Abstract: An apparatus and method for responding to an input signal by accessing a data source, retrieving relevant data and utilizing the data to construct and route an outgoing message. Using this apparatus and method, hospitals can provide efficient and personalized responses to patient requests, which can be initialized via a nurse call device. These efficient and personalized responses are accomplished by accessing a data source to obtain specific information about a patent, and then routing relevant portions of the information, via a text message, to those having privy to the information and responsible for caring for the patient.

Abstract: An enhancement to graphical user interface software adds training and customization features that allow users to select between levels of interface sophistication according to skill level. While pull-down menu functions and toolbar functions are commonly presented independently, the List-Bar interface control allows a user to present a menu and a toolbar together, including positional cues to further speed user familiarization with the toolbar's symbolic abstraction of menu terminology. A novice or occasional user can choose to use a menu alone, while an expert may prefer a toolbar alone. For a progressing user, having both modes displayed, active, and positioned in parallel can speed and reinforce learning.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for mounting on a printed circuit board. The assembly includes a housing having a front mating face, a rear face and a board mounting face. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing and include contact portions extending toward the front mating face and tail portions extending at an angle to the contact portions for connection to the printed circuit board. A tail aligner is mounted on the tail portions of the terminals and is free of the housing spaced rearwardly of the rear face thereof. A cover at least partially encloses the rear face of the housing and the tail portions of the terminals. The cover is secured to the housing and is latched to the tail aligning device.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a front mating face and rear face with a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways extending therebetween. The rear face extends between opposite ends of the housing and is devoid of any substantial projections which might prevent a terminal-insertion tool from being moved into proximity with the rear face. A plurality of terminals are received in the passageways. Each terminal includes a forwardly projecting contact portion and a tail portion projecting rearwardly from the housing beyond the rear face thereof. An elongated tail aligning device is mountable on the housing and has a plurality of apertures through which the tail portions of the terminals extend. The tail aligning device has wing portions near opposite ends thereof projecting generally transversely of the rear face of the housing to protect the tail portions of the terminals and to stabilize the connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a forwardly projecting mating portion. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing with contact portions in a side-by-side array and exposed on the forwardly projecting mating portion for engagement by the contacts of the appropriate complementary mating connector. The forwardly projecting mating portion includes a section thereof extending rearwardly over the forward end of at least one but not all of the contact portions of the terminals such that the at least one contact portion is engageable by a respective one of the contacts of the mating connector after engagement of the other contact portions by their respective contacts.

Abstract: A retention system is provided for an electrical connector mountable to a substrate such as a printed circuit board. A dielectric housing has electrical terminals mounted therein, and the housing is adapted for mounting on a surface of the circuit board with the terminals establishing electrical connection to appropriate circuits on the board. The housing includes at least one mounting portion projecting generally parallel to the board in proximity to the surface thereof. A generally U-shaped hold-down clip has a bight portion spanning proximal ends of a pair of leg portions. The leg portions are configured for depending generally along opposite sides of the mounting portion of the housing, with feet portions at distal ends of the leg portions for surface mounting to the surface of the printed circuit board. A complementary interengaging retaining system is provided between the bight portion of the hold-down clip and the mounting portion of the housing for retaining the clip thereon.

Abstract: A shielded electrical connector is provided for interconnection to a multi-conductor cable. The connector includes an insulative housing having a front mating face and a rear conductor-receiving face. A conductive shell is disposed about at least a portion of the housing and has an aperture near the rear face of the housing. A pair of conductive shield halves enclose the rear conductor-receiving face of the housing and define a cavity extending rearward therefrom. The shield halves have hooks for engaging beneath portions of the shell proximate the aperture as the shield halves are rotated about the hooks to form the cavity. A fulcrum projection is operatively associated between the shield halves intermediate the front and rear ends thereof for pivoting the shield halves about the fulcrum projection as the shield halves are rotated about the hooks. Thus, the hooks are urged outwardly to positively engage the portions of the shell to assure an electrical connection between the shield halves and the shell.

