Patents Examined by P. Austin Bradley
  • Patent number: 6733331
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an electrical distribution terminal block and modularly couplable electrical receptacles wherein the terminal block is formed by a plurality of stackable wafers. Each wafer has upper channels formed therein that radiate from a common upper interior intersection point to an outer surface thereof, and lower channels formed therein that radiate from a common lower interior intersection point to an outer surface thereof. When the wafers are vertically stacked, the upper channels of one wafer complementally form ducts with the lower channels of another wafer, each duct having an outlet or port in communication with the exterior of the terminal block. An electrical terminal, formed in a configuration adapted to be received in the upper or lower channels, is disposed in each formed duct and includes connectors for coupling to incoming and outgoing wires of a polarity including neutral, and for coupling that polarity or neutral to a terminal of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Pent Assemblies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip A. McCoy, Shawn J. Kondas
  • Patent number: 6729892
    Abstract: A card connector that reliably holds an inserted card with a compact mechanism to prevent the falling of the card due to unexpected external forces. The card 10 is formed with the recess 18 to receive the locking portion. The elastic locking piece 50 is mounted to the eject member 41 that slides together with the card 10 as the card is inserted or retracted. The locking piece guide means 50b, 61 converts the motion of the eject member 41 in the card insertion/retraction direction into the motion of the locking portion 50c of the elastic locking piece 50 toward or away from the card so that the locking portion 50c is engaged in the recess 18 during the card insertion and, during the card ejection, is disengaged from the recess 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihumi Takada, Masaaki Oya, Minoru Igarashi
  • Patent number: 6729891
    Abstract: A right angle board-to-board connector is provided with generally balanced impedance. The right angle board-to-board connector includes a plurality of connector pins. Each of the connector pins has a generally right angle configuration. The connector pins are spaced apart by a substantially uniform spacing along respective connector mating pin faces. Selected connector pins have substantially equal length. For example, each of the connector pins has substantially equal length or selected pairs of the connector pins has substantially equal length. The connector pins of a preferred embodiment are laterally offset to provide a predefined separation between the connector pins at pin crossover locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Kevin Egan, Jill Marie Golat, Brian Joseph Stanczyk
  • Patent number: 6726503
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for terminating a plurality of electrical wires. A non-conductive connector housing mounts a plurality of signal terminals. A wire management module includes a non-conductive body mounting a plurality of ground terminals. The body positions a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors of the electrical wires, the ground conductors being terminated to the ground terminals. The ground terminals interengage with the connector housing to mount the wire management module to the housing with the signal wire conductors in position for termination to the signal terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent D. Waddell, Peter Curtin, Eugene Folan, John M. Horgan, Enda Kelly, Joseph McCarthy, John Meaney, Brian Murphy, John Wallace, Michael J. Miskin
  • Patent number: 6722928
    Abstract: An improved press-fit pin having an elastically deformable area 6 to be press-fitted in a selected through hole in a printed circuit board, the elastically deformable area 6 comprising two parallel, opposite beams 8 connected by an connecting deformable bridge 9, thereby permitting the outer corners 8a of each beam 8 to engage the inner wall of the plated through hole while permitting the connecting deformable bridge 9 to be deformed. The connecting deformable bridge 9 comprises, in cross-section, an connecting flat section 10 extending perpendicular to the opposite beams 8, and two oblique sections 11 extending outward from the opposite ends of the upper flat 10a of the connecting flat section 10 to be contiguous to the opposite beams 8. The press-fit pin has a connecting flat section in its pressure-deformable area in place of the “V”-shaped area of a conventional press-fit pin, thus eliminating the necessity of forming acute angles in the die-and-punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Atsuhito Noda, Shigeyuki Hoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6722893
    Abstract: An interconnection device is provided for temporary connection of a first electronic system to a second electronic system having a support substrate that includes an ordered array of conductive solder pads. A plurality of coil signal contacts are mounted to the conductive solder pads. Each one of the coil signal contacts comprises a central longitudinal axis, a top turn and a bottom turn that are arranged in spaced relation to one another. In this way, the bottom turn of one of the plurality of coil signal contacts is fastened to each of the conductive pads such that the top turns are spaced away from the support substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: High Connection Density, Inc.
