Patents Examined by T C Patel
  • Patent number: 5679034
    Abstract: A plurality of retaining piece portions are formed at an edge of a tubular body of a female electrical connection member, and the retaining piece portions are bent to clampingly retain plural portions in one end of a resilient contact piece. As a result, the retaining piece portions can be bent easily, and a crack is prevented from developing at the bent portion. And besides, since the resilient contact piece is fixed by the retaining piece portions at the plurality of portions thereof spaced from one another, stresses, concentrating on the fixed portions of the resilient contact piece, are distributed on the fixed portions, so that permanent set of the resilient contact piece due to deterioration of its resiliency can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Hanazaki, Mitsuharu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5679008
    Abstract: An electrical connector 1 comprises a mediate circuit board assembly 4, a housing 2, and a plurality of contacts 3. The mediate circuit board assembly 4 has a plurality of signal paths, to which signal cables 5 are connected, and the housing 2 houses this mediate circuit board assembly 4. The contacts 3 are retained in the housing 2 and connected to the signal paths of the mediate circuit board assembly 4, which is housed in the housing 2. Two double-sided circuit boards, each having at least the signal paths formed on the front face and a grounding path formed on the rear face, constitute the mediate circuit board assembly 4 when these two double-sided circuit boards are abutted with each other, connecting the grounding paths of their rear faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Kel Corporation
    Inventors: Hisafumi Takahashi, Kouichi Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 5676557
    Abstract: Manufacture of electrical trunking containing, in a metal enclosure, a set of parallel electrical conductors supported at regular intervals on insulative contact blocks. A single sheet metal blank is bent and crimped to produce a tubular profile with joined edges 27, 28, the conductor assembly 31 is then slid into the tube and each support contact block 30 is centered in a respective branch opening 18 using a tool inserted through the opening. The contact block is clamped against the opening by an elastic expansion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Schneider Electric SA
    Inventors: Gerard Jego, Daniel Nourry, Jean-Pierre Thierry, Jean-Claude Lebeau, Philippe Normand
  • Patent number: 5674095
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel terminal for an end of a cable that includes at least two electrical conductors. One especially suitable cable is one that includes the common constantan and copper conductors employed in thermocouple applications. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the terminal includes first and second housing sections which, when combined, define an electrically insulative housing for the receipt and anchoring therein of one end of a cable without the use of fasteners of any type aside from the structural features of the housing sections. The first and second housing sections each comprise a thin planar base having a plurality of projections extending from one surface thereof that are received in frictional mating engagement when the two housing sections are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: DeRoyal Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Benito L. Tanhehco, Steve E. Saad
  • Patent number: 5674082
    Abstract: A rotary connector device having a stator housing 1 and a rotor housing 2 connected by an attachment 3. The attachment 3 fits to the rotor housing 2 and rotatably supports the stator housing 1. The attachment 3 includes a grease reservoir 33 disposed in sliding contact with the stator housing 1. An opening 25, through which a cord 61 connected to a flexible cable 4 is pulled outside, is disposed in the upper part of a rotor housing 2. The opening has a plurality of bumps 251 to 254 to clamp the cord 61. The stator housing 1 is constructed by assembling a side housing 11 and a bottom housing 12 together. A first gap 13 is formed in the area where the side housing 11 is connected to the bottom housing 12. A first side edge 71 of a slide sheet 7 is inserted into the first gap 13. A guide 15 of the bottom housing 12 for guiding the flexible cable 4 is formed with a second gap 14 into which the second side edge 72 of the slide sheet 7 is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Okuhara, Kazumi Honjo, Hiroshi Ohishi, Fujio Kitayama
  • Patent number: 5672065
    Abstract: A device for connecting a ground rod to an electrical conductor utilizing a sleeve having a pair of open chambers that form a tapered configuration. The open chambers accommodate the ground rod and an electrical conductor and permit the same to engage one another when the ground rod and electrical conductor are forced completely into their respective chambers. The open chambers face on another and allow engagement of the ground rod with the electrical conductor inside the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Inventor: Robert R. Womack
  • Patent number: 5672074
    Abstract: Connector mounting receptacles include a wall plate a having a spaced apart tooth and resilient latch disposed to engage mounting slots in a modular connector to releasably mount the connector to the receptacle. The connector includes corner mounting slots disposed to engage lateral stops formed in the wall plate. Steel wall plate receptacles are integrally formed of conductive metal with the connector latching features being configured to concurrently releasably latch and conductively ground a shielded connector mounted in the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Dale A. Block, Karl E. Falkstrom, Kris B. Lindley, Michael J. McGrath
