Patents Examined by Brian S. Webb
  • Patent number: 6109940
    Abstract: A spring loaded shutter with locking features is used to expose host pins of an adapter to protect the pins from damage and the user from injury. The locking mechanism for the shutter releases when a card is inserted into the host adapter. Engagement of locking pins by the card releases the locking pins and frees the shutter to be pushed backward as the card is connected to the host pins. The shutter is biased in a forward position so that removal of the card from the adapter results in a return of the shutter to its forward locked position where it effectively covers the pins to protect the pins from damage and the user from injury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Chad, Steven Hatch, Jeffrey Allen, Brandt Wiebazhan, Iggoni Fajaro, Scott Herbert
  • Patent number: 6102720
    Abstract: An ejector mechanism for a connector comprises a receptacle and an elastic device deformably received in the receptacle. An ejection plate is adapted to force the elastic device to deform and store tension when an external card is manually inserted into the connector and exerts a force on the ejection plate. A retaining member is movably retained in the connector for retaining the elastic device at the deformed status. A releasing device is connected to the retaining member for releasing the retention of the retaining member to the elastic device thereby causing the ejection plate to eject the card via release of the tension stored in the elastic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shun-Chi Tung
  • Patent number: 6095845
    Abstract: A cable connector system for connecting a cable to an electronic component through a plug coupled to the cable and a receptacle coupled to the electronic component. The plug provides a unique structure that is easily connected to the receptacle without the use of tools. Additionally, the plug provides cover over the end of the plug to which the cable is connected so that the plug may be easily pulled past obstructions with which a conventional plug could become entangled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen C. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6095857
    Abstract: A novel surface-mount electrical component for mounting on a circuit board. The electrical component includes at least one pin and a retaining surface. The pin serves as both a point of electrical contact between the electrical component and the circuit board and as a solder-anchoring point. The retaining surface is remote from the pin and serves as an additional solder-anchoring point for restricting the movement of the electrical component on the circuit board. Both the pin and the retaining surface are coplanar, ensuring even soldering of the electrical component to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Weco Electrical Connectors, Inc.
    Inventor: Victor Isac
  • Patent number: 6093041
    Abstract: In a connector block of the type including a body and at least one end cap supported on the body, the end cap housing a plurality of terminals with conductive contacts extending therefrom into the body. A conductive power bus including a rail, a plurality of fingers and a leaf-spring tail is coupled to the connector block, with the power bus positioned clear of electrical contact with the terminals or the conductive contacts. The power bus rail is seated within the connector block between the body and the end cap. The power bus fingers extend within the body from the rail and are positioned between the conductive contacts. The power bus leaf-spring tail extends external of the body. The connector block can cooperate with a suitably configured mounting bracket having a power bus and plural fingers which terminate in electrical contacts to transfer power therebetween to energize subsystems such as protector circuits that may be coupled to the connector block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Abraham Kay, Ronald Marchisin, Paul Raymond Briggs, Adam Stuart Kane, Peter F. Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 6089919
    Abstract: In a conventional IC card connector, guide walls provided on side walls of a housing comprise surfaces parallel to each other, and an interval between the guide walls is somewhat greater than a maximum width of a standard of the IC card. If the IC card having the width less than the maximum value of the standard is used, the IC card is greatly slanted due to a large amount of play, and an operation member of a detection switch cannot be operated by the IC card. In an IC card connector of the present embodiment, if the width of the IC card is small, the IC card is supported at sides by vertical surfaces, thus the movement of the IC card in the widthwise direction is regulated. If the width of the IC card is large, the IC card is supported at the side by a slope, thus the movement of the IC card is regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Alps Electric Col, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Nishioka
  • Patent number: 6089891
    Abstract: An IC card connector device solves a problem with a conventional IC card connector device using two IC cards, the problem being such that two push rods are vertically disposed, leading to higher cost due to more parts incorporated, poor assemblability, and an increased height of the connector device. To eject a first IC card, which has been inserted, a single push rod set in an extended position is pushed to eject the first IC card via a single transmitting pin. To eject a second IC card, a handle is circularly moved with the push rod in the extended position so as to move the transmitting pin from a first heart-shaped cam cutout to a second heart-shaped cam cutout. In this state, the push rod is pressed toward a pushed-in position, which causes the single transmitting pin to circularly move to eject the second IC card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Nishioka