    Inventors: Che-Yu Li, Zhineng Fan, Linh Van
  • Patent number: 6719594
    Abstract: A board-mountable electrical connector (10, 110) comprises a housing (20, 120) which holds a plurality of contacts (30, 120) in a row. Each of the contacts includes a supporting part (31, 131) that is secured to the housing, a connecting part (33, 133) disposed at one end of the supporting part for connection with a circuit board, and a contact part (32, 132) disposed at an opposite end of the supporting part for electrical contact with a mating body. The contact part extends from the supporting part with successive portions including, first, a downward-facing projection (51) adjacent to the supporting part, a projecting shape (56) extending upward to an apex (56a) and then downward to a bent part (52) at a forward end of the contact part, and an arm part (53) extending upwardly and rearwardly from the bent part to a pair of contact projections (54) which can make electrical connection with the mating body. The contact projections (54) are disposed rearwardly of the apex (56a) of the projecting shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics. AMP, K.K.
    Inventor: Fumio Yuzawa
  • Patent number: 6716079
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a junction method of a spacer in a field emission display. An adhesive strength between a spacer and an anode substrate is improved by preventing the spacer from being separated due to separation of a metal-back thin film, by printing a frit at the lower portion of the metal-back thin film. Moreover, the metal-back thin film is deposited on the frit, thereby preventing surface charge accumulation or arcing due to electron collision during the driving of the field emission display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Il Sup Jin, Young Hwan Song
  • Patent number: 6712638
    Abstract: A communication device is provided for use with a handheld computer. The communication device includes an electrical connector and a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism is configured to direct a housing portion of the handheld computer towards the electrical connector so as to create an active contact between the electrical connector and a connector of the handheld computer. Alternatively, the coupling mechanism is configured to resist separation of the handheld computer from the communication device so as to maintain an electrical contact between connectors of the handheld computer and the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: palmOne, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Fisher, Cheri Nola Leonard
  • Patent number: 6712626
    Abstract: An electrical connector contact strip including spaced electrical contacts, a body and fusible elements. The spaced electrical contacts each have a main section and a tab section extending from an end of the main section. The body includes dielectric material molded onto the contacts and connecting the contacts to each other. The fusible elements are mounted on the tab sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Berg Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald K. Harper, Jr., Lewis R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6712646
    Abstract: A connector (1, 11) comprises a connector housing (2, 12), a plurality of signaling contacts (3, 13) arranged in a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, a plurality of first ground plates (4, 16) arranged between every two adjacent ones of and at the outside of opposite outermost ones of the columns, and a plurality of second ground plates (5, 17) arranged between every two adjacent ones of and at the outside of opposite outermost ones of the rows. The first and the second ground plates (4, 5; 6, 17) are connected to each other to form a grid structure to enclose each individual contact in each grid cell. In case of differential signal transmission, each pair of two contacts is enclosed in each grid cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited
    Inventor: Takeshi Shindo
  • Patent number: 6712648
    Abstract: An electrical connector having a laminate structure and multiple parallel grooves is described. The laminate structure is electrically conductive and is coated with an electrically non-conductive material. Each groove has a signal carrying path electrically insulated from the electrically conductive portion of the laminate structure, which is advantageously surrounded by the laminate structure, thereby forming a type of Faraday cage around the signal carrying path and creating a completely shielded electrical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenny Padro, Robert D. Godburn, Jr., William Keller
  • Patent number: 6705884
    Abstract: The subject invention relates to an electrical connector for coupling to an insulated electrical conductor or a coaxial cable of the type having an inner conductor enclosed in an inner concentric insulation and having a generally concentric conductive sheath therearound and an outer insulation enclosing the conductive sheath. The subject connector can have a housing having an electrically conductive portion and a bore therein. The subject connector can also have an electrically conductive pin mounted in the housing with one end protruding axially into the housing bore. A second end of the conductive pin can extend in an opposite direction within a second housing bore. The electrically conductive center pin can have a hollow portion extending thereinto from the protruding end and can have an annular sharpened edge on the protruding end. One or more slits can extend along the side of the center pin from the protruding end to form a plurality of center pin segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Centerpin Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dale C. McCarthy