  • Patent number: 5669776
    Abstract: A cable connector assembly is provided to eliminate or minimize dynamic durbance on the body shell surface of a vehicle in motion. The vehicle includes a body shell having a recessed portion which includes a cable connector receptacle and a connector housing. The connector housing does not protrude from the vehicle and is smooth with the body shell contour. The connector housing includes a female electrical connection portion. Adjacent the connector housing in the recessed portion of the body shell is a hinged closure plate which is controlled by a compression spring. When the vehicle is at rest, an electrical cable is connected to the connector housing and the closure plate is pushed into the recessed portion of the body shell. When the vehicle is put in motion, the closure plate spring decompresses to force the closure plate to close and seal the recessed portion of the body shell. The closure plate and the connector housing form a uniform and smooth surface which blends with the contour of the body shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Paul E. Moody, James M. McCarthy, Dennis J. Langmack, deceased, Mark V. Chester
  • Patent number: 5669789
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, an EMI suppressing connector comprises a body of ferrite having a plurality of conductive channels and at least one planar surface. The channel walls are wholly or partially coated with conductive material which provides a conductive path extending through the body and the planar surface includes a pattern of coated conductive leads connected to the conductive channels. Preferably the connector is in the form of a rectangular parallelopiped, and the channels extend perpendicularly between two major surfaces. In one embodiment, the conductive material extends horizontally through the body and onto planar bottom. The conductive material on the planar bottom surface provides ready connection with contacts on a circuit board or IC package. In another embodiment, the conductive material extends vertically through the body and onto a planar bottom or top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Henry Hon Law
  • Patent number: 5669774
    Abstract: A substrate mating assembly has a first substrate with at least one socket mounted thereon. The at least one socket has contact retention points provided thereon which extend into a contact receiving opening thereof. A second substrate is provided with at least one mating contact mounted thereon. The at least one mating contact has an arcuate surface and is dimensioned to be received in the contact receiving opening of the at least one socket. As the first substrate and the second substrate are electrically mated together, the at least one mating contact is received in the contact receiving opening and maintained in position therein by the cooperation of the contact retention points with the arcuate surface of the at least one mating contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Inventor: Dimitry Grabbe
  • Patent number: 5669788
    Abstract: An apparatus for connecting screwless terminal blocks comprising a screwless jumper link and at least two screwless terminal block center jumpers which may be quickly and easily installed onto a plurality of screwless terminal blocks. The screwless jumper link permits the connection of multiple adjacent screwless center jumpers in series without occupying any terminal block wire terminations, thus maximizing the wire density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Brockman
  • Patent number: 5669791
    Abstract: A connector with a rear holder in which simultaneously when attaching the rear holder to a housing, connector terminals can be easily and positively pushed in the housing. In the connector with the rear holders, each rear holder has, at its front end, retaining projections for respectively pushing the connector terminals, and is connected to the housing through hinges. Guide portions of the rear holder are slidably received respectively in guide grooves formed respectively in opposite side walls of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Endo, Kimihiro Abe
  • Patent number: 5664974
    Abstract: A male terminal and a method of manufacturing the male terminal is provided to improve a reliability of its connection with a female terminal. The male terminal includes a wire connection part, an electrical contact part having a base plate portion, a joint part for connecting the engagement part with the electrical contact part and an engagement part. In manufacturing, one lateral free marginal portion of the base plate portion is folded back toward the other lateral free marginal portion. A lower plate portion of the joint part extends from the base plate portion till the engagement portion and has a width larger than that of the base plate portion. The upper plate portion extends from the free marginal portion till the engagement portion and has a width larger than that of the free marginal portion. Owing the structure, the strength of the joint part can be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Endo, Osamu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 5664965
    Abstract: Disclosed is an assembly which comprises a printed circuit board on which there is mounted a component of an electrical connector. The printed circuit board and the electrical connector component have aligned mounting apertures. A boardlock member extends axially through these apertures and has a mounting foot engagement structure from which two resilient spaced legs depend. These spaced legs each have projections which are axially spaced from one another so that the connector member may engage a circuit board of one thickness on the projection of one leg and also engage a circuit board of another thickness by the projection on the other leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Berg Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Clark, David C. Horchler
