Abstract: A heat dissipating power electrical connector assembly has a contact housing, a metal contact in the housing, a heat dissipating member with a surface for heating adjacent air and a non-metal heat transmitting member for flowing heat from the contact to the heat dissipating member.

Abstract: An electronic connector latch system provides safety via an internally hidden latch that requires a correctly sized pin to open. The described system is positive, in that it provides a “deadbolt” style latching wherein the pull out force is perpendicular to direction of opening the latch, and latching occurs on both sides of the locking post. The system is still user friendly in that mating the two connectors together can be accomplished without any tools. Mating is achieved with a simple insertion of the mating connector. The latch is captured inside the plastic unit housing, and a stamped sheet metal spring provides high cycle life.

Abstract: An electronic connector latch system provides safety via an internally hidden latch that requires a correctly sized pin to open. The described system is positive, in that it provides a “deadbolt” style latching wherein the pull out force is perpendicular to direction of opening the latch, and latching occurs on both sides of the locking post. The system is still user friendly in that mating the two connectors together can be accomplished without any tools. Mating is achieved with a simple insertion of the mating connector. The latch is captured inside the plastic unit housing, and a stamped sheet metal spring provides high cycle life.

Abstract: A connector removal system includes a connector housing (1) forming contacts (10) therein and a contact extraction tool (3) for removing the contact of the connector housing. The connector housing has a mating face (200), a plurality of cavities (22) receiving corresponding contacts and a plurality of cantilevered flexible latches (26) retaining corresponding contacts. The latch forms an external side face of the housing. Each cavity has an open cavity entrance (220) located at a distal end thereof on the mating face and an opening (222) formed adjacent the entrance between the cavity and the external side face. The contact extraction tool includes a pair of registration posts (34) formed from an end edge thereof for positioning inside the entrances and an ejecting member (36) for deflecting said cantilevered flexible latch to disengage from said contact.

Abstract: A coaxial cable connector is provided for interconnecting coaxial cables having center and outer conductors. The coaxial cable connector includes inner and outer contracts configured to be securable to inner and outer conductors of coaxial cables. A connector housing has a cavity for receiving the inner contact. The outer contacts are secured to the connector housing. A coaxial cable displacement contact section connected to the outer contacts has at least one displacement beam and braid-receiving slot dimensioned to pierce the coaxial cable automatically when the outer conductors are mounted to the coaxial cable connector. The coaxial cable displacement contact section affords an automated and reliable technique for interconnecting contacts and outer coaxial cable conductors.

Abstract: A coaxial cable connector is provided for interconnecting coaxial cables having center and outer conductors. The coaxial cable connector includes inner and outer contracts configured to be securable to inner and outer conductors of coaxial cables. A connector housing has a cavity for receiving the inner contact. The outer contacts are secured to the connector housing. A coaxial cable displacement contact section connected to the outer contacts has at least one displacement beam and braid-receiving slot dimensioned to pierce the coaxial cable automatically when the outer conductors are mounted to the coaxial cable connector. The coaxial cable displacement contact section affords an automated and reliable technique for interconnecting contacts and outer coaxial cable conductors.

Abstract: A cable strain relief is provided that includes a cable retention member and a cable support member matable with one another. The cable retention member has a retention body and at least one ribbed arm. The cable retention member also includes a cable grip configured to engage a cable. The cable support member has a support body that is configured to receive a cable along a cable retention passage therethrough. The channel in the cable support member frictionally receives and retains the arm on the cable retention member when the cable retention and support members are joined with one another. The cable grip is configured to securely engage at least a jacket of the cable to resist movement of the cable with respect to the cable support and retention members. Alternatively, different structures and positions for the cable grip may be provided. The cable grip may include a punch-out pattern of teeth in the retention body of the cable retention member.

Abstract: A connector includes a contact insert (20), first and second contacts (43, 45), and a first plate (30). The contact insert has at least first and second contact channels (58) and at least a first plate receptacle (54) defined therein. The first plate receptacle is proximate the first contact channel and the second contact channel. The first contact is retained in the first contact channel. The second contact is retained in the second contact channel. The first plate (30) is retained in the first plate receptacle (54) to magnetically couple the first contact (43) and the second contact (45).

