Abstract: A battery module having a plurality of battery cells disposed in a housing and interconnected by upper and lower interconnect panels stamped from sheets of conductive metal. Each of the upper and lower interconnect panels have a plurality of contacts secured to terminals of the battery cells, respectively. The contacts are at least partially disposed in panel openings extending through the upper and lower interconnect panels. A carrier is provided and includes a lead frame molded into a body of thermoplastic resin. The lead frame connects a plurality of locations on the upper and lower interconnect panels to a monitoring module that measures physical properties at the locations.

Abstract: A multipart connector for electrical connection to a conductor to convey AC power having a frequency greater than 60 Hz. The connector includes a plurality of metal plates. Each metal plate has opposing planar surfaces and includes a pair of legs separated by a space. A plurality of insulation layers adjoin the planar surfaces of the metal plates, respectively. The insulation layers include a pair of legs separated by a space. The metal plates and the insulation layers are arranged in a stack such that the spaces of the metal plates and the insulation layers are aligned to form a groove extending through the stack. The conductor is disposed in the groove.

Abstract: An electrical contact is provided for connecting together substrates. The electrical contact has a longitudinal axis and includes first and second structures that are connected together to prevent relative movement between each other. The first structure extends along the longitudinal axis and has a rigid construction. The second structure includes a spring portion and a mounting portion. The spring portion is resiliently deflectable in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The mounting portion is adapted for securement to one of the substrates. A press-fit portion is provided that extends along the longitudinal axis and is adapted for press-fit insertion into a hole of the other one of the substrates. The press-fit portion may be part of the first structure or the second structure. In addition, the first structure may be composed of metal or plastic.

Abstract: An electrically conductive contact and a method of forming the same. A precursor configuration is formed in a metal work piece. The precursor configuration has a precursor retention portion that includes a pair of precursor beams separated by a precursor slot. Forces are applied to deform the precursor configuration and thereby form a fastening section of the contact. The fastening section has a retention portion that includes a pair of finished beams separated by a finished slot. The retention portion has a different configuration than the precursor configuration.

Abstract: An electromagnetic compatability (EMC) shield and a method of producing the same are disclosed. The EMC shield is for mounting to a substrate having a plurality of holes formed therein, such as a printed circuit board. The EMC shield is formed from a sheet of conductive metal and includes a top wall having opposing side portions. A pair of opposing first side walls are joined to the top wall at first bends, respectively. Each first side wall has a bottom portion with a plurality of mounting contacts extending therefrom. The mounting contacts may have a press-fit construction and are adapted for receipt in the holes of the substrate. The EMC shield further includes a pair of opposing second side walls, each of which is joined by a second bend to one of the first side walls. Each second side wall has a top portion that at least partially adjoins one of the side portions of the top wall.

Abstract: An electrical connector and associated terminal are disclosed for making an electrical connection to a wire. The terminal includes a plurality of metal plates adjoining each other to form a stack that defines a passage for receiving the wire. The plates include a plurality of cutter plates disposed between a pair of outer holding plates. Each of the cutter plates has a pair of cutting edges for disrupting any insulation on the wire to permit a conductor of the wire to directly contact the cutter plate. One or more of the cutter plates may have a contact projection for making an electrical connection. The connector includes the terminal and may further include a housing. The holding plates of the terminal have outer edges with abutment features for engaging interior surfaces of the housing.

Abstract: An electrically conductive contact is disclosed and includes a fastening section integrally joined between a body and a tapered lead-in section. The fastening section is adapted for press-fitting into a hole of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board. The fastening section includes a pair of beams with a web joined in-between. The web has a center portion disposed between a pair of ramp portions. Each of the ramp portions has a sloping planar surface. The center portion has an opening extending therethrough and is offset in a normal direction. The fastening section is configured such that when the fastening section is press-fit into the hole of the substrate, the beams deflect both laterally and angularly.

Abstract: A connector for connection to a substrate for mounting electronic devices. The connector includes a plurality of coupling contacts pivotably disposed within a housing. Each coupling contact is generally H-shaped and defines opposing first and second spaces. The connector also includes one or more mounting contacts partially disposed within the housing. Each mounting contact has a fastening structure joined to a bar section. The fastening structure is adapted for securement to the substrate and the bar section is disposed in a second space of at least one of the coupling contacts.

Abstract: An electrically conductive contact and a method of forming the same from a length of wire are disclosed. The contact has a pin section connected to a fastening section. The fastening section is adapted for press-fitting into the hole of a substrate and includes a solid tip, a neck connected to the pin section, first and second arcuate side surfaces, and first and second major surfaces through which an enlarged slot extends. Each of the first and second major surfaces is at least partially flattened.

Abstract: A connector for connecting together rigid structures. The connector includes a stack of coupling contacts pivotably disposed within a housing. Each coupling contact is generally H-shaped and defines opposing first and second spaces. The first and second spaces are aligned to form first and second receiving grooves in the stack, respectively. The connector may also include one or more mounting contacts partially disposed within the housing. Each mounting contact has one or more fastening structures joined to a bar section. The fastening structures are adapted for securement to the substrate and the bar section is disposed in the second receiving groove of the stack of coupling contacts.

