fixed to the connector block and has an abutment portion for engaging the conductor cable opposite the anvil surface. The electrical contact terminates in a free end extending angularly at an acute angle away from the abutment portion and the anvil surface. A cover member has an inner contact engaging surface and is affixed to the connector block in a direction of movement transverse to the anvil surface. The inner surface of the cover member engages the free end of the contact member to drive the abutment portion of the contact member into engagement with the conductor cable. The abutment portion is caused to wipe the conductor cable due to the angular orientation of the free end of the contact member.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical connector for a flexible flat cable comprising a connector housing having a plurality of terminals arranged therein and a connector cover removably mounted on the connector housing. The connector cover has a pressure blade which displaces each terminal thereby resiliently holding flat conductors on the cable between a contact portion of each terminal and the blade as well as electrically connecting the flat conductors and the contact portions of the terminal. The flexible flat cable is provided with a lock hole between the flat conductors thereon and a lock plate having a projection in a free end thereof mounted between the terminals. In addition, a support blade is mounted under the pressure blade of the connector cover. When the flexible flat cable is inserted and the connector cover is pushed into the connector housing, the lock hole of the cable becomes engaged with the projection of the lock plate.

Abstract: An electrical connector used for interconnecting one or more conductors on the same or different printed circuit boards comprising two mold members having terminal bodies with each end inserted into the mold members until they protrude from the bottom and with a bent portion between the mold members maintaining a distance greater than the distance required to insert the mold members and terminal bodies into through holes of a printed circuit board. The connector is used in conjunction with a pair of chuck members and a stop member to place the connector mold members in alignment so that the protruding terminal portions can be accurately inserted into through holes of a printed circuit board with the use of automatic robot means.

Abstract: An electronic device which includes a circuit sheet having a conductive path thereon. An adhesive is deposited on the conductive path, the adhesive including a nonconductive base incorporating randomly spaced conductive particles. A circuit component is forced through the adhesive, the conductive path and the circuit sheet carrying a portion of the adhesive therewith between the circuit component and the conductive path. The carried portion of the adhesive is compressed for establishing contact between the conductive particles and thereby conductivity between the circuit component and the conductive path leaving the adhesive other than that portion in a nonconductive state.

Abstract: A multi-pin electrical connector is adapted for surface mounting on a printed circuit board. The connector includes a header or housing having a plurality of pin-receiving through holes. A plurality of terminal pins are received in the holes of the header, with portions adapted for surface mounting on circuit traces on the printed circuit board. The terminal pins have spaced enlargements located on opposite sides of the header to retain the pins in the holes. The enlargements are spaced along the pins a distance greater than the thickness of the header about the holes whereby the pins can float in the holes to accommodate any non-uniform spacing between the header and the printed circuit board and ensure contact of the terminal pin portions with the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A socket assembly is provided for low wattage bulbs. The socket assembly includes a nonconductive housing with a pair of electrically conductive terminals therein. The housing includes an inwardly directed shoulder adjacent the forward mating end an inwardly disposed locking structure. The terminals include inwardly directed locking tangs, the alignment of which prevents unintentional deformation prior to insertion of the terminal into the housing. Each terminal also includes a pair of contact beams angularly aligned toward one another. Portions of the contact beams are concave from side to side to contribute to alignment of the conductive leads of the bulb. The terminals also include tuning fork assist structures extending from an intermediate portion of the terminal forwardly for contact with the extreme forward mating end of each contact beam.

Abstract: This specification discloses a zero or low insertion force single or multiple contact electrical connector with single sided spring contacts with inherent high deflection contact capability upon insertion of a printed circuit board into the connector. The connector comprises a plurality of spring single sided contacts generally rectangularly shaped mounted in slots formed along an elongated cavity in a connector housing. Each contact pair includes a single sided deflectable contacting portion for engaging the conductive strips disposed on opposite sides of the insertable edge of the printed circuit board. The opposed contacting portions define an opening through which the edge of the printed circuit board may be inserted in the cavity with zero or low insertion force.

Abstract: This specification discloses a low-insertion-force connector for connecting a daughter printed circuit board to a mother board. A G- or U-shaped contact is disposed in a housing so that spring arms penetrate opposing sides of the cavity. Mating ramp surfaces and latches on latch arms center the connector in the housing and urge contact pads into electrical and mechanical contact with a base circuit board. Shrouds on the housing protect various portions of the connector from harmful contact with the edge of a printed circuit board when being mounted in the housing.

Abstract: An electrical connector system includes self-terminating pin and socket terminals which have forward mating ends and identical rearward wire receiving ends. The wire receiving ends are mountable in a modular rear housing. The modular rear housing is mateable with either a front plug housing or a front receptacle housing. The terminals can be mass terminated by inserting a plurality of wires into the modular rear housing and by axially advancing the modular rear housing toward the front housing component of the system. The housing components can be readily separated from one another for repair or replacement of terminals. Selected connectors may be lockingly mountable to panels and may be lockingly mateable with one another.

Abstract: Disclosed is a surface-mounted component's contact having an inverted "T"-shaped soldering portion. The contact is to be mounted to the surface of a printed circuit board, and is to be electrically connected to a conductor on the printed circuit board by soldering its soldering portion to the conductor. The soldering portion comprises a flat foot and a leg, which is integrally connected to and rising from the midportion of said foot. The relatively large foot has an effect of causing substantial reduction of the load per unit of solder upon application of an undesired force to the terminal, and of increasing the resistivity of the solder against removal from the conductor of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A universal packaging system for objects such as electrical components, connectors, semiconductors, chips, etc. includes an elongated, hollow, tubular package formed of resiliently deformable material for containing a plurality of said objects, each object having an identical or substantially similar silhouette or profile and orientated with a predetermined axis of its profile, aligned along a common longitudinal axis or line within the tube. The tubular package includes a unitary, continuous wall of flexible material defining an elongated object receiving space having a first cross-sectional shape intermediate its opposite ends that is shaped and dimensioned for holding a plurality of the objects in said line along said common axis and maintaining each object in substantially the same orientation while permitting free longitudinal movement along the line within the tube.