Abstract: Self-crosslinkable binder compositions which include a copolymer obtained by reacting a mixture of monomers in the presence of an organic solvent, wherein the monomer mixture includes a carboxylic acid monomer, a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and a crosslinkable acrylamide monomer. Intumescent coatings containing the self-crosslinkable binder, and substrates coated with the intumescent coatings are also disclosed.

Abstract: An intumescent coating composition that includes an epoxy resin binder, an epoxy reactive diluent, a curing agent and an acid catalyst. The curing agent includes a mixture of polyimide, polyetheramine, and an amine functional monomer, wherein the amine multifunctional monomer is different from the polyetheramine. The acid catalyst is effective to form a phosphoric acid on thermal decomposition. The coating composition has a viscosity of between 20,000 and 140,000 mPa/s at 20° C. and shear rate 1.5 s?1 when measured within 1 minute of mixing the components. The invention also includes a coated substrate having the intumescent coating composition coated on at least a portion thereof.

Abstract: Self-crosslinkable binder compositions which include a copolymer obtained by reacting a mixture of monomers in the presence of an organic solvent, wherein the monomer mixture includes a carboxylic acid monomer, a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and a crosslinkable acrylamide monomer. Intumescent coatings containing the self-crosslinkable binder, and substrates coated with the intumescent coatings are also disclosed.

Abstract: Self-crosslinkable binder compositions which include a copolymer obtained by reacting a mixture of monomers in the presence of an organic solvent, wherein the monomer mixture includes a carboxylic acid monomer, a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and a crosslinkable acrylamide monomer. Intumescent coatings containing the self-crosslinkable binder, and substrates coated with the intumescent coatings are also disclosed.

Abstract: An intumescent coating composition comprising an epoxy resin binder, an epoxy reactive diluent, a curing agent and an acid catalyst, wherein the curing agent is comprised of a mixture of polyamide, polyetheramine and an amine functional monomer and wherein the acid catalyst is effective to forma phosphoric acid on thermal decomposition and wherein the coating composition has a viscosity of between 20,000 and 140,000 mPa/s at 20° C. and shear rate 1.5 s?1. The invention also extends to a coated substrate, coated on at least a portion thereof with said intumescent coating composition.

Abstract: Self-crosslinkable binder compositions which include a copolymer obtained by reacting a mixture of monomers in the presence of an organic solvent, wherein the monomer mixture includes a carboxylic acid monomer, a polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and a crosslinkable acrylamide monomer. Intumescent coatings containing the self-crosslinkable binder, and substrates coated with the intumescent coatings are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes an array of conductors held within a housing and a ground tie bar extending across the conductors. The conductors include signal conductors and configurable conductors, the latter being selectively configurable between a ground state and a signal state to define a ground conductor and a signal conductor, respectively. The ground tie bar includes a stem and plural ground fingers extending therefrom. The ground fingers align with associated configurable conductors to engage and electrically connect to the configurable conductors. The ground tie bar is programmable to selectively remove at least one ground finger from the ground tie bar. A respective configurable conductor is in the ground state when engaged by the associated ground finger, and is in the signal state when the associated ground finger is removed from the ground tie bar to increase a number of the signal conductors in the array of conductors.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes an array of conductors held within a housing and a ground tie bar extending across the conductors. The conductors include signal conductors and configurable conductors, the latter being selectively configurable between a ground state and a signal state to define a ground conductor and a signal conductor, respectively. The ground tie bar includes a stem and plural ground fingers extending therefrom. The ground fingers align with associated configurable conductors to engage and electrically connect to the configurable conductors. The ground tie bar is programmable to selectively remove at least one ground finger from the ground tie bar. A respective configurable conductor is in the ground state when engaged by the associated ground finger, and is in the signal state when the associated ground finger is removed from the ground tie bar to increase a number of the signal conductors in the array of conductors.

Abstract: Electrical connector includes a connector housing having a front side configured to mate with a mating connector and a mounting side configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The electrical connector also includes signal and ground conductors that extend through the connector housing between the front and mounting sides. The signal conductors form a plurality of signal pairs. The ground conductors are positioned relative to the signal pairs to form a plurality of ground-signal-signal-ground (GSSG) sub-arrays. Each GSSG sub-array includes a corresponding signal pair and first and second ground conductors that separate the corresponding signal pair from adjacent signal pairs. The electrical connector also includes a plurality of resonance-control bridges in which each resonance-control bridge electrically couples the first and second ground conductors of a corresponding GSSG sub-array. Each of the resonance-control bridges includes at least one of a capacitor or a resistor.

Abstract: A pluggable connector includes a plug body having a cavity and at least one latch and a cable assembly having electrical contacts and at least one cable terminated to corresponding electrical contacts. The cable assembly has a cable support body engaging and surrounding each electrical contact and each cable. The positions of the electrical contacts and cable are fixed relative to the cable support body. A retention clip is separately provided from and removably coupled to the cable support body. The retention clip has at least one retention tab extending therefrom being received in the cavity such that the retention tab engages the corresponding latch of the plug body to retain the cable assembly in the cavity.

Abstract: A pluggable connector includes a plug body having a cavity and at least one latch and a cable assembly having electrical contacts and at least one cable terminated to corresponding electrical contacts. The cable assembly has a cable support body engaging and surrounding each electrical contact and each cable. The positons of the electrical contacts and cable are fixed relative to the cable support body. A retention clip is separately provided from and removably coupled to the cable support body. The retention clip has at least one retention tab extending therefrom being received in the cavity such that the retention tab engages the corresponding latch of the plug body to retain the cable assembly in the cavity.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector (1) for forming a mechanical splice between first and second bare optical fibers (9) stripped of coatings, the connector comprising a connector body that is divided into at least two parts (3, 5) along at least part of a length thereof arranged such that the optical fibers may be clamped between the parts, and the connector body comprises at least two independently openable main clamping sections (23) dimensioned to clamp directly onto the bare fiber of the first and second optical fibers, and the connector body includes at least one additional clamping section (25) dimensioned to clamp onto a coated portion of one of the optical fibers, and the clamping sections are arranged such that the first optical fiber may be clamped by a first of the main clamping sections independently of the second optical fiber, enabling the clamping of the first fiber against rotational and axial movement with respect to the connector body to remain substantially undisturbed by subsequent clamping or unc

Abstract: An optical fibre connector for forming a mechanical splice between first and second bare optical fibres stripped of coatings, the connector comprising a connector body that comprises at least two main clamping sections dimensioned to clamp directly onto the bare fibre of the first and second optical fibres, the main clamping sections arranged such that the first optical fibre may be clamped by a first of the main clamping sections independently of the second optical fibre, enabling the clamping of the first fibre against rotational and axial movement with respect to the connector body to remain substantially undisturbed by subsequent clamping or unclamping of the second fibre.

Abstract: A device for cleaving an optical fibre includes a fixing mechanism to fix a fixing element to the optical fibre, and a cleaving mechanism to cleave the optical fibre. The fixing element may be a ferrule, and the fixing element may be fixed to the fibre such that the fibre extends through the fixing element. The cleaving mechanism cleaves the fibre preferably when the fixing element has been fixed to the fibre. The cleaving device may be a hand-held, and hand-operated, tool. The device may enable the possibility of automatic preset positioning and/or orienting of the cleaved fibre end face (which may be angled to the axis of the fibre) with respect to the fixing element. Attachments may be provided for holding the fibre and fixing element during the cleaving operation and for holding a connector body while the fixing element with the cleaved fibre is inserted into the connector.