Abstract: A terminal alignment system is provided for an electrical connector assembly disclosed as an insulation displacement type connector for terminating a plurality of insulated conductors of a multi-conductor cable. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving passageways for the insertion thereinto of a plurality of terminals in a given insertion direction. Each terminal includes an insulation displacement section at one end for piercing the insulation about one of the conductors, a contact section at an opposite end for mating with a mating terminal, and an intermediate securing section between the ends for securing the terminal in a respective one of the passageways. The insulation displacement section of each terminal includes a notch facing in the insertion direction. The housing includes a rib for interengagement with each notch.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly having a low insertion force, high normal force mating contact structure comprising a male terminal and a female terminal. The contact portions of the female terminal are adapted to electrically engage the lead-in portion of the male terminal as the male terminal is inserted into the mouth between the contact portion of the female terminal. The lead-in portion of the male terminal is split and defines a pair of diverging beams extending forwardly and angled outwardly from the final contact area. The beams have inwardly facing, laterally offset, opposing camming portions adapted to engage and increasingly deflect the contact portions of the spring arms of the female terminal as the male terminal is moved from an initial position to a final position wherein the female contact portions are in engagement with the final contact area of the male terminal.

Abstract: A latching system is disclosed for use in an electrical connector system which includes a backplane connector mounted on a backplane of an electrical apparatus, along with a mating connector mateable with the backplane connector in a direction generally perpendicular to the backplane. The latching system includes a latching device independent of the backplane and mating connectors. The device includes a latch arm projecting from the backplane, and a hook portion engageable with a latching surface on the mating connector for holding the mating connector in mated condition with the backplane connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for terminating a multi-conductor cable. The assembly includes a conductive guide member having a plurality of channels for positioning the conductors of the multi-conductor cable whereby the conductors can be trimmed along an edge of the guide member. A cover member is profiled for engagement with the conductor guide member, with a portion of the cover member covering exposed ends of the trimmed conductors. A base assembly mounts a plurality of terminals and is profiled for aligning the terminals for termination to respective conductors when the base assembly is assembled with the conductor guide member and cover member. The cover member is sandwiched between the conductive guide member and the base assembly and includes a plurality of apertures through which the terminals project for termination to the conductors. The connector includes a conductive backshell formed by a pair of backshell halves.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a two piece die-casted conductive shell that is adapted to be clamped onto a shielded electrical connector. The electrical connector may be formed of a dielectric housing with four sidewalls extending between a mating end and a wire receiving end. A plurality of contacts disposed in the housing are adapted to be connected to conductors extending into the wire receiving end of the electrical connector. A stamped and formed conductive shield surrounds at least a portion of the housing sidewalls. The two piece die-casted or molded plastic shell is formed by the mating of two shell portions with a set of screws projecting through one of the shell portions into the other of the shell portions.

Abstract: A shielded plug assembly for mating a shielded multi-conductor cable assembly to a shielded receptacle connector and the method of making the same. The plug assembly employs a new type of unitary molded wire positioning member to position and secure the conductors prior to and during insertion of the wire positioning member into the plug assembly housing. The method includes cutting the wires after positioning within the wire positioning member and deforming a portion of the wire positioning member to securely hold the conductors therein. When the plug assembly is terminated to the conductors, the cooperation of the wire positioning member and the plug housing are such that the conductor ends are moved within the housing to assure alignment with corresponding insulation penetrating type terminals.

Abstract: A plug and receptacle connector assembly is used for interconnecting the conductors of a flat high density cable to circuits on a printed circuit board or the like. The plug contains a first set of contacts disposed on one side of the cable, each of which pierce the cable in order to make contact with alternate ones of the conductors. A second set of plug contacts are disposed on the other side of the cable and each of these plug contacts pierce the cable to make electrical contact with the other ones of the conductors in the cable. The plug contacts are L-shaped with the insulation piercing portions forming one of the legs of the L-shaped contacts. The insulation piercing portions of the plug contacts in the first set of contacts are positioned in a row closer to the rear end of the plug than the insulation piercing portions of the plug contacts in the second set of plug contacts.

Abstract: A tilt and telescope steering wheel with a push button keyboard non-rotatably mounted within the steering wheel has a foot actuated release mechanism for simultaneous disengagement of tilt lock and telescope lock mechanisms. A readout instrument panel with various indicators thereon rigidly attached to and tiltable with the steering column so as to provide a constant angular correlation with the steering wheel facilitating an unobstructed view of the panel in all steering wheel tilt positions.