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).

  • Vertically configured connector
    Patent number: 9461392
    Abstract: A connector includes at least a pair of mating portions and each mating portion includes a at least one mating blade. The connector body has a height that is greater than twice a height of the mating portion. Flanges can be provided on both sides of the mating blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Bruce Reed
  • Multi-layer circuit member with reference circuit
    Patent number: 9462676
    Abstract: A multi-layer circuit member includes first and second electrically connected reference regions. At least a portion of a signal conductor is in proximity to the first region and a circuit component is in proximity to the second region. An area of increased impedance exists between the first and second electrically connected regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • HIGH DENSITY CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20160285210
    Abstract: A connector can be provided that allows for improved route-out including straight-back routing. Signal and ground terminal tails can be arranged in a single row to help facilitate such functionality. A conductive member can connect ground tails to ground terminals. Consequentially, a connector with two vertically stacked card slots can be provided that allows for straight back routing of the signal traces in four layers while still providing a compact connector design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Michael Rowlands
  • CABLE ASSEMBLY WITH MULTI-LAYER CIRCUIT MEMBER
    Publication number: 20160233616
    Abstract: A cable assembly includes multi-layer circuit member with a conductive reference plane with first and second electrically connected regions. A pair of signal conductors are in proximity to the first region and a circuit component is in proximity to the second region. An area of increased impedance exists between the first and second electrically connected regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Connector having a latch with a locating member and a tooth with a notch
    Patent number: 9397442
    Abstract: A cable connector is provided having an insulative housing, a conductive shield and a pair of latching members. Each latching member has free ends with engagement teeth formed thereon which are separated by an intervening engagement notch. The sidewalls of the engagement notch are flat and define hard stop surfaces in opposing directions for engagement by each latching member with an opposing board connector. The free ends further include ramped surfaces leading to the engagement notch to form cam surfaces that depress each latching member when the cable connector is mated to a board connector. Each latching members may also include locating tabs captured in vertical movement by the cable connector body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Steven George Sutter, Darian Schulz, Kent E. Regnier
  • CONNECTOR SYSTEM WITH CABLE BY-PASS
    Publication number: 20160197423
    Abstract: A connector system is provided that includes a first connector and a second connector that are both coupled by a cable. Both connectors can be configured with terminal tails that are configured to be press-fit into a circuit board. The first connect - or includes a first terminal pair and the second connector includes a second terminal pair and the first and second terminal pairs are fixably connected to opposite ends of the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: MOLEX LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • High density connector
    Patent number: 9385455
    Abstract: A connector can be provided that allows for improved route-out including straight-back routing. Signal and ground terminal tails can be arranged in a single row to help facilitate such functionality. A commoning member can connect ground tails to ground terminals. Consequentially, a connector with two vertically stacked card slots can be provided that allows for straight back routing of the signal traces in four layers while still providing a compact connector design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Michael Rowlands
  • CONNECTOR WITH TUNED CHANNEL
    Publication number: 20160190747
    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: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher
  • CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20160181713
    Abstract: A connector includes terminals. The terminals can have a contact that has a loop configuration. 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: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk B. PELOZA, Michael ROWLANDS, Kent E. REGNIER
  • CONNECTOR SYSTEM WITH THERMAL SURFACE
    Publication number: 20160149324
    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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. REGNIER
  • Multi-layer circuit member and assembly therefor
    Patent number: 9345128
    Abstract: A multi-layer circuit member includes a conductive reference plane with first and second electrically connected regions. A pair of signal conductors are in proximity to the first region and a circuit component is in proximity to the second region. An area of increased impedance exists between the first and second electrically connected regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • Connector with tuned channel
    Patent number: 9312618
    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: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher
  • METHOD FOR COOLING A CONNECTOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20160081221
    Abstract: A cage can include a thermal plate positioned so as to be aligned with a bottom of a channel. An adjustable biasing system is provided to urge a module toward the thermal plate. The adjustable biasing system may be a riding heat sink. The thermal plate may include a fin to help increase its surface area. A housing with a card slot aligned with the channel can be provided in the cage to provide a receptacle that has a card slot aligned with the channel. A receptacle so configured allows for greater thermal energy to be removed from a module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Jay H. Neer, Kent E. REGNIER, Cleaver BRINKERHOFF, Harold Keith LANG
  • HIGH DENSITY CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20160036147
    Abstract: A connector can be provided that allows for improved route-out including straight-back routing. Signal and ground terminal tails can be arranged in a single row to help facilitate such functionality. A commoning member can connect ground tails to ground terminals. Consequentially, a connector with two vertically stacked card slots can be provided that allows for straight back routing of the signal traces in four layers while still providing a compact connector design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. CASHER, Michael ROWLANDS
  • High density connector
    Patent number: 9246251
    Abstract: A connector can be provided that allows for improved route-out including straight-back routing. Signal and ground terminal tails can be arranged in a single row to help facilitate such functionality. Consequentially, a connector with two vertically stacked card slots can be provided that allows for straight back routing of the signal traces in four layers while still providing a compact connector design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Michael Rowlands
  • Cage, receptacle and system for use therewith
    Patent number: 9246280
    Abstract: A cage can include a thermal plate positioned so as to be aligned with a bottom of a channel. An adjustable biasing system is provided to urge a module toward the thermal plate. The adjustable biasing system may be a riding heat sink. The thermal plate may include a fin to help increase its surface area. A housing with a card slot aligned with the channel can be provided in the cage to provide a receptacle that has a card slot aligned with the channel. A receptacle so configured allows for greater thermal energy to be removed from a module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Jay H. Neer, Kent E. Regnier, Cleaver Brinkerhoff, Harold Keith Lang
  • COMPACT CONNECTOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20160013596
    Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that is configured to provide terminals at a 0.5 mm pitch with providing for high data rates of 10 Gbps or more. In an embodiment, a 4X connector can be provided that is about the size of a convention SFP connector while still supporting relatively high data rates. This connector can be stacked to provide additional density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: Molex, LLC
    Inventor: Kent E. REGNIER
  • BI-DIRECTIONAL LATCH
    Publication number: 20150364865
    Abstract: A cable connector is provided having an insulative housing, a conductive shield and a pair of latching members. Each latching member has free ends with engagement teeth formed thereon which are separated by an intervening engagement notch. The sidewalls of the engagement notch are flat and define hard stop surfaces in opposing directions for engagement by each latching member with an opposing board connector. The free ends further include ramped surfaces leading to the engagement notch to form cam surfaces that depress each latching member when the cable connector is mated to a board connector. Each latching members may also include locating tabs captured in vertical movement by the cable connector body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven George Sutter, Darian SCHULZ, Kent E. REGNIER
  • Ground termination with dampened resonance
    Patent number: 9210812
    Abstract: A system of dampening resonance is provided. In an embodiment, ground traces may be coupled to a common or ground plane via dampening elements such as resistors a predetermined distance from a non-dampened coupling. Ground terminals in a connector have with a separated electrical length that allows for a potential to exist between the ground terminal and a common ground. When the ground terminals are coupled to the ground traces, the dampening element, which may be a resistor, helps convert energy traveling over ground terminal into heat, thus reducing or preventing resonance conditions in the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher
  • Circuit member with enhanced performance
    Patent number: 9209581
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing with a plurality of filtering modules therein. Each filtering module has a housing and a magnetics assembly including transformer cores with wires wrapped therearound. An array of pins extend from the module housing for connection to the wires. A plurality of tails extend from the module housing for interconnection to a circuit board upon which the connector may be mounted. An interconnection is provided between the pins and tails that may include filtering or other signal modifying circuitry. A circuit member having an enhanced layout is also provided for use in or upon which the connector may be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Brian P. O'Malley, Michael R. Kamarauskas, Timothy R. McClelland, Emanuel G. Banakis, Johnny Chen, Kent E. Regnier