Patents by Inventor Winnie Heyvaert

Winnie Heyvaert 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: 9368916
    Abstract: An electrical connector module including a housing and an array of electrical contacts within the housing. The electrical contacts include a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors. Ground coupling bars are used with at least two contact portions for contacting ground conductors. The connector includes slots enabling insertion of the ground coupling bar in a longitudinal direction of the ground coupling bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: FCI Asia PTE, Ltd.
    Inventors: Winnie Heyvaert, Ludwig Lange, Thierry Goossens, Jeroen De Bruijn
  • Patent number: 9312640
    Abstract: An assembly is disclosed herein, including a connector and a carrier for carrying the connector. The connector includes a plurality of terminals having terminal contacts, a first shield at least partially surrounding at least one first terminal and having a first shield contact and a second shield at least partially surrounding at least one second terminal and having a second shield contact. The carrier includes a plurality of signal conductors, e.g. being a circuit board or a connector body. The carrier also includes a plurality of, advantageously substantially identical, contact sites. The terminal contacts are contacted to a number of the contact sites of the carrier, and the first and second shield contacts are arranged adjacent each other so that they together fit and are contacted to one contact site of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Ludwig Lange, Winnie Heyvaert, Thierry Goossens, Robert Van Den Heuvel
  • Patent number: 9190774
    Abstract: The invention relates to a contact pin having longitudinal surfaces bulged to define opposite contact lines extending in longitudinal direction of the contact pin, wherein in cross section of the contact pin the plane through the two opposite contact lines is offset from the cross sectional center of the contact pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Jeroen De Bruijn, Gert Droesbeke, Winnie Heyvaert, Ludwig Lange, Stefaan Hendrik Jozef Sercu
  • Patent number: 8851926
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a first contact module and a second contact module adjacent the first contact module. Each contact module has a plurality of ground and signal contacts. Each ground contact and signal contact includes a mating portion, a mounting portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the mating portion and the mounting portion. In each contact module, the intermediate portions of the ground contacts are disposed in a first common plane and the intermediate portions of the signal contacts are disposed in a second common plane that is spaced from the first common plane. The first contact modules and the second contact modules are arranged such that two adjacent signal contacts of the first and second contact modules, respectively, define a differential signal pair such that the intermediate portions of the adjacent signal contacts are spaced more closely than the intermediate portions of two adjacent ground contacts of the first and second contact modules, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Ludwig Lange, Paul Potters, Thierry Goossens, Winnie Heyvaert
  • Patent number: 8834204
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided which includes a housing and at least one conductor module. The conductor module comprises at least a first sub-module and a second sub-module attached together to form the conductor module. The conductor module is at least partially received in the housing. The housing and the first sub-module include cooperating positioning structures for positioning the at least one conductor module into the housing such that the position of the second sub-module with respect to the housing is determined by the position of the first sub-module with respect to the housing in at least a first direction (X; Z). A connector assembly is also provided in which at least one contact includes at least one contact beam of which a part is resiliently displaceable substantially parallel to a side wall of the housing from a preload position to a second position for receiving a mating contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Jeroen De Bruijn, Paul Johannes Marinus Potters, Ludwig Lange, Winnie Heyvaert
  • Publication number: 20140127919
    Abstract: An electrical connector module including a housing and an array of electrical contacts within the housing. The electrical contacts include a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors. Ground coupling bars are used with at least two contact portions for contacting ground conductors. The connector includes slots enabling insertion of the ground coupling bar in a longitudinal direction of the ground coupling bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Winnie Heyvaert, Ludwig Lange, Thierry Goossens, Jeroen De Bruijn
  • Publication number: 20140057492
    Abstract: An assembly is disclosed herein, including a connector and a carrier for carrying the connector. The connector includes a plurality of terminals having terminal contacts, a first shield at least partially surrounding at least one first terminal and having a first shield contact and a second shield at least partially surrounding at least one second terminal and having a second shield contact. The carrier includes a plurality of signal conductors, e.g. being a circuit board or a connector body. The carrier also includes a plurality of, advantageously substantially identical, contact sites. The terminal contacts are contacted to a number of the contact sites of the carrier, and the first and second shield contacts are arranged adjacent each other so that they together fit and are contacted to one contact site of the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: FCI
    Inventors: Ludwig Lange, Winnie Heyvaert, Thierry Goossens, Robert Van Den Heuvel
  • Publication number: 20130344743
    Abstract: The invention relates to a contact pin having longitudinal surfaces bulged to define opposite contact lines extending in longitudinal direction of the contact pin, wherein in cross section of the contact pin the plane through the two opposite contact lines is offset from the cross sectional centre of the contact pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Jeroen De Bruijn, Gert Droesbeke, Winnie Heyvaert, Ludwig Lange, Stefaan Hendrik Jozef Sercu
  • Patent number: 8383951
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance. Thus, the via arrangement may be altered to achieve an impedance that matches the impedance of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Danny L. C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan DeGeest
  • Publication number: 20120135643
