Abstract: A connector includes sheet metal contacts (40, 42) with termination ends (60, 62) for terminating to wires and with mating ends (70, 72) for mating to other contact devices such as circuit board pads. Each terminating end includes a wide groove part (90) with a groove bottom (94) that receives the wire insulation and with a pair of wide groove part wings (96, 98) that are crimped around the insulation. Each termination end also includes a narrow groove part (100) for receiving a bared conductor of the wire, the narrow groove part having a bottom (104) that is offset from the wide groove part bottom (94), and the narrow groove part having a pair of narrow groove part wings (106, 108) that are crimped around the wire conductor.

Abstract: A system is described for electrically grounding plug and receptacle connectors (12, 16, FIG. 3) as they mate, which occupies minimal space that would otherwise be occupied by regular pin-and-socket contacts, and which isolates sparks created during ground connections. Each connector has a dielectric housing (54, 80) lying at the end of a circuit board (60, 82). The receptacle connector has a shield (100) extending around its dielectric housing, the shield having a tab (162) that is soldered to a grounded trace (160) on the corresponding circuit board. The plug connector carries a plug ground member (142) that has a front end (144) for engaging the shield on the connector member when the connectors mate, the plug ground member having a rear end forming a tab (172) that is soldered to a grounded trace (174) on its corresponding circuit board. The plug ground member lies in a groove (140) of the dielectric housing, with a resilient bent portion (146) projecting out of the groove.

Abstract: A miniature socket contact (10, FIG. 1) is described which fits within the thickness of a device such as PC board plated hole (20), which is firmly retained within the hole, without damage to the hole plating during removal, and wherein each pin-contacting beam (70, 72) has two points of contact with an inserted contact pin (14). The contact is formed of sheet metal and has an upper retention portion (30) forming retention tabs (42-46), with each tab having an inner part (50) extending radially inwardly, an outer part (56) extending radially outwardly with a tip (60) that presses against the hole walls, and a bent middle (54) that guides an inserted pin and is preferably deflected outwardly by the inserted pin to press the tab tip firmly against the hole walls. The contact has a lower contacting portion (32) forming a pair of downwardly converging beams (70, 72) whose lower ends engage the inserted pin. As seen in a view (FIG.

Abstract: A connector has upper and lower rows of contacts (20, 22, FIG. 4 ) whose contact tails (40, 42) are soldered to front and rear rows of pads (26, 24) on a circuit board (14), which provides flexibility in downward deflection of all contact tails in a short forward-rearward distance (B) . While the upper tails of the upper row of contacts extend at a downward-forward incline, the lower tails have rear portions (80) with inclined parts (90) that extend at an upward-forward incline, and forward portions (82) with inclined parts (92) that extend at downward-forward inclines. A heating bar (102, FIG. 7 ) for heating the forward ends (120, 122) of the contact tails for reflow soldering to the pads, has slots (124) in its lower surface (106) that extend from its rear end (126) to a location (130) behind its front end (132).

Abstract: An edge connector (12, FIG. 1 ) of simple construction and small thickness is provided, with a forward end which can receive a card or circuit board (14) and a rear end which can receive a pluggable connector (40), to connect contact pads (70) of the circuit board to terminals (110, 112) of the pluggable connector. The connector includes an insulative housing (16) having a rearward end portion (20) and having upper and lower cantilevered beams (22, 24). The beams extend forwardly from the rear portion, with a gap (26) between them, and with the front end (30) of the gap having an increased thickness to receive the circuit board. A flat flexible cable (34) lies in the gap, with a front (122) that is upwardly bent and received in a slot (124) of the upper beam portion, and with the forward portions of the cable conductors being exposed at their lower surfaces (164).

Abstract: A holdown key (40, FIG. 5) is provided that holds a low profile connector housing (30) to a circuit board (16), which securely holds the key to the connector before installation in the circuit board, and which provides high retention in the circuit board with only moderate stress on the key material. The key has a pair of largely vertically-extending legs (60, 62) with lower ends that merge and with upper ends that are free of each other but which have locations (80, 80a) that abut each other when the legs are deflected toward each other. When the key is installed in a slot (50) of the connector housing, the legs are preferably deflected partially towards each other so the gap (B) between the locations is less than initially, but is not zero. However, when the key is fully installed in the circuit board, the locations abut each other to close the gap (C) and provide large retention force in the circuit board.

Abstract: A connector is described, of the type that has pegs for insertion in holes of a circuit board to securely hold the connector to the board, wherein the pegs can be easily installed, and they assure secure holding despite variations in circuit board thickness and moderate tolerances in the diameters of the circuit board holes. Each of the pegs (41, FIG. 4 ) has a peg body (60) with an axis (62), and a plurality of ribs (71-73) projecting radially outwardly from the periphery of the body. The pegs are constructed of material of lower hardness than the material of the circuit board, so the interference fit between the pegs and circuit board results in flattening of the tips of the ribs and/or shaving of the tips of the ribs. Each peg has a slot (66) extending from the periphery of the peg body to near the axis of the peg body, and a pair of the ribs lie on opposite sides of the slot, so radially-inward pressure on the ribs causes the slot to close slightly and allow the ribs to move radially inwardly.

Abstract: A connector is provided whose plastic housing includes downwardly-depending pegs for insertion in a circuit board to hold the connector in place, which provides for secure holding of the pegs in the circuit board holes by merely pressing the connector down into place. A spring clip (32, FIG. 2) is mounted on each peg, each clip having outwardly-bowed arms (36, 38) whose middle can press against the walls of the circuit board hole (14) to securely hold the peg in the hole, and whose lower ends are supported by the peg.

