Abstract: A co-edge connector (200) is provided that includes a housing (200a) that supports a plurality of terminals (210). One side of the housing includes a slot (230) that is configured to accept a panel (30) and first terminal contacts (213) are positioned in the slot. An exposed support surface (206) extends from a wall (204) on a second side and second terminal contacts (211) extend above the support surface. In operation, if the panel inserted into the slot is inserted in a vertical direction, the second contacts can engage pads of panel where the panel is mounted on the housing by moving the panel in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A co-edge connector (200) is provided that includes a housing (200a) that supports a plurality of terminals (210). One side of the housing includes a slot (230) that is configured to accept a panel (30) and first terminal contacts (213) are positioned in the slot. An exposed support surface (206) extends from a wall (204) on a second side and second terminal contacts (211) extend above the support surface. In operation, if the panel inserted into the slot is inserted in a vertical direction, the second contacts can engage pads of panel where the panel is mounted on the housing by moving the panel in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A connector includes a housing with a set of broad-side coupled terminals configured to engage a pair of signal traces on a first panel and a second panel and transfer signals between the signal traces on the first and second panels. The connector may be slid onto the edges and then fastened to one or both of the panels with a locking feature. Multiple signal pairs may be included in the connector and may be electrically separated. The design of the connector helps facilitate high-speed data communication per signal pair with a return loss performance that does not exceed at predetermined level. Certain configurations of the connector may be used for co-planar configurations. Certain configurations of the connector may couple together panels of different thicknesses.

Abstract: A connector includes a housing with a set of broad-side coupled terminals configured to engage a pair of signal traces on a first panel and a second panel and transfer signals between the signal traces on the first and second panels. The connector may be slid onto the edges and then fastened to one or both of the panels with a locking feature. Multiple signal pairs may be included in the connector and may be electrically separated. The design of the connector helps facilitate high-speed data communication per signal pair with a return loss performance that does not exceed at predetermined level. Certain configurations of the connector may be used for co-planar configurations. Certain configurations of the connector may couple together panels of different thicknesses.

Abstract: A connector includes a housing with a set of broad-side coupled terminals configured to engage a pair of signal traces on a first panel and a second panel and transfer signals between the signal traces on the first and second panels. The connector may be slid onto the edges and then fastened to one or both of the panels with a locking feature. Multiple signal pairs may be included in the connector and may be electrically separated. The design of the connector helps facilitate high-speed data communication per signal pair with a return loss performance that does not exceed at predetermined level. Certain configurations of the connector may be used for co-planar configurations. Certain configurations of the connector may couple together panels of different thicknesses.

Abstract: A connector includes a housing with a set of broad-side coupled terminals configured to engage a pair of signal traces on a first panel and a second panel and transfer signals between the signal traces on the first and second panels. The connector may be slid onto the edges and then fastened to one or both of the panels with a locking feature. Multiple signal pairs may be included in the connector and may be electrically separated. The design of the connector helps facilitate high-speed data communication per signal pair with a return loss performance that does not exceed at predetermined level. Certain configurations of the connector may be used for co-planar configurations. Certain configurations of the connector may couple together panels of different thicknesses.

Abstract: An ice maker for a refrigerator/freezer having a control module for more reliably driving a rotatable ice ejector for removing ice bodies from a mold of the ice maker and for refilling mold cavities with water. The control module has an ice ejector drive with a drive coupling that includes a gear wheel and an ejector shaft section, both made of hard plastic material, preferably a polymide resin, for transmitting higher torque to the rotary ice ejector without failure of the plastic drive components. In one embodiment, a drive sleeve on the gear wheel and a drive shaft section have a spline coupling for more effectively distributing driving forces in the drive coupling. In another embodiment, a metallic collar is tightly positioned over the gear wheel sleeve for enhancing torque transmission in the drive coupling.

Abstract: An ice maker for a refrigerator/freezer having a control module for more reliably driving a rotatable ice ejector for removing ice bodies from a mold of the ice maker and for refilling mold cavities with water. The control module has an ice ejector drive with a drive coupling that includes a gear wheel and an ejector shaft section, both made of hard plastic material, preferably a polymide resin, for transmitting higher torque to the rotary ice ejector without failure of the plastic drive components. In one embodiment, a drive sleeve on the gear wheel and a drive shaft section have a spline coupling for more effectively distributing driving forces in the drive coupling. In another embodiment, a metallic collar is tightly positioned over the gear wheel sleeve for enhancing torque transmission in the drive coupling.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for mounting on a circuit board. The assembly includes a first connector having a first dielectric housing fixed to the circuit board. A plurality of conductive terminals are mounted on the housing and are electrically connected to appropriate circuit traces on the circuit board. A second connector includes a second dielectric housing mateable with the first dielectric housing. A plurality of conductive terminals are mounted on the second housing for engaging the terminals of the first connector when the connectors are mated. At least one locking member is provided on the second dielectric housing and is lockable with the circuit board when the connectors are mated. Therefore, extraneous forces applied to the second connector are passed directly to the circuit board to protect the first connector and its connections to the board.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes an inner connector defining a front-to-rear mating axis and mounting a plurality of conductive terminals. An outer shell is disposed about the inner connector and includes a pair of backshell halves. Each backshell half has a latch bar extending radially of the mating axis and a latch arm extending axially of the mating axis. The latch bar and the latch arm are at opposite sides of the backshell half. The latch bar and the latch arm are constructed to be complementarily engageable so that the axially extending latch arm of one backshell half is engaged with the radially extending latch bar of the other backshell half to latch the backshell halves together and form the outer shell about the inner connector.

