Abstract: A low profile, surface-mounted receptacle includes a housing having a cavity defined at least in part by the interior surfaces of the sidewalls thereof. The interior surface of at least one sidewall has a groove, one wall of the groove being defined by an inclined portion. An electrical spring contact is received within the groove, the contact being of the curved, dual cantilever type having a first leg, a curved transition portion and a second leg. The contact being disposed to define a clearance space between itself and the inclined. The legs and curved portion responding to the introduction of a male plug by cantilever toward the inclined sidewall and undergoing a reduction in the radius of curvature, thereby displacing to an extent sufficient to exert a predetermined normal force on the plug, despite dimensional variations in the housing due to manufacture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum pick up cap for use in positioning an electrical receptacle on a printed circuit board (PCB). A vertical projection extends downwardly to engage the receptacle. The width of the projection is increased adjacent its lower terminal edge to prevent the vacuum pick up cap from disengaging from the receptacle when the PCB is inverted in an infrared (IR) conveyor oven during the manufacture of a two-sided PCB. A method of use is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mounting an electrical connector on a printed wiring board. The printed wiring board is initially positioned on locating projections on a tooling plate. Eyelets are positioned in hold down apertures in the connector. The hold down apertures initially engage the locating projections to align the connector pins with pin receiving apertures on the printed wiring board. Engagement continues until the pins are positioned in the apertures and the lower end of the eyelet is deformed to engage the innerside of the down aperture and the lower side of the printed wiring board.

Abstract: Disclosed is an assembly for mounting electrical connectors on an edge of a printed circuit board (PCB). A first elongated connector element having opposed first and second ends is positioned on the one major side of the PCB adjacent the edge. A second elongated connector element having opposed first and second ends and positioned on the other major side of the PCB adjacent the edge of the PCB in side by side relation with said first elongated connector. A single fastener simultaneously engages both elongated connector elements and the PCB. The fastener may be a pair of blocks which each have a rear groove and ledge combination to engage the PCB and side tongue and groove combinations to engage the connector elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector comprising a front retaining member with a pin receiving passageway, a plurality of conductive pins extending through the passageway, a rear retaining means with a plurality a pin receiving means and a printed wiring board with capacitors and central apertures and being interposed between the front and rear retaining members so as to receive the pins in said apertures.

Abstract: An electrical cable assembly in which the conductive and dielectric elements are arranged in a composite with a conductive I-beam shaped geometry in which the conductive element is perpendicularly interposed between two parallel dielectric and ground plane elements. Low cross talk and controlled impedance are found to result from the use of this geometry.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cover for use in transporting an electrical header which comprises a dielectric housing, terminals mounted on the housing and pins arranged in an array comprising at least two generally parallel longitudinal rows of pins. The cover comprises an upper section including a top surface, an outer and preferably an inner generally concentric wall member extend downwardly in spaced relation from the top section. A concentric groove is formed between said wall members and said wall members and the groove is positioned so that at least one pin in each of said row of pins is engageable in said groove. A recess may also be positioned in the center of the upper surface to increase pick up efficiency. A method for using the cover to manipulate electrical headers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for mounting a component of an electrical connector to a printed circuit board which makes use of a body with a retention device having a central connecting receiving aperture and wings in planes normal to the body which have opposed inwardly extending latches and a pair of downwardly extending resilient latches. The lateral latches will engage ledges adjacent the housing of the receptacle while the downwardly depending latches will engage alignment slots in a mounting foot from the receptacle and the printed circuit board. The central connector receiving aperture will be engaged by a connector which fixes the nose shield to the pin receiving face of the receptacle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector comprising a front retaining member with a pin receiving passageway, a plurality of conductive pins extending through the passageway, a rear retaining means with a plurality a pin receiving means and a printed wiring board with capacitors and central apertures and being interposed between the front and rear retaining members so as to receive the pins in said apertures.

Abstract: A receptacle adapted to be mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB) comprising an insulative member supporting a plurality of conductive contacts which conductive contacts engage said PWB and a conductive sheet having a lower wall superimposed on said PWB and an upper wall superimposed over the insulative member in spaced relation over the lower wall and a pair of side walls perpendicularly interposed between said upper and lower walls to form a plug receiving space between said upper and lower wall and a conductive sensor means which is positioned adjacent one of said conductive contacts and which contacts one of the conductive contacts when a plug is inserted in the plug receiving space.

Abstract: An affixing member is provided which can affix an electrical connector to a board, including a plastic cylindrical member inserted into a hole of the board, where the cylindrical member is situated in a lower recess of the plastic housing of the electrical connector. The outer diameter of the cylindrical member is smaller than the inner diameter of the hole of the board so the cylindrical member may be inserted into the board with little insertion force. The cylindrical member has a hollow section allowing a section of a push pin to be inserted therein. The inner diameter of the lower portion of the section is smaller than the outer diameter of the forward end of the section of the pin so when the section of the pin is inserted into the hollow section of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member is enlarged and affixed to the board.

