Abstract: A canister assembly is provided including electrical connector having a plate which may be moved between a first and second position in order to lock a wire to the electrical connector. The electrical connector provides for a wire trap contact in order to quickly insert a conductor within the electrical connector through an end face of the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes flanges which allow it to be easily mounted to a canister and enclose an opening of the canister. The plate provides for a strain relief for the wires terminated by the electrical connector.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a wire plug connector assembly where the individual wires are connectorized by forming a housing around the wires and capturing the terminal metallic potion of the wire by a ferrule which is received within an aperture of a receptacle for providing an electrical connection to a contact mounted therein. The plug may be formed of housing halves which are ultrasonically bonded to each other in order to capture the wires therein. The receptacle includes apertures with contacts which are enclosed at the rear face by hinged flaps in order to seal the rear face of the receptacle.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a wire plug connector assembly where the individual wires are connectorized by forming a housing around the wires and capturing the terminal metallic portion of the wire by a ferrule which is received within an aperture of a receptacle for providing an electrical connection to a contact mounted therein. The plug may be formed of housing halves which are ultrasonically bonded to each other in order to capture the wires therein. The receptacle includes apertures with contacts which are enclosed at the rear face by hinged flaps in order to seal the rear face of the receptacle.

Abstract: A connector for a flat cable which reduces strain on the cable. The connector includes a first portion attached to a second portion. The second portion has a top surface and a bottom surface. A flat cable may have a segment secured to a bottom surface of the second portion. The flat cable may be further secured between the second portion and first portion while the second portion and first portion are attached. A remaining segment of the flat cable may be positioned through an opening extending from the bottom surface of the second portion to the top surface. As a result, a stress or force exerted on the remaining segment of the flat cable may be diverted away from the cable and into the connector.

Abstract: A wire-trap member that has a member which can apply a force to restrict the movement of a wire conductor therein and/or a number of contact tails positioned along the width of the connector is provided. The applied force generates a torsional force within the contact and the contact is more flexible. The connector of the present invention can utilize the wire-trap member, the contact tails and combinations thereof to secure the wire conductor within the connector and prevent arcing as the size of the connector is reduced.

Abstract: A transceiver socket for receiving a transceiver. The transceiver socket includes a pinboard and a retention ground clip. The pinboard has a first surface and a second surface. The pinboard further includes a first attaching post receptacle, a second attaching post receptacle, and a plurality of pin receptacles. Each of the receptacles has an opening on the first surface of the pinboard. Each of the opening being positioned relative to each other so as to receive the attaching posts and pins of the small form factor transceiver. The first attaching post receptacle, the second attaching post receptacle, and the pin receptacles each have a portion protruding from the second surface of the pinboard. The retention ground clip having first and second arms extending from a retention ground clip body.

Abstract: An electrical connection termination device includes a box contact which accommodates a flat conductor of a flat cable. The flat cable includes an insulative layer substantially covering the flat conductor. The box contact includes a box structure at one end and a strain relief structure at another end. The box structure includes four sides so as to form the shape of a box having open ends. One of the sides of the box structure includes a flexible tab. The strain relief structure attaches to the insulative layer of the flat cable. The flat conductor extends through the open ends of the box structure and is positioned near one of the sides of the box structure where that particular side opposes the side of the box structure having the flexible tab.

Abstract: An electrical connector including a wire clamp electrical connector portion and a wire trap electrical connector portion. The wire clamp portion includes a moving arm and a stationary arm where each arm has a respective contact end. An entrance exists between the contact ends. In an open position of the entrance of the wire clamp electrical connector portion, the contact ends are separated by a predetermined gap for receiving a conductor. The gap has a dimension which is greater than a diameter of a conductor. In a closed position of the entrance of the wire clamp electrical connector portion, contact ends are urged toward each other so as to contact and secure the conductor. The wire trap portion includes a moving arm and a stationary arm where the moving arm has a contact end and the stationary arm has a contact surface. An entrance exists between the contact end and the contact surface.

Abstract: An insulation displacement contact for connecting to a flat conductor of a flat cable, where the flat conductor has a width dimension greater than its thickness dimension. The insulation displacement contact including a base, a first tine connected to the base and a second tine connected to the base. The first tine having a first edge and a second edge. The first edge being adjacent to a free end, where the free end has a first knife edge. The second tine having a third edge and a fourth edge. The third edge being adjacent to a free end, where the free end has a knife edge. The third edge of the second tine opposes the first edge of the first tine. The first edge of the first tine being separated from the third edge of the second tine by a first distance. The fourth edge of the second tine opposes the second edge of the first tine. The second edge of the first tine being separated from the fourth edge of the second tine by a second distance. The first distance being greater than the second distance.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for forming a connection with a conductive pin. The electrical connector has a dielectric housing with both a passage extending through the housing and a chamber in communication with the passage. In addition, the electrical connector has a metal contact with a mating end disposed in the housing's chamber and a solder tail which projects from the housing. The mating end of the contact consists of a clamping stirrup which has a bottom area with a hole disposed therein for receiving the conductive pin. Furthermore, the contact is three dimensionally secured to the connector housing via a press-fit.

Abstract: A miniature shunt connector for commoning a pair of adjacent terminal posts and a method for commoning a pair of adjacent terminal posts are provided. The shunt connector includes a housing formed of an insulating material which forms an internal contact cavity configured to receive an electrical shunt contact. A pair of terminal post receiving apertures communicate with the contact cavity to allow terminal post to be inserted therein. A surface feature is also formed in a wall of the contact for locking said contact element into said housing. An electrical shunt contact element is provided and configured to fit within the internal shunt cavity. The contact element is formed with two rear contact beams and two resilient front contact beams. The resilient front contact beams being provided with and anti-overstress feature in the form of flared ends configured to physically engage the contact housing. A shunt portion of the contact element provides an electrical short circuit between the contact beams.

