Patents Represented by Attorney Stephen Z. Weiss

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  • Electric connector for printed circuit boards
    Patent number: 5340319
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in an electric connector for connecting two spaced apart parallel printed circuit boards having a plurality of needle-like pin terminals arranged laterally at regular intervals between its upper and lower wafers, the upper and lower extensions of the needle-like pin terminals extend beyond the upper and lower wafers being connected to selected conductors on upper and lower printed circuit boards. According to the present invention the needle-like pin terminals freely pass through the longitudinal pin-receiving openings made in the upper and lower wafers, and metal tie rods are press-fit in opposite longitudinal rod-insertion apertures made at the opposite ends of the upper and lower wafers, and are detachably fixed thereto, thereby constituting a rigid integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Masahiro Enomoto, Minoru Fukushima
  • Electrical connector with contact anti-overstress means
    Patent number: 5338231
    Abstract: An anti-overstress system is provided in an electrical connector which includes a dielectric housing having a contact-receiving cavity with a slot communicating the cavity with a mating surface on the outside of the housing. A contact is received in the cavity and includes a cantilevered spring contact arm disposed in the slot. The arm has a contacting portion projecting beyond the mating surface of the housing for engagement with a complementary contact of the mating connector. The spring contact arm flexes in the slot upon engagement of the contacting portion by the complementary contact. The anti-overstress system is provided between the contact and the housing and includes a pair of wings projecting from opposite sides of the spring contact arm engageable with a pair of ledges formed in opposite sides of the slot after a given amount of flexing of the spring contact arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Mathew Wilhite
  • Electric connector
    Patent number: 5338219
    Abstract: An electric connector assembly including female connector having terminals mounted therein and a male connector mateable with the female connector having terminals mounted therein for mating engagement with the terminals of the male connector. Latch means are formed on the female connector housing and interengaging latch means are formed on the male connector housing, both the latch means and interengaging latch means cooperating with each other to selectively latch said connectors together in a mating relationship. The interengaging latch means for the male connector is chosen from a plurality of different interengaging latch means distinguished from one another in that each respective interengaging latch means of one different male housing is different from the interengaging latch means of another different male housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Haruo Hiramoto, Tomoaki Ito, Katsutoshi Tojo
  • Electrical connector assembly
    Patent number: 5338230
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is disclosed for connecting a mating connector to a printed circuit board. The assembly includes a dielectric housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities and a plurality of terminals insertable into the cavities. Each terminal includes a base section insertable into a respective cavity in an insertion direction for securing the terminal in the cavity. The terminal includes a tail section for contacting the printed circuit board and spring contact beam for electrically engaging a conductor of the mating connector. The tail section and the spring contact beam extend from the base section and are spaced apart transverse to the insertion direction, whereby an insertion tool can be inserted therebetween into engagement with the base section to readily force the terminal into its terminal-receiving cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Bryce, Mathew Wilhite
  • Terminal position assurance system for electrical connectors
    Patent number: 5314358
    Abstract: A terminal position assurance system is provided for an electrical connector which includes a dielectric housing having a terminal-receiving passage into which a terminal is inserted in an insertion direction to a fully inserted position. A latch surface is formed in the housing adjacent the passage and facing in the insertion direction. A bendable tab is provided on the terminal and is adapted to be bent against the latch surface. The bendable tab is structured to be bent about an axis generally parallel to the insertion direction to move an edge portion of the tab to a position over the latch surface when the terminal is in its fully inserted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert A. Klemmer, Ronald S. Krzeczowski, Kirk B. Peloza, Russell E. Wende
  • Circuit board mounted modular phone jack
    Patent number: 5310360
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for interconnecting a modular phone plug with a printed circuit board. The connector assembly includes a housing having a forward mating end and a rearward end. A plug-receiving socket is formed in the forward mating end and is adapted to receive a modular phone plug. The rearward end is configured so that an edge of a printed circuit board can be inserted at a first angular orientation relative to the housing and then rotated to a second angular orientation. A plurality of terminals are mounted in the housing. Each terminal includes a contact portion at one end, a tail portion at an opposite end and an intermediate portion therebetween. The intermediate portion is anchored in the housing. The contact portion projects into the socket for engaging a contact of the modular phone plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Bruce A. Peterson
  • Destaticized connector structure
    Patent number: 5306163
