Abstract: An electrical connector including a housing; ground contacts; and signal contacts. The signal contacts are differential signal pairs. The electrical connector is a right angle connector. First ends of the ground contacts are in a center row. First ends of a first one of the each differential signal pair are on a first side row at a first side of the center row. First ends of a second one of the differential signal pairs are on a second side row at a second opposite side of the center row. At least one of the first ends of the ground contacts is provided between the first ends of two of the differential signal pairs. An assembly is provided including the electrical connector and a printed circuit board having the electrical connector mounted thereon. The printed circuit board includes through-holes with a shared single antipad one of the differential signal pair.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable connector including a first member and a second member. The first member has a channel for an optical fiber of an optical fiber cable, and an outer surface configured to have a strength member of the cable located thereon. The second member is configured to slide on top of the first member. The second member includes a barrel section configured to be compressed onto the first member and a gripping section made of a resiliently deformable material which is sized and shaped to pull the strength member along the outer surface of the first member as the second member is slid on top of the first member.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for manufacturing an electrical connector comprising an insulative housing with a base side and an opposed side and lateral sides interposed between said base side and said opposed side and at least one conductive contact including a first leg that extends from the base side of the insulative housing, the at least one conductive contact further including a second leg extending laterally adjacent the top side of the housing. In this method there is provided a mold comprising a first die and an opposed second die all defining an interior cavity and an exterior area. A molding compound input port extends between the exterior area and the interior cavity. The conductive contact is then positioned in the interior cavity such that the second leg extends adjacent the second die along an entirety of a length of the second die between first and second bent ends.

Abstract: An electrically-conductive contact for an electrical connector is disclosed. Such a contact may include a lead portion, an offset portion extending from an end of the lead portion, and a mounting portion that may extend from a distal end of the offset portion. The lead portion and the distal end of the offset portion may each define an imaginary plane that may intersect at a non-zero, acute angle. An electrical connector that is suitable for orthogonal connector applications may include a connector housing securing two such electrical contacts. The distance between the respective mounting portions of the two such contacts may be defined independently of the contact pitch.

Abstract: An electrical connector sub-assembly including a housing having at least one electrical contact receiving area configured to receive an electrical contact; and a terminal position assurance (TPA) member located on a front section of the housing. The TPA member is laterally movable on the front section between an unlocked position and a locked position. The TPA member comprises two spaced sections configured to lock the electrical contact in the electrical contact receiving area at two spaced locations when the TPA member is moved to the locked position. This prevents unintentional withdrawal of the electrical contact from the electrical contact receiving area.

Abstract: A vehicle safety system including a steering column, a keying member, and a squib. The steering column includes a first steering column section longitudinally slidably connected to a second steering column section. The keying member locates the first and second steering column sections at a fixed longitudinal position relative to each other. The squib is located relative to the keying member to exert a force on the keying member when the squib is initiated to thereby allow the first and second steering column sections to longitudinally slide relative to each other to shorten a length of the steering column.

Abstract: A connector capable of being mounted onto a substrate is disclosed. Such a connector may include a housing, and a contact mounted within the housing. The contact may include a body, terminal pins extending from a first edge of the body, contact beams extending from a second edge of the body, and a flared portion. The edges of a first contact beam and a second contact beam of the contact beams may be positioned proximate respective adjacent surfaces of the housing. The flared portion may also be positioned proximate a respective adjacent surface of the housing. The relationship between the first contact beam and its respective adjacent surface, the relationship between the second contact beam and its respective adjacent surface, and the relationship between the flared portion and its respective surface may inhibit bowing of the body of the contact when the connector is mounted on the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical fiber coupler enclosure. The optical fiber coupler enclosure includes a lid member, a base member, and a first end cap. The lid member includes two lid side walls and a first open end. The base member is opposite the lid member. The base member includes two base side walls and a first open end. The base member includes at least one mounting channel proximate to each of the base side walls. The mounting channels are configured to fixedly dispose at least two fiber optic couplers adjacent to one another. The first end cap is disposed between the lid member first open end and the base member first open end.