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a first contact module and a second contact module adjacent the first contact module. Each contact module has a plurality of ground and signal contacts. Each ground contact and signal contact includes a mating portion, a mounting portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the mating portion and the mounting portion. In each contact module, the intermediate portions of the ground contacts are disposed in a first common plane and the intermediate portions of the signal contacts are disposed in a second common plane that is spaced from the first common plane. The first contact modules and the second contact modules are arranged such that two adjacent signal contacts of the first and second contact modules, respectively, define a differential signal pair such that the intermediate portions of the adjacent signal contacts are spaced more closely than the intermediate portions of two adjacent ground contacts of the first and second contact modules, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Ludwig Lange, Paul Potters, Winnie Heyvaert
  • Publication number: 20120129399
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided which includes a housing and at least one conductor module. The conductor module comprises at least a first sub-module and a second sub-module attached together to form the conductor module. The conductor module is at least partially received in the housing. The housing and the first sub-module include cooperating positioning structures for positioning the at least one conductor module into the housing such that the position of the second sub-module with respect to the housing is determined by the position of the first sub-module with respect to the housing in at least a first direction (X; Z). A connector assembly is also provided in which at least one contact includes at least one contact beam of which a part is resiliently displaceable substantially parallel to a side wall of the housing from a preload position to a second position for receiving a mating contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: FCI
    Inventors: Jeroen De Bruijn, Paul Johannes Marinus Potters, Ludwig Lange, Winnie Heyvaert
  • Patent number: 8183466
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance. Thus, the via arrangement may be altered to achieve an impedance that matches the impedance of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Danny L. C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan DeGeest
  • Patent number: 7935896
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance. Thus, the via arrangement may be altered to achieve an impedance that matches the impedance of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Danny L. C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan DeGeest
  • Patent number: 7709747
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance surface-mount technology footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: FCI
    Inventors: Danny L. C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan De Geest
  • Publication number: 20100048043
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance. Thus, the via arrangement may be altered to achieve an impedance that matches the impedance of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: FCI AMERICAS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Danny L.C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan DeGeest
  • Publication number: 20100041275
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance. Thus, the via arrangement may be altered to achieve an impedance that matches the impedance of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny L.C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan DeGeest
  • Publication number: 20100041256
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance. Thus, the via arrangement may be altered to achieve an impedance that matches the impedance of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny L.C. Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan DeGeest
  • Publication number: 20060232301
    Abstract: Disclosed are methodologies for defining matched-impedance surface-mount technology footprints on a substrate such as a printed circuit board, for example, that is adapted to receive an electrical component having an arrangement of terminal leads. Such a footprint may include an arrangement of electrically-conductive pads and an arrangement of electrically-conductive vias. The via arrangement may differ from the pad arrangement. The vias may be arranged to increase routing density, while limiting cross-talk and providing for matched impedance between the component and the substrate. The via arrangement may be altered to achieve a desired routing density on a layer of the board. Increasing the routing density may decrease the number of board layers, which tends to decrease capacitance and thereby increase impedance. Ground vias and signal vias may be arranged with respect to one another in such a manner as to affect impedance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Applicant: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Morlion, Stefaan Sercu, Winnie Heyvaert, Jan De Geest
  • Patent number: 7088926
    Abstract: The invention pertains to an electro-optical connector module comprising a connection part, at least one optical transmitter circuit and/or optical receiver circuit and at least one electro-optical converter for respectively converting electrical signals into optical signals or vice versa. The module further comprises at least two substantially flat and substantially parallel electrically insulating sheets on which the transmitter circuit and/or receiver circuit and the converter are mounted. It is preferred that the connector module according, comprises at least one optical transmitter circuit, at least one optical receiver circuit and at least two electro-optical converters for respectively converting electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa, wherein the optical transmitter circuit and a first converter are mounted on a first sheet and the optical receiver circuit and a second converter are mounted on a second sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Albertus Van Zanten, Winnie Heyvaert
  • Publication number: 20010026388
    Abstract: The invention pertains to an electro-optical connector module comprising a connection part, at least one optical transmitter circuit and/or optical receiver circuit and at least one electro-optical converter for respectively converting electrical signals into optical signals or vice versa. The module further comprises at least two substantially flat and substantially parallel electrically insulating sheets on which the transmitter circuit and/or receiver circuit and the converter are mounted. It is preferred that the connector module according, comprises at least one optical transmitter circuit, at least one optical receiver circuit and at least two electro-optical converters for respectively converting electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa, wherein the optical transmitter circuit and a first converter are mounted on a first sheet and the optical receiver circuit and a second converter are mounted on a second sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: Framatome Connectors International
    Inventors: Albertus Van Zanten, Winnie Heyvaert