  • Patent number: 6705911
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flat fluorescent lamp is provided. The method involves: preparing a transparent front plate; preparing a transparent back plate facing the front plate, the back plate having a plurality of discharging electrodes thereon and a dielectric layer covering the discharging electrodes; forming a plurality of spacers between the front plate and the back plate to keep a separation gap therebetween; and forming a fluorescent layer by spraying phosphor slurry on one surface of at least one of the front plate and the back plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoon-jung Lee, Seoung-jae Im
  • Patent number: 6705903
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of contacts. The housing includes a bottom wall, longitudinal side walls, and end walls extending from peripheral of the bottom walls. A plurality of pin holes defined in the bottom wall and a plurality of ribs alternatively extended over the inner surface of the side walls corresponding to the pin holes. The contact portions of the contacts supported securely by the plateaus and the valleys which defined by the ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hung-Chi Yu
  • Patent number: 6702619
    Abstract: A horizontal electric connector includes an insulating housing, a first electric contact, with a contacting part that is press-fitted into the housing from the rear and contacts a counterpart conductive part, and a leg that extends from the contacting part, comes out of the housing at the rear and descends, and a second electric contact, with a contacting part that is press-fitted into the housing from the rear at a position lower than the first electric contact and contacts a counterpart conductive part, and a leg that extends from the contacting part, comes out of the housing at the rear and extends forward along the bottom of the housing. A leg supporting part is provided on the bottom of the housing, into which the leg of the second electric contact is press-fitted from the rear, to prevent deformation of the leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: J. S. T. Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Kuroda, Daichi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6702606
    Abstract: The electrical connecting element for a connecting of fine wire cables (strands) consists of a contact pin having preferably points at both its ends and a radially projecting abutment flange on the shaft of the pin which contact pin penetrates through insulations. A shoulder between tip and shaft ensures that the pin which has been pressed in can not be torn out and the flange acts for a limiting of the depth of penetration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Woertz AG
    Inventor: Roman Marcel Bolliger
  • Patent number: 6699056
    Abstract: An electrical connector (1) for electrically connecting an electronic package with a circuit substrate. The connector includes a base (2), a cover (3) slidably attached on the base, and an actuation device (4) for actuating the cover to slide along the base. The actuation device includes a camshaft and an operation lever (41). The camshaft is rotatably positioned between the base and the cover, and defines a locating recess (431) therein. The base includes a main portion (22) and a front portion (21). The front portion defines an engaging surface (23) for engaging with the cover. A locating slot is defined at the engaging surface, rotatably locating the camshaft of the actuation device therein. The front portion forms a locating block (25) in the slot. The locating block engages with the camshaft at the locating recess, to help prevent the operation lever from being over-rotated in either of opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen He, Hui Ye
  • Patent number: 6695653
    Abstract: A no-crimp electrical connector for connecting a stranded or solid wire or conductor in the lower gauges electrical wire to an end terminal. It includes a conductive end terminal having an integral bullet-shaped wire-splaying end, and an end terminal end, a hollow, internally threaded, female connector member secured to the conductive end terminal and houses the bullet-shaped wire splaying end, and a male connector member having an externally threaded surface for threaded engagement with the internally threaded female connector member, the male connector member having a throughbore, the throughbore having a first portion which is conically shaped to define a wire clamping space for wire ends splayed by the bullet-shaped end upon relative rotation between the female and male connection members. The female connection member can be conductive and made integral with the conductive end terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Swenco Products, Inc.
    Inventor: René Tomasino
  • Patent number: 6692313
    Abstract: A no-crimp electrical connector which does not require any metal pieces and is essentially comprised of two molded plastic body members. A molded plastic first body member has a connection chamber and a threaded wall bounds the connection chamber. A second molded plastic second body member has an externally threaded surface threadably engageable with the threaded wall in the first body member. One of the body members has an integral central conically shaped element which has an axis coaxial with the body member in which it is formed. The second body member has a throughbore with the throughbore having first and seconds ends. The first throughbore end is shaped to accommodate two or more wires in parallel, side-by-side relation. Preferably, the shape is oval or ablong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Swenco Products, Inc.
    Inventor: René Tomasino