Patents Examined by T C Patel
  • Patent number: 5871362
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical connector assembly and method for connecting a flexible circuit to a substate with the contact pads of each in precise alignment. The connector assembly has at least one floating frame member which has first and second exposed surfaces. At least one fine or precise alignment pin extends from the first surface which is configured to mate with an alignment opening in the flexible circuit. A support member is provided which has a support surface which slidingly engages the second surface of the floating frame member to permit sliding movement thereon by the sliding frame member. A registration or coarse alignment pin is provided which is operatively associated with the floating frame member and the support member and configured to engage the substrate to roughly align but allow relative sliding movement of the floating frame member with respect to the substrate when the registration pin engages the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott Campbell, James Thomas Holton
  • Patent number: 5871373
    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: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Labinal Components and Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis S. Pacini, Arun J. Shah
  • Patent number: 5868589
    Abstract: A fuse holder and connecting assembly for fusing a circuit and connecting two insulated wires (13, 14), comprising a pair of tubular housing members (15L, 15R), each housing member having a connection chamber, a fuse chamber and a conductive member (W1) extending between the connection chamber and the fuse chamber. The conductive member having a bullet shaped portion (23') located in the connection chamber and a fuse engaging portion (61) located in the fuse chamber. A clamp member (31') having externally threaded surface for threaded engagement with the threaded interior wall of the connection chamber. The clamp member also having a throughbore which is adapted to receive a wire end which is to be connected to the bullet shaped end of the conductive member and clamp the wire end in the connection chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Inventor: Roger M. Swenson, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5868582
    Abstract: An improved contact device uses a connector module (1) of U-shaped cross-section to electrically connect a liquid crystal display or other flat panel (4) with edge contacts to a printed circuit board (7). Lower cost and reduced profile height are achieved in that the contact elements (6) of the connector module are in direct electrical contact with corresponding conductors on the printed circuit board, and the topside of the connector module is lined with a soft elastomer layer (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Otto Dunkel GmbH Fabrik fur Elektrotechnische Gerate
    Inventor: Wolfgang Jacobi
  • Patent number: 5865642
    Abstract: An in-line connector adapted for use in a disk drive apparatus and a method for attaching the connector to a flexible circuit. The connector advantageously includes pins having shoulder portions which are adapted to receive and support the flexible circuit. The method includes the step of squeegee soldering the flexible circuit to electrically adhere the flexible circuit to the in-line connector apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventor: William Rugg
  • Patent number: 5865638
    Abstract: An electrical conductor establishes electrical contact between planar faces of a first terminal and a second terminal. The connector includes a resilient contact plate disposed between the faces, and locking assembly for retaining the terminals in engagement. A sealing gasket may be included, and the connector may be configured to join a number of separate wire pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael L. Trafton
  • Patent number: 5865635
    Abstract: A safety socket for avoiding danger of shock due to insertion of alien article into the insertion hole. The socket is disposed with three spaced partitioning boards defining three apartments. The partitioning boards are arranged according to the direction of the arrangement of the insertion holes of the socket. Three wedge-shaped insulative slide boards are disposed on the partitioning boards, which are left and right slidable within the apartments. Three short leaf springs and three sets of leaf spring seats are respectively disposed in the apartments. A leaf spring extends from each leaf spring seat to contact with a corresponding short leaf spring. The slide board is restricted to resiliently reciprocally slide within a slot formed on the leaf spring seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Inventors: Yu-Lung Hsiang, Liang-Jung Liu, Chih-Ching Chen
  • Patent number: 5865631
    Abstract: An edge connector for a circuit board having a top layer and at least one layer underlying the top layer to form a composite structure. The edge connector comprises a first set of metallic tabs formed on the top layer in a row spaced from an edge of the top layer, with each of the first set of metallic tabs having a plating spoke associated therewith formed in the one layer underlying the top layer. A second set of metallic tabs is formed on the top layer in a row adjacent the edge. A metallic tab of the first set is positioned between a pair of metallic tabs in the second set, however, the surface area of the top layer between each pair of metallic tabs in the second set is substantially free of a plating spoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel James Berto, Jimmy Melvin Coe, Lloyd Archibald Barrington Lawrence, Jr., Todd Allen Lee