  • Patent number: 5664957
    Abstract: A modular lighting display system having an outlet track is provided. The outlet track includes a pair of sidewalls and a dividing wall having a first terminal end and a second terminal end. The dividing wall is located between the pair of sidewalls and extends from the first terminal end to the second terminal end of the outlet track. The dividing wall thereby defines a raceway portion and an outlet portion. The raceway portion and the outlet portion each have an open section. Electrical outlets are disposed along a length of the outlet portion of the outlet track. A pair of rails constructed and arranged at the open section of both the raceway portion and the outlet portion is provided. The modular lighting display system also has a fixture display bracket having at least one mounting tab constructed to span the open section of the outlet portion so that the bracket is supported on the pair of rails at the open section of the outlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Prestige Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald N. Starr
  • Patent number: 5664969
    Abstract: An electrical connector is adapted for connecting a conductor of an electrical wire to a terminal of a mating connector. A dielectric housing has at least one elongated terminal-receiving cavity defining a longitudinal axis. A terminal is received in the cavity and has a mating portion adapted to mate with the terminal of the mating connector, a conductor-terminating portion, and an intermediate portion joining the mating and conductor-terminating portions. The intermediate portion includes a base and a pair of elongated resilient side walls extending from the base. Each side wall has an upper free end portion. A pair of elongated slots are provided within a wall of the cavity receiving the upper free end portions of the side walls of the terminal to prevent movement of the terminal laterally or angularly of the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Bruce A. Peterson, Richard A. Faje, Frank L. Geoghegan, Paul A. Rattin, Joseph R. Weltz
  • Patent number: 5664955
    Abstract: A protective hood for a faceplate which has one or more couplers therein for receiving electrical and/or optical fiber connectors has an elongated substantially hollow body. The body has a U-shaped open end and a flat closed end, and a sloping or angularly disposed planar surface extending from adjacent the open end downwardly to the closed end. The body has interior extending flanges adapted to fit within L-shaped track forming members on the faceplate to permit up and down movement of the hood, and an interior stop member for limiting the downward movement to define a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Jaime Ray Arnett
  • Patent number: 5664970
    Abstract: An improved compliant section (30) for a terminal connectable to a circuit board (54), the compliant section (30) having legs (32) with outer edges (34) thereof forming selected shapes axially therealong and an elongate hole (38) having a selected shape stamped transversely through the terminal separating the legs (32) and defined between inwardly facing edges (36) thereof. The selected shapes of the leg outer edges (34) are continuous surfaces, first diverging then converging toward an insertion end (40) of the terminal and having a widest dimension at a selected axial location. The hole (38) has first and second ends (42, 44) and a transverse median M at a selected axial location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Leroy Millhimes, Charles Dudley Copper
  • Patent number: 5664971
    Abstract: Disclosed is a terminal binding post for selectively mounting a wire, a fork connector and a banana plug which includes: an electrically insulated housing; an electrically conducting contact member received within a cavity of the housing; and a clamping member having an exterior clamping surface and an interior clamping surface defined in a clamping slot for receiving a tab of the contact member. The clamping member and contact member define separate wire receiving and fork connector receiving spaces. An aperture and a slot are defined in the housing which are sized and dimensioned for respectively receiving a wire and a fork connector. The clamping member is moveable in the cavity with respect to the contact member between a wire engaged position in which the clamping member securely engages the wire to the first tab of the contact and a wire disengaged spaced therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: John W. Coy
  • Patent number: 5662496
    Abstract: An electrical junction box for use in a vehicle is capable of receiving a plurality of fuses of the type having a body and a pair of blades extending from the body. The junction box includes a body portion with a plurality of parallel slots adapted to receive a fuse blade. A substantially rectangular aperture receives a second fuse blade from one side of the junction box and an electrical connector from the other side. A plurality of resilient locking arms extend from the body portion and are arranged such that pairs of locking arms are located on opposite sides of the lateral opening of the aperture and define fuse mounting locations. Each locking arm has an inner surface from which a pair of parallel guide rails extend to form a fuse receiving channel, and a lock projection extends form the inner surface between the guide rails to secure the fuse within the junction box. A fuse puller is used to remove fuses form their positions between the locking arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Hiryasu Kanamori