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).

  • LOW PROFILE CONNECTOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150333460
    Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that can support high data rates over a connector with terminals on a 0.5 mm pitch. A plug connector can include a termination module that has a paddle card and a plug module that includes rows of terminals. The termination module and the plug module can be aligned via the row of terminals and pads on the paddle card. A receptacle connector includes two rows of terminals that are provided on opposite sides of a tongue. The tongue includes impedance notches aligned with terminals arranged as differential pairs. Ground terminals extend past the differential pairs and along the impedance notch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: MOLEX INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kent E. REGNIER, Steven George SUTTER, Darian SCHULZ
  • CIRCUIT MEMBER WITH ENHANCED PERFORMANCE
    Publication number: 20150311648
    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: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian P. O'Malley, Michael R. Kamarauskas, Timothy R. McClelland, Emanuel G. Banakis, Johnny Chen, Kent E. Regnier
  • DIFFERENTIALLY COUPLED CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20150295358
    Abstract: A connector is provided with a pair of terminals configured to provide a differential signal pair. A ground terminal is positioned on opposing sides of the differential pair. The body of the differential pair is configured so as to bring the differential pair closer together. In an embodiment, the % coupling on the differential pair is increase at least 10% more than a design where the four terminals are positioned at a constant pitch between the tail and the contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick Casher, Jerry KACHLIC, Michael ROWLANDS, Kent E. REGNIER
  • LOW PROFILE CONNECTOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150288104
    Abstract: A connector system is disclosed that can support high data rates over a connector with terminals on a 0.5 mm pitch. A plug connector can include a termination module that has a paddle card and a plug module that includes rows of terminals. The termination module and the plug module can be aligned via the row of terminals and pads on the paddle card. A receptacle connector includes two rows of terminals that are provided on opposite sides of a tongue. The tongue includes impedance notches aligned with terminals arranged as differential pairs. Ground terminals extend past the differential pairs and along the impedance notch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. REGNIER, Steven George SUTTER, Darian SCHULZ
  • Connector assembly with improved cooling capability
    Patent number: 9142922
    Abstract: A connector includes a cage that has two side walls, a top cover and a rear wall that are combined to form a hollow enclosure. The enclosure is separated into two module-receiving bays by at least one spacer with a top and bottom wall that extends between the sidewalls to form a central portion between a top and bottom bay, the central portion acting as an air passage between a front face and the sides of the connectors. Air openings are formed in the sidewalls of the cage assembly and they communicate with the central portion. The bottom wall of the spacer is provided with a large opening that extends a substantial distance of module-receiving bay and provides an air flow path from the air openings to the bottom module-receiving bay. An insert with apertures in communication with the central portion can be positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Harold Keith Lang
  • Circuit member with enhanced performance
    Patent number: 9130315
    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: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Molex Incorporation
    Inventors: Brian P. O'Malley, Michael R. Kamarauskas, Timothy R. McClelland, Emanuel G. Banakis, Johnny Chen, Kent E. Regnier
  • CONNECTOR WITH TUNED CHANNEL
    Publication number: 20150207247
    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: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher
  • Differentially coupled connector
    Patent number: 9083130
    Abstract: A connector is provided with a pair of terminals configured to provide a differential signal pair. A ground terminal is positioned on opposing sides of the differential pair. The body of the differential pair is configured so as to bring the differential pair closer together. In an embodiment, the % coupling on the differential pair is increase at least 10% more than a design where the four terminals are positioned at a constant pitch between the tail and the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Patrick R. Casher, Jerry Kachlic, Michael Rowlands, Kent E. Regnier
  • HIGH DENSITY CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20150140861
    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: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Michael Rowlands
  • Resonance reducing circuit board
    Patent number: 9035712
    Abstract: A circuit card is provided that includes ground traces that extend from a resistor to a commoning bar, where a resultant electrical length between the resistor and the commoning bar and is configured to reduce energy carried on the ground terminals that could otherwise result in cross-talk. In an embodiment, the ground trace may be configured in a meandering manner. In another embodiment, the ground trace may be split and joined by an inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher
  • Resonance modifying connector
    Patent number: 8992237
