Abstract: In a mechanism for driving a plurality of pin contacts of an edge connector of a memory card assembly in a lateral direction from positions adjacent to socket contacts to bring the pin contacts into contact with the socket contacts of a card receiving connector, the mechanism comprises a pin driving plate having a cam hole and pin contact receiving holes and laterally slidably mounted on the card receiving connector. An actuator rod is removably and rotatably mounted in the card receiving connector and is provided with an eccentric pin portion engaging with the cam hole so that the pin driving plate is laterally driven by engagement between the cam hole and the eccentric pin portion when the actuator rod is rotated. Thus, the pin contacts received in the pin contact receiving holes are brought into contact with the socket contacts.

Abstract: A contact carrier (10) for a first electrical device comprises a contact body (11) having a top (12), bottom (14), and four sides (16). A protrusion (18) extends from the top (12). First and second pivot protrusions or depressions (22, 23) are located on opposing sides (20, 21) of the contact body (11), and allow the contact body (11) to rotate about the axis (24) of the contact body (11) when the protrusion (18) is engaged by a second electrical device. At least one electrical contact (26) is disposed on a first side (27) of the contact body (11). A flexible circuit board (28) interconnects the electrical contact(s) (26) with the first electrical device and may act to bias the contact body (11) such that the electrical contacts (26) are concealed until protrusion (18) is engaged.

Abstract: A clasp for a biomedical electrode includes opposed cooperating jaw members. The jaw members can be end portions of a U-shaped leaf spring. A lever is pivotally mounted for engagement with the jaws for forcing the jaws together to grip an electrode placed between them. An opening is provided within the clasp for receiving the stud of a different style electrode and a retaining tab or finger is provided for engagement with the stud to shift the stud to a locked position in the opening when the lever is pivoted toward its operative position.

Abstract: A lockable electrical socket has a pair of grasping jaws which can retain an electrical plug in place. The plug can be released by pushing in the plug and then allowing the plug retaining assembly and the plug to be thrust out under spring pressure. In a second embodiment a key is required to thrust out the plug in order to prevent unauthorized removal of the plug from the socket. A dummy or safety plug can be used in place of an electrical plug to make the lockable socket child-proof.

Abstract: A test socket for temporary connection of a ball grid array integrated circuit device to a test circuit includes an array of contacts each including two cantilever arms biased toward each other and terminating in tips adapted to capture one ball of the device.

Abstract: A connector mechanism for locking together first and second mating connector elements comprises a locking lever geared to rotate a locking rod returned by one of the connector elements. The tip of the locking rod extends into a mating recess in the other of the connector elements. When the rod is rotated, a helical member extending therearound slides along a cooperating arcuate member formed in the recess, locking the two elements together. The actuating rod is rotated by a control lever, enabling one-hand operation of the connector, and providing a readily ascertainable visual indication of the status of the connection. A locking member may be provided for preventing rotation of the lever except when the elements have been correctly assembled to one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an IC card reader/writer into which an IC card can be easily inserted and having connection reliability of contact points thereof.According to the present invention, there is provided an IC card reader/writer including an IC card insertion hole, a part for detecting a thickness of the IC card, and a contact mechanism for contacting contact points with terminals of an inserted IC card, the contact mechanism identifying insertion of the IC card by an output of this detecting part so as to connect the contact points with the IC card. In this way, it is possible to realize a small-sized and thin IC card reader/writer having high reliability at a low cost.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprises a housing having a first groove for receiving a heat seal film therein and a second groove for receiving therein a printed wiring board. A spring contact is supported by the housing for electrically connecting an electrode on the film received in the first groove and an electrode on the substrate received in the second groove. The first groove is preferably formed to have a wider opening at its entrance to permit the heat seal film to be wedged into engagement with the spring contact in the first groove. An actuator is slidably supported in the housing for bringing the spring contact into contact with the electrode on the substrate and for holding the substrate in the housing.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to a test socket for making solderless connections between an electrical component and a printed circuit board. The socket includes a lid member that translates longitudinally with respect to a base member upon operating a cammed actuator. The lid member is connected to and guided upon the base member by a plurality of flexible linking clips. The invention includes a plurality of electrical connectors having a pair of resilient beams that are preloaded. A lead portion is formed from one of the opposed beams and extends unitarily therefrom.

Abstract: A two-piece rotating contact zero insertion force connector is used to interconnect printed circuit boards (daughter boards) to backplanes (mother boards), cables to panels or cables to cables. This is accomplished by rotating one-half of the mating contacts relative to the other half to complete the necessary electrical connection. A number of different rotating contact designs are included which could be utilized to implement the overall concept.

Abstract: A power connector for distributing power to an active edge of a daughter card which is insertable into a channel of the power connector, includes a plurality of terminals electrically connected to a power source. A cylindrical cam shaft within a longitudinal aperture of the connector housing is rotatable upong actuation to deflect cantiliver beam portions of the terminals into the card-receiving channel to engage contact sections of the daughter card along the active edge and power the card. The cantilever beams extend through transverse profiled apertures of the cam shaft into recesses along the channel and are cammed into the channel and against card contacts by being engaged by inwardly facing wall surfaces of the profiled aperture upon actuation.

Abstract: A current collector device intended to be connected to a voltage rail comprising a bottom part (1) with two parallel side walls (2, 3) on whose inner side longitudinally extending ribs (4, 5, 6, 7) are provided, while at least two mutually insulated current conductors (11, 9, 10) are present on the bottom part, this current collector device comprising a housing of synthetic material which is provided with projecting contact members (14, 15) and is shaped so that it can be pressed into the rail, an electrical connection being established between the contact members and the current conductors, while the housing is detachably secured to the side walls of the voltage rail by means of edges (20, 21) cooperating with the ribs (4 and 5) in the rail, the housing accommodating a carriage (13) which carries the contact members and is slidable between a decoupling position, in which the housing can be pressed into the rail, and a coupling position, in which the housing is locked in the rail in the pressed-in state.

Abstract: An electrical connector achieves improvements in connecting a patient plate to an electrosurgical generator. The connector is preferably of the lever operated type, and electrical contacts are connected on the lever and connected within a passageway internally in a housing of the connector. A tongue portion of the patient plate is inserted in the passageway. Upon closure of the lever, the contacts on the lever extend into the passageway above the lower contacts to mechanically contact and retain the tongue portion between the contacts and to electrically contact the tongue portion by which to conduct current to the patient plate. A recess is formed in the lower marginal area of the passageway and a retaining structure on the lever member extends into the passageway to deform the tongue portion into the indention.

Abstract: A chip carrier connector for mounting to a printed circuit board is disclosed. The connector includes a housing for supporting the chip carrier and a cover moveably supported thereover for retentively accommodating the chip carrier in the connector. The contacts of the connector are preformed to have a deflection bias to retentatively engage the leads of the chip carrier upon cam actuation of the contacts.