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).

  • Patent number: 7226298
    Abstract: Preferred embodiments of electrical connectors include a plurality of electrically-conductive contacts each having a lead portion, a plurality of solder balls each attached to the lead portion of a respective one of the contacts, and a housing having plurality of pedestals that each receive the lead portion of a respective one of the contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 7217151
    Abstract: A preferred embodiment of a connector system includes a first electrical connector for mounting on a first substrate. The first electrical connector has a housing, and a contact mounted on the housing. The connector system also includes a second electrical connector for mounting on a second substrate. The second electrical connector includes a housing having a projection formed thereon, and a contact mounted on the housing. The second electrical connector is capable of mating with the first electrical connector so that the contact of the first electrical connector electrically contacts the contact of the second electrical connector and the projection contacts the first substrate so that at least a portion of the weight of the second electrical connector and the second substrate is transmitted to the first substrate by way of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean E. Geibel, Steven E. Minich, Donald K. Harper, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7214104
    Abstract: An electrical connector having a leadframe assembly and a connector housing is disclosed. The leadframe may include a lead frame and an electrical contact extending at least partially through the lead frame. The connector housing contains the leadframe assembly in each of one or more directions and also allows the leadframe assembly to move relative to the housing in the each direction. After the connector is mounted to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, the housing is free to move in at least one direction relative to the leadframe assemblies. The connector may also include a contact receiving wafer having a face that at least partially defines an aperture that extends therethrough. A terminal portion of the contact may extend at least partially into the aperture. The faces that define the aperture contain the terminal portion of the contact in each of a plurality of directions and also allows the terminal portion of the contact to move in each direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Donald K. Harper, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7195497
    Abstract: A retention member aligns and stabilizes one or more insert molded lead assemblies (IMLAs) in an electrical connector. The retention member provides for alignment and stability in the x-, y-, and z-directions. Such a retention member may be in connection with a right angle header connector. The retention member provides stability by maintaining the true positioning of the terminal ends of the contacts. The retention member is expandable in length, and may be sized and shaped to fit a single header assembly or multiple position configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Hull, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich, Alan Raistrick
  • Patent number: 7182643
    Abstract: An electrical connector that includes a linear array of electrical blade contacts is disclosed. Each contact may have a free-ended mating portion that extends from a mate surface of a dielectric base. The first linear array may include a first signal contact, a second signal contact positioned adjacent to the first signal contact and forming a differential signal pair therewith, and a ground contact positioned adjacent to the second signal contact. The first signal contact, the second signal contact, and the ground contact may each be elongated in a direction along the linear array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford L. Winings, Joseph B. Shuey, Timothy A. Lemke, Gregory A. Hull, Stephen B. Smith, Stefaan Hendrik Jozef Sercu, Timothy W. Houtz, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 7168963
    Abstract: A printed circuit board electrical power contact for connecting a daughter printed circuit board to a mating contact on another electrical component. The power contact includes a main section; at least one daughter board electrical contact section extending from the main section; and at least one mating connector contact section extending from the main section. The mating connector contact section includes at least three forward projecting beams. A first one of the beams extends outward in a first direction as the first beam extends forward from the main section and has a contact surface facing the first direction. Two second ones of the beams are located on opposite sides of the first beam and extend outward in a second opposite direction as the second beams extend forward from the main section. The second beams have contact surfaces facing the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski
  • Patent number: 7118391
    Abstract: An electrical connector having a leadframe housing, a first electrical contact fixed in the leadframe housing, a second electrical contact fixed adjacent to the first electrical contact in the leadframe housing, and a third electrical contact fixed adjacent to the second electrical contact in the leadframe housing is disclosed. Each of the first and second electrical contacts may be selectively designated, while fixed in the lead frame housing, as either a ground contact or a signal contact such that, in a first designation, the first and second contacts form a differential signal pair, and, in a second designation, the second contact is a single-ended signal conductor. The third electrical contact may be a ground contact having a terminal end that extends beyond terminal ends of the first and second contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Joseph B. Shuey, Gregory A. Hull, Stephen Smith
