Patents by Inventor Kent E. Regnier

Kent E. Regnier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10797451
    Abstract: A connector assembly can be provided. A receptacle includes terminals that can be positioned in a card slot on a 0.60 mm pitch (or greater). A biasing element can be provided in the card slot to engage a mating paddle card. The receptacle can be configured to allow air to flow from a front face to a rear face, the air passing through a middle wall. A plug assembly can be provided that includes a conductive body and is configured to generate some amount of heat. The body can include a surface that has cooling grooves. The cooling grooves allow air flow over the plug assembly so that the plug assembly can be cooled directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 10784603
    Abstract: A wire to board connector is provided for connecting cables of cable bypass assemblies to circuitry mounted on a circuit board. The connector has a structure that maintains the geometry of the cable through the connector. The connector includes a pair of edge coupled conductive signal terminals and a ground shield to which the signal terminals are broadside coupled. The connector includes a pair of ground terminals aligned with the signal terminals and both sets of terminals have J-shaped contact portions that flex linearly when the connector is inserted into a receptacle. In another embodiment, the signal terminal contact portions are supported by a compliant member that may deflect when the connectors engage contact pads on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Keith Lloyd, Gregory B. Walz, Bruce Reed, Gregory Fitzgerald, Ayman Isaac, Kent E. Regnier, Brandon Janowiak, Darian R. Schulz, Munawar Ahmad, Eran J. Jones, Javier Resendez, Michael Rost
  • Patent number: 10772237
    Abstract: A connector system with improved thermal management is provided. Various receptacles are provided that include features which may enhance air flow, and therefore cooling. Thermal channel features in the receptacle cage and/or housing allow air passing through the receptacle to directly remove thermal energy from components within and carry the thermal energy out of the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 10770841
    Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that is configured to provide terminals that support data rates of 10 Gbps or more. Such a connector system includes a wafer set configured to enable broad-side coupling of a differential pair of terminals across an air channel formed between the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 10770845
    Abstract: A connector system includes a plug assembly that has a front connector mounted to a circuit board. The connecter has two wafers that each support a row of terminals and uses shims and pegs to precisely control the spatial relationship of the two wafers to the circuit board. The wafers need not be directly contacting the circuit board and the terminals can have tails that can be positioned slightly above the circuit board and connector to pads on the circuit board via solder connections. The connector system is optimized so as to enable support of 25 Gbps data rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Brandon Janowiak, Kent E. Regnier, Jerry Kachlic
  • Publication number: 20200220312
    Abstract: A connector for use in a free-standing connector port for mating with an external pluggable module is disclosed. The connector has terminals that extend lengthwise of the connector so that cables may be terminated to the terminals and the terminals and cable generally are horizontally aligned together. The connector defines a card-receiving slot and is position in a cage that defines the connector port. The cables exit from the rear of the connector and from the connector port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Keith LLOYD, Gregory B. WALZ, Bruce REED, Gregory FITZGERALD, Ayman ISAAC, Kent E. REGNIER, Brandon JANOWIAK, Darian R. SCHULZ, Munawar AHMAD, Eran J. JONES, Javier RESENDEZ, Michael ROST
  • Publication number: 20200158968
    Abstract: A receptacle includes a cooling channel that is positioned between a top port and a bottom port. A transfer member is positioned in the cooling channel and is configured to direct heat from an inserted plug module into the cooling channel Air flowing through the cooling channel acts to remove thermal energy from the receptacle. A connector system may include a plug module that can be inserted into such a receptacle and the plug module can include grooves to help allow for direct cooling of the plug module, even when inserted into the receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. REGNIER, Jerry D. KACHLIC
  • Patent number: 10637200
    Abstract: A connector for use in a free-standing connector port for mating with an external pluggable module is disclosed. The connector has terminals that extend lengthwise of the connector so that cables may be terminated to the terminals and the terminals and cable generally are horizontally aligned together. The connector includes a housing and a pair of connecting elements that flank a card-receiving slot of the connector. The cables exit from the rear of the connector elements and from the connector port. The connector elements engage the connector port to fix the connector in place within the connector port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Keith Lloyd, Gregory B. Walz, Bruce Reed, Gregory Fitzgerald, Ayman Isaac, Kent E. Regnier, Brandon Janowiak, Darian R. Schulz, Munawar Ahmad, Eran J. Jones, Javier Resendez, Michael Rost
  • Patent number: 10622739
    Abstract: A connector system includes a main board and an interposer board. The main board and the interposer board are each configured to mate to a separate connector and are connected together by vias. The vias can provide an electrical path from the interposer board to the main circuit board so that a first connector mounted on the interposer board can be positioned directly in line with a second connector mounted on the main circuit board. The interposer helps make the routing out of signal traces from the two connector simpler while reducing the need for additional layers on the main board. Two connectors can be press-fit mounted to the main board and the interposer board in a belly-to-belly configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Publication number: 20200106218