  • Patent number: 5860814
    Abstract: An electric connector for interconnecting printed circuit boards including a plug and a jack. Each of the plug and the jack includes an insulating housing including an insulating base and a pair of parallel external walls standing on the front surface of the insulating base. The jack further includes an insulating internal wall standing on the front surface of the insulating base which is parallel to, and in the middle of, a pair of the parallel walls. One embodiment of the present invention is a row of parallel blade signal contacts and a leaf spring ground contact arranged on the outer and the inner surfaces of each parallel wall of the plug, respectively, and a row of parallel leaf spring signal contacts and a blade ground contact arranged on the inner surface of each parallel wall and on each surface of the internal insulating wall of the jack, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
    Inventors: Junichi Akama, Manabu Shimizu, Wataru Endoh, Kazuyuki Futaki
  • Patent number: 5860816
    Abstract: A modular electrical connector made from wafers. Each wafer contains one column of contact elements and is made separately. The wafers are of two different types, which snap together to form two row modules. The modules contain attachment features that allow them to be organized on a metal stiffener. Shield members can be optionally attached to each wafer so that the connector can be made in either a shielded or unshielded versions. In addition, each wafer includes windows through which selected contact elements can be cut to either improve the performance of the shields or to allow attachments of resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Provencher, Philip T. Stokoe, Mark W. Gailus
  • Patent number: 5857867
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hermaphroditic coaxial electrical connector (10) having an outer contact (12) formed of two halves (17, 18). The first half (17) is of a slightly smaller dimension than the second half (18). A dielectric (20) is profiled to fit within the first half (17). A signal contact (40) is disposed inside the dielectric (20) and has a contact point (42) along a mating surface (24) of the dielectric (20). Mounting feet (16) are provided on the base of the outer contact for surface mounting to a printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Randall R. Henry
  • Patent number: 5855490
    Abstract: A wire connector (2) comprising a cover (8) and a body (4) for carrying a wires (84) therebetween. A U-shaped connection element (6) includes a first leg (48) for engaging a wire (84) positioned within the body (4) and a second leg (52) sharpened to sever the end of the wire (84), wherein the body (4) and the cover (8) include co-operating latch structure (30,32), to define an open position, where the wire (84) may be inserted into the connector (2) and a crimped closed position where the body (4) and the cover (8) are fully telescoped together whereby the excess end of the wire (84) is severed and the connector element (6) engages at the wire at the end connection slots (50). In the closed position, the connection element (6) is accessible in a manner that enables a test probe (78) to engage the connection element (6) through cover means (72) which is provided in a normally biased closed position and that is retained in the closed position without the need for latch means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: James David Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 5855493
    Abstract: A cable connector (20) for terminating a plurality of cables (26) in a clamping manner and matable with a complementary connector (10). Cable connector (20) includes a housing (32) and a backshell subassembly (62) having a pair of covers (66,68) and a pair of inserts (70,72) and can include a ground assembly (120) for gang termination of ferrule-terminated braid portions of shielded signal cables. Ground assembly (120) includes a commoning strip (122) compressed between ferrules (58) of the two rows of cables (26), and further includes a conductor (124) extending to a ground terminal (128) in housing (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher Warren Shelly
  • Patent number: 5853305
    Abstract: A connection clip electrically connects one of the contact terminal strips of a circuit breaker to a terminal strip for connection to a busbar. At least one opposed pair of independent contact fingers in the form of a bridge is made of conducting material and each opposed pair of contact fingers has two end contacts. The two independent contact fingers press via their end contacts respectively on the two opposite faces of either a terminal strip or busbar, and are urged elastically towards one another by the action of springs compression fitted between a connection frame and a bearing surface of the independent pairs of contact fingers. The independent pairs of contact fingers are covered by a coating containing carbon which provides lubrication to facilitate draw-in of the clip, while reducing the risks of welding at the level of the contact points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Schneider Electric S.A.