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises, conductive electrical contacts (3) in an insulating housing (2), at least one conducting boardlock (4) is received in a corresponding cavity (21) in the housing (2), an opening (24) provides first and second locking shoulders (25, 26) adjacent to the cavity (21), and the boardlock (4) is capable of facing in either of two directions within the cavity (21) to lockingly engage one or the other of the locking shoulders (25 or 26), and the boardlock (4) can be unlocked from the shoulders (25 or 26) by a slender tool that is inserted along the opening (24) to deflect the boardlock (4) away from the latching shoulders (25 or 26).

Abstract: An electrical connector (1) for a battery (2) comprises, electrical battery terminals (5, 6, 7, 8), a first pair of the terminals (5, 8) connecting battery cells (4) electrically in series, a second pair of the terminals (6, 7) comprising data and charging terminals, an insulating package 3 containing the cells 4 and at least a part (14) of a charging control circuit, and accessible portions (18) of the terminals (5, 6, 7, 8) being accessible through an end (19) of the package (3) and also through a side (20) of the package (3), whereby the end (19) and the side (20) of the package (3) are adapted to matingly engage another, mating electrical connector (24).

Abstract: A latching mechanism for releasably locking the electrical contacts of an electrical connector in the connector housing is disclosed. Each contact is surrounded by a collet having inwardly extending protrusions that are in depressions formed in the outer surfaces of the contacts. A retaining member is movable to a locked position where it surrounds each of the collets to prevent expansion thereof thereby locking the contacts in place within the housing. The retaining member is also movable to an unlocked position away from the collets, which allows expansion of a collet so that a damaged contact can be removed by simply pulling it out of the housing. A latching mechanism is provided to move the retaining member to its locked and unlocked positions from outside of the connector without disassembly thereof.

Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed having a movable contact retainer that cooperates with the connector housing to either retain or release the contacts. The retainer in movable from a closed position where the contacts are secured in place with respect to the connector housing and to an open position where the contacts are free to be removed for repair or replacement. A latch mechanism is provided that is operable from outside of the connector to move the contact retainer to either of its two positions. The latch mechanism includes a latch lever having a raised surface that, when depressed flush with a surface on the connector housing by means of a tool and pushed in the appropriate direction, is made to move from its closed position to its open position.

Abstract: A stamped and formed electrical contact (34, 100) is disclosed for use in an electrical connector (30). The contact includes a plurality of retention features (66, 68, 110, 116) for securing a band contact element (42, 104) thereto. Each retention feature consists of a protrusion (66, 68, 110, 116) extending from the surface (64, 105) of the contact body (40, 102) and having an abutting wall (74, 78, 120, 122) facing the band contact element. The protrusions are equally spaced about the longitudinal axis (70, 112) of the contact body and are arranged in two groups, one group adjacent the end (62, 114) of the contact body and the other group spaced from the first group so that the band contact element fits between the opposing abutting walls of the two groups of protrusions. The protrusions are formed during the stamping process of the contact body.

Abstract: An electrical connector (20) for terminating to conductors (220) of a shielded cable (222) is prepared with an exposed cable shield (224). An insulated housing member (30) has a cavity (64) therein with a cable exit (66) extending between the cavity (64) and an exterior surface of the housing member (30). A shield member (26) is receivable in the cavity (64). The shield member (26) has a flange (190) extending into the cable exit (66). A staple (32) is adapted to be received and secured in the cable exit (66). The staple (32) is further adapted to be moved into the cable exit (66) to compress a cable (222) passing therethrough such that the shield member flange (190) is pressed into engagement with the exposed cable shield (224) on the cable (222). Strain relief is thereby provided and simultaneously electrical continuity is achieved between the cable shield (222) and the flange (190 ).

Abstract: An electrical connector 10 for mating blade-shaped members 114,130 includes a pair of subassemblies 12, each subassembly 12 comprising a housing member 14 and at least one first terminal element 50 secured to the inner surface of respective housing members 14, and means for securing subassemblies 12 together. Each first terminal element 50 includes body portion 52 and first and second arrays of contact arms 66,72 extending outwardly from opposite ends 62,64 thereof. In the assembled connector 10, the free ends 68,74 of contact arms 66,72 of respective terminal elements 50 extend inwardly toward each other defining first and second receptacles 110,112 for receiving first and second blade-shaped members respectively.