Abstract: An interchangeable plug device includes an electrical plug detachably mountable to a casing and movable between a detached and an operative position relative to the casing, and a releasable locking mechanism integral with the electrical plug to maintain the plug in an operative position. The locking mechanism can be released by a user to allow the plug to be moved to the detached position. A preferred form of locking mechanism is a depressible lock bar connected to or integral with an electrical plug body, which is designed to engage a detent in a casing. A preferred form of electrical connection between the plug and any casing comprises a submerged pin and sleeve configuration to protect the user or passerby from electric shock if the plug is detached from its operative position but remains a source of live current. A variety of interchangeable electrical plugs can preferably be fitted to the same casing.

Abstract: A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which provides for static discharge and is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture. The transceiver module has a main housing which consists of a potting box with potting material inserted therein. In addition, a circuit board is encased by the potting material. The circuit board has an optical subassembly mounted thereon. The optical subassembly extends outside of the potting box through a recess. Correspondingly, a recess cover is provided for forming a liquid tight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly. Furthermore, the module provides electrically conductive latches which are conductively connected, via tabs for forming an electrical connection, to a grounded structure, such as a computer chassis.

Abstract: A connector for making electrical connection between electrical terminals held in each of a female electrical terminal member and a male electrical terminal member of the connector by mechanically connecting both the female electrical terminal member and the male electrical terminal member. Both of the female electrical terminal member and the male electrical terminal member of the connector are attached to solid structures directly, instead of being attached to tip portions of flexible electric cables extended from outside of the solid structures. The solid structures are parts such as auto-parts or a partial assembly composed of a plurality of the parts or a body such as a body of an automobile which are to be assembled together and which have a larger size than the size of the connector.

Abstract: The present inventions provide a high-speed serial data cable assembly with improved electromagnetic performance. In one embodiment, the high-speed serial data cable assembly includes a first connector, a second connector, a cable portion, and a capacitor. The first connector includes a conductive housing and a first plurality of pins, one of the first plurality of the pins being a ground pin. The second connector includes a conductive housing and a second plurality of pins. The cable portion includes a shield, the cable portion electrically coupling the first plurality of pins to the second plurality of pins, and the shield electrically coupling the ground pin of the first connector to the conductive housing of the second connector.

Abstract: A 110-volt wiring connector wherein sets of wire connectors are positioned on each of four sides, each set of the sets of 1-4 having three in-line electrodes as connectors, corner electrodes are interconnected, and the center electrodes are bridged as between the first set and second set and as between the first set and fourth set.

Abstract: A retainer frame for holding a standard printed circuit board or other electronic card is sized and adapted for insertion and removal in tight places. In particular, the retainer frame, together with an actuator bar, is employed in conjunction with a cabinet with guides and a stop mechanism to produce an initially horizontal insertion motion followed immediately by a vertical motion during which electrical connection is made between the card and a corresponding connector in the cabinet.

Abstract: A rotatable electrical connector assembly provided with a fixed portion and a rotatable portion is described herein. The fixed portion includes an electrical plug provided at a first end thereof, an electrical socket provided at a second end thereof and an intermediate cylindrical portion provided between the electrical plug and the electrical socket. The cylindrical portion includes three protruding annular terminals connected to the electrical plug. The rotatable portion includes a cylindrical aperture to be mounted to the cylindrical portion for rotative movement. Three slip rings are so mounted to the rotatable portion as to be in contact with a respective annular terminal of the fixed portion to provide electrical contact between the rotatable portion and the fixed portion at any angular position of the rotatable portion with respect to the fixed portion. An electrical socket is electrically connected to the slip rings.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for facilitating insertion and maximizing resiliency, reliability and conductivity of button contacts in button board type circuit interconnectors.

Abstract: A PC card (30) of standard PCMCIA outside dimensions can connect a Micro Sim card C to a host connector 16 that lies at the rear end of a host passageway 12. The PC card has a housing 10 that includes shell halves (32, 34) with horizontal upper and lower parallel plane main walls (44, 46) which, between them, form a cavity (48) holding a circuit board (36). A small card connector (64) for receiving the Micro Sim card lies on the upper face (37) of the circuit board (36). The upper PC card shell half (32) has a slot (80) for insertion or extraction of the Micro Sim card (C) from the small card connector.

Abstract: A double collar portion formed on a rubber plug intermediate opposite ends thereof and an umbrella-shaped end plug formed at a rear end of the rubber plug improve waterproofing in an electrical terminal. The collar portion is held in intimate contact with an inner peripheral surface of a tubular terminal-receiving chamber to form a seal therebetween. An open end of the tubular terminal-receiving chamber is closed by the end plug without a gap or recess, thereby eliminating the possibility of collection of water and virtually eliminating the possibility of water leaking into the terminal.

Abstract: A connector assembly to join two contacts that has a seal assembly comprised of simple, reliable, easily replaceable and inexpensive components. The connector assembly has a female housing that automatically seals a contact therein when the connector assembly is not assembled. The connector assembly includes a male housing, the female housing, an resilient sleeve and a spring. The male housing includes a rigid projection and a longitudinal passageway sized to mount a first contact therein. Like the male housing, the female housing includes a longitudinal passageway sized to mount a second contact therein. The seal assembly includes the resilient sleeve and the spring. The sleeve is mounted about the contact in the female housing and is located so that the spring pinches the sleeve closed when the male and female housings are not connected.

