Abstract: An electrical connector is made up of a series of stacked headers. The headers may all be made from similar contact arrays initially held together by carriers, with the contact arrays and the carriers stamped from a single piece of sheet metal. After the stamping a header body is overmolded onto the contacts of a header. For some of the headers the carrier is then separated from all of the contacts, and is removed. For other of the headers the carrier remains secured to some of the contacts, while being separated from other of the contacts. The retained carrier functions to electrically connect together all of the contacts that remain secured to it, for example for use as a common ground. The contacts may have beams or clips, bent portions that are used for receiving spring-loaded pins.

Abstract: An electrical contact pair includes a laminated pair of male forks and female forks that are stamped from sheet metal stock and are molded into a dielectric housing. The male fork tines have sloped outer surfaces sloping toward a centerline of the contact pair in a direction along the male fork tines away from a base of the male fork. The female fork tines have sloped inner surfaces sloping away from the centerline of the contact pair in a direction along the female fork tines away from a base of the female fork. The contacts may include split tails with parts from different laminates that bow outward and resiliently deform to engage walls of a hole into which the tail is inserted. Advantages include low insertion forces, a press-fit board attach from the split tail, multiple electrical paths for low resistance, and a low cost of manufacture.

Abstract: A molded grid pair is revealed that will protect vulnerable contact arrays from unwanted distortion while in manufacture or in service. These grids are specifically designed to accompany contact arrays, such as those that are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,311.

Abstract: An electrical contact pair includes a laminated pair of male forks and female forks that are stamped from sheet metal stock and are molded into a dielectric housing. The male fork tines have sloped outer surfaces sloping toward a centerline of the contact pair in a direction along the male fork tines away from a base of the male fork. The female fork tines have sloped inner surfaces sloping away from the centerline of the contact pair in a direction along the female fork tines away from a base of the female fork. The contacts may include split tails with parts from different laminates that bow outward and resiliently deform to engage walls of a hole into which the tail is inserted. Advantages include low insertion forces, a press-fit board attach from the split tail, multiple electrical paths for low resistance, and a low cost of manufacture.

Abstract: An electrical connector is made up of a series of stacked headers. The headers may all be made from similar contact arrays initially held together by carriers, with the contact arrays and the carriers stamped from a single piece of sheet metal. After the stamping a header body is overmolded onto the contacts of a header. For some of the headers the carrier is then separated from all of the contacts, and is removed. For other of the headers the carrier remains secured to some of the contacts, while being separated from other of the contacts. The retained carrier functions to electrically connect together all of the contacts that remain secured to it, for example for use as a common ground. The contacts may have beams or clips, bent portions that are used for receiving spring-loaded pins.

Abstract: A molded grid pair is revealed that will protect vulnerable contact arrays from unwanted distortion while in manufacture or in service. These grids are specifically designed to accompany contact arrays, such as arrays of hermaphroditic contacts. The grid may cover the faces of the contacts that are opposite the faces that engage mating contacts, and may cover tips at the free ends of the contacts. The grid may be molded out of plastic, and may be mechanically coupled to a header body that secures and maintains spacing of the linear contacts, for example with the grid snapping onto a body.

Abstract: A gasket made of an electrically-conductive elastomer is revealed that functions as both a water-tight seal and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) seal when mounting an electrical connector receptacle to an electrical panel or electrical box. This gasket is produced in a manner both unique and functional.

Abstract: An electrical connector is revealed that has unique useful characteristics. A sheet metal fork supplies the stored energy that imparts a force to a second member—a plunger that makes contact with the mating circuit. The plunger can be configured to increase or decrease the force or deflection and can be designed with various connection ends with different contact characteristics.

Abstract: A very low profile connector (e.g., less than 1.9 mm high) utilizes stored energy in a horizontal beam to augment contact displacement and is contained in a cage that will eliminate any transfer of forces to the solder joints that hold the connector to the circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical connector is revealed that has unique useful characteristics. A sheet metal fork supplies the stored energy that imparts a force to a second member—a plunger that makes contact with the mating circuit. The plunger can be configured to increase or decrease the force or deflection and can be designed with various connection ends with different contact characteristics.