    Abstract: A connector is provided that includes a plurality of wafers. Each wafer supports a terminal and adjacent signal wafers are configured so as to provide broad-side coupled terminals. A pair of signal terminals can be surrounded on both sides by ground wafers that offer shielding so as to help isolate one signal pair from another signal pair. The geometry of the wafers can be adjusted so as to provide a tuned transmission channel. The resultant tuned transmission channel can be configured to provide desirable performance at high signaling frequencies of 12-16 GHz or even higher signaling frequencies such as 20 GHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. REGNIER, Patrick R. CASHER
  • Publication number: 20200083649
    Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that is configured to provide terminals that support data rates of 10 Gbps or more. Such a connector system includes a wafer set configured to enable broad-side coupling of a differential pair of terminals across an air channel formed between the terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. REGNIER
  • Publication number: 20200059051
    Abstract: A connector system includes a plug assembly that has a front connector mounted to a circuit board. The connecter has two wafers that each support a row of terminals and uses shims and pegs to precisely control the spatial relationship of the two wafers to the circuit board. The wafers need not be directly contacting the circuit board and the terminals can have tails that can be positioned slightly above the circuit board and connector to pads on the circuit board via solder connections. The connector system is optimized so as to enable support of 25 Gbps data rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Brandon JANOWIAK, Kent E. REGNIER, Jerry KACHLIC
  • Patent number: 10566719
    Abstract: A connector includes terminals with contacts. In an embodiment the contacts are positioned in a vertical connector similar to an edge card connector but with a differential pair aligned in a vertical direction. Thus the connector can provide edge-coupled differential pair in a high-density configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk B. Peloza, Michael Rowlands, Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 10551580
    Abstract: A receptacle includes a cooling channel that is positioned between a top port and a bottom port. A transfer member is positioned in the cooling channel and is configured to direct heat from an inserted plug module into the cooling channel. Air flowing through the cooling channel acts to remove thermal energy from the receptacle. A connector system may include a plug module that can be inserted into such a receptacle and the plug module can include grooves to help allow for direct cooling of the plug module, even when inserted into the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Jerry D. Kachlic
  • Publication number: 20190356093
    Abstract: A connector assembly can be provided. A receptacle includes terminals that can be positioned in a card slot on a 0.60 mm pitch (or greater). A biasing element can be provided in the card slot to engage a mating paddle card. The receptacle can be configured to allow air to flow from a front face to a rear face, the air passing through a middle wall. A plug assembly can be provided that includes a conductive body and is configured to generate some amount of heat. The body can include a surface that has cooling grooves. The cooling grooves allow air flow over the plug assembly so that the plug assembly can be cooled directly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. REGNIER
  • Patent number: 10476211
    Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that is configured to provide terminals that support data rates of 10 Gbps or more. Such a connector system includes a wafer set configured to enable broad-side coupling of a differential pair of terminals across an air channel formed between the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 10439334
    Abstract: A connector is provided that includes a housing and the housing supports a plurality of wafers. Each wafer supports a terminal and adjacent signal wafers are configured so as to provide broad-side coupled terminals. A pair of signal terminals can be surrounded on both sides by ground terminals that offer shielding so as to help isolate one signal pair from another signal pair. The geometry of the wafers can be adjusted so as to provide a tuned transmission channel. The resultant tuned transmission channel can be configured to provide desirable performance at high signaling frequencies of 12-16 GHz or even higher signaling frequencies such as 20 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher
  • Publication number: 20190305468
    Abstract: A receptacle is depicted. The receptacle can provide two rows of terminals to increase the density of the interface. If desired, a connector positioned in the receptacle can omit the use of a housing, even if the receptacle provides a stacked connector configuration. With the use of various airflow features it is possible to cool inserted plug modules that use more than 6 watts and potentially more than 8 watts of power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Hazelton AVERY, Kent E. REGNIER
  • Patent number: 10403993
    Abstract: A module can be configured to mate with a receptacle. The module includes a body with a thermal surface that is coupled to thermally active circuitry supported by the body. The receptacle is configured to allow air to flow over the thermal surface so as to dissipate thermal energy from the circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Patent number: 10396513
    Abstract: A connector system for a pluggable IO connector is disclosed that includes a plug with two rows of pads on two sides of a mating blade and a receptacle with two connection regions that is configured to engage the two rows of pads. In an embodiment the connector system can support double the data bandwidth of a typical connector while allowing for backward compatibility with convention plug assemblies that have a single row of pads on each side the mating blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier