Patents by Inventor Mitsuru Itou

Mitsuru Itou 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: 5791922
    Abstract: A connector assembly including a first connector having female terminals which are short-circuited through a short-circuiting terminal while the first connector is not connected to a second one. When the second connector is plugged into the first connector, an insulating piece of the second connector breaks the short-circuit connection between the female terminals. The short-circuiting terminal has contact portions. At least one of the short-circuiting terminal contact portions has a side extension. The second connector has a rib adapted to press the contact portions to form a gap between the short-circuiting terminals and the female terminals. The insulating piece is inserted between the gap thus formed, so that it encounters practically no resistance. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the insulating piece and thus to improve the long-term reliability of the connector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensaku Takata, Satoshi Tasano, Hitoshi Okumura, Masaji Suzuki, Mitsuru Itou