Abstract: A shielded floating panel mounted electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a front mating end and a rear terminating end. The front mating end is designed for mating with a complementary mating connector in a mating direction. A metal shell is mounted about at least the rear terminating end of the dielectric housing. The shell mounts the electrical connector in an opening in and rigidly fixed to a panel. The housing is complementarily engaged within the shell to provide for relative floating movement therebetween in a direction transversely of the mating direction.

Abstract: A keying system for an electrical connector assembly includes a male connector having a body portion, a mating end formed by a plurality of terminal-receiving silos extending from the body portion, and a plurality of support walls integrally joining the silos and combining therewith to define a pattern of interior keying channels. A female connector has a mating end formed by a receptacle, with a plurality of terminals including contact portions extending into the receptacle for insertion into the silos of the male connector. A plurality of locating walls within the receptacle define a pattern of keying members for insertion into the keying channels of the male connector to thereby polarize the connectors.

Abstract: A system is provided for mounting an electrical connector in a panel having an opening with at least one locating slot in the opening. A connector includes a housing insertable into the opening in the panel. The housing has at least one outwardly projecting locating flange for passing through the locating slot of the opening as the housing is inserted thereinto. The housing has at least one outwardly projecting stop flange spaced axially and transversely from the locating flange for abutting the panel when the housing is in its inserted position. The housing is movable within the opening in the panel to a latched position. A latch arm projects outwardly from the housing on the same side thereof as the locating flange and the stop flange for engagement with a latch slot at the opening in the panel when the housing is in its latched position.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for terminating an electrical cable and for mating with a complementary mating connector. A dielectric housing includes a front mating end, a rear terminating end and at least one mounting slot therein. A one-piece latch and strain relief device includes a central mounting portion, a forward latching portion and a rearward strain relief portion. The central mounting portion includes a mounting tab insertable into the mounting slot in the housing. The forward latching portion is adapted for latching engagement with the mating connector. The rearward strain relief portion is adapted for engaging the electrical cable. The one piece latch and strain relief device is electrically connected to the upper and lower shielding shells.

Abstract: An electrical connector is mateable with a complementary connecting device having a blade terminal. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a front mating face, an elongated terminal-receiving cavity with an open end through the mating face for insertion therethrough of the blade terminal, and a locking ledge on an end wall of the cavity. A conductive female terminal is received in the cavity and includes a pair of elongated side walls joined in spaced relation by at least one end wall. A plurality of flexible contact arms are folded back over each side wall from an upper edge thereof for engaging a respective side of the blade terminal. A locking finger projects from the end wall of the terminal and is engageable with the locking ledge on the end wall of the terminal-receiving cavity.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for interfacing between a component frame and a printed circuit board. The assembly includes a board connector for mounting on a surface of the printed circuit board and a frame connector mounted on the component frame. The connectors are mated in a mating direction generally perpendicular to the printed circuit board. Complementary interengaging tongues and grooves are provided between the frame connector and the frame and extend generally perpendicular to the mating direction for interengaging the frame connector with the frame. The tongues and grooves are of different sizes to polarize the frame connector relative to the frame. Latches are provided between the frame connector and the frame for holding the connector interengaged with the frame.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a pair of hermaphroditic connectors having opposed mating faces which are juxtaposed generally along a plane when the connectors are mated. The connectors are adapted for mating in either opposite direction generally parallel to the plane of the mating faces. Each connector includes a housing having a plurality of spaced-apart ribs defining respective grooves between adjacent ribs. The ribs of each connector are interleaved with the ribs of the other connector when the two connectors are mated. The housing of each connector includes complementary interengaging latches to lock the connectors against unmating in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the mating faces. A plurality of terminals are mounted on each housing and have contact portions of at least some of the terminals between the ribs for engaging the contact portions of the terminals on the housing of the other connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is provided for electrically connecting a pair of generally coplanar printed circuit boards. The assembly includes a pair of hermaphroditic connectors adapted for mating in either opposite direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the circuit boards. Each connector includes a housing having a plurality of spaced-apart ribs defining respective spaces between immediately adjacent ribs. The ribs of each connector are interleaved with the ribs of the other connector when the two connectors are mated. A plurality of terminals are mounted on each housing and have rounded hermaphroditic contact portions on the same sides of the ribs so that the contact portions on one connector facingly engage the contact portions on the other connector when the connectors are mated in either opposite direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the circuit boards.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a shroud having side walls forming a receptacle defining a mating axis. A polarizing groove is disposed in one of the side walls extending generally parallel to the mating axis. A latch is disposed in the polarizing groove. A modular connector is insertable into the receptacle along the mating axis and includes a latch projection adapted for moving into the polarizing groove and latchingly engaging the latch of the shroud in the polarizing groove. Therefore, the latch projection on the modular connector cooperates with the polarizing groove and latch on the shroud to perform the dual function of providing a polarizing means and a latch means.

Abstract: An electrical connector panel mounting system includes a panel having a given thickness between two surfaces and including a first opening formed with at least one radially extending locating portion and a second opening spaced from the first opening. A connector includes a dielectric housing inserted from one surface of the panel along an axis to an insertion position into the first opening in the panel. The housing has at least one radially extending locating flange for passing through the locating portion of the first opening as the housing is inserted thereinto. At least one radially extending stop flange is spaced axially and angularly from the locating flange for abutting the one surface of the panel when the locating flange clears the opposite surface of the panel. The housing is rotatable about the axis from its insertion position to a mounted position whereat the locating flange can abut the opposite surface of the panel to prevent axial removal of the housing back out of the first opening.