Abstract: A grounding connector for interconnecting a ground wire with a pipe in a one-piece stamped and formed member (10) which includes an outer section having diverging walls (14,16) extending from a base section (12) to form a V-shaped channel (18), upper sections (20,22) of the walls (termed outer walls) being crimpable toward each other and locked in a vertical orientation when applied to the pipe (70) and wire (68). An inner section (30) extends integrally from the top (24) of one outer wall (20) and is latchable to the top (24) of the other outer wall (22), and includes a pair of inner walls (36,40) joined by a central arcuate portion (38) crossing the top of the U-shaped channel (18).

Abstract: A grounding connector for interconnecting a pair of uninsulated conductors such as wires includes an outer body member having diverging tabs extending from upper extents of vertical walls of a U-shaped channel, the tabs being crimpable toward each other when applied to the wires. An inner body member includes a base section crossing the top of the U-shaped channel and diverging inner tabs extending along the inside surfaces of the outer body member to assured stops at the ends of the outer tabs. When the outer tabs are crimped to a vertical orientation, the inner tabs are also crimped to a vertical orientation and urge the base section against the wires in the U-shaped channel. The inner body member presses the wires against upper and lower surfaces of a conductive insert so that arrays of penetrating spikes along the insert surfaces break through corrosion of the wires and assuredly electrically interconnect the wires.

Abstract: A conduit holder is a one-piece stamped and formed member (10) which includes an outer section having outer walls (14,16) extending from a base section (12) mountable to a wall (92) to form a conduit-receiving region (18) therein, outer sections (20,22) of said outer walls (14,16) being crimpable toward each other into a vertical orientation when applied around a conduit (90). An inner or clamping section (30) extends integrally from the end of one outer wall section (20) and is latchable to the end of the other (22) and includes a pair of inner wall sections (36,40) joined by a central arcuate portion (38) crossing the top of the region (18). When the outer and inner walls (20,36;22,40) are crimped to a vertical orientation, the rotated inner walls (36,40) urge the central portion (38) against the conduit which in turn is clamped against surfaces (68) of a spaced pair of platforms (60) raised from base section (12), and conduit (90) is thus secured within member (10).

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a metal shell and a plurality of dielectric housings each housing a terminated end of each of a pair of flat cables of the type for transmission of electrical power at substantial current and voltage levels. Each mating terminal pair includes at least one having a contact section having an array of spring arm contact sections deflected by portions of the other when mated. Each termination is proximate a portion of a shell for heat dissipation. One of the shells is adapted for mounting to a bulkhead at a cutout, and the connectors are environmentally sealed to be appropriate for bulkhead mounting. Each connector includes a strain relief assembly suitable for use with flat cables of substantial rigidity and defines a cable exit, all after said terminated cables and housings therearound are assembled into the shell. A jackscrew system is used for facilitating connector mating.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a metal shell and a plurality of dielectric housings each housing a terminated end of each of a pair of flat cables of the type for transmission of electrical power at substantial current and voltage levels. Each mating terminal pair includes at least one having a contact section having an array of spring arm contact sections deflected by portions of the other when mated. Each termination is proximate a portion of a shell for heat dissipation. One of the shells is adapted for mounting to a bulkhead at a cutout, and the connectors are environmentally sealed to be appropriate for bulkhead mounting. Each connector includes a strain relief assembly suitable for use with flat cables of substantial rigidity and defines a cable exit, all after said terminated cables and housings therearound are assembled into the shell. A jackscrew system is used for facilitating connector mating.

Abstract: Braided fine wire cable is prepared for termination by electrical terminals by a coating of dielectric material such as curable varnish which coats and embeds the myriad of fine wires. The coating upon hardening imparts structural integrity to the otherwise very flexible cable, enabling handling. The coating also retains the wire portions many of which may be severed during application of electrical terminals thereto to obtain electrical connection of portions of the terminals with ends or surfaces of many of the wires, thus preventing disintegration of the cable's termination region when the terminals are applied. The hardened coating also enables the cable region to be shaped and formed to some extent, even including cutting or notching the cable, to adapt the cable region to the structure of the terminals, enabling use of existing terminals used for terminating solid flat conductor cable, for example.

