Patents by Inventor Steven E. Minich

Steven E. Minich 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).

  • Publication number: 20250364741
    Abstract: A high-speed, high-density, vibration resistant interconnection system. The connector may be assembled from connector modules designed for a high-speed, high-density interconnection system operated in a controlled environment. These modules may be designed for mounting to PCBs in linear arrays that define connectors. The connectors may be adapted for use in a high-vibration environment through locking features integrated into the linear arrays. In a first connector, the locking features may be part of a locking module, integrated with other connector modules, such as signal modules, power modules and guidance modules. In a second, complementary connector, the locking features may be features in the PCB, such as holes, that engage the locking module of the first connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Publication date: November 27, 2025
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, Scott Carbaugh
  • Publication number: 20250350070
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2025
    Publication date: November 13, 2025
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Edward Tanis, III, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 12341302
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20240372302
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20240332867
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals at frequencies to support high data rates, including at or above 112 Gbps. A connector includes lead assemblies, each of which includes conductors held by an assembly housing, and shielding members disposed on opposite sides of the assembly housing. Each conductor has a mating end and a mounting end opposite the mating end. The shielding members have tabs disposed on the mating ends of ground conductors from the opposite sides. The tabs on the opposite sides can be welded to respective ground conductors simultaneously. The tabs are connected to bodies of respective shielding members by beams separated by slots. The slots are sized to both provide tolerances for welding and to reduce crosstalk further. The shielding members alternatively or additionally can have tabs disposed on the mounting ends of the ground conductors from the opposite sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Steven Anthony Blasko, III, Benjamin Reed Staudt, Mark E. Lauermann, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis
  • Publication number: 20240332866
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals at frequencies to support high data rates, including at or above 112 Gbps. A connector includes lead assemblies, each of which includes conductors held by an assembly housing, and shielding members disposed on opposite sides of the assembly housing. Each conductor has a mating end and a mounting end opposite the mating end. The shielding members have tabs disposed on the mating ends of ground conductors from the opposite sides. The tabs on the opposite sides can be welded to respective ground conductors simultaneously. The tabs are connected to bodies of respective shielding members by beams separated by slots. The slots are sized to both provide tolerances for welding and to reduce crosstalk further. The shielding members alternatively or additionally can have tabs disposed on the mounting ends of the ground conductors from the opposite sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Steven Anthony Blasko, III, Benjamin Reed Staudt, Mark E. Lauermann, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis
  • Patent number: 12074398
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20240006822
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Cooper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 11817657
    Abstract: A direct mate orthogonal connector for a high density of high speed signals. The connector may include right angle leadframe assemblies with signal conductive elements and ground shields held by a leadframe housing. High frequency performance may be achieved with members on the leadframe that transfer force between a connector housing, holding the leadframe assemblies, and a portion of the leadframe housing holding the signal conductive elements and the shields near their mounting ends. Core members may be inserted into the housing and mating ends of the conductive elements of ground shields may be adjacent the core members, enabling electrical and mechanical performance of the mating interface to be defined by the core members. The core members may incorporate insulative and lossy features that may be complex to form as part of the connector housing but may be readily formed as part of a separate core member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Jason John Ellison, Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jan De Geest, Scott Carbaugh, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, Charles Copper, William Tanis
  • Patent number: 11799246
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 11791585
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at frequencies at or above 112 GHz, with high density. Such connectors may be formed with fine features molded into portions of the connector housing to support closely spaced signal conductors. The signal conducts may nonetheless be accurately positioned, which leads to uniform impedance and other electrical characteristics that enable high frequency operation through the use of skeletal members that restrain bowing and twisting of housing components that position, directly or indirectly, the signal conductors. The skeletal members may be simply incorporated into the housing components by stamping a metal skeleton from a metal sheet in conjunction with one or more carrier strips. The housing component may be overmolded around the skeleton and then severed from the carrier strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: James J. Muha, Scott Martin, Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20230107361
