Patents Examined by David Pirlot
  • Patent number: 4897045
    Abstract: A co-axial table connector includes a wire-seizing mechanism that includes a pair of spaced, wire-seizing elements. An outer end of each element is angled inwardly so that both outer ends converge symmetrically with respect to each other. A cam member slidably fits over the elements and has divergent surfaces which come into camming contact with the convergent ends. This forces the elements inwardly and causes them to grip the end of a co-axial wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Inventor: Arthur Dyck
  • Patent number: 4895532
    Abstract: An improved modular connector coupler for joining two modular plugs features an improved spring contact portion and a selective, continuous commoning system. The spring contact portion of the conductors substantially increases the area of contact with the mating plug's terminals, and prevents overstressing of the conductors. The permanently installed commoning bar assembly provides continuous electrical connection between two or more of the main conductors in such a manner that micromovements of the conductors are easily followed and do not cause open circuits. The housing structure features two substantially identical housing halves which are connected back-to-back in a 180.degree. rotated configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Virginia Patent Development Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen B. Bogese, II
  • Patent number: 4895531
    Abstract: An improved electrical contact member formed of an electrically conductive metal and adapted for mounting in a cavity in an insulated housing body, where said contact member is subjected to elevated temperatures sufficient to cause softening or relaxation of said metal. The improvement therein is achieved by the addition thereto of a U-shaped insert, fabricated from steel resistant to softening or relaxation at said elevated temperatures, at one end of said contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventor: Guido Vignoli
  • Patent number: 4895530
    Abstract: A pair of electrical connectors are provided to enable quick connection or disconnection of a lead from an automotive battery. The connectors include mateable pin and socket terminals that are of split tube design to achieve inward deflection of the pin terminal and outward deflection of the socket terminal with correspondingly high contact forces and large contact surface areas. The terminals are securely mounted in housings that are mateable with one another. One housing preferably includes helically formed cam slots that are dimensioned to receive cam followers unitarily molded with the opposed housing. The helical cam slot provides a desirable mechanical advantage during mating and unmating and contributes to the plural directional wiping of the terminals insert molded therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert J. Gugelmeyer, Lawrence E. Geib
  • Patent number: 4892492
    Abstract: In a device with openings for receiving pins of electrical components therein an including spring elements which are bowed in toward the center of the opening at the bottom thereof, and is then bowed out in the middle of the opening and drawn back towards the center of the opening at the top to form a funnel for receiving one of the pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Modular Computer Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry B. Mueller
  • Patent number: 4892485
    Abstract: An adapter plate interposed between a single phase meter and a three phase meter outlet to benefit from the more economical operation of a single phase meter when the premises no longer requires the three phase outlet power. The adapter plate includes a sleeve having a barrier and four blades which contact four 120 volt clips operatively connected to 120 volt power at the outlet site. The adpater blades include four clips oriented to receive a single phase meter. Two of the clips are offset from two of the blades to which they are connected so that the single phase meter can be aligned with the three phase outlet socket and thereby accurately monitor power used on the premises. Three legs defining the 200 volt leg wired to the premises are effectively isolated by the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Inventor: Victor L. Patton
  • Patent number: 4892491
    Abstract: A coaxial connector includes a housing carrying an insulator. The insulator carries a center contact with a spring biasing the cneter contact. A volute spring engages the housing and provides the ground or shield contact. The housing is formed of two halves with the volute spring and alignment pins holding the housing halves together. A coaxial cable has its shield clamped between the housing halves for providing the ground connection to the volute spring. The coaxial cable center conductor is connected to the center contact within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Budano, II, Andrzei T. Guzik, Rudy Yorio, Harold M. Cook
  • Patent number: 4891020
