Patents Examined by Phoung Dinh
  • Patent number: 10141676
    Abstract: A modular electrical connector with modular components suitable for assembly into a right angle connector may also be used in forming an orthogonal connector or connector in other desired configurations. The connector modules may be configured through the user of extender modules. Those connector modules may be held together as a right angle connector with a front housing portion, which, in some embodiments, may be shaped differently depending on whether the connector modules are used to form a right angle connector or an orthogonal connector. When designed to form an orthogonal connector, the extender modules may interlock into subarrays, which may be held to other connector components through the use of an extender shell. The mating contact portions on the extender modules may be such that a right angle connector, similarly made with connector modules, may directly mate with the orthogonal connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
    Inventors: Allan Astbury, John Robert Dunham, Marc B. Cartier, Jr., Mark W. Gailus, Daniel B. Provencher
  • Patent number: 9640902
    Abstract: A stress relief device is provided for a connector. The connector is connected to a cable and configured for cooperating with a complementary connector along a longitudinal axis. The stress relief device includes: an anchor configured for being placed around a portion of the cable so as to allow a stress relief of the portion of the cable, the portion of the cable being adjacent to the connector; a shell configured for being connected to the anchor and for at least partially wrapping the connector; and a locking system configured for connecting and locking the shell to a similar shell of a similar stress relief device for the complementary connector. The stress relief device is detachably mountable on the connector and is configured such that its mounting/dismounting does not require any change in the connection/disconnection of the connectors to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sercel
    Inventors: Thibault Relion, Johann Dabouineau
  • Patent number: 7108538
    Abstract: A female locking electrical outlet is provided including an outlet body having a pair of slots for apertured prongs of a standard male electrical plug, a central cavity positioned within the body, and a channel extending partially through the body. A plunger is mounted in the channel that has a recess in a lower end, an upper end, and a first section and a second section between the lower and upper ends. The first section has a smaller cross-sectional area than a second section. A spring is partially in the recess. A pair of locking balls is mounted within the central cavity and positional within apertures in the prongs when the outlet is in a locked position. At least one unlocking mechanism is provided for compressing the spring to transition the locking balls within the central cavity from the locked position to an unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Templeton Ranch Development
    Inventors: Jason Daniel Ratzlaff, Charles Norman Elliott
  • Patent number: 6793404
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical connector housing (100) for connecting an optical fiber to an optical element, such as a diode or a further optical fiber. The housing (100) comprises a substantially tubular receptacle (102) for one or more optical fibers and a retention member (104), which is received with interlocking fit in the housing (100) and is displaceable vertically to the optical fiber. In order to provide a housing (100) which fixes the optical fiber easily and inexpensively, yet securely, according to the invention the retention member (104) is manufactured from the same material and integrally with the housing (100). In the pre-assembly position, the retention member (104) is supported by webs (106) on the housing (100). During assembly, the retention member (104) is displaced in such a way that it engages the optical fiber and secures it against axial displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Kraus, Marnix Lannoije, Stefan Loeffelholz
  • Patent number: 6638121
    Abstract: An electrical connector (1) has a metal shield (3), a main housing (5), a pair of light-emitting devices (LEDs, 6) received in the main housing, a subassembly (7) assembled to the main housing, a stacked Universal Serial Bus connector (USB) 4, and a molded assembly (2) assembled to the subassembly. Each LED (61, 62) has a plurality of leads (611, 621), a free end (612) of the middle lead of the LED is bent perpendicularly and extending horizontally thereafter below the other leads. The molded assembly comprising a plastic part (24), and a first and second contact elements (22, 23) insert molded in the plastic part. The free ends of the leads are respectively electrical connecting soldering sections (221, 231) of the first and second contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin E. Walker, Leonard K. Espenshade
  • Patent number: 6428344
    Abstract: A cable structure for data signal transmission comprises a connector housing having a front end and a rear end and a plurality of electrical contacts positioned within the housing proximate the front end. The contacts are configured for engaging electrical contacts of a device when the cable structure is coupled to the device. At least one cable, including an electrical conductor, terminates in the connector housing, and is electrically coupled to a housing contact. The connector housing is physically coupled to a section of the cable rearwardly of the contacts for securing the cable with the connector housing. A protective clamp overlies the section of the cable coupled to the connector housing and is positioned between the connector housing and the cable section and provides mechanical protection for the cable section to reduce damage thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Tensolite Company
    Inventor: Bruce Reed
  • Patent number: 6247966
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector 2 which can be positioned in a shroud 70 that can be actuated by a lever 72 to mate with a pin header connector 4. Contact terminals 10 located in cavities 30 in a molded housing 20 are held in place by primary latching members that comprise molded deflectable cantilever latches 50. The latches 50 are part of external housing faces 28. During insertion and removal of the contacts 10, the latches are outwardly deflected. A stop shoulder 54 on the front of each latch 50 is opposed to a fixed shoulder 40 to prevent excess latch deflection and overstressing of the plastic. The latch stop shoulders 54 are formed on inner corners of a frame 60 located on the distal or front end 52 of the cantilever latches 50 which define a portion of the housing mating face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: David Allen Klein, Billy Hayes Simpson