Abstract: An electrical terminal including a body having a contact gripping element where the contact gripping element is resiliently biased or disposed in a channel. The contact gripping element is configured to exert a contact gripping force on an electrical conductor. Preferably, the body has a seam transverse to the contact gripping element. More preferably the seam can widen upon insertion of the electrical conductor. Most preferably the seam can reduce the radial force upon the contact gripping element as a way to relax stress on the contact gripping element.

Abstract: A mounting system for electrical modules (10) having a housing (12) with a rail mounting face (14) including a rail receiving recess (17), includes a pair of spring loaded rail engaging clamps (80) disposed on the mounting face (14) and movable between a first or latched position and a second or open position. Each clamp (80) includes a body portion (85) having a spring receiving cavity (85a), a base (82) extending outwardly from a lower edge of the body portion in one direction and a rail engaging arm (88) extending outwardly from an upper edge of the body portion and in a direction opposite to the base. The body portion (85) includes a wall (86) extending at an angle from the base to the arm and defining a rail latching surface (86a). A partially compressed spring disposed (90) in the cavity (85a) exerts a selected force to hold the clamps (80) in the latched position.

Abstract: An electrical connector (30) includes a housing having a conductor receiving face (34) and a mating face (58); an array of terminals (80) disposed in respective terminal receiving passageways, the array including at least one selected terminal; a circuit board (66) disposed intermediate the conductor receiving and mating faces (34, 58) and intersecting at least the passageway in which the selected terminal (80) is disposed; and at least one electrical device (102) mounted to the circuit board (66) spaced from the array of terminals (80). The device (102) is electrically connected by a circuit in the circuit board (66) to the at least one selected terminal (80).

Abstract: A key receiving member (140) for an electrical connector includes a body (142) having a key receiving slot (144) adapted to receive a key of a mating connector on one side thereof; and a plurality of complaint beams (146) extending downwardly from an opposite side of the body (142). At least some of the beams (146) include a retention projection (148) extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to engage a retention ledge (129) within a connector housing aperture (124) upon insertion of the member (140) into the aperture. At least one of the retention projections (146) includes a locking protrusion (150) extending outwardly therefrom for receipt into one of a plurality of detents (130) spaced around the ledge (129).

Abstract: A surface mountable card edge connector 10 includes a housing 16 having a transverse base 18 and opposed endwalls 28; a generally C-shaped outer shell member 44; a generally C-shaped inner support member 60; two resilient members 76 disposed in channels 74 defined between portions of the shell and support members 44,60; and a flexible film circuit assembly 80. Free ends 56 of the shell member 44 define a card receiving slot 58 of selected width greater than the thickness of a card 112 insertable thereinto. Facing portions 78 of each the resilient members 76 extend into the card receiving slot 58. The film assembly 80 is disposed in a loop extending into the card receiving slot 58 and around the sides 19 of the shell member 44 such that exposed circuitry 88,90 at selected regions of the film assembly 80 is located in the card receiving slot 58 and proximate the resilient members 76.

Abstract: A surface mountable electrical connector 10 for use with a circuit board 70 of the type having one or more rows 74,82 of closely spaced trace termini 76,84 on the mounting surface 72 of the board 70, the connector 10 including a housing 12 having one or more rows of closely spaced electrical terminal members 30,46 therein. The terminal members 30,46 include elongate arm portions 36,52 extending from the housing 12 to surface mount contact sections 38,54 at free ends thereof. Each terminal associated with an outer row 74 of circuit board termini 76 includes a portion immediately adjacent and inwardly from the contact section 38, which is abruptly directed away from the mounting surface 72 to minimize wicking of solder to a nearby inner row termini 84.

Abstract: A board lock device 10 holding an electrical connector 40 to a one-piece essentially planar board lock member adapted to be received in a passageway 48 extending through a connector housing 40 and a board mounting post 50 extending from a mounting face 46 thereof includes a body 12 and a pair of cantilevered beams 18 extending outwardly in a first direction in the plane from a transverse body edge 14 to free ends 24. The beams 18 defining a slot 36 therebetween. The board mounting post 50 includes a protrusion 54 extending into the passageway 48 at least at the leading end 52 thereof. The inner edges 28 of the beams 18 are adapted to enter into locking engagement with the protrusion 54 upon full insertion of the device 10 into the passageway 48 to prevent any backward movement of the device when the connector 40 is mounted to a circuit board 60.

Abstract: Electrical connector (2) is mounted in a cut out (65) in a mounting panel (66) by means of a pair of straps (82) which are secured to the rear face of the panel by means of bolts (84) the connector (2) has opposite coplanar flanges (22). The straps (82) have portions (92) which project away from the panel (66). The flanges (22) of the connector (2) are slideably received between the inner faces (94) of the straps (82) and are also spaced from the ends of the straps so that the connector is capable of both up and down and tilting movement with respect to the panel (66).

Abstract: Electrical connector (2) is mounted in a cut out (65) in a mounting panel (66) by means of a pair of straps (82) which are secured to the rear face of the panel by means of bolts (84) the connector (2) has opposite coplanar flanges (22). The straps (82) have portions (92) which project away from the panel (66). The flanges (22) of the connector (2) are slideably received between the inner faces (94) of the straps (82) and are also spaced from the ends of the straps so that the connector is capable of both up and down and tilting movement with respect to the panel (66).

Abstract: A stacked electrical connector assembly (2) is disclosed of surface mounting on a circuit board (CB). The assembly comprises a sheet metal supporting bracket (4) having superposed upper and lower connector mounting lugs (20 and 24). An upper standard electrical connector (38) is mounted to the upper mounting lugs (20), a lower standard pin header connector N) being mounted to the lower mounting lugs (24). The pins (54) of the pin header connector (10) are connected to contact tails (46) of the upper connector (38) by means of a flat flexible cable (12). A lower standard multi-contact electrical connector (8) is mounted to the lower lugs (24) in front of the pin header connector (10) and has contact tails (76) projecting below the bracket (4).

Abstract: An electrical connector (20) for mounting to a printed circuit board (24) includes a boardlock (22) secured thereto by an interference fit. The boardlock (22) has a first portion (58) including means for securing the boardlock (22) to the connector housing (26) and a second portion (68). The second portion (68) comprises spring means (72,74) extending from the first portion (58) to an end (80) beyond the mounting face (30) for reception in a boardlock receiving aperture (56) in the printed circuit board (24). The spring means (72,74) have a slot (70) therebetween and barb means (84) thereon with the barb means (84) positioned along the spring means (72,74) between the first portion (58) and the end (80) to engage wall means (92) of the boardlock receiving aperture (56).

Abstract: A cover assembly formed by a pair of mating cover members interengage with the housing of an electrical connector and with each other to provide polarization/keying and latching for the connector as well as strain relief for the conductors leading from the connector. The covers together define conductor exiting which can be normal to or parallel to the mating face of the connector or any combination of exiting. The strain relief is provided by a known cable or bundle tie encircling the conductors and passing through belt loop extensions on one of the covers.

Abstract: A connector assembly is disclosed for effecting mass insulation displacing termination of a plurality of conductors into a like plurality of terminals which are pre-loaded into a housing in a single aligned row. The subject connector assembly includes a housing having a plurality of terminal passages therein opening, in a forward direction, onto a mating face normal to the axes of the passages and, in a rearward direction, opening outwardly toward one side of the housing. A terminal is mounted in each passageway with a matable portion directed toward the mating face and an insulation displacing, conductor engaging portion lying in the outwardly open rear portion. The subject connector assembly also has a cover with one end edge engageable with the housing at the outward opening of the passageways and the other end enclosing the rear of the housing.