    Abstract: A low profile, metal shell insulation displacement contact (IDC) connector comprises an elongate insulative housing having two spaced longitudinally extending sidewalls and two transversely extending longitudinally spaced end walls. Within the interior of the housing sidewalls, there are a plurality of pockets formed therein for securing a metal shell to the housing. The metal shell is preferably made in two-part construction wherein a lower portion defining a continuous D-shaped configuration is attached by deformable tabs to an upper portion and the upper portion comprises a plurality of deformably prongs that are adapted to be received in the pockets of the housing and deformed therein for securing the composite metal shell thereto. A cover is latchably secured to the end walls of the housing and a strain relief is provided for sandwiching a flat multiconductor ribbon cable between the strain relief and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventor: James S. Dunn
  • Patent number: 4891022
    Abstract: A data connector is disclosed herein which includes a plurality of terminals situated in an insulative housing, and the housing is surrounded by shielding members to form a shielded subassembly, the shielded subassembly finally being inserted within a premolded one piece boot to form a data connector which is interconnectable to shielded data cable. The data connector of the instant invention can be field assembled and installed and is intermatable with similar data connectors having T-bars and T-slots without the complexity thereof. Alternatively, the data connector of the instant invention is interconnectable with a communications outlet locally mounted which houses similar terminals electrically interconnected to like shielded data cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Curtis S. Chandler, Edward K. Marsh
  • Patent number: 4891018
    Abstract: A solderless electrical connector formed of a polyolefin is formed with the same integrity as with harder polymeric materials when used with a connecting member of ductile material having a clearance slot between the wire receiving grooves and when formed to force the supporting cap into tight engagement with the inside surfaces of walls forming the base cap receiving cavity. The connecting member includes a passage for encapsulant to pass through the plate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Martin G. Afflerbaugh, George J. Knox
  • Patent number: 4891023
    Abstract: An edge connector is provided comprising a housing and a plurality of stamped and formed terminals mounted therein. The housing is constructed to be self-compensating for variations in the thickness of a printed circuit board and the location of mounting apertures therein. The housing includes a plurality of terminal receiving cavities, each of which includes an internally disposed latch wall. The terminals each include a base, a solder tail extending from one side of the base and a contact beam and mounting beam cantilevered from the opposite side of the base. The mounting beam includes a mounting arm and a latch arm cantilevered from the mounting arm and disposed intermediate the mounting arm and the contact beam. The latch arm is resiliently deflectable to lockingly engage the centrally disposed latch wall of the housing, and to thereby minimize outwardly directed pressure on the external walls of the housing that could otherwise bow the housing and minimize the effectiveness of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: John E. Lopata
  • Patent number: 4891021
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a mating receptacle and header. The receptacle includes contacts having beam members integral with and extending between a forward and rearward cylindrical portion. The beam members are formed in opposed pairs with constricted portions at different axial locations. The spacing between the opposed pairs of beams is less than the widths of the beams. The header includes rows of square posts for mating with the socket contacts, the rows of posts being axially offset from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Earl J. Hayes, Allen F. VanDerStuyf
  • Patent number: 4889500
    Abstract: A connector assembly enables a dense grouping of contacts to be joined in one step to a printed circuit board (PCB) while assuring that impedances are matched among all components. A receptacle intended for mounting on the PCB matingly receives a plug which carries terminal contacts of multiple coaxial cable leads. The plug includes a honeycomb grounding block to engageably receive the outer conductor of each coaxial terminal, an inner conductive sleeve being electrically coupled to a signal lead by a first contact. Signal pin contacts within the receptacle and electrically coupled with the PCB are electrically coupled with each inner conductive sleeve when the plug is inserted into the receptacle. Likewise, ground pin contacts within the receptacle and electrically coupled with the PCB have second and third spaced resilient contacts, respectively, engaging the grounding block at distances farther from the nearer to the PCB than the first contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Burndy Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lazar, Rocco Noschese
  • Patent number: 4886474
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a spindle-receiving jack for forming an elecrtrical connection, the said jack comprising at least three resilient tongues defining an opening for forcibly passing the stem of the spindle and shaped in such a manner that each of them has its own resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Inventor: Pierre L. M. Drogo
  • Patent number: 4886461