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at frequencies at or above 112 GHz, with high density. Such connectors may be formed with fine features molded into portions of the connector housing to support closely spaced signal conductors. The signal conducts may nonetheless be accurately positioned, which leads to uniform impedance and other electrical characteristics that enable high frequency operation through the use of skeletal members that restrain bowing and twisting of housing components that position, directly or indirectly, the signal conductors. The skeletal members may be simply incorporated into the housing components by stamping a metal skeleton from a metal sheet in conjunction with one or more carrier strips. The housing component may be overmolded around the skeleton and then severed from the carrier strips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: James J. Muha, Scott Martin, Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20230062661
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20220407269
    Abstract: A direct mate orthogonal connector for a high density of high speed signals. The connector may include right angle leadframe assemblies with signal conductive elements and ground shields held by a leadframe housing. High frequency performance may be achieved with members on the leadframe that transfer force between a connector housing, holding the leadframe assemblies, and a portion of the leadframe housing holding the signal conductive elements and the shields near their mounting ends. Core members may be inserted into the housing and mating ends of the conductive elements of ground shields may be adjacent the core members, enabling electrical and mechanical performance of the mating interface to be defined by the core members. The core members may incorporate insulative and lossy features that may be complex to form as part of the connector housing but may be readily formed as part of a separate core member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Jason John Ellison, Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jan De Geest, Scott Carbaugh, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, Charles Copper, William Tanis
  • Patent number: 11469554
    Abstract: A direct mate orthogonal connector for a high density of high speed signals. The connector may include right angle leadframe assemblies with signal conductive elements and ground shields held by a leadframe housing. High frequency performance may be achieved with members on the leadframe that transfer force between a connector housing, holding the leadframe assemblies, and a portion of the leadframe housing holding the signal conductive elements and the shields near their mounting ends. Core members may be inserted into the housing and mating ends of the conductive elements of ground shields may be adjacent the core members, enabling electrical and mechanical performance of the mating interface to be defined by the core members. The core members may incorporate insulative and lossy features that may be complex to form as part of the connector housing but may be readily formed as part of a separate core member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Jason John Ellison, Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jan De Geest, Scott Carbaugh, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, Charles Copper, William Tanis
  • Patent number: 11469553
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Publication number: 20210234315
    Abstract: A direct mate orthogonal connector for a high density of high speed signals. The connector may include right angle leadframe assemblies with signal conductive elements and ground shields held by a leadframe housing. High frequency performance may be achieved with members on the leadframe that transfer force between a connector housing, holding the leadframe assemblies, and a portion of the leadframe housing holding the signal conductive elements and the shields near their mounting ends. Core members may be inserted into the housing and mating ends of the conductive elements of ground shields may be adjacent the core members, enabling electrical and mechanical performance of the mating interface to be defined by the core members. The core members may incorporate insulative and lossy features that may be complex to form as part of the connector housing but may be readily formed as part of a separate core member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Jason John Ellison, Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jan De Geest, Scott Carbaugh, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray, Charles Copper, William Tanis
  • Publication number: 20210234314
    Abstract: Electrical connectors for very high speed signals, including signals at or above 112 Gbps. Effectiveness of shielding along the signal paths through the mating electrical connectors may be enhanced through the use of one or more techniques, including enabling two-sided shielding, connections between shield members and between shield members and grounded structures of printed circuit boards to which the connectors are mounted, and selective positioning of lossy material. Such techniques may be simply and reliably implemented in high density connector using one or more techniques. An electrical connector may include core members held by a housing together with leadframe assemblies attached to the core members. The core members may include features that would be difficult to mold in a housing and may include both shields and lossy materials in locations that would be difficult to incorporate in a leadframe assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Douglas M. Johnescu, Gregory A. Hull, Mark E. Lauermann, Scott Martin, Jason John Ellison, Jan De Geest, Charles Copper, Mark R. Gray, William Tanis, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 10958001
    Abstract: A connector with contact tails configured to provide a connector footprint enabling a low cost printed circuit board. The contact tails are positioned to leave routing channels, parallel to an edge of a printed circuit board, within the connector footprint. The routing channels may enable routing of high speed signal traces out of the connector footprint on a small number of routing layers. In a connector with 16 columns, each with 8 pairs of signal traces, two routing layers may be adequate to route traces connecting all of the signal vias in the connector footprint to components at the interior of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventor: Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 10770814
    Abstract: A direct mate orthogonal electrical connector assembly includes first and second electrical connectors configured to be mated to respective first and second substrates such that the second substrate is perpendicular to the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: FCI USA LLC
    Inventors: Wilfred J. Swain, Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray