Patents Examined by Paula A. Bradley
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Patent number: 6354884Abstract: An RJ-45 modular jack connector includes a housing defining a cavity for receiving an RJ-45 plug connector therein, a terminal insert assembled to the housing, an anti-mismating device assembled in the housing and a shield covering the housing. The anti-mismating device comprises a block part and a spring part secured to the block part. The block part with the spring part is assembled in the housing with the block part partly projecting into the cavity of the housing. When the RJ-45 plug connector is inserted into the modular jack receptacle connector, the RJ-45 plug connector pushes the block part to the side, compressing the spring part and moving the block part out of the way of the RJ-45 plug connector. Thus the RJ-45 plug connector is fully inserted into the cavity of the housing. When an RJ-11 plug connector is mistakenly inserted into the modular jack connector, the smaller RJ-11 plug connector will not move the block part aside and be blocked by the block part from full insertion into the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Joel Jyh-Haur Yeh, Leonard K. Espenshade
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Patent number: 6350142Abstract: A compact ZIF type socket is provided having the durability to withstand numerous movements of the slider. The ZIF type IC socket 1 consists of a base housing assembly 10 that accommodates numerous contacts, and a cover housing assembly 40 that can slide over the base housing assembly 10. The cover housing assembly 40 is caused to move in relative terms by inserting a plate-form tool 99 into tool insertion holes 65 and 85 respectively formed in a metal supporting plate 60 on the side of the base housing assembly 10 and a metal supporting plate 80 on the side of the cover housing assembly 40, and rotating this tool 99. The action points of the tool insertion holes 65 and 85 contacted by the tool 99 are formed as circular-arc-form projections 75, 76, 95 and 96. Accordingly, the force of the tool 99 can be transmitted to the base housing assembly 10 and cover housing assembly 40 without causing indentation or damage, etc.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Shirai, Yoshihisa Yamamoto, Tomoo Yamada, Shintaro Abe
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Patent number: 6350155Abstract: A plug connector with a hollow, cylindrical, metallic housing (1), within which is centrically disposed an inside contact pin (8, 9, 10) extending at least approximately over the entire axial length of the housing (1). In order to make contact with the reciprocal plug connector, the inside contact pin (8, 9, 10) is accessible at a first front side of the housing (1). The first front side is open toward the plug side of the plug connector, such that a latch interlock (6, 7) and a contact basket (5), which extends out of the open front side of the housing (1) and which is rotatably mounted about the longitudinal axis of the housing (1), are disposed co-axially with the inside contact pin (8, 9, 10). The contact basket (5) makes permanent electrical contact with the metallic housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: IMS Connector Systems GmbHInventors: Christopf Müllinger-Bausch, Frank Röse, Roland Baumgaertner
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Patent number: 6347967Abstract: An electrical connector for a threaded shaft includes first and second connector elements, each defining a respective partial-cylindrical threaded surface, a respective hinge element, and a respective tail. The hinge elements are coupled together at a hinge axis such that the connector elements rotate about the hinge axis to move the threaded surfaces toward and away from one another. The threaded surfaces are oriented to contact and intermesh with opposed sides of a threaded shaft, and a fastener holds the tails together to clamp the threaded shaft between the threaded surfaces. A third connector element cooperates with the first connector element to clamp against and establish electrical contact with a cable.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2000Date of Patent: February 19, 2002Assignee: Pan Electric CorporationInventor: Carl R. Tamm
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Patent number: 6345995Abstract: An electric connector (2) having an insulating casing (5) with a number of cavities for respective electric terminals (4); a slide (15) movable with respect to the casing (5) in a direction perpendicular to the connection direction (A) of the terminals (4), and in turn having cam means (20) interacting with a complementary connector (3) to generate a force for mating the connectors (2, 3) in response to translation of the slide (15); and an activating lever (24) connected in articulated manner to the slide (15) and to the casing (5) by means of pins (27, 36) which engage respective slots (29, 35) in sliding manner to impart a translatory component of motion to the lever (24), and to vary the resisting arm of the lever (24) during rotation of the lever (24).Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1999Date of Patent: February 12, 2002Assignee: Framatome Connectors InternationalInventors: Pier Carlo Bigotto, Renzo Rampone
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Patent number: 6342684Abstract: A device for detecting the movement of an object in order to operate a switch, wherein a top or contact of an angled contact part of a contact spring piece of the device comes into contact with a set position of an object, such as a digital video cassette ( DVC) or other cassette or disk which is being transferred so that various kinds of detecting operations are performed. The contact spring piece of the detecting device is improved in durability by forming a flexible spring part, of a predetermined dimension, between an upright mounting plate part and a U-shaped spring part of the contact spring piece. The contact spring piece is made of a plate spring. The contact spring piece includes the upright mounting plate part, the U-shaped spring part, and the angled contact part such that a long spring span is formed between the upright mounting plate part and the angled contact part. The flexible spring part is made to flex by the load of the contact pressure of the object on the angled spring part.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2000Date of Patent: January 29, 2002Assignee: Mitsuku Denshi Kogyo K. K.Inventor: Satoshi Myojin
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Patent number: 6341979Abstract: An electrical connector apparatus and method utilizing an elongate electrically conducting ferrule (20) having a contact (24) on one end and a hollow conical threaded portion (22) for receiving a wire on the other end, and a color coded insulating boot (10) threaded over the ferrule to cover all but the contact. The electrical wire is wrapped around threaded portion (22) which is then tightened into boot (10), thereby securing the wire to the ferrule (20). Ferrule (20) can then be electrically connected by use of contact (24) to a device for receiving power.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2001Date of Patent: January 29, 2002Assignee: Monster Cable Products, Inc.Inventor: Yasuhiro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 6340310Abstract: A lamp holder has a contact spring which, instead of being bent into a U-shape and having its barb on the bracing shank opposite the retaining shank, has a bracing barb or lug bent out of the retaining shank itself and engageable as an indexing member behind a projection formed on the lamp housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2000Date of Patent: January 22, 2002Assignee: BJB GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Dieter Henrici, Manuel Rodrigues
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Patent number: 6338658Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed having enhanced pull-out resistance for a stranded conductor secured therein. The metal body of the electrical connector includes a conductor-receiving bore for receiving the stranded conductor and a threaded bore for receiving a binding screw that orthogonally intersects the conductor-receiving bore. One or more opposed side walls of the metal body further includes at least one slot that is adapted to receive strands of the conductor displaced therein by a binding force applied by the conical tip of the binding screw.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2000Date of Patent: January 15, 2002Assignee: Ilsco CorporationInventor: Thomas M. Sweeney
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Patent number: 6338659Abstract: An elongated terminal strip has a series of terminals, each having a compliant portion engaged laterally between a first and second portion which electrically engage to respective electrical components having a tendency to vibrate. Each compliant portion extends longitudinally with respect to the terminal strip between two adjacent cut lines. A plurality of leading and trailing slots extend longitudinally within the compliant portions and are disposed alternately through one then the other adjacent cut lines. The step of dispensing or cutting the terminal away from the terminal strip exposes the slots along the cut edge enabling the flexing capability of the compliant portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2001Date of Patent: January 15, 2002Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey Michael
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Patent number: 6336825Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed with electrically contacting contact pins or contact sockets, such as plugs or couplings. The electrical connector exhibits on one side a receiver part. A light-guiding body made of a light-transmitting material with at least one illuminating body is inserted into the receiver part. Feed lines for contact pins are led through the receiver part. The light-guiding body is furnished with at least two arms. Reflection surfaces are furnished for deflecting light coming from an illuminating body into the two arms. The reflection surfaces deflect light into the respective arm and are capable of deflecting the light mainly in axial direction within the respective arm at an angle of from between about 40 to 140 degrees relative to the main radiation direction of the arm. The light-guiding or light-conducting body exhibits a recess below the tip or edge and the illuminating body is disposed in the recess.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2000Date of Patent: January 8, 2002Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs GmbHInventor: Roland Seefried
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Patent number: 6336829Abstract: An electrical connector comprises an elongated connector body (1) having a plug cavity (2) for receiving a mating connector; a plurality of partition walls (8) provided within the plug cavity (2) with a predetermined pitch to form a plurality of terminal mounting spaces (9); a plurality of contact terminals (12) each having a fixing section (13), a terminal lead (14) extending from one end of the fixing section, a U-shaped section (15) extending from the other end of the fixing section, and a contact section (16) extending from the U-shaped section. The fixing sections are mounted in the terminal mounting spaces such that the terminal leads projecting from the connector body and the contact sections facing a center of the plug cavity; and a device for preventing the contact sections from moving toward the fixing sections. Protrusions (11) are provided on sides of the partition walls (8) enter the gaps (17) between the contact sections (16) and the fixing sections (13).Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 1999Date of Patent: January 8, 2002Assignee: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jun Matsukawa
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Patent number: 6337448Abstract: In a circuit breaker, fixed electrodes 14 in pair are secured in a male housing 13. A female housing 21 which contains a moving electrode 30 is fitted into the male housing 13, whereupon the moving electrode 30 contacts and straddles the fixed electrodes 14 to make a short circuit. The moving electrode 30 comprises in integral combination retainer pieces 32 that are retained in an electrode retainer tube 22 in the female housing 21, a contact lug 31 that either contacts or detaches from the fixed electrodes 14, and a narrow-width joint 33 that joints the retainer pieces 32 and the contact lug 31 to make an integral unit. The narrow-width joint 33 flexes to deform, thereby absorbing the positional offset that develops when the contact lug 31 comes into engagement with the fixed electrodes 14.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2000Date of Patent: January 8, 2002Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, LTD, Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kazumoto Konda
