Abstract: A fiber optic sensor for the sensing of forces imposed on the sensor in a predetermined direction comprises a housing and an optical fiber of a type which is self-deformable in response to forces imposed on the sensor. The housing retentively engages first and second opposed ends of the fiber and places the fiber in tangential contiguity with an interior surface of the housing. The housing defines a cavity aside the fiber permitting movement of the fiber therein and distal from the tangential contiguity thereof with the interior surface. In the predetermined force imposition direction, the cavity is successive to the interior surface of the housing.

Abstract: An enclosure for an electrical terminal block includes a housing having a back wall and projecting side walls extending thereabout to form a bounded chamber. One side wall includes an opening formed therethrough for permitting passage of an electrical cable into the bounded chamber. A barrier member is supported by the side wall adjacent the opening. The barrier member includes a barrier wall at least partially surrounding the opening about a periphery thereof. The barrier member includes a pair of elongate oppositely directed deflectable fingers projecting inwardly from the barrier wall. Distal ends of the fingers include slitted portions thereat for engaging and deforming around the electrical cable upon passage thereof through an opening in the side wall.

Abstract: A connector of the unitary type with dual-beam contacts is adapted to be inserted in the body of a receiving female connection part and includes a holding beam forming a guiding means for the connector in the body of said connection part and a pair of resilient flexible beams. The two oppositely located beams are disposed substantially perpendicularly to the holding beam, each flexible beam having a contact area, the three connection beams defining together a free entry opening. The connector also includes a bight on which are supported the three connector beams, the bight carrying the output lead of the connector.

Abstract: A method for protectively enclosing electrical cables, wherein a portion of at least one cable is sealably disposed in the interior of a housing, includes the steps of placing a pressure-relief valve in communication with the housing interior, the pressure-relief valve being selected to pass an encapsulant therethrough on exposure to a predetermined pressure in said housing interior, and introducing an encapsulant under pressure into the housing interior until the encapsulant passes through the pressure-relief valve. The encapsulant introduction step is practiced by providing a pump having an inlet and an outlet, placing the pump inlet in communication with the housing interior and supplying encapsulant to the pump inlet directly from a bulk encapsulant container.

Abstract: A protective enclosure for use with one or more electric cables, comprises first and second elongate casings juxtaposed along respective end surfaces thereof to define a housing with an open interior, at least one electrical cable disposed in the housing interior in an encapsulant, the encapsulant filling the housing interior. At least one end closure is disposed in the housing and defines a cable passage therethrough, the cable being resident in part in the cable passage. Seal-effecting structure for providing sealed relations between the first and second casings, between the end closure and the first and second casings and between the end closure and the cable part, is inclusive of a cover plate disposed in confronting relation to the end closure and movable relative thereto.

Abstract: An electrical connector for coupling a stationary connection to a connection which rotates therearound includes a housing and flat conductor cable. The housing includes a housing bottom and a housing cover. The flat conductor cable is wound into a spiral and is supported in the housing. The flat conductor cable further includes bent ends which extend from the spiral at 90.degree.. An outer protective sheathing covers the bent ends of the cable as well as a portion of the spiral.

Abstract: A connector assembly for electrically connecting an electronic apparatus to a printed circuit board includes a matable socket connector and header connector. The socket connector includes a lower housing which supports the electronic apparatus and which is capable of containing an insulative curable potting compound. A plurality of electrical contacts is supported by the lower housing in electrical engagement with the electronic apparatus. A cover is supportable over the lower housing for enclosing the housing. The electronic apparatus is supported within the socket connector in position so that the curable potting compound may completely surround the electronic apparatus providing an environmental seal. The socket connector is insertable into the header connector supported on the printed circuit to establish electrical connection therebetween.

Abstract: A kit of parts is adapted for terminating electrical cable assemblies of the type having plural insulated conductors extending within an insulative jacket. The kit of parts is capable of terminating the cable alone or when enclosed in an outer cable conduit. The kit includes a body or gland, a hollow insert extending within the gland, a gland nut for screw cooperation with the gland and sealing means disposed between the gland nut and the body for providing a cable assembly seal within the insert. The sealing means further comprises cable sealing components and separate conduit sealing components which are used alternatively for sealing either the cable alone or the cable contained within the conduit.

Abstract: A bundling tie for use in looping about a plurality of cables includes a locking head and elongate strap. A pair of locking barbs are movably supported in the head, each barb having an engagement portion for locking engagement with a strap end upon insertion of the strap ends into the head. Each barb includes a knife-like element for biting insertion into the strap and a blunt stop wall adjacent the knife-like element for limiting the depth of insertion of the knife-like element into the strap.

Abstract: A test probe device is attachable to alligator clips of test equipment for establishing electrical engagement between an electrical contact supported within an insulative housing, which is accessible through an opening therein and the test equipment. The alligator clip includes a pair of actuatable jaws defining a connection region therebetween. The test probe device includes an elongate probe member insertable into the housing through the opening for electrical engagement with the contact. An attachment member is electrically coupled to the probe member. The attachment member is attachable to the alligator clip at a location remote from the connection region thereof, permitting the alligator clip to be used without removing the test probe device.

