Patents Examined by T C Patel
  • Patent number: 6186798
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to high density patching system. The system includes a card housing having a front end positioned opposite from a rear end. The card housing includes top and bottom walls extending between the front and rear ends. The top and bottom walls define opposing sets of top and bottom slots. The patching system also includes a plurality of patch cords including patch plugs each having a width WI and a height HI. The patching system further includes a plurality of jack access cards adapted to be mounted in the card housing, and a rear interface module positioned at the rear end of the card housing. The jack access cards include circuit boards having top and bottom edges adapted to fit within the sets of top and bottom slots defined by the card housing. The jack access cards also include a plurality of card edge contacts positioned at a rear of each circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Follingstad, James W. Conroy, Peter W. Adams
  • Patent number: 6186803
    Abstract: A physical/electrical media jack is configured for electrically coupling with a physical/electrical media plug. The jack includes a housing having an interior chamber communicating with the exterior through an opening. Positioned on opposing sides of the opening are a pair of blocking ridges each having an inside sloping edge. In one embodiment, dovetailed splines are positioned on the exterior surface of the housing for receipt in complementary keyways formed in the border frame of a PC Card or the casing of an electrical apparatus. The jack further includes a retractable access portion having an aperture formed therein for receiving a media plug. The second end of the retractable access portion is slidably received within the opening in the housing. Outwardly projecting from opposing sides of the retractable access portion at the second end are a pair of retention lips. The retention lips bias against the blocking ridges to prevent unwanted removal of the retractable access portion from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventor: R. Troy Garside
  • Patent number: 6183296
    Abstract: The electrical connector may include a housing, a contact, a secondary lock, a grommet, a backplate, a bolt, a contact removal tool, and a splash guard. The housing includes openings which receive the contacts. The grommets are positioned in cavities at the rear of the housing. The housing and backplate are designed so that the grommets are subjected to compressive forces in order to enhance the sealing characteristic of the grommets. As the contact is inserted, a locking tab engages an opening in the contact and prevents the contact from being removed from the housing. The secondary locks will increase the retention of the contact in the electrical connector. In addition, the secondary lock may include a feature which permits the partial insertion and retention of the secondary lock prior to insertion of the contact. The secondary lock also assures that the contacts have been properly inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Cinch Connectors, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis S. Pacini, Arun J. Shah
  • Patent number: 6183299
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (20) is primarily intended for use in connecting portable electronic devices (22), such as cellular telephones, to the electrical system of a motor vehicle. The electrical connector assembly (20) includes a plug connector (30) that can be attached to a cord (24) for connection to the portable electronic device. A mating receptacle connector (60) is permanently mounted in the motor vehicle and is attached to an automotive wiring harness. The receptacle connector (60) includes a secondary lock or terminal position assurance member (110) that forms the front cover of the receptacle connector (60) when properly positioned. Primary terminal latches (100) securing receptacle terminals (62) in a housing (74) are exposed on the top and bottom surfaces and the secondary lock (110) surrounds these primary latches (100) when properly positioned on the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Bobby Gene Ward, Wolfgang Hoelscher
  • Patent number: 6183272
    Abstract: An elastomeric contact provides an electrical contact, including a stabilizing unit with one or more conductive elements embedded into a strengthening material, whereby the stabilizing unit again is embedded into a compressible material. Further described is a mechanical assembly for contacting a plurality of electronic modules comprising a contacting arrangement with the elastomeric contact and a positioning frame for positioning the elastomeric contact, the contacting arrangement being arranged between adjacent ones of the plurality of electronic modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Marcus Müller, Rolf Neuweiler
  • Patent number: 6183270
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulative connector body with two arms extending from opposite sides thereof. A plurality of rows of pin receiving channels are defined in the connector body each receiving an L-shaped terminal pin having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion. The horizontal portion of each of the terminal pins is partially received in the corresponding pin receiving channel and partially exposed. A pin holding member is arranged between and mounted to the arms of the connector body and defines slots for receiving and retaining the exposed portions of the horizontal portions of the terminal pins therein thereby protecting the exposed portions against deformation when mounting the connector to a circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Pei Huang, Chien-Kuo Liao, Wayne Huang
  • Patent number: 6183266
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for transferring signals through a stacking connector. A disclosed apparatus includes a first engaging contact member mounted on a first circuit board and a second engaging contact member which removably engages the first engaging contact member mounted on a second circuit board. The first engaging contact member is electrically coupled to a first signal line on the first circuit board and the second engaging contact member is electrically coupled to a second signal line on the second circuit board. A conductive barrier partially surrounds the second engaging contact member. The barrier has at least one connector connecting the barrier to a bias voltage line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Intle Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard O. Turner
