Patents Examined by Phuong KT Dinh
  • Patent number: 6270360
    Abstract: An electric junction box of this invention comprises a junction box main body, a relay disposed within the junction box main body, having a relay coil and a pair of bus bars arranged within the junction box main body. The pair of the bus bars have end portions opposing each other. A coil accommodating portion for accommodating the relay coil and a contact point portion are formed at an end of one bus bar of the pair of the bus bars, while other contact point portion corresponding to the one contact point portion is formed at the other end of the bus bar of the pair of the bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Yanase
  • Patent number: 6264499
    Abstract: A electronic module guide frame (10) for mounting onto a circuit board (30) and for receiving a an electronic module therein comprises side walls (12, 14) connected at inner ends thereof with a back wall (16), a front section (18) connecting front ends of the side walls, a light transmission mounting area (48) on an outer surface of one of the side walls adjacent the front section (18), a light transmission unit (46) disposed along the light transmission mounting area, and mounting members (56, 58) provided by the light transmission unit (46) and the light transmission mounting area (48) mounting the light transmission unit onto the light transmission mounting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Brian P. Costello, John W. Eberenz, James H. Hyland
  • Patent number: 6257928
    Abstract: A waterproof rubber plug has a through hole through which an electric wire is inserted. The electric wire is connected to a terminal. An inner housing has a terminal chamber for accommodating the terminal. An outer housing has sidewalls for defining a chamber provided with a rear wall, into which the inner housing is fitted. A through hole, through which the electric wire is inserted, is formed on the rear wall so as to face the terminal chamber when the inner housing is inserted into the chamber of the outer housing. A recess is formed on the rear wall so as to communicate with the through hole and opened to the outside of the outer housing. A press-fitting member is engaged with the outer housing while press-fitting the rubber plug into the recess after the inner housing is completely fitted into the chamber of the outer housing, thereby sealing the electric wire and the terminal chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Murakami, Masaru Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6257917
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly having a latching arrangement including a pair of latch arms pivotally connected to the sides of the plug connector body for pivotable movement about a common transverse axis extending through the sides. The pivotable arms have latching shoulders on their forward ends that engage catches formed on the inside of a mating receptacle connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Joseph Hyzin
  • Patent number: 6231365
    Abstract: A memory card connector 10, wherein when a holder cover 20, which is in contact with an obstacle or stopper and the like, is opened further, deformation and damage to the holder cover can be avoided, by deliberately allowed elastic separation of the holder cover 20 from housing 11 at hinge to prevent damage; the connector 10, includes a housing 11, which houses a memory card; the holder cover 20, covering the memory card; a plurality of connection terminals 14, are built into the housing so that one end is opposite a contact part of the memory card housed inside the housing and is exposed at the surface of the housing and the other end protrudes from an edge of the housing, the holder cover is supported at one side edge which is sideways with respect to the longitudinal direction of the connector, so that, by pivoting around a rotation shaft 15 provided on one side edge of the housing, the holder cover 20 can be opened and closed with respect to housing 11; a hinge part 21, which latches onto the rotation sha
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Konno, Yoshinori Ota
  • Patent number: 6224415
    Abstract: An improved friction-fitted light and light socket where the base of the light has a resilient, beveled flange that deforms on insertion of the base into the light socket, thus resisting removal. To facilitate removal, the wall of the socket has a cutout portion dimensioned to receive a small tool, such as the end of the flathead screw driver, and thereby provide access to the base just below the flange so that the light can be pried free of the light socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventor: James W Gibboney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6220883
    Abstract: Docking of a notebook computer having an underside docking connector is facilitated by a depressible ramp at a docking station. The computer is slid onto the ramp and guided into a prescribed position. The user then actuates a lever which lowers the ramp and computer. As the computer and ramp move downward, the computer's docking connector mates to a docking connector in the docking station. The computer includes guide tracks and an alignment member along the undersurface of the computer housing. The docking station includes rails and an alignment member corresponding to the guide tracks and alignment member of the computer. Alternative to moving a ramp, is a rotatable docking connector moved by a lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Jacques H. Helot, Michael D. Derocher
  • Patent number: 6217383
    Abstract: A compression-type coaxial cable connector having a leading end, a trailing end and integral construction is described. The connector includes a nut at the leading end of the connector, a tubular shank having a flange on a leading end thereof and a barb concentrically disposed on a trailing end, a slotted body portion and a compression sleeve slidably attached to the body portion forming the trailing end of the connector. The connector, and each of the components associated therewith, has an axial conduit coextensive with the length thereof. When the prepared end of a coaxial cable is inserted into the trailing end of the connector conduit and advanced through the conduit into the body portion, the shank separates the outer protective jacket and conductive braid of the cable from the dielectric core and interposes the barbed portion of the tubular shank therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Holland Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Holland, Yeh Min-Hua