Abstract: A power distribution system includes flexble cable interconnected to receptacle connectors which can be interconnected to mother boards or daughter cards. To assist in the distribution of power an adapter member is disclosed which can be interconnected to a post header or directly to a pin field. The adapter member includes two rows of pins which are commoned to each other and to a receptacle portion which is interconnectable to the posts in the post header or to the pins in the pin field.

Abstract: A transition adapter for terminating flat power cable includes a stamped and formed member having opposed plate sections between which an end or an edge portion of the cable is receivable to be terminated where the plate sections have opposing cooperating terminating regions comprised of a plurality of alternating wave shapes and relief recesses, with each wave shape aligned with a recess of the opposing terminating region so that when the plate sections are urged together under sufficient force, the wave crests deflect integral strips of conductor cut of the plane of the cable, exposing sheared conductor edges for electrical connection therewith. Softer metal insert members are secured to and along outer surfaces of the plate sections and are then staked to deform the metal against the sheared conductor edges to engage and form gas-tight electrical connections of substantial surface area therewith.

Abstract: A transition adapter for terminating flat power cable includes at least a stamped and formed member having opposed plate sections between which an end or an edge portion of the cable is receivable to be terminated. The plate sections have opposing cooperating terminating regions comprised of a plurality of alternating wave shapes and relief recesses, with each wave shape aligned with a recess of the opposing terminating region. When the plate sections are urged together under sufficient force, shearing edges along each side of each wave shape shear the cable conductor by cooperating with shearing edges of the adjacent wave shape of the opposing terminating region, scissors-fashion. Crests of the wave shapes deflecting the sheared cable portions into the opposing relief recesses, forming a series of interlocking wave joints across the intermeshing terminating regions and terminating the cable between the plate sections.

Abstract: A pair of transition adapter terminals especially useful for terminating respective conductors of a dual conductor flat power cable, include respective contact sections at forward ends thereof. Cable-receiving slots across rearward ends thereof extend between pairs of integral bight straps or hinge sections joining upper and lower terminal plate sections. The slots receive respective tab-shaped portions of flat power cable insertably thereinto which are then disposed between the opposed slightly spaced upper and lower plate sections. The plate sections include opposing arrays of shearing waves shapes alternating with relief recesses transversely across, with each wave shape opposed from a respective relief recess.

Abstract: Two flat cables are interconnected to comprise a tap connection or a splice connection by stacking them and pressing together against them an assembly of upper and lower interconnecting structures which include opposing regions of alternating shearing wave shapes and relief recesses. The wave shapes shear the conductors of the cables and extrude the thus-sheared conductor strips into the opposing relief recesses so that newly sheared conductor edges are moved adjacent electrical engagement surfaces defined by vertical edges of the adjacent wave shapes. Dual conductor cables have their respective conductors interconnected by using a pair of assemblies of upper and lower interconnecting structures, each assembly having shearing wave shapes and relief recesses disposed transversely across only the half of the cables within which the appropriate conductors are disposed.

Abstract: A daughter card insertable into a card cage receives power distributed to terminals mounted along an active side edge. Power bus members comprise insulatively coated rigid copper alloy strips each capable of carrying for example ten amperes of current are terminated to respective terminals spaced along the active edge. The power bus members extend on edge to the interior of a major side surface of the card to terminations with circuit path segments to which electrical components needing to be powered are terminated. At least one similar bus member can comprise a return path extending from at least one ground path segment in the card's interior to a ground terminal along the active edge. Several power bus members can have their insulated body sections grouped together and optionally mechanically joined along substantial lengths thereof to reach the card's interior while remaining electrically discrete.

Abstract: A transition adapter for terminating flat power cable includes at least a stamped and formed member having opposed plate sections between which an end or an edge portion of the cable is receivable to be terminated. The plate sections have opposing cooperating terminating regions comprised of a plurality of alternating wave shapes and relief recesses, with each wave shape aligned with a recess of the opposing terminating region. When the plate sections are urged together under sufficient force, shearing edges along each side of each wave shape shear the cable conductor by cooperating with shearing edges of the adjacent wave shape of the opposing terminating region, scissors-fashion. Crests of the wave shapes deflect the sheared cable portions into the opposing relief recesses, forming a series of interlocking wave joints across the intermeshing terminating regions and terminating the cable between the plate sections.