  • Patent number: 6183269
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for terminating a connector (12) to a circuit board (16) by coupling multiple contacts (28) of the connector to multiple areas of the circuit board, which leaves one face (52) of the circuit board free of holes so surface mount circuit components (22) can be mounted on that face of the circuit board. A termination adaptor (14) is provided that includes an insulative frame (64) with multiple through passages extending between its opposite faces, and multiple intercontacts (62) each lying in one of the passages. Each intercontact has a resilient beam (76) that projects slightly beyond a first face (70) of the termination frame, so when the termination frame is pressed against first face of the circuit board that has traces (80) on it, the beams resiliently press against the traces. Second ends (74) of the intercontacts form clamps that receive projecting ends or tails (30) of the contacts of the connector and clamp to them. The assembly avoids the need for solder connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Vicken Roben Sarkissian, James Stanley Moore
  • Patent number: 6179622
    Abstract: A memory card connector comprises a dielectric header, a number of contacts received in the header, a shield, an ejector and at least a fixing device. The fixing device can be a pair of screws and a pair of nuts. The dielectric header has a main body and a pair of receiving recesses on opposite sides of the main body. The shield encloses the header and forms a pair of latching clips on opposite side edges corresponding to the receiving recesses of the header. Engaging means is formed on each latching clip for engaging with the receiving recess thereby securely latching the shield to the header. Thus, the shield can remain at a predetermined position during assembly without requiring an external tool when being fixed to the header. Moreover, the shield is not easily separated from the header even if the nuts and the screws become disengaged from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Chun Lai, Hung-Chi Yu
  • Patent number: 6179623
    Abstract: An electrical socket comprises a dielectric base defining a plurality of receiving chambers therein, a number of terminals having a mating section and a soldering section, and a bottom board attached to the base. A dielectric cover is mounted to the base or is an integral part of the base for positioning pins of a mating integrated circuit (IC) chip. The bottom board is made of the same material as a mating circuit board. Thus, when the socket is soldered to the mating circuit board, misalignment between the terminals and the corresponding soldering pads of the mating circuit board is prevented due to identical coefficients of thermal expansion of the circuit board and the bottom board. The base forms a stand-off on a joining surface proximate the mating circuit board for distancing the bottom board from the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Chun Pei
  • Patent number: 6179644
    Abstract: A network system is provided for transmitting electrical power and data signals between a plurality of device nodes. The system includes a trunk cable in which a pair of dedicated power conductors and a pair of dedicated signal conductors are embedded in an insulative cover. Modular connectors are electrically coupled to the cable conductors at each device node. Each connector includes a base module and an interface module. The base module is attached to the cable via insulation piercing members and thereafter remains resident on the cable. The interface module is mated with the base module and serves to transmit power and data signals between the base module and a networked device. Several types of interface modules may be utilized interchangeably to permit the base module and cable to accommodate various types of devices and device drop cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Rockwell Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shawn L. Adams, David D. Brandt, Robert E. Lounsbury, Dennis C. Mackey, Steven R. McLaughlin, Richard F. Miller, Brian J. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6179642
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly comprises a first connector and a second connector mated to the first connector. A strain-relief device is assembled to the second connector for releasably attaching the second connector the first connector. The device includes a base bar having a pair of inner latches extending downward from opposite ends thereof for fixedly engaging with said second housing, a pair of outer latches pivotally attached to said bar for releasably engaging with said mounting recesses of said first housing, a flexible handle bridged between rear ends of said outer latches. When the handle is pulled upward, the outer latches are released from the mounting recesses and further providing easy separation of the second connector with respect to the first connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jenq-Yih Hwang
  • Patent number: 6179634
    Abstract: A cover assembly for a floor box includes a ring, a cover, and a gasket. The ring is configured to support an electrical receptacle within an open upper end portion of the floor box. The cover has an access opening for providing access to the receptacle, and has an access door for closing the access opening. The ring, the cover and the gasket are configured for interconnection in installed positions in which a portion of the gasket is deflected into an annular configuration interposed radially between the ring and the cover. When the gasket is thus installed between the ring and the cover, the edge portion of the gasket establishes a seal that surrounds the access opening in the cover. Additionally, the cover has apertures for receiving fasteners that interconnect the ring, the cover, and the gasket in their installed positions. The access door is configured to overlie all of those apertures, and thereby to conceal all of those fasteners from view, when the door is in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: The Lamson & Sessions Co.
