Patents Examined by Harshad C. Patel
  • Patent number: 10069244
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulative connector housing including a longitudinal bottom wall defining a plurality of contact openings for receiving a plurality of contacts, first and second side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing sides thereof, first and second end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing ends thereof, first and second pairs of latch openings at opposing ends of the bottom wall, and first and second protrusions extending upwardly from the bottom wall and disposed between respective first and second pairs of latch openings. Each latch opening extends through the bottom wall and through a side wall and is configured to allow a latch to eject a mating connector by moving within the opening Each of the protrusions is configured to engage a corresponding opening in a latch of a mating connector cover or strain relief assembled to the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Steven A. Neu, Alexander R. Mathews
  • Patent number: 10067538
    Abstract: Particular examples described herein provide for an electronic device, such as a notebook computer or laptop, which includes a circuit board coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which includes any type of hardware, elements, circuitry, etc.). The electronic device may also include a connector assembly that is positioned within at least a portion of a recess of the electronic device, where the connector assembly includes: a first assembly that is to receive a connector; and a second assembly that is to receive an identification module that is to provide an association between a user and the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sameer Sharma, Douglas Satzger, Gadi Amit, Yoshikazu Hoshino, Chadwick Harber, Daniel Clifton, Philip J. Houdek, II, Stanislav Moiseyenko, Nathan Isaiah Jauvtis
  • Patent number: 10062987
    Abstract: A card connector includes: an insulative housing (2) for receiving a card tray inserted in a front-to-back direction; and plural contacts (31) secured to the insulative housing, each contact including a frame portion (311), a curved portion connected inside the frame portion, and a tail portion (312) connected outside the frame portion, the curved portion including a first anchoring portion (315) and a second anchoring portion (315) respectively connected to the frame portion, a first arm (313) and a second arm (314) respectively continuing the first and second anchoring portions, a front connecting portion (317) and a rear connecting portion (318) respectively connected to the first and second arms, and a contacting portion (316) connected between the front and rear connecting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventor: Chin-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 10050384
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to designs for network jacks which can be used for cable connectivity. In an embodiment, the present invention is an RJ45 jack that utilizes a thin dielectric film between two layers of PICs that provide crosstalk compensation by way of their geometry. Compensation is achieved by way of capacitor plates which sandwich a thin dielectric film. This allows for the layers of PICs to be in close proximity and achieve higher coupling where desired, allowing a greater amount of compensation to occur close to the plug/jack contact point. This can have the effect of moving compensation closer to the plug/jack contact point, which in turn may reduce the amount of compensation needed further along the data path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Satish I. Patel, Roman J. Churnovic, Jean De Dieu Mutangana
  • Patent number: 10050388
    Abstract: It is aimed to provide a connector capable of reliably suppressing rattling by both of a pair of press-fit projections entering one press-fit groove. A connector includes a shorting terminal (10) configured to short a pair of terminal fittings (T) by resilient contact pieces (11) resiliently contacting the pair of terminal fittings (T), and a housing (30) configured to accommodate the terminal fittings (T) and the shorting terminal (10). The shorting terminal (10) includes a pair of press-fit projections (20) to be press-fit into one press-fit groove (36) provided in the housing (30) and separated on front and rear sides in a press-fitting direction into the press-fit groove (36). The pair of press-fit projections (20) are formed such that a height of the press-fit projection located on the front side in the press-fitting direction is smaller than that of the press-fit projection located on the rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ito, Yutaka Noro
  • Patent number: 10033141
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a connector plug (11) for a lighting device (12) is provided. The connector plug comprises a fastening arrangement (13) for mechanically coupling the lighting device to the connector plug, and an electronic contact (15) arranged to transfer power to, and communicate data with the lighting device coupled to the connector plug. Further, the connector plug comprises a heat sink (17) having a heat reception interface (18) arranged to receive heat from the lighting device coupled to the connector plug and a heat dissipation interface arranged to dissipate at least some of the heat received via the heat reception interface. The present aspect is based on a concept of utilizing the connector plug for dissipating heat from the lighting device, whereby the overall heat dissipation from the lighting device increases, which promotes a longer life time of the lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Martinus Petrus Creusen, Reinier Imre Anton Den Boer
  • Patent number: 10033120