Abstract: A transition adapter for terminating flat power cable includes a stamped and formed member having opposed plate sections between which an end or an edge portion of the cable is receivable to be terminated where the plate sections have opposing cooperating terminating regions comprised of a plurality of alternating wave shapes and relief recesses, with each wave shape aligned with a recess of the opposing terminating region so that when the plate sections are urged together under sufficient force, the wave crests deflect integral strips of conductor out of the plane of the cable, exposing sheared conductor edges for electrical connection therewith. Softer metal insert members are secured to and along outer surfaces of the plate sections and are then staked to deform the metal against the shared conductor edges to engage and form gas-tight electrical connections of substantial surface area therewith.

Abstract: A connector system for distributing power to daughter cards in a card cage includes a power connector for each card mounted on framework of the card cage. Each power connector has individual terminals connected to power conductors connected to a power supply and at least one terminal connected to a return path conductor. Each power connector includes a channel along which an active edge of the card is inserted and moved longitudinally from an open end, opposed from another channel aligned therewith, until the daughter card is fully inserted into the card cage, and signal transmission connectors along the back card edge mate with connectors of the backplane of the card cage. The daughter card is then locked in position; its power connector is then actuated, camming contact sections of its terminals into electrical engagement with contacts along the active edge of the daughter card. Each daughter card is thus powered and correspondingly disconnectable independently of the other daughter cards.

Abstract: A power connector for distributing power to an active edge of a daughter card which is insertable into a channel of the power connector, includes a plurality of terminals electrically connected to a power source. A cylindrical cam shaft within a longitudinal aperture of the connector housing is rotatable upong actuation to deflect cantiliver beam portions of the terminals into the card-receiving channel to engage contact sections of the daughter card along the active edge and power the card. The cantilever beams extend through transverse profiled apertures of the cam shaft into recesses along the channel and are cammed into the channel and against card contacts by being engaged by inwardly facing wall surfaces of the profiled aperture upon actuation.

Abstract: A power distribution system utilizes flat power cable in combination with a plurality of adapter members for the distribution of power within electronics systems. The adapter members allow flat power cable to be interconnected to conventional crimpable contacts and thereafter routed through conventional electrical connectors. The adapters also allow interconnection between flat cable and power busses or between flat cables and printed circuit boards. The adapters can also allow the interconnection of tabs and receptacles to flat power cable. The adapters are crimpable to the flat cable by means of hand tools which provides for a versatile means of distributing power.

Abstract: A power distribution system includes flexible cable interconnected to receptacle connectors which can be interconnected to mother boards or daughter boards. To assist in the distribution of power, an adapter member is disclosed which can be interconnected to a post header or directly to a pin field. The adapter member includes two rows or pins which are commoned to each other and to a receptacle portion which is interconnectable to the posts in the post header or to the pins in the pin field.

Abstract: A power connector for distributing power current to an active edge of a daughter card which is insertable into a channel of the power connector, includes a plurality of terminals electrically connected to a power source. A rectilinear cam shaft within a longitudinal aperture of the connector housing is movable linearly upon actuation to deflect cantilever beam portions of the terminals into the card-receiving channel to engage contact sections of the daughter card along the active edge and power the card. The cantilever beams extend at an angle through transverse angled profiled apertures of the cam shaft to free ends along the channel bottom and are cammed into the channel and against card contacts by being engaged by first camming wall surfaces of the profiled aperture upon actuation.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed which extends the useful life of a battery by regulating the power supplied from the battery to a load, such as a highway warning lamp, as the battery voltage decreases from age and use. The circuit supplies current from the battery to the load over periods of time which are automatically varied in length according to the battery terminal voltage, thereby maintaining the average power consumption at a fixed level throughout the useful life of the battery.