Abstract: A canister assembly is provided including electrical connector having a plate which may be moved between a first and second position in order to lock a wire to the electrical connector. The electrical connector provides for a wire trap contact in order to quickly insert a conductor within the electrical connector through an end face of the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes flanges which allow it to be easily mounted to a canister and enclose an opening of the canister. The plate provides for a strain relief for the wires terminated by the electrical connector.

Abstract: A connector for a flat cable which reduces strain on the cable. The connector includes a first portion attached to a second portion. The second portion has a top surface and a bottom surface. A flat cable may have a segment secured to a bottom surface of the second portion. The flat cable may be further secured between the second portion and first portion while the second portion and first portion are attached. A remaining segment of the flat cable may be positioned through an opening extending from the bottom surface of the second portion to the top surface. As a result, a stress or force exerted on the remaining segment of the flat cable may be diverted away from the cable and into the connector.

Abstract: A transceiver socket for receiving a transceiver. The transceiver socket includes a pinboard and a retention ground clip. The pinboard has a first surface and a second surface. The pinboard further includes a first attaching post receptacle, a second attaching post receptacle, and a plurality of pin receptacles. Each of the receptacles has an opening on the first surface of the pinboard. Each of the opening being positioned relative to each other so as to receive the attaching posts and pins of the small form factor transceiver. The first attaching post receptacle, the second attaching post receptacle, and the pin receptacles each have a portion protruding from the second surface of the pinboard. The retention ground clip having first and second arms extending from a retention ground clip body.

Abstract: An electrical connection termination device includes a box contact which accommodates a flat conductor of a flat cable. The flat cable includes an insulative layer substantially covering the flat conductor. The box contact includes a box structure at one end and a strain relief structure at another end. The box structure includes four sides so as to form the shape of a box having open ends. One of the sides of the box structure includes a flexible tab. The strain relief structure attaches to the insulative layer of the flat cable. The flat conductor extends through the open ends of the box structure and is positioned near one of the sides of the box structure where that particular side opposes the side of the box structure having the flexible tab.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a wire clamp electrical connector portion and a wire trap electrical connector portion. The wire clamp portion includes a moving arm and a stationary arm where each arm has a respective contact end. An entrance exists between the contact ends. In an open position of the entrance of the wire clamp electrical connector portion, the contact ends are separated by a predetermined gap for receiving a conductor. The gap has a dimension which is greater than a diameter of a conductor. In a closed position of the entrance of the wire clamp electrical connector portion, contact ends are urged toward each other so as to contact and secure the conductor. The wire trap portion includes a moving arm and a stationary arm where the moving arm has a contact end and the stationary arm has a contact surface. An entrance exists between the contact end and the contact surface.

Abstract: An insulation displacement contact for connecting to a flat conductor of a flat cable, where the flat conductor has a width dimension greater than its thickness dimension. The insulation displacement contact including a base, a first tine connected to the base and a second tine connected to the base. The first tine having a first edge and a second edge. The first edge being adjacent to a free end, where the free end has a first knife edge. The second tine having a third edge and a fourth edge. The third edge being adjacent to a free end, where the free end has a knife edge. The third edge of the second tine opposes the first edge of the first tine. The first edge of the first tine being separated from the third edge of the second tine by a first distance. The fourth edge of the second tine opposes the second edge of the first tine. The second edge of the first tine being separated from the fourth edge of the second tine by a second distance. The first distance being greater than the second distance.

Abstract: An elastomeric connector having fine pitched contacts is provided in addition to a method for connecting components using such a connector and a method of manufacturing the same. The connector includes a body formed from an elastomeric material with contacts arranged to extend through the body and exposed at each side of the body. The contacts are bent to form a contact surface that is oriented at an angle with respect to the sides of the body. The contacts may include a radiused section that is formed in the elastomeric material. Grooves may be formed in the body of the connector separating adjacent contacts and providing additional flexibility of the connector. The contacts may provide for a wiping action of between 0.003 and 0.015 inches and the connector may provide for a spring force of greater than between 15 and 90 grams per contact after 10,000 cycles.

Abstract: A wire trap connector provides an adjustably mounted compression tail which protrudes from a contact within a housing of the wire trap connector. The compression tail is oriented at a right angle to one side of the connector housing or extends perpendicular from the connector housing. The invention thus allows a means of attaching wires to an electronic assembly without soldering the connector to the PCB. This provides the benefit of eliminating the soldering process from manufacturing. In addition, the compression tail offers alternate circuit assembly options to be used without the addition of a wave solder or manual solder step. Thus, the invention offers a significant cost reduction compared to current technology.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for forming a connection with a conductive pin. The electrical connector has a dielectric housing with both a passage extending through the housing and a chamber in communication with the passage. In addition, the electrical connector has a metal contact with a mating end disposed in the housing's chamber and a solder tail which projects from the housing. The mating end of the contact consists of a clamping stirrup which has a bottom area with a hole disposed therein for receiving the conductive pin. Furthermore, the contact is three dimensionally secured to the connector housing via a press-fit.

Abstract: An elastomeric connector having fine pitched contacts is provided in addition to a method for connecting components using such a connector and a method of manufacturing the same. The connector includes a body formed from an elastomeric material with contacts arranged to extend through the body and exposed at each side of the body. The contacts are bent to form a contact surface that is oriented at an angle with respect to the sides of the body. The contacts may include a radiused section that is formed in the elastomeric material. Grooves may be formed in the body of the connector separating adjacent contacts and providing additional flexibility of the connector.