Abstract: A boardlock is provided for holding down the housing of an electrical connector to a circuit board, which can be constructed at low cost and which assures good electrical and mechanical connection between the connector housing and circuit board. The boardlock is designed to be pushed downwardly through a cylindrical hole in a connector flange and through a larger diameter cylindrical hole drilled into the circuit board. The boardlock is formed from a piece of sheet metal which is bent to form largely tubular upper and lower portions (40, 42, FIG. 2 ) received respectively in the flange hole and in the larger diameter board hole, with largely vertical edges of the bent sheet metal engaging the walls of the hole.

Abstract: A connector is described that includes a housing (30, FIG. 1 ) with a latch (34, 36) at each end which can project through a corresponding hole (20, 22) in a circuit board to releasably hold the connector to the board. Each latch has a largely U-shaped arm (40) with a pair of largely parallel arm parts (42, 44) joined by a lower part (46). The arm parts are biased apart but can be resiliently deflected together to pass the lower portion of the arm into a circuit board hole (20), until an upwardly-facing shoulder (50) on one of the arms snaps below the lower face of the circuit board to prevent removal of the latch. The latch can be removed by squeezing the arm parts together so the part forming the shoulder (50) can be pulled up through the hole.

Abstract: A connector system is provided that is especially useful for SCEM (small computer expandability module) systems wherein small circuit boards or "tiles" can be stacked at different positions on a small mother board, wherein each connector includes numerous very small matable contacts that must carry high frequency signals. The contacts of first and second matable connectors each have forward portions (80, FIG. 6) comprising an elongated beam (132) having a straight rear part (140) extending parallel to the mating direction (114) and having a forward part (144) with a sidewardly-projecting protuberance (146). When the connectors are mated, the protuberance of each contact engages the straight rear part of the other contact. Each connector housing includes an insulator with an upstanding support wall (91) having a plurality of grooves (122) spaced along a row of contacts, with each groove surrounding the axis (142) of each contact on three sides, except for the contact protuberance.

Abstract: An electrical connector system is described, of the type that includes a latching arrangement for releasably holding a cover of a first connector to a second connector, which includes a pivoting latch that is resiliently biased against pivoting without the use of a spring. The cover (12, FIG. 1) has a pair of latch support brackets (80, 82) that are resiliently deflectable slightly together and apart. The latch has opposite parts each lying adjacent to one of the brackets and has a trunnion received in a hole in the bracket to pivot about a pivot axis (36) thereon. Each bracket has a slot (90, FIG. 3) extending radially with respect to the pivot axis (36), and each latch part has a rib (108) partially received in a slot, with each side (110, 112) of the rib being angled from parallelism with the pivot axis. As the latch pivots, the ribs deflect the brackets apart, to provide a spring force urging the latch to pivot back.

Abstract: An electrical terminal having a portion of a contact section overhanging the plane of the stock is made by a method that does not weaken the terminal by the use of a slot or similar structure. A blank is stamped from sheet metal stock. Portions of the blank including the portion to overhang are formed up from the plane of the stock. At least part of the terminal base is formed up from the plane of the stock. The formed base portion is returned to the plane of the stock to rotate the contact section and move the overhanging portion to its final position.

Abstract: An electrical connector for making connection to a conductor cable, including a connector block which has an anvil surface against which the conductor cable is positionable. A resilient electrical contact member is fixed to the connector block and has an abutment portion for engaging the conductor cable opposite the anvil surface. The electrical contact terminates in a free end extending angularly at an acute angle away from the abutment portion and the anvil surface. A cover member has an inner contact engaging surface and is affixed to the connector block in a direction of movement transverse to the anvil surface. The inner surface of the cover member engages the free end of the contact member to drive the abutment portion of the contact member into engagement with the conductor cable. The abutment portion is caused to wipe the conductor cable due to the angular orientation of the free end of the contact member.

Abstract: A floating panel mount for an electrical connector comprises opposed pairs of multiple cantilevered latch structures. Each latch structure comprises a lower arm cantilevered from a mounting flange. An upper arm is cantilevered from the end of the lower arm remote from the mounting flange, and is angularly aligned thereto. A locking arm is cantilevered from the end of the upper arm remote from the lower arm such that the lower arm and the locking arm extend angularly from opposed ends of the upper arm and from opposite sides thereof. The maximum cross-sectional dimension defined by the upper and locking arms exceeds the maximum cross-sectional dimension of a mounting aperture in a panel. However, the cross-sectional dimensions defined by the upper arms is substantially less than the cross-sectional dimensions of the mounting aperture. The arms can be deflected to enale the latch structures to pass through the mounting aperture.

Abstract: A floating panel mount for an electrical connector comprises opposed pairs of multiple cantilevered latch structures. Each latch structure comprises a lower arm cantilevered from a mounting flange. An upper arm is cantilevered from the end of the lower arm remote from the mounting flange, and is angularly aligned thereto. A locking arm is cantilevered from the end of the upper arm remote from the lower arm such that the lower arm and the locking arm extend angularly from opposed ends of the upper arm and from opposite sides thereof. The maximum cross-sectional dimension defined by the upper and locking arms exceeds the maximum cross-sectional dimension of a mounting aperture in a panel. However, the cross-sectional dimensions defined by the upper arms is substantially less than the cross-sectional dimensions of the mounting aperture. The arms can be deflected to enable the latch structures to pass through the mounting aperture.