    Abstract: A temporary grounding assembly is provided that includes a ground clamp, a tensioning member, a tensioner device, a first conductor, and a ground rod. The ground clamp has a main body with a plurality of teeth that are configured to make electrical connection with an outer diameter of a pipe. The tensioning member is secured to one end of the ground clamp. The tensioner device is securable to the tensioning member and to an opposite end of the ground clamp. The first conductor is in electrical connection with the ground clamp. The ground rod is in electrical connection with the first conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee Scott Herron
  • Patent number: 10027075
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to intravascular imaging catheters and methods of making catheters for imaging systems. The invention provides a connector for an imaging catheter that includes a unitary body with very thin electrical contacts that are formed on the surface of the body. Due to the scale of the contacts, the connector operates essentially as a single unitary piece of material. Each of the leads may be less than about 100 ?m wide and less than about 8 ?m thick, and further the leads may be spaced apart by less than about 160 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Volcano Corporation
    Inventors: Duane De Jong, Douglas Meyer
  • Patent number: 10027050
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector that defines a terminal cavity. The terminal cavity extends from an insertion opening to a mating opening. An inner housing is positioned in the terminal cavity. The inner housing defines an inner cavity. The inner cavity extends from an inner insertion opening to an inner mating opening. The inner mating opening is adjacent to the mating opening of the electrical connector. An electrical terminal is positioned in the inner cavity. A mating portion of the electrical terminal is adjacent the inner mating opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bhupinder Rangi, Lewis Galligan, David Menzies, Michael Glick
  • Patent number: 10020608
    Abstract: A connector includes a connector insert comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically couple, in a mated position, with a second plurality of electrical contacts within a connector receptacle housing accessible via a first surface of a computing device; and a non-magnetic connector insert housing configured to mechanically couple, in the mated position, with a second surface of the computing device. A computing system includes a connector insert comprising a first plurality of electrical contacts; a computing device comprising a connector receptacle housing accessible via a first surface of the computing device, the connector receptacle housing comprising magnetic elements and a second plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically couple, in a mated position, with the first plurality of electrical contacts in the connector insert; and a non-magnetic connector insert housing configured to mechanically couple, in the mated position, with a second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Gbatteries Energy Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Tiziano Cousineau, Mikhail Prokoptsov, Mykola Sherstyuk, Jonathon Lee, Tymofiy Sherstyuk
  • Patent number: 10020604
    Abstract: A connection device employs a plurality of housing portions that are formed separately from one another and further includes a plurality of conductors. The plurality of conductors are situated on a first housing portion, and a second housing portion and a third housing portion are then affixed at opposite ends of the first housing portion to retain the conductors in place on the first housing portion. The first, second, and third housing portions, being connected together, are then received in a receptacle of a fourth housing portion to form the connection device. The conductors each have an elongated shank that is received in an elongated channel formed in the first housing portion before the second and third housing portions are attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Dai Vo, Erik Jeffrey Gouhl, Robin Lu
  • Patent number: 10014596
    Abstract: A conductor terminal with an insulating housing that has a conductor insertion opening for inserting an electrical conductor and a contact pin insertion opening for inserting a contact pin, with a clamping spring for clamping an electrical conductor, wherein the clamping spring has a clamping leg with a clamping edge oriented so as to rest against the electrical conductor to be clamped, has a spring bend, and has a support leg, wherein the conductor insertion opening leads to the clamping edge in order to guide the electrical conductor to a clamping point formed by the clamping edge, and wherein the contact pin insertion opening extends into the interior of the insulating housing in the opposite direction to the conductor insertion opening and leads to the support leg in order to guide the contact pin for clamping to the support leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Frank Hartmann
  • Patent number: 9991632
    Abstract: A lock mechanism used for a connector mechanism of a wire harness includes a flange portion projecting from a connector housing in an intersection direction intersecting with an axial direction, an arm portion supported by the connector housing at a base end, extended from the connector housing to the flange portion side along the axial direction, having a free front end, and being bendable along the intersection direction, and a lock beak portion projecting from the arm portion to a side opposite to the connector housing side along the intersection direction and being lockable to a mounting panel disposed between the lock beak portion and the flange portion in the axial direction. The lock beak portion includes a plurality of lock beak portions provided along the axial direction at certain intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Ishida, Tomoyuki Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 9991617