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Patent number: 6332805Abstract: A flat circuit member (12) has a through hole portion (14) therethrough. A conductor portion (13) is disposed on a surface of the flat circuit member (12), and has a portion penetrated by the through hole portion (14) in a thickness direction of the conductor portion (13). The flat circuit member (12) is electrically connected to a terminal (30) so that an inserting portion (34) of the terminal (30) is inserted in the through hole portion (14), a guide portion (32) of the terminal (30) extends along a rear surface of the flat circuit member (12), and a pressing piece (35) extends toward the conductor portion (13) and presses the flat circuit member (12) toward the guide portion (32).Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2001Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventor: Hiroshi Aoki
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Patent number: 6332799Abstract: In a half-fitting prevention connector (1), a flexible lock arm (5) is formed on a housing (4) of a male connector (2) and has a slide slot (8). A spring member (11), which is attachable to the housing (4), includes a slide member (14) slidably supported by the housing (4), and a compression spring (12), wherein a front end portion of the compression spring (12) is integrally formed with the slide member (14). A rear end portion of the compression spring (12) is fixedly secured to the housing (4). The slide member (14) has an abutment portion (16) abutted against a stopper projection (26) of a housing (21) of a female connector (3), and a guide frame (15) which is slidably guided in and along the slide slot (8).Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2001Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventors: Chieko Torii, Tomomi Endo
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Patent number: 6332781Abstract: A connection structure for power supply to a vehicle door comprising a door side connector 4 and a body side connector 3, either one of the door side connector and the body side connector being provided with female terminals 9 and the other connector being provided with male terminals 28, each of the female terminals including contact members 14 having a pair of contact portions 15 which are biased in a closing direction by means of a spring member 22 and adapted to be opened and closed in a horizontal direction, and each of the male terminal 28 being inserted between a pair of the contact portions. A pair of the contact portions are provided with shutters 12 respectively at their forward ends, and the shutters are closed when the contact portions are closed thereby to close an opening 11 formed in the connector 3 for receiving the male terminal. The connector 3 may be provided with openings for draining water and removing dusts. The female terminal 9 is rotatably supported about a support shaft 21.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2000Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventor: Hidetaka Ito
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Patent number: 6332812Abstract: In a connector assembly, an upper connector housing (3) and a lower connector housing (5), each having male terminals (2, 4) mounted therein, are combined together in a stacked manner. Dovetail grooves (17) and elongate projections (11) for fitting respectively in the dovetail grooves (17) are provided at engagement portions of the two connector housings (3, 5) to be engaged with each other. The upper connector housing (3) is slid relative to the lower connector housing (5) in an extending direction of the male terminals (2, 4) through the dovetail grooves (17) and the elongate projections (11) so as to fittingly connect the upper connector housing (3) to the lower connector housing (5).Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2000Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventor: Hitoshi Kazuhara
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Patent number: 6332806Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a terminal of a control cable is composed of a fixing means 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 means without substantial play in the axial direction, and is provided for non-detachably fixing the terminal fixing metal fixture from the bracket means.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2000Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Nippon Cable System Inc.Inventors: Katunori Yasui, Takashi Ishikawa
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Patent number: 6332787Abstract: An electro-optical connector has a plug unit and a receptacle unit which are releasably mateable in an underwater environment. Each unit has at least two separate contact chambers extending inwardly from the front end, one for containing optical contacts and the other for containing electrical contacts. Each optical contact chamber is sealed by a rolling seal member rotatably mounted in a recessed seat in a front end wall of the chamber for rotation in a non-axial direction between a closed position in which a seal through bore is offset from an inlet into the chamber and an open position in which the seal through bore is aligned with the inlet. One electrical chamber contains an electrical socket and has a front end wall having a sealable opening, an annular seal member mounted in the sealable opening, and a resiliently biased stopper movably disposed in sealing engagement within the annular seal member when the units are not mated.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2000Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Ocean Design, Inc.Inventors: Stewart M. Barlow, James L. Cairns
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Patent number: 6331117Abstract: A rotatable electrical connector has a pair of wiring boards. Each wiring board supports two (or more) concentric conductors that have substantially smooth coplanar surfaces. The coplanar surfaces of the concentric conductors on each wiring board define a contact plane. To provide electrical contact between the two wiring boards, each wiring board is positioned perpendicular to an axis of rotation and is supported so that the respective contact planes of the first and second wiring boards are parallel. A resilient member, such as a spring, urges the wiring boards together to establish electrical contact between the respective surfaces of corresponding conductors on the two wiring boards. The above-described wiring boards are included in a circuit module that also includes a printed circuit board, or other electrical component, sandwiched between a pair of the wiring boards.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1998Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Inventor: Gary L. Brundage