    Abstract: A zero insertion force electrical connector for electrically connecting two electrical members. A plurality of first electrical contacts on a first member engage a plurality of second electrical on a second member. An isostratic medium is retained against the second member and a pressure generator acts on the isostatic medium for providing a uniform force forcing the first and second contact into engagement. One of the first and second contacts may be positioned in recesses and the other of the first and second contacts are outwardly extending for providing self-alignment between the first and second members. The second member may be a three-layer tape having a first metal signal layer, a middle dielectric layer and a second ground layer for interconnection to a third electrical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Robert T. Smith
  • Patent number: 4884981
    Abstract: A data connector is disclosed herein which includes a plurality of terminals situated in an insulative housing, and the housing is surrounded by shielding members to form a shielded subassembly, the shielded subassembly finally being inserted within a premolded one piece boot to form a data connector which is interconnectable to shielded data cable. The data connector of the instant invention can be field assembled and installed and is intermatable with similar data connectors having T-bars and T-slots. Alternatively, the data connector of the instant invention is interconnectable with a communications outlet locally mounted which houses similar terminals electrically interconnected to like shielded data cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Curtis S. Chandler, Edward K. Marsh
  • Patent number: 4884983
    Abstract: The electrical connector comprises a first connector half having a heating element mounted therein. The heating element includes at least one non electrically conductive surface having a set of electrically conductive surface traces mounted on the at least one surface. Also included in the first connector half are a set of first contacts having one end joined to a first portion of the surface traces on the at least one surface. A second connector half is included for mating with the first connector half. The second connector half includes a set of second electrial contacts for contacting a second portion of the surface traces on the at least one surface of the heating element when the connector halves are joined. A coating of solder is applied to the second portion of the conductive surface traces on the heating element or the one end of the second electrical contacts or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Lockheed Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Morrison
  • Patent number: 4884984
    Abstract: A crimp connector, comprising a socket housing having received therein a crimp terminal comprising a contact, a pair of claws for holding a stripped portion of a wire, and a pair of claws for holding an unstripped portion of the wire, said housing being provided; at the front end face thereof with an opening or said contact; at the top thereof with an opening through which the wire is inserted and crimpers to crimp the stripped portion holding claws and the unstripped portion holding claws are inserted; and at the bottom thereof with an opening through which an anvil to crimp said stripped portion holding claws is inserted. A method of attaching electric wires to the crimp connector is also disclosed. The present crimp connector makes it possible to attach wires in the state that crimp terminals have been built in a socket housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Create System Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatsugu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 4881912
    Abstract: A coaxial connector for mating a coaxial cable to a mating connector includes a hollow interior within the connector and insulation lining the hollow interior. Insulation lines the tubular passage through which the coaxial cable inner dielectric and center conductor are inserted into the hollow interior of the connector during field attachment of the connector to the cable. A tapered opening in the insulator lining the hollow interior is sized to receive and guide the inner dielectric of the coaxial cable being attached. There is also provided an access hole into the hollow interior to facilitate connection of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable to the center conductor pin of the connector. The access hole is closed by an insulation piece sized for insertion into the access hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Specialty Connector Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Thommen, Eric B. Parker
  • Patent number: 4881910
    Abstract: A shuttle or recessed housing 11 for a vehicle radio and/or fixed recording player is disclosed. This shuttle is particularly designed to permit owner removal of such a unit 10 located in an attractive vehicle dashboard console 20 in which it is the desire that the release mechanism be totally or virtually concealed. A thin metal housing 11 conforms to the shape of the radio and cassette tape or compact disk player unit and has narrow concealed edge flange on at least one edge of the front opening. Openings are present in at least the rear face of the shuttle 11 to allow the normal connectors of the radio 10 to engage mating connectors 52 in the shuttle 11. A dummy tape cassette or compact disk 40 including an outward extending handle 41 accompanies the shuttle 11. The dummy cassette 40 is introduced into the slot 14 engaging player holding elements. By a gentle tug on the handle 41 the entire unit 10 is removed from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Walter Odemer Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Walter Odemer