Abstract: A board mountable BNC type electrical connector (10) is provided which offers enhanced performance, through direct grounding of the connector to the board and a spark gap feature that protects the connector against exposure to elevated voltages. A grounding clip (76) includes a board locking feature (84), a spark gap tab (74) that seats within the connector housing (12), and a pair of flexible arms (82) arranged to compressively hold a pair of capacitive elements (68) within the connector (10).

Abstract: A double collar portion formed on a rubber plug intermediate opposite ends thereof and an umbrella-shaped end plug formed at a rear end of the rubber plug improve waterproofing in an electrical terminal. The collar portion is held in intimate contact with an inner peripheral surface of a tubular terminal-receiving chamber to form a seal therebetween. An open end of the tubular terminal-receiving chamber is closed by the end plug without a gap or recess, thereby eliminating the possibility of collection of water and virtually eliminating the possibility of water leaking into the terminal.

Abstract: A hingeable leg subassembly for a wiring block of the type having a wiring base includes a wiring base support and a foot spaced away from the wiring base support along the leg. The foot has a lower surface and a generally opposite upper surface which defines an aperture therethrough. The aperture has an entrance at the upper surface, having a first size which is less than a second size at an exit on the lower surface. A wiring block is formed with two of the hingeable leg subassemblies, with a wiring base affixed to the hingeable leg subassemblies and a wiring strip supported by the wiring base is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrical assembly and actuating mechanism for use therewith in which conductor pairs of two circuit members (e.g., printed circuit board and electronic module or semiconductor chip) are effectively electrically coupled. A rigid plate is fixedly positioned relative to a first of the circuit members (e.g., using upstanding pins), a pressure plate is movably oriented relative to the rigid member, and an actuator (e.g., screw) moves within the rigid member to cause the pressure plate to engage the second circuit. Such engagement in turn causes the conductors of the second circuit member to forcibly engage the first circuit member's conductors. Solder balls and dendritic members can also be used for providing enhanced coupling without harm to either structures. The resulting assembly affords a low profile when in final position, as highly desired in the design of microelectronic packaging structures which the present invention is particularly related to.

Abstract: A connector unit is described comprising a base unit 12 and a connector module 10, the base unit 12 comprising a walls 14 for accepting the connector module 10, the connector module 10 including at least one IDC connector 36 for making electrical connection with a wire 48 and channels 26 for retention of a wire 48, wherein the connector module 10 is such that insertion thereof into the base unit 12 causes the IDC 36 connector to move relative to the channels 26 thereby to make electrical connection between the IDC connector 36 and a wire 48 in the channels 26.

Abstract: A high contact force pin-receiving electrical terminal includes a channel-shaped base joined to a forward pin engaging structure with a generally box-shaped pin receiving region. The pin engaging structure has a pair of spaced apart beams extending forwardly of the base to generally define opposed sides of the box-shaped region with opposed pin contacting surfaces for slidably engaging an inserted pin terminal. A resilient beam support member extends between and mechanically interconnects the forward, free ends of the beams to generally define a third side of the box-shaped region. A shroud extends forwardly of the base about at least portions of the beams to protect the beams during handling.

Abstract: Male and female connectors of an extremely small size, while having a number of connection terminals, are provided. The male connector consists of a cylindrical cable-supporting member, a cylindrical conductive-wire guide member, and a core member for coupling the two with each other. The conductive-wire guide member has partitions and holding sections. The conductive wire of the cable passing through the cable-supporting member is folded on the holding section from outside to inside so that the exposed portion of the conductive wire forms a connection terminal of the male connector. The female connector consists of a casing having an insertion hole to be inserted by the male connector, a locking member for locking the male connector, projected from the end of the casing, and female side connection terminals, each to be fitted to a terminal retaining section of the casing so that the leading end thereof is exposed in the insertion hole.

Abstract: A unique dual beam contact (30) for coupling elements on opposite sides of a dividing element (68) preferably comprises a single piece of metal or other conductive material to provide a contact portion on either side of the dividing element (14). Each beam of the dual beam contact can be specifically shaped or formed to provide the preferred contact pressure depending upon the application the dual beam contact. The dual beam contact includes an attachment member (34, 35) to provide easy attachment to an element of the device. Alternatively, the elbow portion (38) between the two beams could be used to attach the dual beam contact to the dividing element. The dual beam contact of the present invention reduces cost, inventory requirements, and complexity in manufacturing.

Abstract: A connector for high density multi-conductor ribbon cable. The connector has a base member, a cover member and a retainer interposed therebetween. The cover member and the retainer collectively define a ribbon cable receiving area and the mating surfaces on the cover member and the retainer have indentations that urge the conductors of the ribbon cable so as to center the conductors in a conductor space defined by the indentations. A plurality of contacts are positioned in the base and an insulation displacement ends of the contacts extend through openings in the retainer into the conductors that are centered in the conductor receiving space defined by the indentations. The base member exerts force against the contacts so that compression of the cover and the base results in the conductors simultaneously being centered in the conductor receiving space and the contacts being urged into the conductors.