Abstract: A zero insertion force pin grid array socket includes a cover slidably engaged to a base and having an array of holes formed therethrough. The base has an array of corresponding passages, the passages receiving pins of an IC package inserted through corresponding holes of the cover. Contacts are mounted within the passages and include a generally tuning-fork shaped contact having torsional beams which deflect the insertion forces of the pin of the IC package which have a surface area of at least forty percent of the entire surface area of contacts. The contacts include wiping areas which are plated which have a surface area of less than an eightieth of the entire surface area of the contact. The socket cover includes a means for providing an air-gap between the socket cover and the IC package.

Abstract: A zero insertion force pin grid array socket includes a cover slidably engaged to a base and having an array of holes formed therethrough. The base has an array of corresponding passages, the passages receiving pins of an IC package inserted through corresponding holes of the cover. Contacts are mounted within the passages and are mounted at an angle askew to the sides of the base in order to provide a high density interstitial array. The contacts include torsional beams which deflect upon the engagement of the pin of the IC package which have a surface area of at least thirty percent of the entire surface area of contacts. The contacts include a wiping area which is plated which has a surface area of less than a fortieth of the entire surface area of the contact.

Abstract: A latch connected to a surface mount component for subsequent connection to a printed circuit board is provided as well as a method for mounting a surface mount component to a printed circuit board having a zero mounting force. The surface mount component has a soldering tail extending therefrom and at least one latch or latch contact insertable through an aperture in the printed circuit board, without force, such that the soldering tails extending from the surface mount component rest on corresponding soldering pads of the printed circuit board. As a result, surface mount components are mountable to a printed circuit board using standard, available equipment, such as a vacuum head placed component which allow for placement of the component via gravity, and the components are subsequently soldered to the printed circuit board. The assembly also includes a board latch pin and a weighted cap.

Abstract: A zero insertion force pin grid array socket includes a cover slidably engaged to a base and having an array of holes formed therethrough. The base has an array of corresponding passages, the passages receiving pins of an IC package inserted through corresponding holes of the cover. Contacts are mounted within the passages and include a generally tuning fork shaped contact having beams which deflect the insertion forces of the pin of the IC package which have a surface area of at least forty percent of the entire surface area of contacts. The contacts include wiping areas which are plated which have a surface area of less than an eightieth of the entire surface area of the contact. The socket cover includes a means for providing an air-gap between the socket cover and the IC package.

Abstract: A chip carrier socket comprises a frame which defines and surrounds a space for receiving a chip carrier. A plurality of elongated contacts are carried by the frame, the contacts each defining a first section which resides within the inner surface of the frame, and are positioned to conductivity engage peripheral contacts of a chip carrier carried in the space. The contacts also each define a second section positioned on one side of the chip carrier socket to engage conductive members of a circuit board when the socket is carried thereon. The second sections each define a contact end which projects inwardly. The chip carrier socket defines an open aperture within and through the frame adjacent the inner surface so that the inwardly projecting contact ends are visible while the socket is carried on a circuit board.

Abstract: A wire locator and strain relief device comprises a pair of plastic strip members. Locking means hold the strip members together, the strip members together defining a plurality of parallel, coplanar channels, each for receiving separate, insulated wires, to firmly hold such wires in a single-plane,precisely positioned configuration. Thus, ends of the wires may be precisely located relative to each other for installation into an electronic circuit member such as a circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical power connector including an insulator housing in which are mounted a plurality of conductive metal contacts each of which is provided with insulation displacement jaws for mechanically restraining and also making electrical contact with a corresponding plurality of insulated wires, each wire being terminated by forcing the same between a pair of contact jaws. The electrical connector is of a hermaphroditic design for mating with a like connector, so that each contact in one connector is electrically connected with a corresponding contact in a mating connector. The connector housing includes a hinged cover which insulates the contacts, and bosses formed on the inside of the hinged cover serve to retain the contacts and the wires terminated therein, and also serve as a tool for forcing individual insulated wires between the insulation displacement jaws of a corresponding contact.

Abstract: The disclosed connector has a housing and a terminal interfitted in a channel in the housing, and special exposed jaws are formed on the terminal between which a wire of the type having a conductive core and an insulation overwrap can be forced to establish a mechanically secure and an electrically sound solderless type connection. One pair of jaws are rigid and have cutting and gripping edges that cut through the insulation overwrap to establish electrical contact with the conductive core. These same edges are used to axially restrain the wire relative to the terminal. The second pair of jaws are flexible and have inwardly sloped tabs presenting adjacent edges that are angled transversely of the wire and are spaced apart approximately by the diameter of the insulation overwrap. The wire thus can be forced past the tabs spreading apart the second set of jaws which then spring back and overlie the wire and thereby transversely restrain the wire relative to the terminal.

Abstract: The disclosed connector has a housing and a terminal interfitted in a channel in the housing, and special exposed jaws are formed on the terminal between which a wire of the type having a conductive core and an insulation overwrap can be forced to establish a mechanically secure and an electrically sound solderless type connection. One pair of jaws are rigid and have cutting and gripping edges that cut through the insulation overwrap to establish electrical contact with the conductive core. These same edges are used to axially restrain the wire relative to the terminal. The second pair of jaws are flexible and have inwardly sloped tabs presenting adjacent edges that are angled transversely of the wire and are spaced apart approximately by the diameter of the insulation overwrap. The wire thus can be forced past the tabs spreading apart the second set of jaws which then spring back and overlie the wire and thereby transversely restrain the wire relative to the terminal.