    Abstract: Embodiments related to electrical connectors including superelastic components are described. The high elastic limit of superelastic materials compared to conventional connector materials may allow for designs which provide reliable connections and high frequency operation. Superelastic components also may enable connector designs with higher densities of connections. In some embodiments, a connector includes one or more superelastic elongated members forming the mating contacts of the connector. The superelastic elongated members deform within one or more conductive receptacles to generate a suitable contact force. The conductive receptacles may include a plurality of protrusions arranged to deflect the superelastic elongated members during mating. A superelastic component may also be provided in a receiving portion of a connector, and may form a portion of a conductive receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Pitten, Mark W. Gailus, Marc B. Cartier, Jr., David Levine, Donald A. Girard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9985388
    Abstract: Connector inserts and receptacles that provide signal paths having desired impedance characteristics. One example may provide a connector system having a connector insert and a connector receptacle. Contacts in the connector insert may form signal paths with corresponding contacts in the connector receptacle. Additional traces in the connector insert and receptacle may be part of these signal paths. The signal paths may have a target or a desired impedance along their lengths such that the power paths electrically appear as transmission lines. Constraints on physical dimensions of the connector insert and connector receptacle contacts may result in variations in impedance along the signal paths. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide structures to reduce these variations, to compensate for these variations, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: William Cornelius, Mahmoud R. Amini, Zheng Gao
  • Patent number: 9985374
    Abstract: An implantable connector utilizing having improved electrical and mechanical properties is described herein. In one aspect, the implantable connector utilizes electrical contact pins fabricated from a corrosion resistant metal alloy, such as platinum-iridium, that engage longitudinally and include one or more urging members on a proximal portion of the pin so as to provide at least a desired contact force between conductively coupled pins. Such a configuration allows contact between contact pins to be maintained in applications where the connector may be subject to movement and further allows for reduced resistance so as to allow transmission of voltages and current associated with higher powered implanted devices. In some embodiments, the urging member is defined as a helical cut potion in one or both electrical contacts. Methods of use and manufacture of such connectors are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: TC1 LLC
    Inventor: William V. Hodges
  • Patent number: 9979133
    Abstract: A telecommunications connector (100) includes a connector body (104) and a shield (102) attached to the connector body, the shield including a main body portion configured for attachment to the connector body and a barrel portion (110) for crimping against a cable to be terminated to the connector. The barrel portion of the shield includes a corrugated side wall made up of a series of bends extending along a direction from the rear end of the barrel toward the front end of the barrel along at least a portion of a length of the barrel, wherein the bends defining the corrugated side wall are provided on the shield at a pre-crimped stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: CommScope Connectivity Spain, S.L.
    Inventors: Longinos De Dios, Manuel Urbano León
  • Patent number: 9979125
    Abstract: A fitting structure of a connector which fits a pair of housings to each other, the fitting structure is provided with a first step portion and a second step portion on at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of one housing, and a third step portion and a fourth step portion on at least a part or an inner circumferential surface of the other housing. The first step portion extends in an axial direction. The second step portion protrudes more highly than the first step portion and is positioned on a rear side of the first step portion and extends in the axial direction. The third step portion is in contact with the first step portion and extends in the axial direction. The fourth step portion is in contact with the second step portion and extends in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Hamada, Tomoyuki Miyakawa, Kazuyuki Ochiai
  • Patent number: 9979142
    Abstract: A filter assembly for a high-voltage connector is disclosed. The filter assembly has a first and a second bus bar, a filter circuit disposed on a circuit carrier, a ring core, and a filter housing. Each bus bar has a first terminal section, a second terminal section, and a connecting section between the first terminal section and the second terminal section. The filter circuit, the ring core, and at least a part of the first and second bus bars are disposed in the filter housing. The first and second bus bars extend substantially parallel to each other and through the ring core. The circuit carrier is disposed in a region of the filter housing in which the connecting section of each of the first and second bus bars is accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventor: Chritz Gunther
  • Patent number: 9972943
    Abstract: Connector receptacles that may be modular, may be reliable and durable, and may provide a high signal quality. Examples may provide modular connector receptacles having a shielded housing around a tongue supporting a number of contacts. They may provide a high signal quality by using printed circuit boards as tongues and for routing signals, and they may be made durable by using through-hole contacting portions soldered to the printed circuit board and mechanically supported by a header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Jeon, Mahmoud R. Amini