Patents Examined by Paula A. Bradley
-
Patent number: 6176721Abstract: An IC card connector is provided for connecting an IC card having a terminal array to external equipment. The connector includes a base member having a plurality of electrically conductive contacts exposed on one side of the base member for engaging the terminal array of the IC card. A cover is hinged to the base member for movement toward and away from the one side of the base member. The cover has a receptacle for securing the IC card thereon for pivotal and slidable movement therewith, whereby pivoting of the cover onto the base member of the IC card connector and sliding the cover relative to the base member effects engagement of the IC card terminal array with the contacts.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: Molex IncorporatedInventors: Fulvio Gottardo, Gianni Zuin
-
Patent number: 6176729Abstract: A cord-to-cord restraining device for maintaining electrical cords and the like in plugged together electrical connection comprising a base member, a clip, an eyelet, and a hook. The base member has a front end, a rear end, a top side, and a bottom side. The clip is on the bottom side of the base member, and is configured to engage and secure the device on a first electrical cord. The eyelet is on the top side of the base member closer to the front end than the rear end. The eyelet defines an opening sized to receive a loop of a second electrical cord. The hook member is on the top side of the base member closer to the rear end than the front end, and is configured to receive the loop of the second electrical cord and secure the second electrical cord on the base member. Methods of using the device are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2000Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Inventor: Harold R. Myers
-
Patent number: 6176738Abstract: A connector (10) is provided that is mountable in cutout (82) of a panel (80) and incrementally movable therein. First flanges (30) of a first layer (28) pass through recesses (84) along sides of the cutout (82) until second flanges (38) of a second layer (36) abut the near surface of the panel adjacent the recesses. The connector is then translated laterally to a fully mounted position until stop member (44) seats in a locking position with respect to an edge (96) of the cutout, thus maintaining the connector in its fully mounted position with first and second flange layers sandwiching portions of the panel therebetween, and preventing the connector from moving inadvertently to its initially inserted position. Mating connectors (10,100) mounted on respective panels (80,170) define an ultra low mated height permitting the panels to be very close together.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventors: John Joseph Consoli, Lynn Robert Sipe
-
Patent number: 6176710Abstract: A battery power connector comprises a plastic block with a pair of raised pedestals at opposite ends of one side that fit through rectangular cutouts in the rear panel of a RETMA-rack chassis. A pair of bolt holes in the rear panel between the cutouts and a matching pair of bolt holes between the raised pedestals in the plastic block allow for a mounting that is electrically isolated for positive and negative, and conductive for ground in the middle. Inside the chassis, a double-sided printed circuit board is bolted to the back of the plastic block with three pairs of bolts, one pair each for positive, ground, and negative battery cable connections. A threaded backing plate is provided on the outside to receive each of the three pairs of bolts, one for each positive, ground, and negative battery cable connection. A two-hole battery-cable lug is then bolted over each threaded backing plate and is held tightly with two nuts and lockwashers each.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Inventors: Carrel W. Ewing, Andrew J. Cleveland
-
Patent number: 6176722Abstract: The printed circuit board zero-force plug connector has a mechanism whose operation causes the plug connector to move between a fitting position (open) and a connected position (closed). The fitting position allows the insertion or removal of a printed circuit board, which makes contact correctly with the printed circuit board. The mechanism of the zero-force plug connector assembly is operated by a rotary movement of an operating member, and/or the mechanism is configured such that it starts to move the printed circuit board zero-force plug connector to the connected position only after it has locked the printed circuit board in its correct position. The printed circuit board is released from the lock only after the mechanism has caused the printed circuit board zero-force plug connector to assume its fitting position.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AGInventor: Jacques Longueville
-
Patent number: 6176748Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing molded of dielectric material and having a recess defined by opposed side walls having inner surfaces. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing and include contact sections along at least one of the opposed side walls and exposed at the inner surface thereof. The terminals have distal ends at an end of the recess. At least some of the terminals have spacer tabs projecting laterally from edges of the contact sections of the terminals to maintain at least a minimum spacing between the distal ends of the terminals prior to molding the dielectric housing.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1998Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: Molex IncorporatedInventors: George Marc Simmel, Chui Ngor Wong, Kiat Keen Chee, Sebastian Anjilikkal Poulose
-