  • Patent number: 7083432
    Abstract: A retention member aligns and stabilizes one or more insert molded lead assemblies (IMLAs) in an electrical connector. The retention member provides for alignment and stability in the x-, y-, and z-directions. Such a retention member may be in connection with a right angle header connector. The retention member provides stability by maintaining the true positioning of the terminal ends of the contacts. The retention member is expandable in length, and may be sized and shaped to fit a single header assembly or multiple position configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Hull, Stuart C. Stoner, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 7065871
    Abstract: A printed circuit board electrical power contact for connecting a daughter printed circuit board to a mating contact on another electrical component. The power contact includes a main section; at least one daughter board electrical contact section extending from the main section; and at least one mating connector contact section extending from the main section. The mating connector contact section includes at least three forward projecting beams. A first one of the beams extends outward in a first direction as the first beam extends forward from the main section and has a contact surface facing the first direction. Two second ones of the beams are located on opposite sides of the first beam and extend outward in a second opposite direction as the second beams extend forward from the main section. The second beams have contact surfaces facing the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski
  • Patent number: 7052288
    Abstract: A mid-plane is disclosed. The mid-plane includes a first printed circuit board having a plurality of plated vias adapted to receive tails attached to a first connector and having a plurality of unplated clearance holes adapted to receive tails attached to a second connector. The second printed circuit board has a plurality of plated vias adapted to receive tails attached to the second connector and has a plurality of unplated clearance adapted to receive tails attached to the first connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 6994569
    Abstract: An electrical connector according to the invention includes a linear contact array of electrically conductive contacts and a lead frame into which the contacts at least partially extend. The contacts may be selectively designated as either ground or signal contacts such that, in a first designation, the contacts form at least one differential signal pair comprising a pair of signal contacts, and, in a second designation, the contacts form at least one single-ended signal conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: FCI America Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Joseph B. Shuey, Gregory A. Hull, Stephen Smith
  • Patent number: 6840783
    Abstract: A press-fit bus-bar for distributing power along a backplane or a printed circuit board includes a number of flat bus bar conductors fabricated from an electrically conductive material. Each bus bar conductor is separated from adjacent bus bar conductors by layers of an insulating material. A number of electrically conductive press-fit tails protrude from one edge of each bus bar conductor. When the laminated bus bar conductors and insulating material layers are placed in a housing which is then filled with a hardened epoxy resin, the press-fit tails protrude from the surface of that epoxy resin. These protruding tails can be press-fit in a backplane(s) or printed circuit board(s) for the purpose of supplying these backplane(s) or printed circuit board(s) with electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Wolford, James Mills, Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski, John D. Dodds, James R. Volstorf, Wilfred J. Swain, James S. Staron
  • Patent number: 6814590
    Abstract: A printed circuit board electrical power contact for connecting a daughter printed circuit board to a mating contact on another electrical component. The power contact includes a main section; at least one daughter board electrical contact section extending from the main section; and at least one mating connector contact section extending from the main section. The mating connector contact section includes at least three forward projecting beams. A first one of the beams extends outward in a first direction as the first beam extends forward from the main section and has a contact surface facing the first direction. Two second ones of the beams are located on opposite sides of the first beam and extend outward in a second opposite direction as the second beams extend forward from the main section. The second beams have contact surfaces facing the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski
  • Publication number: 20040097112
    Abstract: An electrical connector according to the invention includes a linear contact array of electrically conductive contacts and a lead frame into which the contacts at least partially extend. The contacts may be selectively designated as either ground or signal contacts such that, in a first designation, the contacts form at least one differential signal pair comprising a pair of signal contacts, and, in a second designation, the contacts form at least one single-ended signal conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Joseph B. Shuey, Gregory A. Hull, Stephen Smith