  • Patent number: 6083018
    Abstract: A memory card connector for electrically connecting a memory card and a circuit board comprises a dielectric housing, a number of contacts received in the housing, a shell enclosing the housing and an ejector comprising a push rod, an actuator and an ejection plate. The shell forms a securing section bend a specific angle from a front edge of the shell thereby defining a receiving space for facilitating the actuator to pivot and the ejection plate to move therein when a mating memory card are inserted into or withdrawn from the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Hara, Ming-Chun Lai, Hung-Chi Yu
  • Patent number: 6083016
    Abstract: A protective cover for a standard multiple-pin electrical connector receptacle of the type used to connect a trailer and a prime mover vehicle, the receptacle having a generally cylindrical body having at least one longitudinally extending orientation key protruding outwardly from the cylindrical body and a generally flat end having multiple electrical connecting elements recessed therein and an additional terminal protruding therefrom. The cover is comprised of a cup-shaped housing having an open end and a closed end and a cylindrical wall therebetween, the cylindrical wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the diameters of the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and the cylindrical body being so related so that when assembled a friction fit exists therebetween to provide the principal means for retaining the cover in assembled relation to the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: William C. Waynick, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6077129
    Abstract: A connector having a first tubular body and a second cupped body for coaxially embracing the first body. One end section of a cable is fitted through the first body and the stripped conductor section of the cable is then folded back against the outer surface of the first body. The cupped second body is then pushed axially over the tubular first body and the bare conductor end-parts resting thereon, so as to clamp the bare conductor end-parts between the outer mantle surface of the first body and the inner mantle surface of the second body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Inventor: Kim Silfverberg
  • Patent number: 6077098
    Abstract: An electrical connector has a first insulative housing including an elongate bridging portion from two ends of which two guiding arms extend for guiding a memory card toward the bridging portion. The guiding arms each have a first engaging portion confronting each other. A second elongate insulative housing is detachably assembled to the first housing between the guiding arms thereof. The second housing defines a plurality of passageways for receiving contacts therein and has a second engaging portion at each end thereof for detachably engaging with the first engaging portion of the first housing. The detachable second housing allows replacement of contacts therein for adjusting to different capacities of memory modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo-Hsiao Yu, Yu-Jung Lo
  • Patent number: 6077092
    Abstract: An electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a number of terminals and a spacer. The housing comprises a body having a number of terminal-receiving passageways defined therein, and two arms extending from opposite ends of the body. The spacer is attached to the housing and comprises a first surface and a second surface. A row of terminal positioning holes is disposed in each surface of the spacer and a rectangular slot is disposed in an inner surface of each positioning hole of the first surface. The terminals are distributed in two rows, an inner first row and an outer second row, corresponding to the first and second surfaces of the spacer. Each terminal of the inner first row comprises a pair of retaining tabs interfittingly received in the corresponding rectangular slot of the spacer to properly position the spacer relative to the housing thereby preventing the spacer from deflection, deformation and adverse displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Allen Chiu, Jerry Wu
  • Patent number: 6065985
    Abstract: A modular jack assembly with a flexible shorting bar having a first longitudinal insulative strip and a second longitudinal insulative strip. A plurality of insulative spaced parallel transverse strips is interposed between the first and second longitudinal strips forming a plurality of transverse openings between the first and second longitudinal strip. The shorting bar also includes at least one conductive trace having a pair of transverse conductive legs and connecting longitudinal section. Each of the transverse conductive legs is superimposed over a separate one of the transverse strips, and the longitudinal conductive section is superimposed over one of the longitudinal strips. This flexible shorting bar is superimposed over the medial interior wall of the housing such that the transverse strips are each positioned in a separate one of said contact receiving recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Berg Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Marshall
  • Patent number: 6062894