Abstract: A cable termination and method are disclosed that electrically and mechanically terminates a bundled cable that requires a radial space only slightly greater than the cable diameter. An electrically-conductive ferrule is connected to an end of a cable, with a conductive adhesive such as a conductive epoxy injected into the ferrule to mechanically connect the ferrule to the cable end, and to electrically couple the ferrule to a shield of the cable, such as a braided wire shield. The ferrule is received by a connector housing, such as being inserted between a pair of connector housing halves, to retain the ferrule mechanically coupled to the housing, and to electrically couple the ferrule to the housing.

Abstract: A cable termination and method are disclosed that electrically and mechanically terminates a bundled cable that requires a radial space only slightly greater than the cable diameter. An electrically-conductive ferrule is connected to an end of a cable, with a conductive adhesive such as a conductive epoxy injected into the ferrule to mechanically connect the ferrule to the cable end, and to electrically couple the ferrule to a shield of the cable, such as a braided wire shield. The ferrule is received by a connector housing, such as being inserted between a pair of connector housing halves, to retain the ferrule mechanically coupled to the housing, and to electrically couple the ferrule to the housing.

Abstract: An electrical interconnect system employs electrical connectors in which the contacts are identical for both the male and the female side of the connection. Contacts are arranged in a linear header and multiple header pairs are arranged in a dielectric matrix or grid. The grid is an external dielectric frame capable of providing load bearing and geometry requirements. This arrangement results in a cost-effective construction that features very high electrical bandwidth capabilities and an extremely rugged product.

Abstract: An electrical connector has dielectric posts surrounding the contacts and extending outwardly from the root along the contact axis a finite amount. The mating connector (or plug) has a housing that surrounds the posts. A device that includes both the electrical connector and the mating connector provides good electrical isolation between adjacent contacts.

Abstract: A device includes an electrical connector coupled to the end of a flex circuit. The connector includes interior ribs that engage slots in the flex circuit, with the ribs and slots separating adjacent contact pads on the flex circuit. The contact pads are exposed portions of conductive traces on the flex circuit. Other portions of the conductive traces may be covered by a dielectric material, such as a non-conductive ink. The ribs provide an increased isolation path between the contact pads.

Abstract: A linear connector contact array is presented with focus on the tails of the contacts that are connected to individual wires. A wire management comb made from dielectric material positions each wire over its contact's tail. The wire is attached to the tail by electrically welding the wire to the tail without removing the insulating material. This is accomplished with a heated welding electrode that melts through the insulator material until electrical contact is made with the wire. A non-heated electrode is beneath the tail to complete this circuit. The wire management comb has deep channels which form insulating ribs between adjacent wires. The weld sites are staggered, and exposed ends of the contact tails are held short of the end of the management comb.

Abstract: A circuit board connector is disclosed that has isolator ribs between contact tails, and slots in the edge of a circuit board between circuit pads that communicate with the ribs to avoid pad-to-pad current leakage and high-voltage breakdown. The slots may be between individual circuit board fingers that each include one of the conductor pads.

Abstract: An electrical interconnect system employs electrical connectors in which the contacts are identical for both the male and the female side of the connection. Contacts are arranged in a linear header and multiple header pairs are arranged in a dielectric matrix or grid. The grid is an external dielectric frame capable of providing load bearing and geometry requirements. This arrangement results in a cost-effective construction that features very high electrical bandwidth capabilities and an extremely rugged product.

Abstract: A device includes an electrical connector coupled to the end of a flex circuit. The connector includes interior ribs that engage slots in the flex circuit, with the ribs and slots separating adjacent contact pads on the flex circuit. The contact pads are exposed portions of conductive traces on the flex circuit. Other portions of the conductive traces may be covered by a dielectric material, such as a non-conductive ink. The ribs provide an increased isolation path between the contact pads.

Abstract: An electrical connector has dielectric posts surrounding the contacts and extending outwardly from the root along the contact axis a finite amount. The mating connector (or plug) has a housing that surrounds the posts. A device that includes both the electrical connector and the mating connector provides good electrical isolation between adjacent contacts.