  • Publication number: 20030219999
    Abstract: A printed circuit board electrical power contact for connecting a daughter printed circuit board to a mating contact on another electrical component. The power contact includes a main section; at least one daughter board electrical contact section extending from the main section; and at least one mating connector contact section extending from the main section. The mating connector contact section includes at least three forward projecting beams. A first one of the beams extends outward in a first direction as the first beam extends forward from the main section and has a contact surface facing the first direction. Two second ones of the beams are located on opposite sides of the first beam and extend outward in a second opposite direction as the second beams extend forward from the main section. The second beams have contact surfaces facing the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski
  • Publication number: 20030096520
    Abstract: A press-fit bus-bar for distributing power along a backplane or a printed circuit board comprises a number of flat bus bar conductors fabricated from an electrically conductive material. Each bus bar conductor is separated from adjacent bus bar conductors by layers of an insulating material. A number of electrically conductive press-fit tails protrude from one edge of each bus bar conductor. When the laminated bus bar conductors and insulating material layers are placed in a housing which is then filled with a hardened epoxy resin, the press-fit tails protrude from the surface of that epoxy resin. These protruding tails can be press-fit in a backplane(s) or printed circuit board(s) for the purpose of supplying these backplane(s) or printed circuit board(s) with electric power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Gerald Wolford, James Mills, Steven E. Minich, Christopher J. Kolivoski, John D. Dodds, James R. Volstorf, Wilfred J. Swain, James S. Staron
  • Patent number: 5897388
    Abstract: An assembly and method of assembling a connector is described. The connector assembly includes a housing having a plurality of signal contacts projecting therefrom. A shell is removably connected to the housing, the shell member including a pair of shell tabs for connecting the shell member to the housing member. A flexible circuit is soldered to the plurality of signal contacts of the housing member. The flexible circuit is wrapped against the housing and bent at a portion thereof for insertion into a gap formed between the housing and the shell. A protective material is positioned between the flexible circuit and the shell member, and the connector is secured by bending shell tabs of the shell around the housing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 5647767
    Abstract: A modular jack electrical connector assembly 2 suitable for conditioning the signals in unshielded twisted pair wires for use with network components is disclosed. The modular jack 2 comprises a conventional insulative housing 4 and an insert subassembly 6 including an insert molded front insert member 8 and a rear insert member 10. Contact terminals 12 for mating with a modular plug extend from the front insert member 8 and into the rear insert member 10. The rear insert member 10 also includes signal conditioning components such as common mode choke coils 38, filter circuits 40 and transformers 54 suitable for conditioning the twisted pair signals for used in applications such as for input to and output from IEEE 10 Base-T network components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Peter L. Scheer, Venkat A. Raman, Steven E. Minich
  • Patent number: 5580280
    Abstract: The electrical connector comprises a housing having contact receiving passages with contacts disposed therein. Recesses are disposed along a mounting face of the connector and are defined by walls therealong. The recesses are in communication with the contact receiving passages. A rigid ground bar is disposed along sidewalls of the housing. Chip capacitors are positioned in the recesses to have one electrode electrically connected with the contact and the other electrode to be electrically connected with the ground bar. The chip capacitor provides a low impedance pathway for EMI from the contact to the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, James M. English
  • Patent number: 5562499
    Abstract: A filter adapter (2) uses back to back multiposition plug and receptacle or male and female electrical connectors (4, 6) each of which has terminals (10, 12) mounted in an insulative housing (12, 14). Filter components, such as surface mount capacitors (18), are positioned between terminals (10, 12) and a ground bus (20) located between the two back to back connectors (4, 6). Each terminal has a resilient plate (30) located at its end, and the plates resiliently engage the capacitors to urge them against the ground bus. Each terminal includes insulation displacement slots (32, 34), and wire segments are inserted into these slots to connect corresponding terminals and to secure the capacitors in place. One of these slots (32) is located in the resilient plate (30), and insertion of the wire shortens the resilient beam length of the portion of the plate engaging the capacitor to increase the force on the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignees: Stanley E. Gately, Catherine G. Gately
    Inventor: Steven E. Minich