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided that is suitable for modifying the resonant frequency of ground terminals used in conjunction with high data rate signal terminals. Ground terminals may be interconnected with a conductive bridge so as to provide ground terminals with a predetermined maximum effective electrical length. Reducing the effective electrical length of the ground terminal can move the resonance frequencies of the connector outside the operational range of frequencies at which signals will be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Jerry A. Long
  • Modular jack with enhanced port isolation
    Patent number: 8992248
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian P. O'Malley, Michael R. Kamarauskas, Timothy R. McClelland, Emanuel G. Banakis, Johnny Chen, Kent E. Regnier
  • Method of mounting a connector
    Patent number: 8894443
    Abstract: A board-mountable connector is provided. The connector includes a shield and an insulative housing with a tongue. Terminals are supported by the housing in two rows and the rows extend from a mating interface to a board mounting interface. The terminals may be mounted to the board via surface mount technology in two rows that are at about 0.4 mm pitch. The two rows of terminals are configured in a signal, signal, ground triangular configuration so as to provide a triangular terminal arrangement that extends from the mating interface to the mounting interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott D. Sommers, Kent E. Regnier, Michael R. Kamarauskas, Emanuel G. Banakis, Galen F. Fromm
  • Modular jack with enhanced shielding
    Patent number: 8888538
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a mating face, a plurality of openings therein configured as pairs of aligned openings and a receptacle for receiving a plurality of internal modules therein. A plurality of electrically conductive contacts are positioned within the housing with a portion of each contact extending into one of the openings for engaging contacts of a mateable connector. At least one conductive inter-module shield is located within the receptacle and extends generally towards the mating face to define a plurality of module receiving cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventor: Kent E. Regnier
  • HORIZONTALLY CONFIGURED CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20140335736
    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: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Bruce Reed
  • RESONANCE MODIFYING CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20140308827
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided that is suitable for modifying the resonant frequency of ground terminals used in conjunction with high data rate signal terminals. Ground terminals may be interconnected with a conductive bridge so as to provide ground terminals with a predetermined maximum effective electrical length. Reducing the effective electrical length of the ground terminal can move the resonance frequencies of the connector outside the operational range of frequencies at which signals will be transmitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kent E. Regnier, Patrick R. Casher, Jerry A. Long
  • Horizontally configured connector
    Patent number: 8821168
    Abstract: A connector includes a pair of mating portions positioned side-by-side and each mating portion includes a pair of mating blades that are supported in vertical arrangement within the respective mating portion. A retainer can hold together the housing portions that form the mating portions. The retained can include a latching member that is configured to be translated in a vertical direction. An actuator can be translated in a horizontal direction, the horizontal translation causing the latching member to translate in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Bruce Reed, Harold Keith Lang, Kent E. Regnier, Jay Neer
  • HORIZONTALLY CONFIGURED CONNECTOR
    Publication number: 20140170887
    Abstract: A connector includes a pair of mating portions positioned side-by-side and each mating portion includes a pair of mating blades that are supported in vertical arrangement within the respective mating portion. A retainer can hold together the housing portions that form the mating portions. The retained can include a latching member that is configured to be translated in a vertical direction. An actuator can be translated in a horizontal direction, the horizontal translation causing the latching member to translate in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Bruce Reed, Harold Keith Lang, Kent E. Regnier, Jay Neer
  • Guide frame with two columns connected by cross pieces defining an opening with retention members
    Patent number: 8753145
    Abstract: A guide frame is provided that can be mounted to a circuit board and includes an opening that can receive a connector therein. The guide frame can include a pair of retention members disposed on opposing sides of the opening that are configured to couple to engagement members on the connector. The guide frame may include a flange that is configured to engage a plug connector that mates with the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Keith Lang, Kent E. Regnier, Jerry A. Long
  • Connector having a shield mounted on a circuit board and extending through an aperture in a bracket
    Patent number: 8740646
    Abstract: A shield is provided for use with a connector assembly that includes for sides that form an enclosure, one of the sides being a baseplate. The shield can include a plurality of guides positioned on the baseplate and the plurality of guides can be arranged in a pattern. Each guide can be formed by making two slits in the bottom plate so as to define a body portion of the guide and the body portion can be extended in the enclosure. Each guide can be supported by the baseplate at opposite ends of the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Harold Keith Lang, Kent E. Regnier, Jerry A. Long