    Inventors: Eric G. Hull, Charles H. Riedy, Dennis P. Revlock, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6179638
    Abstract: A connector for use in a card reader is provided. A frame is included for accommodating a card therein. The frame has an opening through which a card is inserted into the frame and removed from the frame. A plurality of connector terminals are mounted on the frame, being insulated from one another and each of the connector terminal extending from the frame to contact the card. A card sensor switch is provided for detecting complete insertion of the memory card in the frame. The card sensor switch is mounted in the inner rear portion of the frame, in an electrically insulated insulation state. A landing yoke supporting one portion of each of the connector terminals is pivotably mounted to the frame in order to minimize the sliding contact area of the memory card with the connector terminals during insertion or removal of the memory card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hyosung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Bong-Soon Lim
  • Patent number: 6176711
    Abstract: A connector for coupling two contact line segments positioned in end-to-end alignment and made of elongate plastic profiles for accommodating current conductor rails which cooperate with a current collector vehicle traveling inside the contact line segments, includes a coupling sleeve made of plastic material for positively enveloping the contact line segments in an area of their confronting ends, with the ends of the contact line segments being freely shiftable in a longitudinal direction within a predetermined range. The coupling sleeve is split in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction so as to define two sleeve members which are detachably connected to one another, wherein one of the sleeve members can be placed on one of the confronting ends of the contact line segments and the other one of the sleeve members can be placed on the other one of the confronting ends of the contact line segments, before the contact line segments are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Michael Röhr, Thomas Kohlenberg, Uwe Schulte, Klaus-Dieter Oemus
  • Patent number: 6176706
    Abstract: A subminiature lamp having a bulb with lead wires and a socket, the socket having a socket base and a bulb holder, connected to the socket base, for holding the bulb in a predetermined position, wherein a front surface and a back surface of the socket base form a substantially flat plate and are parallel with each other, the bulb holder is attached on the front surface of the socket base and the shape of the bulb holder is substantially a cylinder with a bottom corresponding to a portion of the front surface of the socket base, and a slit extends through the diameter of the bulb holder, and wherein the lead wires may be disposed along the front and back surfaces of the socket base and may extend through the slit of the bulb holder to contact the bulb in the bulb holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sh{overscore (o)}z{overscore (o)} Maeno, Daishin Sato, Katsuhito Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6176720
    Abstract: An electrical bus assembly, having pairs of bus conductors in communication with each other, housed in a housing, for use in an industrial setting. The pairs of bus conductors are themselves used to form a joint without the need of additional apparatus. A first coupling embodiment provides a two-piece clamp having a built-in depression formed therein for applying additional clamping pressure when bolted to the housing surrounding a layered pair of bus conductors. Mylar™ film is provided for insulating the pair of bus conductors from both the housing and other pairs of bus conductors within a bus assembly. The electrical bus assembly is adaptable to a variety of electrical loads, and is reusable. A second coupling embodiment provides a slotted connecting bus conductor, received by a pair of stationary bus conductors housed in a panel box housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Inventor: Terry M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6176735
    Abstract: An accommodation block for connection of electrical components is mounted in an electrical connection box, e.g. of a vehicle. In the vicinity of each lengthwise end of side walls of the block body, there is formed an insertion guide extending downward from an upper end connected with the upper edge of the side wall. The guides are received in engagement elements of the box. The lower ends of the insertion guides are located below the lower end of the block body to improve visual observation during insertion into the box. A clamp is arranged below the block body. A protection rib for protecting the clamp is extended down from the lower end of one side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyofumi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6176718
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical receptacle which is safe for children yet easy for adults to use. This electrical receptacle provides power only to a properly inserted plug and makes use of one or more sensors which are able to detect blade insertion, ground plug insertion, presence of the plug face motion near the receptacle face or a combination thereof The receptacle includes a contact assembly adapted and configured to conductively couple each blade of the plug to a conductor, one or more sensors, and a control circuit; wherein the control circuit determines whether or not to provide power to the properly inserted plug by determining if substantially simultaneous insertion has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Power-Off Products, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Jason Skarie, Loren Paul Skarie
  • Patent number: 6174200
    Abstract: An electric connector (1) having an insulating casing (2) defining a number of cavities (3) for respective electric terminals (4); and a sealing unit (20) for protection against external agents and in turn having a sealing member (21) connected to the casing (2), on the side on which the terminals (4) are inserted inside the cavities (3), and having a number of through seats (22) coaxial with the cavities (3) and engaged by respective electric cables (5) connected to the terminals (4); the sealing unit having a protection member (30) in sheet form, which is located on one side of the sealing member (21) and has a number of slitted openings (31) coaxial with the cavities (3) and with the seats (22), and each defined by a number of flexible flaps (32) which are interposed between the respective terminal (4) and the sealing member (21) during passage of the terminal (4) inside the respective seat (22), so as to protect the sealing member (21) from contact with the terminal (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Pier Carlo Bigotto, Renzo Rampone