    Inventors: Antoine Bedrossian, Philippe Langlois, Pascal Lepretre, Robert Morel, Pascale Rodriguez, Gilbert Velletaz
  • Patent number: 5853294
    Abstract: This invention relates to a rolling electrical contact assembly which is very similar to an anti-friction bearing. The contact has an inner and outer race made of a conductive material. A set of conductive rollers roll around in the space between the races. A cage (insulating) keeps the rollers in proper spaced relationship. The outer race is stationary and is composed of segments having V-shaped spaces between the segments and is connected to an electrical cable, and the inner race which rotates on a shaft is connected by a cable carried by the shaft to a suitable current destination. The segments of the outer race are spring loaded to improve the contact conductivity between the rollers and the inner and outer races.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Inventor: Robert Henry Rehder
  • Patent number: 5851129
    Abstract: A terminal main body 3 has a supporting member 2 that clamps the periphery of a battery post P, and a pair of clamp arms 7. Each arm 7 has two angled bolt through holes 6. When a bolt 4 is attached, the attachment axis L and the attachment axis M of the post P are inclined at an angle thus increasing access possibilities for a wrench 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Matsunaga, Takao Hata, Nori Inoue
  • Patent number: 5851128
    Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a housing, a terminal mounted within a cavity in the housing, and play-eliminating means for substantially preventing movement of the terminal within the cavity in a direction other than that along which the terminal is inserted into the cavity. The terminal is constituted by a connector member for electrical connection to a complementary terminal, and a wire-connection member for connection to an electrical wire. The wire-connection member has a smaller transverse cross-section than the connector member. The play-eliminating means is constituted by support means positioned in space between the outer periphery of the wire-connection member and the inner periphery of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakata, Kazuhiko Hattori
  • Patent number: 5851121
    Abstract: The connector comprises a series of metal contact shafts (1) spaced and bent into elbow configurations, embedded in an electrically insulating material (2) which is itself surrounded by a metal shielding (3). Electrically insulating material (2) is molded around contact shafts (1), shielding (3) is made up of two superposed metal blocks (4a) having on their contacting surfaces elbow channels (5a, 5b, 5c) taking up contact shafts (1) surrounded by electrically insulating material (2), these channels being formed so that shielding (3) is interrupted in one rectilinear part of the elbow formed by the channels, this interruption of shielding placing in contact insulating material (2) surrounding the contact shafts, without creating any empty space in zones (7a, 7b) where the shielding is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Jacky Thenaisie, Jacques-Henri Heulot
  • Patent number: 5848905
    Abstract: A plug lock (10) functioning to securely lock a plug (16). The plug lock (10) having a a lock base (12) and a U-member (14). The U-member first shaft (14A) is slidably insertable into the lock base first opening (12BA). The U-member second shaft (14B) is slidably insertable into the lock base second opening (12BB). The U-member first shaft (14A) further comprises a U-member tab (14D) extending therefrom. The U-member tab (14D) comprises an U-member tab first member (14DA) securely connected at a front distal end at a perpendicular angle to a top distal end of an U-member tab cross member (14DC) which is securely connected at a bottom distal end to the U-member first shaft (14A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Inventor: Narendra Patel
  • Patent number: 5848913
    Abstract: An electrical set screw connector has an insulating cover over a metal body which includes conductor receiving passages or ports and intersecting set screws adapted to clamp down on conductor ends in the conductor receiving passages or ports. The connector insulating cover includes a vestibule or tubular chamber for each set screw. The outer end of the vestibule is restricted to capture the screw and each vestibule is internally threaded. The outer end of each vestibule includes a drive hole for the set screw. The connector insulating cover is made by dipping using the backed out set screws as core pins for each set screw vestibule with removable shanks in the set screw recesses forming the drive holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Erico International Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas K. Ashcraft