  • Patent number: 6217397
    Abstract: An electric connector for producing a permanent, electrically conductive connection, includes a connector part and a male connector, with at least one conductive contact of the male connector being arranged in contact with a conductive contact of the connector part, and a fusion bond being provided between the two contacts, the connector part being designed so that it can also be used for detachable, electrically conductive connections, and the male connector having a molded body designed to fit the connector part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Hartmut Brammer
  • Patent number: 6213796
    Abstract: An ejector mechanism is provided for pulling an electrical mating end portion of an electronic device in a first direction away from an electrical connector that is provided on a circuit board. The ejector mechanism includes a base member adapted for retaining the electronic device thereon and having a rear end formed with an upwardly extending engaging flange that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction, a cover member disposed above the base member and cooperating with the base member so as to confine the electronic device therebetween, and an elongated operating member extending in the second direction. The cover member has a pivot portion disposed above the engaging flange. The operating member is mounted pivotally on the pivot portion about a pivot axis, and has a hook projection which defines a downwardly opening engaging groove for receiving the engaging flange therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Compal Electronics, INC
    Inventors: Chung-Chi Chien, Po-An Lin
  • Patent number: 6206726
    Abstract: A tolerance-accommodating, flexible mounting pad formed integrally in the base point mounting portion of a bussed electrical center cover. The base point of the bussed electrical center is adapted to be secured directly to a vehicle mounting surface, the location of which may vary due to dimensional variations within an expected tolerance range. The cover is typically secured by one or two fixed mounting points at an upper portion thereof to mounting points in the vehicle, and the tolerance-accommodating mounting pad is then used to secure the base point of the cover directly to the final vehicle mounting surface. If a gap exists between the base point and the vehicle mounting surface due to variations within the expected tolerance of the vehicle mounting surface, a fastener inserted through the mounting pad and engaging the mounting surface is operable to flex the normally recessed mounting pad outwardly into direct, tensioned contact with the vehicle mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Takahashi, Brian L. Wagner
  • Patent number: 6203384
    Abstract: The multi-tap pad connector includes an integral conductive body with a longitudinal axis. A threaded female blind aperture is formed about a portion of the longitudinal axis for receiving the output from a secondary side of a transformer or similar electrical source. The body further includes a plurality of secondary electrical connection channels which are oriented perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis. Oblique flanges are formed over the secondary electrical connection channels and include threaded apertures therethrough. The threaded apertures are directed to the secondary electrical connection channels. Allen set screws pass through the threaded apertures and into the secondary electrical connections channels to secure the secondary connectors both electrically and mechanically to the multi-tap pad connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Maclean Power Systems
    Inventor: Robert DeFrance
  • Patent number: 6183279
    Abstract: A low coupling force connector assembly consists of a first connector having a housing with sub connectors fixed therein, second connectors each with a boss means, and a first and second sliders each with a cam groove for guiding the boss to fit the second connectors to the sub connectors. The first and second sliders are longitudinally slidable relative to each other between a telescopically-expanded position and a telescopically-contracted position and, in the expanded position, inserted laterally into the housing of the first connector. The first slider, with the cam groove of the first and second sliders engaged with the boss, is pushed to the contracted position to make the second slider follow the first slider into the housing, whereby to fit the second connectors to the sub connectors at staggered times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Murakami, Masaru Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6179636
    Abstract: An improvement of the holder of an electric connector comprises a terminal seat, a plurality of terminals, embedding seats and embedding pieces. The terminal seat is made by insulating materials. A pair of symmetric embedding seats having a U shape are installed on the two ends of the terminal seat for receiving respective embedding pieces. A guide groove, a pivotal hole, fixing inclined surfaces is formed on the inner wall surface of the embedding seat, so that the embedding pieces is inserted into the embedding seat with a fixing angle, and the rotary angle of the embedding piece is confined. The lateral wall surface of the terminal seat is flat. Holding holes with a size thinner than that of the terminal hole are extended from the two sides of the terminal hole for firmly securing the terminal within the terminal seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Starlink Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Rong Huei Lin
  • Patent number: 6142818
    Abstract: An insulation displacement contact (IDC) strain relief cap is employed to interconnect a wire with an electrical contact. The electrical contact has a bifurcated end to engage and retain a wire and may be engaged with the strain relief cap. The cap contains notches, some of which fit on retaining cams that are attached to the electrical contact while others serve as wire exit holes. The cap fastens onto the clip once the retaining cams engage the notches and once the wire is aligned with the appropriate exit hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventors: David B. Hollesen, Ivan Pawlenko, Thelma E. Cole, Jason A. Kay, David S. Kerr