Patent number: 6176730Abstract: An electrical connection cable manufacturing method includes the steps of (1) providing a first insulator defining a plurality of channels for receiving and retaining conductive pins, a tail section of each pin having a sharpened edge; (2) providing a second insulator defining a plurality of channels each receiving a leading end of an electrical wire, each channel having a slot communicating therewith; and (3) bringing the first and second insulators toward each other whereby the tail ends of the pins are inserted into the corresponding slots of the channels of the second insulator and the sharpened edge of each pin cuts through an insulative sheath of the wire to electrically engage a conductive core thereof. An electrical connection cable manufactured from the above-described steps comprises a positive displacement connection between the sharpened edge of the conductive pin and the conductive core of the wire thus soldering is not required.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Wei-Chuan Wang, Ping-Sheng Su
-
Patent number: 6174195Abstract: A ribbon cable connector is adapted to establish electrical connection with a ribbon cable, and includes an elongated terminal seat and an elongated clamping frame, which is removably connected to the terminal seat and which is adapted to clamp the ribbon cable between the terminal seat and the clamping frame. A ground terminal set includes a grounding plate positioned on the terminal seat, and a longitudinal row of ground terminals, which are formed integrally with the grounding plate. Two longitudinal rows of signal terminals are positioned on the terminal seat, and are located on two sides of the row of ground terminals. A number of positioning devices are disposed between the grounding plate and some of the signal terminals. A plurality of unitary conductive members are interposed between the grounding plate and the signal terminals.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Advanced Connectek Inc.Inventor: Sheng-Ho Yang
-
Patent number: 6174208Abstract: A female terminal for a connector comprising a terminal body that is fixed by a retainer of a housing, a leaf spring that extends forward in the terminal body, and a stabilizer that is fixed by a lance of the housing. At the root end of the leaf spring, a round part that bends lengthwise into an approximately circular arc is formed. A bead having a curved section to increase flexural rigidity of the leaf spring is formed ahead of the round part on the top end side. A stabilizer having a face directed in the width direction is erected in the height direction from the top end of the terminal body.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Japan Solderless Terminal Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ping Chen
-
Patent number: 6174207Abstract: A battery terminal connector for a quick and easy way to connect and disconnect battery cables to a battery. The battery terminal connector includes a housing having an open top end, an open bottom end, an open side, a first side wall, and a second side wall and being adapted to retain a conventional battery coupler therein, and further includes a spring member having ends mounted to the first and second side walls at the open side, and also includes a lever pivotally mounted to the first and second side walls also at the open side and having a spring engaging member extending at an angle from an end of the lever, and further includes a cable fastener securely mounted on top of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Inventor: Lance B. Cleveland
-
Patent number: 6174201Abstract: A plurality of inner units respectively have a terminal chamber for accommodating a terminal to which an electric wire is connected, which are to be detachably combined with each other to constitute an inner housing. Waterproof rubber plugs respectively have a through hole through which the electric wire is inserted. A spacer has side walls for defining a chamber provided with a bottom wall, into which the inner units are fitted. Through holes, through which the respective electric wires are inserted, are formed on the bottom wall of the spacer so as to face the associated terminal chambers of the respective inner units when the inner housing is fitted into the chamber of the spacer. An outer housing has sidewalls for defining a chamber provided with a bottom wall, into which the spacer is fitted.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2000Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventors: Takao Murakami, Masaru Fukuda
-
Patent number: 6174204Abstract: A fuse holding structure includes a housing having several fuse sockets recessed therein. A wall extends upwardly from the housing adjacent the fuse sockets and includes recesses adapted to partially surround each fuse socket without fully surrounding each fuse socket. The wall does not fully surround the fuse sockets in order to permit a user to manually grasp the fuses and remove the fuses from the sockets. The wall extends upwardly from the housing a distance sufficient to protect the fuses from damage.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 1998Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.Inventor: J. Ivan Boivin
-
Patent number: 6174197Abstract: Disclosed is a card connector assembly comprising a shell assembly having upper and lower shells for accommodating a memory device in the form of a card, and a pin connector assembly including an insulating housing having signal pins mounted therein with connection pins adapted to be received in the memory device inserted in the associated shell. The pin connector assembly is a unitary molded housing having an upper and lower rows of signal terminals adapted to be soldered directly to a printed circuit board in a single soldering step. The shell assembly is adapted to be assembled to the pin connector assembly by way of interengaging slots and corresponding shell parts.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1998Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Molex IncorporatedInventors: Hideyuki Hirata, Soichi Watanabe
-
