Patents by Inventor Clarence Randall Fry

Clarence Randall Fry has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230246373
    Abstract: A power terminal includes first and second conductive sheets. The first conductive sheet includes a first joining portion, first fingers extending from the first joining portion, and a first mounting portion extending from the first joining portion and configured to mount to a substrate. The first fingers have hooked ends connected to the first joining portion by first beams. The second conductive sheet includes a second joining portion, second fingers extending from the second joining portion, and a second mounting portion extending from the second joining portion and configured to mount to the substrate. The two second fingers have curved ends connected to the second joining portion by second beams. The hooked ends and the curved ends include contact surfaces configured to contact a same side of a card. At least one of the first and second mounting portions includes at least two mounting tails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Rongzhe Guo, Clarence Randall Fry, Chao Zhou
  • Patent number: 11626681
    Abstract: A hybrid edge connector includes an insulative housing with a slot lined with signal terminals, in a signal portion, and power terminals in a power portion. The power terminals may be made with multiple layers, with each layer formed into one or more fingers. Each finger may be configured to make contact with an edge of a card inserted in the slot such that each terminal has multiple contact points to the card and can carry a large current. To support a large current, the card may be a hybrid card, with a signal portion formed using a conventional PCB manufacturing techniques and a power portion formed with one or more blades mechanically coupled to the signal portion. The slot in the connector housing may have different widths in the signal and power portions and the center lines of those portions may be offset with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Rongzhe Guo, Clarence Randall Fry, Chao Zou
  • Patent number: 11444399
    Abstract: An electronic assembly with a sliding power connector mounted on a first substrate. The connector has tracks and terminals with contact fingers. A bus bar may be aligned by the tracks such that contact surfaces on the contact fingers press against contact surfaces on the bus bar. The electronic system may be implemented as a rack, and the electronic assembly may be or include a printed circuit board on which the power connector terminals are mounted. The printed circuit board may slide in and out of the rack while power is supplied from the bus bar to components on the printed circuit board. High reliability may be provided by one or more tabs on the housing that increase mating force of the contact fingers and/or prevent damage to the contact fingers from overstress. The contact fingers may be positioned to increase the lifetime of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: James M. Sabo, Clarence Randall Fry
  • Publication number: 20220255250
    Abstract: A connector that enables electronic assemblies to be efficiently configured for any of multiple power requirements. The connector may have a mating interface, which may mate with a power supply, a mounting interface for attaching the connector to a PCB and a power tap off interface. The power tap off interface may enable distribution of a portion of the power received through the mating interface to remote locations on the PCB. The connector may be assembled with conductive element subassemblies, enabling efficient configuration of the connector with conductive elements with and without mating contact portion for power tap off. Each subassembly may include a member to which other members with mating contact portions and/or tails for a mounting interface are attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Christopher S. Gieski, Clarence Randall Fry, Steven E. Pressel
  • Publication number: 20220021142
    Abstract: To support a large current, a circuit board may be a hybrid card, with a signal portion formed using a conventional PCB manufacturing techniques and a power portion formed with one or more blades mechanically coupled to the signal portion. The blade (s) may be metal plates. The hybrid card may be usable with a hybrid edge connector that includes an insulative housing with a slot lined with signal terminals, in a signal portion, and power terminals in a power portion. The power terminals may be made with multiple layers, with each layer formed into one or more fingers. Each finger may be configured to make contact with an edge of a blade inserted in the slot such that each terminal has multiple contact points to the blade and can carry a large current. The slot in the connector housing may have different widths in the signal and power portions and the center lines of those portions may be offset with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Charles Copper, Rupert Fry, JR., Rongzhe Guo, Clarence Randall Fry, Chao Zou
  • Publication number: 20220013942
    Abstract: A hybrid edge connector includes an insulative housing with a slot lined with signal terminals, in a signal portion, and power terminals in a power portion. The power terminals may be made with multiple layers, with each layer formed into one or more fingers. Each finger may be configured to make contact with an edge of a card inserted in the slot such that each terminal has multiple contact points to the card and can carry a large current. To support a large current, the card may be a hybrid card, with a signal portion formed using a conventional PCB manufacturing techniques and a power portion formed with one or more blades mechanically coupled to the signal portion. The slot in the connector housing may have different widths in the signal and power portions and the center lines of those portions may be offset with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Rongzhe Guo, Clarence Randall Fry, Chao Zou
  • Patent number: 11183786
    Abstract: An electronic assembly with a first substrate and electrical connector terminals mounted on the first substrate. The electrical connector terminals have contact fingers and tracks. A bus bar may be aligned by the tracks such that contact surfaces on the contact fingers press against contact surfaces on the bus bar. The bus bar may slide in the tracks such that, when the bus bar is mounted in an electronic system including the electronic assembly, the electrical connector terminals enable the electronic assembly to slide relative to the bus bar. The electronic system may be implemented as a rack, and the electronic assembly may be or include a printed circuit board on which the electrical connector terminals are mounted. The printed circuit board may be slid in and out of the rack while power is supplied from the bus bar to components on the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: James M. Sabo, Clarence Randall Fry
  • Publication number: 20200127403
    Abstract: An electronic assembly with a sliding power connector mounted on a first substrate. The connector has tracks and terminals with contact fingers. A bus bar may be aligned by the tracks such that contact surfaces on the contact fingers press against contact surfaces on the bus bar. The electronic system may be implemented as a rack, and the electronic assembly may be or include a printed circuit board on which the power connector terminals are mounted. The printed circuit board may slide in and out of the rack while power is supplied from the bus bar to components on the printed circuit board. High reliability may be provided by one or more tabs on the housing that increase mating force of the contact fingers and/or prevent damage to the contact fingers from overstress. The contact fingers may be positioned to increase the lifetime of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: James M. Sabo, Clarence Randall Fry
  • Publication number: 20200127402
    Abstract: An electronic assembly with a first substrate and electrical connector terminals mounted on the first substrate. The electrical connector terminals have contact fingers and tracks. A bus bar may be aligned by the tracks such that contact surfaces on the contact fingers press against contact surfaces on the bus bar. The bus bar may slide in the tracks such that, when the bus bar is mounted in an electronic system including the electronic assembly, the electrical connector terminals enable the electronic assembly to slide relative to the bus bar. The electronic system may be implemented as a rack, and the electronic assembly may be or include a printed circuit board on which the electrical connector terminals are mounted. The printed circuit board may be slid in and out of the rack while power is supplied from the bus bar to components on the printed circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: James M. Sabo, Clarence Randall Fry