Patents Examined by Chandrika Prasad
  • Patent number: 9923292
    Abstract: A connector includes terminals. The terminals can have a contact that has a loop configuration. In an embodiment the contacts are positioned in a vertical connector similar to an edge card connector but with a differential pair aligned in a vertical direction. Thus the connector can provide edge-coupled differential pair in a high density configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk B. Peloza, Michael Rowlands, Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 9917403
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing formed of a fixed housing and a movable housing movable relative to the fixed housing. The connector further includes a terminal. The terminal includes a connecting portion to be connected to the electrical circuit board and a contact portion to be contacted with the mating connecting member. The terminal further includes a fixed side held portion, a movable side held portion, and an elastic portion. The connecting structure further includes a regulating portion for regulating the elastic portion from elastically deforming within a specific elastic deformation range. The elastic portion is configured to have a specific elastic deformation range. When the electrical connector is connected to the mating connecting member, the spring force is smaller than a holding force between the contact portion of the terminal and the mating connecting member in a direction that the electrical connector is pulled out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: HIROSE ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kentaro Doi
  • Patent number: 9917381
    Abstract: An electrical connector including electrical terminals along with a connector housing defining a first and second cavity, the first and second cavities configured to receive the terminals. The connector housing further defines a third cavity extending along a lateral axis. The electrical connector includes a terminal position assurance (TPA) device received within the third cavity. The TPA device is moveable from an terminal insertion position to a terminal locking position. The TPA device has flexible first and second primary locking features and rigid first and second secondary locking features configured to engage locking features of the terminals. Only the first primary and first secondary locking features engage the locking surface of the first electrical terminal and only the second primary and second secondary locking features engage the locking surface of the second electrical terminal when the TPA device is in the terminal locking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott Campbell, Wesley W. Weber, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9913495
    Abstract: An e-vaping section includes a power supply, control circuitry and a removable insulator. The removable insulator is operable to prevent an electrical connection between the power supply and the control circuitry during manufacturing and shipment of the section when the e-vaping section is in a stored configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Jarrett Keen, Christopher S. Tucker
  • Patent number: 9905976
    Abstract: An electrical fixture includes an electrical fixture housing having a mounting surface, an electrical connector disposed on the mounting surface, and an electrical fixture support. A corresponding cover plate or mounting strap includes an electrical connector configured to electrically connect to hot and neutral lines from a junction box and the corresponding electrical connector disposed on the mounting surface of the electrical fixture. An electrical fixture ground connection separate from the fixture electrical connector electrically connects to an electrical ground from the junction box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: HeathCo LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Gale Birdwell, Eric Colin Bretschneider, James J. Fitzgibbon, Bradley T. Moore, Scott Blaise Tylicki
  • Patent number: 9899760
    Abstract: An electrical connector including: a terminal body; an insulator accommodated within a receptacle of the terminal body, the insulator having at least one cavity adapted for holding a terminal connected to a wire of a cable; a metal ferrule accommodated within the receptacle of the terminal body; wherein the metal ferrule has a crimp portion adapted to be crimped onto the cable; wherein the metal ferrule is form-fittingly connected to the terminal body; and wherein the metal ferrule has a sleeve like holding portion centering the ferrule within the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI EUROPE LTD.
    Inventors: Ulrich Kleymann, Darko Hlusicka, Ante Camber, Matija Radeljic
  • Patent number: 9893443
    Abstract: A switch element is provided for directly inserting into a circuit board, wherein the switch element comprises a switch element circuit and a plurality of plug contacts, wherein the plug contacts comprise a connection portion, which is connected to the switch element circuit, and a fastening portion, wherein the fastening portion is adapted such that it is directly insertable into the circuit board, and wherein the fastening portion comprises a safety element which is adapted such that an unintentionally detaching of the plug connection is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wurth Elektronik ICS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Wittig, Werner Kallee
  • Patent number: 9893481
    Abstract: Communications jacks include at least first through third jackwire contacts and a flexible substrate that has a first finger and a second finger. The first jackwire contact and the third jackwire contact are each mounted on the first finger and the second jackwire contact is mounted on the second finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina
    Inventor: Brian J. Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 9893472
    Abstract: A pluggable connector with anti-electromagnetic interference capability is disclosed in this invention, which includes a socket housing, multiple terminal assemblies and a shielding case. The socket housing includes an insulating base and an anti-EMI block. The insulating base and the anti-EMI block can be combined together to form an upper circuit board slot and a lower circuit board slot. These terminal assemblies are mounted in the socket housing and include multiple signal terminal assemblies and multiple ground terminal assemblies, which are arranged side by side in the order of ground-signal-signal. The shielding case has an upper port and a lower port, which are respectively aligned with the upper circuit board slot and the lower circuit board slot. The pluggable connector of the present invention has a good anti-electromagnetic interference capability by an anti-EMI block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Oupiin Electronic (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin Chih Chen
  • Patent number: 9893448
    Abstract: The contact pressure of a contact member with respect to a connection target can be prevented well from being reduced by a simple configuration. An electrically-conductive shell covering a surface of an insulating housing opposed to a surface facing a wiring board is provided with an intermediate connecting portion extended from a position in the vicinity of a fixed base portion of the contact member toward the wiring board, and the intermediate connecting portion is joined with the wiring board. By virtue of this, deformation such as warpage of the insulating housing and the electrically-conductive shell upon insertion of the connection target is suppressed by retaining force of the intermediate connecting portion, and reduction in the contact pressure of the contact member with respect to the connection target is configured to be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Mashima, Tomohiro Ogino
  • Patent number: 9876296