    Abstract: An adjustable size hot plug assembly includes a frame, an actuator and at least one arm connected thereto. The arm includes an adjustable clip and a fixed clip to retain a printed circuit board. Where more than one arm is employed (preferably three are employed in the invention), the middle arm and one end arm are adjustable toward or away from one another and toward or away from the other end arm which may be fixed. The invention allows the hot plug assembly to be universal in that it can be adapted to fit any Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis R. Barringer
  • Patent number: 6059577
    Abstract: A contact device comprises two contact members with spherical contact surfaces which are displaced in relation to each other, and a push-on contact device which is supported by one of the contact members and which is insertable over the other contact member. The push-on contact device has a plurality of elongated contact fingers fixed relative to each other in a waist attachment, which is articulately attached to one contact member so as to make possible an angular position of the contact device of, for example, 5.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventor: Bjorn Eriksson
  • Patent number: 6059589
    Abstract: An IC card connector device in which an IC card ejecting operation and a misoperation canceling operation are selectively performed. A frame for guiding an IC card at insertion and extraction is provided with a circulation cam groove and a clearance groove with which a second transmission pin pivotally supported by a pushrod is selectively engaged. By pushing the pushrod after projecting it to a first projecting, a drive plate that is placed in the circulation cam groove is pushed via the second transmission pin, thereby ejecting the IC card. When a misoperation occurs, the second transmission pin is caused to trace the clearance groove, by pulling the pushrod frontward and then pushing the pushrod, thereby canceling an IC card ejecting operation. Furthermore, a handle (actuating element) of the pushrod is provided with a heartshaped cam groove with which a first transmission pin pivotally supported on the frame is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Nishioka
  • Patent number: 6059609
    Abstract: A moveable holder which facilitates holding one or more electrical circuit components in a selected position relative to a receptacle for containing circuit terminals. The holder includes arm portions with detents that abut against an aperture of the associated receptacle. The detents are positioned on the arm portions to permit the holder to be placed in a position where the electrical component is connected with the receptacle or disconnected from the receptacle. A depressible portion on the arm portion is manually depressed to move the detents inwardly to permit the holder to be repositioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
    Inventor: Gonzalo Brotons Nieto
  • Patent number: 6056592
    Abstract: A switch-equipped connector device, comprises: a case having an opening; a cover to be removably mounted on the case so as to cover the opening; a first connection terminal on the side of load and a second connection terminal on the side of a power supply, a connection portion between which is exposed from the opening, and which are held in the case; a short-circuiting terminal attached to the cover; a switch connector located in said opening, the switch connector to be electrically connected to the short-circuiting terminal in the opening, the short-circuiting terminal being disconnected from said switch connector when the cover is removed from the case; and a switching device connected to the second connection terminal through the power supply, the switching device interrupting power supply to the second connection terminal when the cover is removed from the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Shigemi Hashizawa, Yutaka Masuda, Kouichi Shirouzu, Kazuyuki Shiraki, Yoshihiro Kawashima
  • Patent number: 6053769
    Abstract: A coaxial connector is provided for a coaxial cable having an inner conductor, a dielectric member and an outer conductor which is made of a metal thin film. The coaxial connector comprises a connector pin electrically connected to the inner conductor, a cylindrical connector body formed with a through bore having part of said connector member and one end portion of the coaxial cable received therein, a cylindrical housing rotatably mounted around and in concentric and radially spaced relation with the cylindrical connector body so as to have the cylindrical connector body and the coaxial cable held at a standstill to each other, a tubular conductor having a cylindrical wall portion having a thickness larger than that of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. The tubular conductor is interposed between the inner surface of the body and the outer surface of the coaxial cable in concentric and radially spaced relation therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Mobile Telecommunication Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kubota, Hideaki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 6045365
    Abstract: A lamp bulb device includes a non-capped lamp bulb having lead wires and a base portion supporting a cylindrical bottomed holder and having lead-wire outlet holes. The lead wires drawn out through the lead-wire outlet holes are extended through lead-wire guide grooves which are formed on a lower surface of the base portion, and lead wire portions within the lead-wire guide grooves are connected electrically to lands of a circuit board by soldering. The electrical connection is secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Harison Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ujiyasu Kihara