Abstract: A modular jack includes a removable face plate or front shield that is adapted to removably retain line status LEDs. In the preferred form, the face plate may be used to retrofit standard dual receptacle modular jacks. The face plate holds various types of LEDs that are electrically coupled to the lines of the modular jack for indicating status or activity of the particular line, e.g. when the line is in use transmitting or receiving data. The LEDs may be coupled to the individual lines by standard leads or flexible ribbon cable. Additionally, the face plate is formed of a metal to provide protection against static discharge damage to the circuits. The metal face plate provides an alternative path for the electricity rather than through the LED which might cause damage thereto. In another form, the LEDs may be directly coupled to a flex circuit, without a face plate with the flex coupled to the individual lines.

Abstract: An electrical plug has a multiplicity of contact terminals disposed on a wafer that is received within a housing. The wafer or substratum is grooved or channeled between each contact terminal. In this manner, the contacting surface of each terminal is essentially raised from the surface of the substratum. Generally, the groove takes the form of a modified V shape, however, other groove configurations may be utilized. By lowering the substratum surface during formation of the wafer, the contact surface of each terminal becomes elevated from the substratum surface, while remaining at the same height relative to each other. Any misregistration or misalignment of the terminals of the receptacle caused by tilting, twisting or otherwise that would cause an open circuit or poor contact is alleviated by the channel. The misaligned receptacle terminal is allowed to tilt and be received into the channel rather than contacting the substratum surface to be held away from contact.

Abstract: Disclosed is a card edge connector which includes an insulative housing comprising a body and opposed perpendicular arms. The body of the housing has a card receiving side having a longitudinal groove. This groove has opposed lateral first and second sides and each of said first and second sides has at least one first and second contact receiving opening. There is also at least one recess in the card receiving side of the body communicating with said first aperture in the first lateral side of the groove. There is also at least one recess in the opposed side of the housing body communicating with the second opening in the groove. A first contact fixed in the recess in the card receiving side of the body and extends through said first opening into the groove. A second contact is fixed in the recess in said opposed side of the body and extends through said second aperture into the groove.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metallic shield for a modular jack which includes a first member which is superimposed over the top and lateral wall of the jack. A second member surrounds the front plug openings. A first tab on the second member engages an aperture on the first member. A second tab on the second member curves rearwardly and upwardly then rearwardly and downwardly to abut the first member. A third tab on the second member curves rearwardly and upwardly to engage a panel.

Abstract: An electrical connector (1) for mounting on the surface of a printed circuit board (4). This electrical connector includes a housing (2) made of electrically insulating material provided with a number of channels (3) for the accommodation of contact elements (5), and with contact elements (5) made of electrically conducting material which are accommodated in the channels (3). These contacts are provided with a contact end (6) for contacting a further contact element, a connection end (8) projecting beyond the bottom surface of the housing, for connecting the contact element (5) to a corresponding connection face on the surface of the printed circuit board (4). A base part extends between the contact end and the connection end, wherein the connection end (8) of the contact element (5) is provided with a connection face (9) facing away from the bottom surface of the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector comprising a front retaining member with a pin receiving passageway, a plurality of conductive pins extending through the passageway, a rear retaining means with a plurality a pin receiving means and a printed wiring board with capacitors and central apertures and being interposed between the front and rear retaining members so as to receive the pins in said apertures.

Abstract: A low profile connector is provided by the invention. According to the invention two sets of contacts are secured in a housing capable of being mounted to a printed circuit board so that the contacts extend laterally from the housing in parallel to the printed circuit board. A first end of each contact can be coupled to an I/O lead of a printed circuit board and a second end of each contact remains unsupported. A mating low profile connector according to the invention similarly provides two sets of contacts secured in a housing capable of being mounted to a printed circuit board so that the contacts extend laterally from the housing in parallel to the printed circuit board. The contacts are compliant and are designed to extend above the mating reference of the connector. The dimensions of the contacts are selected to provide minimum pitch and optimal compliance. A process for making the low profile connector by molding a contract strip into a housing is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a clip for use in mounting an electrical connector to a printed circuit board (PCB). The clip includes a resilient first panel having a central opening or recess, a second panel also having a central opening or recess and being generally parallel to the first panel, a vertical support connecting the first and second conductive panels, a pair of resilient tin engaging arms suspended over the second conductive panel, and a vertical structure connecting the second panel to the pin engaging arms. Also disclosed is an assembly comprised of the clip as engaged with an electrical connector and a PCB.

Abstract: There is disclosed a backup circuit for a memory card where the stored data in an S-RAM is retained even when the card (2) contains a main battery (18) whose output voltage is 3.3 V, an auxiliary battery (20), and a charging prevention diode (22). The main battery (18) and the auxiliary battery (20) are connected in parallel. Between their junction (28) and a built-in power supply (8) of a personal computer (4), the charging prevention diode (22) is provided. Because the second diode (22) is placed in a forward direction running from the junction (28) toward a voltage supply line (10), the auxiliary battery (20) is charged only from the main battery (18), and a charging current from the built-in power supply (8) does not flow into the auxiliary battery (20).