    Abstract: A connector is disclosed which draws static charges to ground. The connector comprises a male plug having a generally non-yielding terminal attached to a projection extending from its mating surface and a female receptacle having at least one terminal mounting cavity in a mating surface and a flexible female terminal in the cavity. The female receptacle has a metal cover on its outer surface which is connected to ground. The male terminal and projection is dimensioned so as to permit insertion through the aperture in the cover and into a slot in the female housing. The flexible female terminal remains contained within the slot of the female housing and below the cover prior to making contact with the male terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Kazushige Asakawa
  • Floating type electric connector
    Patent number: 5306168
    Abstract: A floating type electric connector adapted to be mounted on a circuit board comprising a housing having an integrally formed movable housing portion, a stationary housing portion, and a resilient joint portion connecting the four corners of the stationary housing portion to the corresponding four corners of the movable housing portion and a plurality of female terminals attached to each housing Each female terminal comprises a contact section and a base section joined together by an intermediate resilient section. The contact section of the female terminal is attached to the movable housing portion while the base section is attached to the stationary housing portion, thereby permitting the floating of the movable housing portion with respect to the stationary housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Shinsuke Kunishi, Masashi Seto
  • Electrical connector for connecting printed circuit boards
    Patent number: 5306169
    Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed with a contact housing for receiving terminal mating sections of a plurality of terminals and a tail housing, separate from the contact housing, for receiving solder tail sections of the terminals. A flexible connecting section is formed between the terminal mating and solder tail sections of each terminal. A protective bar extends from the terminal mating section toward the tail housing. An arm extends from the protective bar which is inserted into a mounting recess formed in the tail housing without contacting any surfaces of the mounting recess under normal conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Minoru Fukushima, Shinichi Tadokoro, Masahiro Henmi
  • Electric connector terminal
    Patent number: 5306182
    Abstract: An electric connector female terminal assures steady contact between a male terminal irrespective of the position and angle of insertion of the male terminal. The female terminal comprises a pair of contact beams defining a path completely through the female terminal for accommodating a male terminal. A connecting piece is integrally formed with the contact beams and extending therebetween, the connecting piece being positioned out of the path for accommodating the male terminal and incorporating resilient means for resiliently biasing the contact beams carrying the contact points to a predetermined initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Minoru Fukushima, Shinichi Aihara
  • Ejecting means in an IC pack connector apparatus
    Patent number: 5304070
    Abstract: A connector apparatus includes a header connector (10) of a given thickness into which an IC pack is loaded and from which it is ejected. An ejecting member (16) is mounted on the header connector (10) for ejecting the IC pack from the header connector. The ejecting member (16) is configured to lie substantially within the thickness profile of the IC pack. An actuating member (18) is provided for actuating the ejecting member (16) to eject the IC pack from the header connector. The actuating member is configured to lie substantially within the thickness profile of the header connector (FIG. 1 ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Dominique Bertho, Paul M. O'Brien
  • Electrical connector with electrostatic discharge protection
    Patent number: 5281155
    Abstract: A receptacle type electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a mating face and mounting a plurality of female electrical terminals adapted for mating with a plurality of male terminals of an appropriate mating electrical component. One of the terminals is a ground terminal adapted for connection to a ground circuit. An insulative cover is mounted over the mating face of the housing and has apertures aligned with the plurality of female terminals. A conductive electrostatic discharge shield includes a plate portion sandwiched between the cover and the mating face of the housing. The shield includes apertures aligned with the plurality of female terminals. The apertures of the plate portion are dimensioned so that the male terminals will not contact the shield. A connecting portion of the shield extends from the plate portion for electrically engaging the ground terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph D. Comerci, Robert DeRoss
  • Electrical connector assembly with printed circuit board layout
    Patent number: 5281154
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a pair of spaced receptacle modules mounted to a first printed circuit board which is electrically coupled to a second printed circuit board spaced from and generally parallel to the first printed circuit board. A conductive ground plate is electrically coupled between the printed circuit boards and mechanically supports the circuit boards in their spaced generally parallel relationship. The ground plate is disposed perpendicular to the first and second printed circuit boards forming two separate compartments between the first and second printed circuit boards to provide electromagnetic interference isolation between the compartments. An electrical component such as transformer may be mounted on one side of the ground plate between the spaced generally parallel printed circuit boards, and the ground plate provides a heat sink for the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph D. Comerci, Burke J. Crane, Robert DeRoss, James K. Hollomon, Jr., Preston B. Johnson, Garth S. Jones, Kevin L. Nelson, Michael J. O'Connell