Patent number: 6174190Abstract: A latch release is provided for engaging a latching mechanism of a connector. The latch release includes a housing cooperatively associated with the connector having a passageway that defines a first open end and a second open end. The second open end of the passageway is positioned adjacent to an operative portion of the latching mechanism. A rail is slidably positioned within the passageway and includes a front end that projects outwardly from the second open end of the passageway adjacent to the operative portion of the latching mechanism. A rear end of the rail projects outwardly from the first open end of the passageway so that when the rail is slid through the passageway, the front end of the rail engages the operative portion of the latching mechanism thereby releasing the connector. A method of unlatching a connector is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Inventors: Keith Frank Tharp, Brian Todd Mincemoyer
-
Patent number: 6174206Abstract: A quick-connect connector adaptor for use between male and female portions of a BNC connector includes a body having mating male and female portions. The male portion of the adaptor may be inserted into the female portion of the BNC connector without locking thereto, thereby allowing quick connection thereto. A plurality of these adaptors may be mounted to a panel for simultaneous quick-connection to a plurality of connector portions of BNC connectors disposed on an electrical instrument. In this manner, a plurality of connections may be quickly and accurately made.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1999Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Avid Technology, Inc.Inventors: Thomas W. Yentile, Clifford G. Westland
-
Patent number: 6174192Abstract: The present invention provides a card connector which, while being relatively compact for a card connector includes a connector member and arm members, is equipped with an engaging means for both members which has sufficient engaging strength. Card connector (10) has a connector member (11) which has a housing (20) in which electrical contacts are accommodated, a pair of arm members (12, 13), which are mounted on both ends of the connector member (11), and which include guide means. The connector (11) and arm members (12, 13) include engaging structures (25, 26, 56, 57), which are engaged so that portions of the connector member (11) and arm members (12, 13) overlap with each other. Screw-accommodating holes (26a, 57a) and pin-accommodating holes (25a, 56a), which pass through both arm members when the members are engaged are located in the engaging structures of both members.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1998Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventors: Satoru Watanabe, Hidenori Muramatsu
-
Patent number: 6171141Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a terminal of a control cable is composed of a fixing member which is provided in a given position of a vehicle such as automobile construction machine, a terminal fixing metal fixture fixed to the terminal of the control cable being engaged with a bracket without substantial play in the axial direction, and is provided for non-detachably fixing the terminal fixing metal fixture from the bracket.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1997Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Nippon Cable SystemsInventors: Katunori Yasui, Takashi Ishikawa
-
Patent number: 6171133Abstract: In a contact-making device having a connector strip (1) that is to be fixed on a circuit board (2), a guide plate (3) is arranged between the circuit board (2) and the connector strip (1). The guide plate (3) has cutouts (8) for contact legs (7) of the connector strip (1) and aligns the latter relative to holes (9) in the circuit board (2). The mounting of the contact-making device is configured in a particularly simple manner as a result of this.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AGInventors: Turgay Altuner, Birgit Möller
-
Patent number: 6171150Abstract: A connector is provided with a ground terminal, and a side type retainer is mountable in the connector. A connection element receptacle 20 for accommodating an electrical connection element 3 is provided inside a connector housing 2. A retainer 4 for locking the electrical connection element 3 is mounted in a retainer mount hole 25 formed in the upper surface of the connector housing 2. Further, a ground terminal receptacle 29 for accommodating a ground terminal 5 is provided in the bottom wall of the connection element receptacle 20. In this way, since the retainer 4 is assembled at the side of the electrical connection element 3 opposite from the ground terminal 5, it can be constructed as a so-called side retainer.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Masashi Saito, Takashi Koide, Masahiko Aoyama
-
Patent number: 6171143Abstract: Connectors for connecting multiple coaxial cables are typically complex with many parts and difficult to assemble. The present invention provides an improved multiple coaxial cable connector and a method of using the same. The preferred connector comprises a socket connector adapted to receive a plurality of coaxial cables each terminated in a termination socket and to expose at least a part of each socket when fitted, a connection element, and a casing component adapted to receive the coaxial cables and including at least partial metallisation to a face plate. The connection element bonds each termination socket to the casing component face plate and when connected, to a receiving element for the cable connector. Preferably the socket connector is an SCI connector and the termination sockets are SCI sockets. The connection element preferably includes spring fingers corresponding to each termination socket.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Nortel Networks LimitedInventors: Stuart Alan Rhys Charles, Ian Brown