Abstract: An electrical power connector comprises a housing having a mounting interface and a mating interface. The mating interface defines a plurality of receptacles spaced apart in more than one direction. A plurality of electrical contacts is supported by the housing. These electrical contacts define respective mounting ends that are configured to electrically connect with an electrical component at the mounting interface, and opposed mating ends. At least one of the electrical contacts defines a common contact beam disposed within at least a select one of the receptacles. This common contact beam is configured to be electrically connected to a pair of adjacent electrical contacts of a mated electrical connector.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical connector that includes a dielectric leadframe housing and a differential signal pair of electrical contacts extending through the leadframe housing. The leadframe housing defines an air pocket adjacent to the pair of electrical contacts. The size of the air pocket may be predetermined to provide for no more than a predefined amount of signal skew between the pair of electrical contacts. The size of the air pocket may be predetermined to provide for a predefined connector impedance.

Abstract: An electrical terminal including a first connection section; and a second connection section. The second connection section includes at least two cantilevered deflectable contact arms configured to contact a mating electrical terminal. A front end of each of the arms is outwardly flared including opposite sides of each front end being outwardly flared in general opposite directions relative to each other. The front ends combine to form a general tulip shaped entrance into the electrical terminal for the mating electrical terminal.

Abstract: Electrical connectors having improved impedance characteristics are disclosed. Such an electrical connector may include a first electrically conductive contact, and a second electrically conductive contact disposed adjacent to the first contact along a first direction. A mating end of the second contact may be offset in a second direction relative to a mating end of the first contact. Offsetting of contacts within columns of contacts provides capability for adjusting impedance and capacitance characteristics of a connector assembly.

Abstract: A first contact beam of a receptacle contact may define an indentation and a second contact beam may define a protrusion such that the protrusion may at least partially extend into the indentation. The protrusion may extend across the center of the receptacle contacts, and therefore the normal force created by each contact beam may be exerted against the normal force created by the other contact beam. Thus, rotation of a blade contact inserted into the receptacle contact may be reduced or eliminated. The contact beams of the receptacle contact may each include a formed area placed at different locations on the receptacle contact. A blade contact may overcome the normal force and mechanical resistance of a formed area of one of the contact beams before being confronted by the normal force and mechanical resistance of the other beam's formed area.

Abstract: A right-angle electrical connector is disclosed. The right-angle electrical connector may include an electrically conductive contact and a connector housing that contains the electrically conductive contact. The electrically conductive contact may define a mounting end and a mating end. The connector housing may include a mating portion and a guide portion. The mating portion may receive the mating end of the electrically conductive contact. The mating portion may define a mating plane. The guide portion may be connected to the mating portion and may define a guide plane orthogonal to the mating plane. The guide portion may extend beyond the mating portion. The mating portion may also define a mounting plane. The mounting plane may be orthogonal to the mating plane. The guide portion may define a void between the guide plane and the mounting plane, suitable for receiving a header wall of a complementary connector.

Abstract: A connector interface may include an arrangement of contacts in a first connector, and a corresponding, complementary arrangement of contacts in a second connector mating with the contacts of the first connector. The contacts may be signal contacts or ground contacts. When the connectors are mated, a ground may be established between the connectors by the mating of the ground contacts from the respective connectors. The ground contacts in the first connector may be shaped to bridge together an array of ground contacts in the second connector when the connectors are mated. Such bridging tends to establish a continuous ground along the array of ground contacts, creating a more robust ground than in an otherwise identical connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector system configured to be attached to a support structure is disclosed. The electrical connector system may include a mount capable of being attached to the support structure. The mount may include a bezel and a flange. The bezel may define a first opening, a second opening and aperture. The flange may be integrally formed with and extending outwardly from the bezel. The first opening may be capable of receiving a first power connector and the second opening is capable of receiving a second power connector. The second power connector is capable of extending into the aperture of the bezel such that the first and second power connectors mate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for manufacturing an electrical connector. A mold is presented having a pair of opposing dies that each define a mold pocket. The mold pockets of each die can be joined to form a mold cavity. Plastic can be injection molded into the mold cavity to form an electrical connector housing.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of power contacts have alignment features that can maintain conductors of the power contacts in a state of alignment during and after insertion of the power contacts into a housing.