Patents by Inventor Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.

Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr. 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: 8444434
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly includes a front housing configured for mating with a header assembly. A contact module is coupled to the front housing. The contact module includes a conductive holder that has a first side and an opposite second side. The conductive holder has a front coupled to the front housing. The conductive holder holds a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a plurality of contacts and a dielectric frame supporting the contacts. The dielectric frame is received in the conductive holder. The contacts extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination. A ground shield is coupled to the first side. The ground shield is electrically connected to the conductive holder. The ground shield has grounding beams that extend therefrom. The grounding beams extend forward of the front of the conductive holder for electrical connection to a corresponding header shield of the header assembly. First and second side shields are coupled to the first and second sides, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8408939
    Abstract: An electrical connector system for mounting to a substrate is disclosed. The electrical connector system may include a plurality of wafer assemblies defining a mating end and a mating end. Each wafer assembly may include a first overmolded array of electrical contacts, each electrical contact defining an electrical mating connector extending past an edge of the overmold of the first overmolded array of electrical contacts at the mating end of the wafer assembly; a first ground shield configured to be assembled with the first overmolded array of electrical contacts; and a second overmolded array of electrical contacts configured to be assembled with the first overmolded array of electrical contacts, each electrical contact defining an electrical mating connector extending past an edge of the overmold of the second overmolded array of electrical contacts at the mating end of the wafer assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporations
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8398431
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly includes a front housing configured for mating with a header assembly and a contact module coupled to the front housing. The contact module includes a conductive holder having a first side wall and an opposite second side wall and a front coupled to the front housing. The conductive holder holds a frame assembly having a plurality of contacts and a dielectric frame supporting the contacts. The dielectric frame is received in the conductive holder and the contacts extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination. A ground shield is coupled to the first side wall. The ground shield is electrically connected to the conductive holder. The ground shield has grounding beams extending therefrom that extend forward of the front of the conductive holder for electrical connection to an interior surface of a corresponding header shield of the header assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr., Wayne Samuel Davis
  • Patent number: 8398434
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric frame and contacts held by the dielectric frame. The contacts are arranged along a contact plane within the frame. The dielectric frame includes frame members connected by connecting segments. The frame has windows between the frame members located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules. The holders are electrically grounded. The holders each have a support wall and tabs that extend outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules. The holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked together with the tabs of at least some of the holders that extend into the contact module held by the adjacent holder and across the contact plane defined by the contact module of the adjacent holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr., Timothy R. Minnick
  • Publication number: 20130034984
    Abstract: A latch for securing a circuit card assembly to a circuit board mounted card edge connector includes first and second arms disposed on opposite ends of the card edge connector. The first and second arms define a reception space that receives the circuit card assembly. The first arm has a deflectable spring latch that is movable between a released position and a latched position. The circuit card assembly is secured by the spring latch in the latched position. The second arm has a latch hook that is configured to hook around and engage a portion of the circuit card assembly during mating of the circuit card assembly and the card edge connector. The latch hook defines a pivot point for pivoting the circuit card assembly into the card edge connector during mating of the circuit card assembly and the card edge connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: KYLE GARY ANNIS, ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130017726
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly includes a front housing configured for mating with a header assembly and a contact module coupled to the front housing. The contact module includes a conductive holder that has a first side and an opposite second side. The conductive holder has a front coupled to the front housing. The conductive holder holds a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a plurality of contacts and a dielectric frame that supports the contacts. The dielectric frame is received in the conductive holder. The contacts extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination. A first ground shield is coupled to the first side, is electrically connected to the conductive holder and has grounding beams and grounding fingers that extend forward of the front of the conductive holder for electrical connection to a corresponding header shield of the header assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: WAYNE SAMUEL DAVIS, ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130017725
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly includes a front housing configured for mating with a header assembly. A contact module is coupled to the front housing. The contact module includes a conductive holder that has a first side and an opposite second side. The conductive holder has a front coupled to the front housing. The conductive holder holds a frame assembly. The frame assembly includes a plurality of contacts and a dielectric frame supporting the contacts. The dielectric frame is received in the conductive holder. The contacts extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination. A ground shield is coupled to the first side. The ground shield is electrically connected to the conductive holder. The ground shield has grounding beams that extend therefrom. The grounding beams extend forward of the front of the conductive holder for electrical connection to a corresponding header shield of the header assembly. First and second side shields are coupled to the first and second sides, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: WAYNE SAMUEL DAVIS, ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130017723
    Abstract: A receptacle assembly has a front housing configured to be mated with a header assembly. A contact module is coupled to the front housing. The contact module includes a conductive holder that has an open first side and a closed second side. The conductive holder has a chamber between the first and second sides. The conductive holder has a front coupled to the front housing. A frame assembly is received in the chamber through the open first side. The frame assembly includes a first dielectric frame that has a plurality of contacts and a second dielectric frame that has a plurality of contacts. The first and second dielectric frames both are received in the chamber of the conductive holder. The contacts extend from the conductive holder for electrical termination. A ground shield is coupled to the conductive holder and closes the open first side. The ground shield is electrically connected to the conductive holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: WAYNE SAMUEL DAVIS, ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR.