  • Packaging system incorporating storage tubes for electrical connectors
    Patent number: 5279415
    Abstract: A packaging system is disclosed for storing and handling electrical connectors and the like. The system employs a plurality of elongated connector-containing tubes. Each tube has an aperture therethrough near each opposite end thereof. The apertures are spaced longitudinally of the respective tubes so that a pair of assembly rods can be passed through the aligned apertures of a plurality of generally parallel juxtaposed tubes. The assembly rods hold the tubes in a generally stacked array and also act as stop rods to close-off the ends of the tubes. At least one aperture in each tube is enlarged relative to the rod passing therethrough for accommodating any variances in the spacing between the apertures in any particular tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard R. Edgley, Robert E. Erklin, Sr., William R. Lenz, Kyle J. Marchek
  • Thin, applied-to-surface type of electric connector
    Patent number: 5277597
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement relating to a thin, applied-to-surface type of electric connector comprising a housing 1 and a plurality of terminals 7, 10 fixed thereto. Each terminal has a solder tail 8, 11 extending outward under the bottom of the housing to be positioned on a selected conductor of a printed circuit board for subjecting to automatic soldering. The distance N between the ends of opposed solder tails is shorter than the maximum lateral size L of the housing 1. Both sides of the housing 1 have a chamfer 13 along its lower longitudinal part. The ends 7A, 10A of the terminals and their receiving cavities 25 may be slanted to hold the terminals within the housing and prevent stubbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Sasao Masami, Junichi Miyazawa
  • Electric connector terminal mount
    Patent number: 5277621
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved electrical connector terminal mount which has an engagement piece integrally formed in the terminal base. The engagement piece functions to fix the terminal in an associated terminal slot. The engagement piece is a metal strip cut away from the base of the terminal in the form of flattened "V"-shaped cantilever arm. The metal strip consists of a first section bent outward on one side of the base of the terminal and a second section integrally connected to and extending inward from the end of the first section toward the other side of the base of the terminal ending in a free end. An engagement slot perpendicular to the terminal slot is formed within which the engagement piece fits, thereby enabling the terminal to fixedly lie along the center line of the terminal slot and to prevent the vertical movement of the terminal out of the terminal slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Masashi Seto
  • Arrangement for connecting an electrical connector to a printed circuit board
    Patent number: 5277611
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for connecting an electrical connector to a mating printed circuit board. The connector includes a dielectric housing having top and bottom walls joined by spaced apart side walls. An elongated slot is defined by the top and bottom walls for receiving the mating printed circuit board. A plurality of terminals are mounted in the housing with contact portions along the slot for engaging contact pads on the circuit board. At least one pair of aligned apertures pass through the top and bottom walls of the housing, and an aperture in the circuit board is adapted for alignment with the housing apertures when the circuit board is inserted into the slot. A fastener is received in the housing apertures and the aligned board aperture to maintain the board in mating relationship with the connector. The fastener is adapted to clamp against the top and bottom walls of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Dennis W. Berek, Arvind Patel, Daniel M. Prescott, Matthew Sanford
  • Lockable electrical connector assembly
    Patent number: 5269699
    Abstract: A lockable electrical connector assembly includes a female terminal having a terminating end for coupling to an electrical conductor and a receptacle end for receiving a male blade terminal having a locking opening therein. The receptacle end has a generally rectangular cross-section defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of short side walls. The bottom wall has a resilient tongue which includes a locking tang for locking engagement with the opening in the male blade terminal and a release cam follower for pulling the locking tang out of the opening to release the terminal. A dielectric housing has a passageway of a generally rectangular cross-section for receiving the female terminal in either of two opposite orientations. The passageway is defined by top, bottom and opposite side interior walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Kirk B. Peloza
  • Shielded electrical connector assemblies
    Patent number: 5267868
    Abstract: A shielded electrical connector assembly includes a dielectric body, a terminal mounted on the body and a conductive shield about the body. The body is overmolded about a plate-like ground plane which has wings projecting outwardly of the body. The shield has slots into which the wings of the ground plane are inserted to thereby facilitate mounting the body in the shield and conductively coupling the ground plane with the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Richard H. Wolff, Jr.
  • Receptacle cover plate
    Patent number: D346949
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph D. Comerci, Robert DeRoss, Dennis Stanhibel