Abstract: An electrical assembly having an electrical device electrically connected to a multilayer bus board, which has a multilayer stacked assembly that includes a plurality of electrically conductive layer structures and at least one dielectric layer structure disposed between an adjacent pair of the conductive layer structures. A frame formed of a dielectric material encapsulates at least a portion of the multilayer stacked assembly and mechanically maintains the conductive layer structures and the dielectric layer structure in secure aligned abutting relation.

Abstract: A connector for connection to a substrate for mounting electronic devices. The connector includes a plurality of coupling contacts pivotably disposed within a housing. Each coupling contact is generally H-shaped and defines opposing first and second spaces. The connector also includes one or more mounting contacts partially disposed within the housing. Each mounting contact has a fastening structure joined to a bar section. The fastening structure is adapted for securement to the substrate and the bar section is disposed in a second space of at least one of the coupling contacts.

Abstract: A connector housing is provided for an electronic/electrical device, which may include a printed circuit board. The connector housing includes a header connector secured to an enclosure. The header connector includes a plastic mounting block defining a plurality of slots. A plurality of contacts is at least partially disposed in the slots of the mounting block, respectively. The contacts each have a first section and a second section. The first section includes a connector end and the second section includes a plurality of retention tabs and a tail end for connection to the electronic/electrical device. The retention tabs extend in the lateral direction and engage the mounting block to help secure the contacts to the mounting block. A keeper is connected to the mounting block such that the tail ends of the contacts protrude from an outer surface of the keeper.

Abstract: An electrically conductive contact and a method of forming the same from a length of wire are disclosed. The contact has a pin section connected to a fastening section. The fastening section is adapted for press-fitting into the hole of a substrate and includes a solid tip, a neck connected to the pin section, first and second arcuate side surfaces, and first and second major surfaces through which an enlarged slot extends. Each of the first and second major surfaces is at least partially flattened.

Abstract: A connector for connection to a substrate for mounting electronic devices. The connector includes a stack of coupling contacts pivotably disposed within a housing. Each coupling contact is generally H-shaped and defines opposing first and second spaces. The first and second spaces are aligned to form first and second receiving grooves in the stack, respectively. The connector also includes one or more mounting contacts partially disposed within the housing. Each mounting contact has a fastening structure joined to a bar section. The fastening structure is adapted for securement to the substrate and the bar section is disposed in the second receiving groove of the stack of coupling contacts.

Abstract: A multilayer bus board comprising a multilayer stacked assembly including a plurality of electrically conductive first layers, and at least one second dielectric layer disposed between adjacent first layers; and a frame formed of a dielectric material, the frame encapsulating at least a portion of the multilayer stacked assembly and mechanically maintaining the first and second layers in secure aligned abutting relation.

Abstract: A method of fixing reflowable elements on electrical contacts. The method includes providing a strip having a number of electrical contacts, each contact including a contact body and a tail portion extending away from the contact body. The tail portions of the contacts are then disposed adjacent an elongate reflowable member. The elongate reflowable member is pushed onto the tail portions of the plurality of contacts. Subsequently, the elongate reflowable member is cut into a plurality of separate reflowable elements, each reflowable element corresponding to one of the tail portions. The electrical contacts with the reflowable element attached thereto are separated from the strip.

Abstract: An improved insulation displacement terminal (IDT) includes opposed spaced fingers having outer edges with first and second abutment sections adjacent the ends of the outer edges. A resilient spring-like mid-section in the finger between the abutment sections applies a generally normal force to a wire captured between the inner edges of opposed fingers of the IDT. The resilient spring-like mid-section of each finger may be provided by narrowing the width of each finger between the abutment sections such as by recessing the outer edges from the outer edges of the abutment sections or by providing slots or openings in the mid-section of the fingers. Corners of inner edges of the fingers are smoother and inner edges are generally planar to provide a large contact area between the fingers and a wire disposed therebetween. The IDT is mounted within a housing to provide an insulation displacement connector (IDC).

Abstract: An assembly for preventing deformation of compliant pins when interconnecting two printed circuit boards with the pins includes a mechanism for limiting an amount of movement of a flexible portion of the pins. In one approach, a bar is placed within the flexible portion of the pins to block damaging movement. In another approach, wing portions of the pins are locked into a surface thus preventing movement of the pin that could cause damage to the flexible portion of the pin.

Abstract: A method of fixing reflowable elements on electrical contacts. The method includes providing a strip having a number of electrical contacts, each contact including a contact body and a tail portion extending away from the contact body. The tail portions of the contacts are then disposed adjacent an elongate reflowable member. The elongate reflowable member is pushed onto the tail portions of the plurality of contacts. Subsequently, the elongate reflowable member is cut into a plurality of separate reflowable elements, each reflowable element corresponding to one of the tail portions. The electrical contacts with the reflowable element attached thereto are separated from the strip.