  • Patent number: 8308512
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules having dielectric bodies holding contacts having mating portions extending from the dielectric body. The connector assembly includes a conductive shield body holding the contact modules in a stacked configuration. The shield body provides shielding around the contact modules and the shield body has a mating end configured to be mated to a mating connector assembly. The mating end has one or more exposed surfaces between corresponding contacts. The shield body extends between selected contact modules. The connector assembly includes a conductive gasket positioned along the mating end of the shield body. The conductive gasket engages the exposed surfaces of the shield body to define a ground path between the conductive shield body and the mating connector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher David Ritter, Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr., Dharmendra Saraswat
  • Publication number: 20120184140
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric frame and contacts held by the dielectric frame. The contacts are arranged along a contact plane within the frame. The dielectric frame includes frame members connected by connecting segments. The frame has windows between the frame members located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules. The holders are electrically grounded. The holders each have a support wall and tabs that extend outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules. The holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked together with the tabs of at least some of the holders that extend into the contact module held by the adjacent holder and across the contact plane defined by the contact module of the adjacent holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: WAYNE SAMUEL DAVIS, ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR., TIMOTHY R. MINNICK
  • Publication number: 20120184138
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules having dielectric bodies holding contacts having mating portions extending from the dielectric body. The connector assembly includes a conductive shield body holding the contact modules in a stacked configuration. The shield body provides shielding around the contact modules and the shield body has a mating end configured to be mated to a mating connector assembly. The mating end has one or more exposed surfaces between corresponding contacts. The shield body extends between selected contact modules. The connector assembly includes a conductive gasket positioned along the mating end of the shield body. The conductive gasket engages the exposed surfaces of the shield body to define a ground path between the conductive shield body and the mating connector assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: WAYNE SAMUEL DAVIS, ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR., CHRISTOPHER DAVID RITTER, DHARMENDRA SARASWAT
  • Patent number: 8192232
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a contact module comprising a lead frame having contacts defining separate conductive paths. The contact module also includes a compensation component coupled to selected contacts and affecting signals transmitted along the conductive paths of the selected contacts. The contact module also includes a body overmolded over the contacts and the compensation component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr., Christopher David Ritter
  • Patent number: 8187035
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric body and plurality of contacts. The dielectric body includes windows internal of the dielectric body and located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules and the holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked parallel to one another. The holders are electrically grounded and include a support wall and tabs extending outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120129394
    Abstract: An electrical connector system for mounting to a substrate is disclosed. The electrical connector system may include a plurality of wafer assemblies defining a mating end and a mating end. Each wafer assembly may include a first overmolded array of electrical contacts, each electrical contact defining an electrical mating connector extending past an edge of the overmold of the first overmolded array of electrical contacts at the mating end of the wafer assembly; a first ground shield configured to be assembled with the first overmolded array of electrical contacts; and a second overmolded array of electrical contacts configured to be assembled with the first overmolded array of electrical contacts, each electrical contact defining an electrical mating connector extending past an edge of the overmold of the second overmolded array of electrical contacts at the mating end of the wafer assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120129395
    Abstract: An electrical connector system may include a plurality of wafer assemblies. Each wafer assembly may include a first overmolded array of electrical contacts defining a plurality of apertures; a second overmolded array of electrical contacts configured to be assembled with the first overmolded array of electrical contacts, the second overmolded array of electrical contacts defining a plurality of apertures; and a conductive ground bracket positioned in the wafer assembly between the first overmolded array of electrical contacts and the second array of electrical contacts. The conductive ground bracket defines a first array of ridges, each ridge of the first array of ridges positioned in an aperture of the first overmolded array of electrical contacts. The conductive ground bracket defines a second array of ridges, each ridge of the second array of ridges positioned in an aperture of the second overmolded array of electrical contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, JR.
  • Patent number: 8079847
    Abstract: An orthogonal connector system for connecting a first circuit board and a second circuit board oriented orthogonally with respect to the first circuit board includes a receptacle assembly and a header assembly mated with the receptacle assembly. The receptacle assembly is connected to the first circuit board and the header assembly is connected to the second circuit board. The receptacle assembly and the header assembly both have a housing and contact modules held within the corresponding housing. Each contact module has a dielectric body and mating contacts extending from the dielectric body. The mating contacts of the receptacle assembly are directly connected to the mating contacts of the header assembly. Some of the mating contacts of the receptacle assembly define power contacts and at least some of the mating contacts of the receptacle assembly define power contacts configured to be mated with the power contacts of the receptacle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110294346
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric body and plurality of contacts. The dielectric body includes windows internal of the dielectric body and located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules and the holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked parallel to one another. The holders are electrically grounded and include a support wall and tabs extending outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel DAVIS, Robert Neil WHITEMAN, JR.
  • Patent number: 8062065
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing extending along a housing axis between a front and a rear and contact modules loaded into the housing along the housing axis through the rear. The contact modules have a body holding contacts arranged along contact planes. A stabilizer is coupled to the housing and is coupled to the contact modules to hold the contact modules such that the contact planes are parallel to the housing axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr., Christopher David Ritter
  • Publication number: 20110250792
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a connector having a connector housing holding contacts, with the contacts being configured to be terminated to cables extending rearward from the connector housing. The connector assembly also includes a backshell having walls defining a cavity receiving the connector housing and cables. The backshell is electrically connected to cable shields of the cables. The backshell has fingers extending from the walls that are configured to engage a grounded component exterior of the cavity. Distal ends of the fingers are captured interior of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: ROBERT NEIL WHITEMAN, JR., CHRISTOPHER DAVID RITTER
  • Patent number: 8007315
    Abstract: An electrical connector system includes a circuit board having a mounting side and first and second electrical connectors mounted to the mounting side of the circuit board. The first and second electrical connectors each having a mating interface. The first and second electrical connectors being mounted to the circuit board in an offset configuration such that the mating interfaces of the first and second electrical connectors are parallel to one another and non-coplanar with respect to one another. Optionally, the mating interfaces may be perpendicular to the mounting side. The first and second electrical connectors may be identical to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.