Abstract: A zero insertion force pin grid array socket includes a cover slidably engaged to a base and having an array of holes formed therethrough. The base has an array of corresponding passages, the passages receiving pins of an IC package inserted through corresponding holes of the cover. Contacts are mounted within the passages and include a generally tuning-fork shaped contact having torsional beams which deflect the insertion forces of the pin of the IC package which have a surface area of at least forty percent of the entire surface area of contacts. The contacts include wiping areas which are plated which have a surface area of less than an eightieth of the entire surface area of the contact. The socket cover includes a means for providing an air-gap between the socket cover and the IC package.

Abstract: A latch connected to a surface mount component for subsequent connection to a printed circuit board is provided as well as a method for mounting a surface mount component to a printed circuit board. The surface mount component has a soldering tail extending therefrom and at least one latch insertable through an aperture in the printed circuit board, without force, such that the soldering tails extending from the surface mount component rest on corresponding soldering pads of the printed circuit board. As a result, surface mount components are mountable to a printed circuit board using standard, available equipment, such as a vacuum head placed component, and the components are subsequently soldered to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A zero insertion force ball grid array socket comprises a base having an array of passages and contacts mounted therein. A carrier for receiving the ball grid array package and slidingly movable from a nonmated position to a mated position. The contacts having surface mount tails exposed in a perpendicular direction above the base and the balls of the ball grid array package being inspectable from the opposite side of the carrier receiving the ball grid array package thereon. The carrier includes carrier arms having cells for receiving balls of the ball grid array package and the cells having an enlarged circumference due to ball support means projecting therefrom.

Abstract: A zero insertion force ball grid array socket comprises a base having an array of passages and contacts mounted therein. A carrier for receiving the ball grid array package and slidingly movable from a nonmated position to a mated position. The contacts having surface mount tails exposed in a perpendicular direction above the base and the balls of the ball grid array package being inspectable from the opposite side of the carrier receiving the ball grid array package thereon.

Abstract: A latch connected to a surface mount component for subsequent connection to a printed circuit board is provided as well as a method for mounting a surface mount component to a printed circuit board having a zero mounting force. The surface mount component has a soldering tail extending therefrom and at least one latch or latch contact insertable through an aperture in the printed circuit board, without force, such that the soldering tails extending from the surface mount component rest on corresponding soldering pads of the printed circuit board. As a result, surface mount components are mountable to a printed circuit board using standard, available equipment, such as a vacuum head placed component which allow for placement of the component via gravity, and the components are subsequently soldered to the printed circuit board. The assembly also includes a board latch pin and a weighted cap.

Abstract: A wire to board connector is provided having an insulation block including cavities for insulation displacement contact which allow for programmability by insertion of wires in a predetermined orientation in cavities having contacts having contact tails for mounting on a circuit board. A terminating cover may also be provided for receiving wires therein and providing automatic termination when the terminating cover is mated with the insulation block whereby the wires inserted in the terminating cover are terminated in the corresponding cavities of the insulation block.

Abstract: An electronic module socket is provided having corresponding pairs of contacts wherein the contacts short out and are self-cleaning. A first contact having a semi-circle terminal end portion and a second contact having a J-shaped terminal end portion. The two terminal portions, upon removal of a module, slide past each other in opposite directions. The contacts having board contact points removed from the short out portions of the contacts. The contacts being fabricated in order to provide for gang loading of the contacts within the electronic module socket insulator.

Abstract: A wire-trap connector with a means for protecting the connector's contact from becoming overstressed. The connector housing has a connection passageway for providing access to the contact mounted within the connector. In addition, the connector housing has a release passageway, located separately from the connection passageway, which provides access to the contact. In order to release a wire from the contact, a wire extraction tool is inserted in the release passageway and presses against the contact. During the release of the wire from the connector, the contact has at least one tab projecting from it which will abut against an overstress stop abutment mounted within the connector housing. The restricted travel of the contact during the release of the wire will prevent the contact from becoming permanently deformed.

Abstract: A fiber optic and electrical hybrid connector is disclosed for providing remote system connectivity management and verification, comprising a first fiber optic connector including a housing. A first electrical connector mounted to the housing of the first fiber optic connector is provided for data identification transmission. The first fiber optic connector is mated to a second fiber optic connector and the first electrical connector simultaneously mating to a second electrical connector. The first electrical connector includes a transistor having a 64 bit ROM, a 48 bit Serial Number, an 8 bit CRC and an 8 bit family code. The second electrical connector includes data lines connected to a PCB having visual signal illumination connectivity means and remote connectivity management means. The first elecrtrical connector derives power from the data signal lines of the second electrical connector.

Abstract: A disposable electrical connector header includes a base portion having a plurality of pin-receiving passages being open on one side. An external adjacent spring member to the open side of the passages provides an interference fit when a terminal pin is inserted from the bottom of the base portion of the disposable header. A plurality of terminal pins are received in the passages and project from the disposable header for insertion into holes in a printed circuit board and for solder connection to circuit traces on the circuit board. The disposable header is then slid off the terminal pins after soldering to the printed circuit board. A top portion is also provided having pin stops located correspondingly above each of the passages to restrict the movement of the terminal pins once inserted into the passages of the disposable header. A flat top at the upper portion of the disposable header is provided for robotic placement or removal of the disposable header.