Abstract: A circular inner knockout and a non-circular outer knockout formed in a wall are individually connected to the wall by frangible webs located opposite from one another. The frangible web connecting the inner knockout to the wall is stronger than the frangible web connecting the outer knockout to the wall. The periphery of the outer knockout includes by a plurality of interconnected discrete circular curved portions, and does not completely surround the inner knockout.

Abstract: For the purposes of connecting and joining conductive traces on printed circuit boards, the stripped ends of a flexible multi-conductor flat cable are inserted into metallized openings in the printed circuit boards. The cables are cut to length and their ends are stripped of insulation and supported in an injection molded bar member. Those ends are desirably not to be bent in storage and transportation. In order to protect them, a U-shaped device is pushed onto the bar member over the cable ends. The bottom plate portion of the device has holes of a conical configuration. In a transportation position the ends are disposed within the walls of those holes and are held therein. The device latches in the transportation position. For the ends to be inserted into the holes in the printed circuit board the device is pushed further onto the cable ends in an operative position. As such, the ends pass in a guided fashion through the holes in the bottom plate portion and into the holes in the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A connector comprises a plug of electrically insulating material and a housing box for accommodating electric contacts therein. The plug is selectively insertable in the box and comprises at least one first element insertable in a bore of the box formed for accommodating the contacts, and a second element for insertion in a corresponding opening of a printed circuit board. The plug selectively includes a bore for receipt of a complementary electric contact or a lug closing the box bore for preventing receipt of a complementary electric contact.

Abstract: A patch panel assembly includes a patch panel to which plural elongate jack clusters are mounted. The jack clusters are supported by the panel within openings therein. Each jack cluster has a front face adjacent a front surface of the panel and an opposed rear face adjacent a rear surface of the panel. Each jack cluster includes openings therein for receipt of plug type connectors from the front face thereof. In addition, each jack cluster includes a pair of mounting elements extending from the rear face thereof at opposed ends thereof. The pair of mounting elements are mutually transversely offset with respect to one another. The mounting elements support an elongate mass termination connector at an angularly offset relation with respect to the jack cluster.

Abstract: A keying arrangement for interconnectable components is disclosed. The keying arrangement is particularly useful for fiber optic connector assemblies having a receptacle connector with key projections integrally formed therewith in one of plural different key positions. These key positions may be dictated by an industry standard. A plug connector of the assembly includes a multi-positionable key element. The key element is positionable in plural different orientations to provide keyways which uniquely accommodate one of the plural different key positions of the receptacle connector. Rotative movement of the key element within the plug connector provides the plural different orientations and thereby the plural keyways.

Abstract: The invention concerns a filtered plug connector comprising a housing and plug pins which are held therein. The filtering of high-frequency signals to ground is achieved by multi-layer ceramic capacitors electrically connected between the plug pins and a ground plate. For mechanically fixing same, the capacitors are resiliently clamped between the plug pins and bent, resilient portions which project from the ground plate adjacent openings in the ground plate through which the pins pass.

Abstract: A shielded electrical connector for surface connection to a printed circuit board comprises an electrically insulative body supporting a plurality of electrical contacts. Each contact includes a first portion for making contact with a complementary contact of a mateable connector when in use, and a second portion adapted to be connected to a surface of a printed circuit board. The connector further includes electrically conductive shielding contact means mounted on the body for shielding or grounding the electrical contacts. The shielding contact means comprises a plurality of electrically connected shielding finger contacts that are adapted to be connected to the printed circuit board surface. As such, when the connector is mounted to the circuit board, the electrical contacts and the finger contacts may be simultaneously connected to conductive pads on the printed circuit board by conventional reflow soldering techniques.

Abstract: A composition based upon a blend of lower alkyl or lower alkoxyalkyl polyacrylate ester elastomers with one or more materials selected from liquid butadiene acrylonitrile copolymers and halogenated fire-retardant plasticizers. Blends with the liquid butadiene acrylonitrile copolymers include from about 5 to about 50% by weight of the copolymer and from about 50 to about 95% by weight of the polyacrylate ester elastomer. Blends with the halogenated fire-retardant plasticizer include from about 5 to about 100 parts by weight of the halogenated fire-retardant plasticizer per 100 parts of the polyacrylate ester elastomer. Hydrocarbon-resistant sealant compositions further contain effective amounts of one or more plasticizers in amounts effective to plasticize the blend together with one or more reinforcing materials.

Abstract: A right-angle electrical connector comprises an insulator supporting a plurality of electrical contacts therein. The insulator includes a locator plate having a plurality of open faced slots with parallel, straight sidewalls for retentive receipt of the contacts therein. Each contact has a mating portion that is received in an aperture in the insulator, a retention portion received in the insulator slots and a terminal portion serving as a solder post for subsequent soldering to circuits on a printed circuit board. Each retention portion is of solid cross-section and preferably comprises a trapezoidal cross-section with its non-parallel edges defining relatively sharp barbs. During insertion the barbs engage the respective sidewalls in interference fit, deforming the sidewalls in a manner to retain the contact therein and to resist movement thereof in both the horizontal and vertical directions.