    Abstract: A board-to-board connectory assembly, intended to connect two PCBs using a receptacle connector mounted on a first PCB and a plug connector mounted on a second PCB, is formed with the plug insertion space on the header of the receptacle connector open to the front, and the fastener part inserted removably in the plug insertion space of the header of the plug connector formed on the front part, while each header is mounted in a way so as to pass vertically through the respective PCB, so as to reduce the vertical width of the product. Accordingly, a locking part for locking the fastening part within the plug insertion space is furnished in the fastening part, and the locking part is configured so as to operate elastically in the vertical direction, operating in such a way as to pass through the second PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Jang Bum Jin, Ji Su Shin
  • Patent number: 9871334
    Abstract: A slip ring assembly includes a stationary element, a rotatable element rotatable relative to the stationary element, and a liquid metal contact electrically coupling the rotatable element to the stationary element. The liquid metal contact includes a metallic material having a melting temperature that is less than zero degrees Celsius and a boiling temperature that is greater than four-hundred degrees Celsius to electrically couple an electrical device fixed relative to the rotatable element to an electrical device fixed relative to the stationary element through the liquid metal contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Dempsey, William A. Welsh, Aaron Kellner
  • Patent number: 9859671
    Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus for simplifying the connection of an electrical fixture to an electrical source. The system can include a plate element that attaches to an electrical source, such as a junction box. The plate element can mate with a canopy element that is attached to an electrical fixture, such as a light. The plate and canopy can structurally and electrically mate, allowing a user to easily connect various electrical fixtures using the plate and canopy system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: Clyde Martin
  • Patent number: 9854848
    Abstract: A personal vaporizing inhaler having an airway that is adjustable without disassembly of the vaporizer device. Such a vaporizer may include a hollow shell having an opening at one end ending in a mouthpiece, and having at least one air passage in the side of the hollow shell; a rotatable rotary air valve disposed within the hollow shell having an air passage that can be brought into alignment with the air passage of the hollow shell and at least one rotary valve connector, and a build deck having a heating element and at least one build deck connector configured to interface with the rotary valve connector such that rotating the build deck rotates the rotary air valve. The alignment between the air passages of the rotary air valve and the hollow shell may be adjustable in order to allow more or less air into the vaporizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: Vitali Servutas
  • Patent number: 9853374
    Abstract: An electrical cable clamp for releasably securing an electrical cable to a part includes a pair of clamp members, a pair of opposed contact surfaces and a spring. Each of the clamp members comprises a handle portion and a jaw portion. Each of the contact surfaces is attached to a different one of the jaw portions. One or both of the contact surfaces is formed by an electrically conductive member. The clamp members are pivotally connected to allow movement of the clamp members between a closed position in which the clamp members collectively form an electrically insulating external surface encasing the electrically conductive member, and an open position in which the contact surfaces are separated from each other and exposed to receive the part therebetween. The spring biases the clamp members towards the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Toky Ranaivoson
  • Patent number: 9847586
    Abstract: An electrical wire with a terminal fitting that can be manufactured without using a welding device, and a method of manufacturing this electrical wire with a terminal fitting. Metal foil is wrapped around end portions of the braided wire, and terminal fittings are connected to the end portions. According to this configuration, the metal foil makes it possible to prevent strands in the end portions of the braided wire from becoming loose and spreading apart, and this makes it possible to manufacture the electrical wire with a terminal fitting without using a welding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadamichi Suso
  • Patent number: 9831567
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method of an aluminum wire crimp terminal formed by a base material made of a copper-based metal, at the step of forming an intermediate worked material having an unfolded shape of the crimp terminal, fine recessed parts for promoting the adhesive performance of the crimp terminal against a conductor of the wire are formed on a plate-body surface forming an inner face of a conductor crimping part of the intermediate worked material. Subsequently, a thin-film surface layer made of an aluminum-based metal is formed on at least the plate-body surface. Finally, the intermediate worked material is bent to a prescribed terminal shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignees: YAZAKI CORPORATION, Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Miyakawa, Koichi Kumai
  • Patent number: 9831579
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for board-to-board circuit connection. In one example, a connector system includes a printed circuit board having a first set of electrical pads and at least one electrical component positioned between the first set of electrical pads and an adapter frame. The adapter frame includes a second set of electrical pads on a bottom surface and connected to the first set of electrical pads of the printed circuit board and a third set of electrical pads on a top surface and electrically connected to the second set of electrical pads. The adapter frame further includes a chamber configured to house the at least one electrical component and having electrical shielding that forms at least a partial Faraday cage around the at least one electrical component. A connector receptacle having a set of pins is connected to the third set of electrical pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Gomelsky, Michael Astanovsky, Avihu Cohen, Guy Shimon
  • Patent number: 9831610
    Abstract: A connector can include a housing and a conductive shield and a pair of latching members. The latching members have free ends with engagement teeth formed on them which are separated by an intervening notch. The sidewalls of this notch can be flat and can define a hard stop surface for engagement with an opposing board connector. The free ends further include ramped surfaces leading to the engagement notch to form cam surfaces that depress the latching members when the cable connector is mated to a board connector. The latching members may include locating tabs that are captured in vertical movement by the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Steven George Sutter, Darian Schulz, Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 9831594
    Abstract: An electric power supply connector for vehicle (10) is provided with an inlet body (20) including a connector fitting portion (21) into which a mating connector can fit. Tubular components made of metal are fixed around the connector fitting portion (21) with one end part (26A) of each tubular component projecting more than another end part (26B). A cover (30) with insertion holes (33) into which the tubular components are to be inserted is fixed to the inlet body (20) with the one end part (26A) projecting from an opening of each insertion hole (33). A seal (40) is configured to seal between the inlet body (20) and the cover (30) by being held in close contact with peripheral edges (27) of the tubular components in the inlet body (20) and edges (37) of the insertion holes (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kurita