Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed for mounting on a printed circuit board. The connector includes a dielectric housing having a mating portion. A plurality of terminals are mounted in the housing and include tail portions extending therefrom. A conductive shell is mounted on the housing at least about the mating portion thereof. A conductive electrostatic discharge plate is mounted about the tail portions creating a predetermined spark gap between the plate and the tail portions to pass a current when a predetermined voltage exists between the plate and the tail portions. A conductive board lock holds the connector to the printed circuit board and is adapted for connection to a ground circuit on the board. The board lock engages the conductive shell and the conductive electrostatic discharge plate to common the shell and the plate with the ground circuit on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A female portion of an electrical connector that minimizes bending of electrical connector pins that are inserted therein by eliminating all flat surfaces on the face of the connector that meets the inserting pins. The connector has only curved surfaces on the face of the connector that meets the pins. The curved surfaces are created by opening holes in the connector that are wider than required for the pins. The holes are then tapered down to a size that snugly accommodates the pins. At the end of the taper, a hole, or shaft, extends through the connector so that the pins are accommodated snugly. The shaft is clad with conductive material so that the connector makes electrical contact with the pins.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly comprising a frame member and a first electrical connector box secured to the frame member. At least one electrically operated component is also secured to the frame member and is electrically connected to the first box. A plurality of electrical connectors are mounted within the first box. An attachment member is disposed on the frame member for attaching the frame member and the first box to a support structure. A guide member guides the first box into alignment with a complementary second electrical connector box on the support structure for establishing an electrical connection with the electrically operated component. The subject invention accordingly provides a self-aligning and self-docking electrical connector which automatically connects the electrically operated component to the support structure.

Abstract: A socket contact (4) comprises a unitary contact body (12) including a tubular body portion (20) having a wall (22) which defines an interior space (24) and an open end (25) which permits insertion of a lead (11) of a mating contact into the interior space. The unitary contact body further includes a spring finger (30) extending into the interior space for engagement with the lead of the mating contact, and a shield (40) partially covering the open end and arranged to guide the lead into the interior space. The shield (40) prevents stubbing of the spring finger (30) during insertion of the lead (11).

Abstract: A jack base for electrical musical instrument, e.g., electric guitar, improves mounting stability and makes easier the placement of an electric jack therein. The jack base presents a concave surface accepting and guiding the jack into the jack hole without protrusions or interfering surface structures. The jack base mounts to a standard jack base mounting hole, but offers opportunity for mounting of screws at angled orientation with great resistance to loosening thereof.

Abstract: A terminal-protecting-board type connector comprises: a first connector housing into which male terminals are inserted; a terminal protecting board set in the first connector housing; a second connector housing in which female terminals are inserted; and an engaging simple bolt and tightening nut for engaging the first and second connector housings to each other. The terminal protecting board includes a flat plate having terminal supporting holes and extraction holes in correspondence to the terminal accommodating holes of the first connector housing, a pair of locking pieces formed on the rear surface of the flat plate, and a pair of hook pieces formed on the front surface of the flat plate. The first connector housing has a pair of temporary locking ears on the inner surfaces to temporarily lock the terminal protecting board and a pair of locking holes with which the locking pieces of the terminal protecting board are engaged.

Abstract: A machined socket contact comprises a contact section having a cavity therein for receiving a male pin terminal. The contact section comprises slots extending alternately from opposite sides of the contact section and intersecting the cavity. The slots make the contact section supple in the bending direction such that the contact section can be inserted into a curved housing cavity section for receiving complementary curved male pins which are mated to the sockets by relative pivoting motion between the complementary pin and socket. The transverse slots enable the socket contact to be manufactured in a cost-effective manner whilst ensuring that the cavity profile remains relatively undeformed when bent into the curved shape. Plastic bending of a rigid cylinder with a cavity therein, would result in deformation of the cavity cross-sectional profile and would also be very expensive to manufacture.

Abstract: A protective cover is mounted on a connector in which a plurality of terminals are received within a housing. The housing has a hood section having an opening, and electrical contact portions of the terminals are arranged in a predetermined arrangement within the hood section. The protective cover includes a cover body fitted in the opening in the hood section. The protective cover has an arrangement confirming portion for confirming whether or not the electrical contact portions are properly arranged. The arrangement confirming portion is formed so as to correspond to the arrangement of the electrical contact portions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector socket pin alignment guide comprising a plurality of straight walled essentially constant diameter short tubular guide paths, one for each contact pin, positioned adjacent the socket receptacle contacts of the connector.

Abstract: A screw clamp type connector includes a first connector housing into which male terminals fit, a terminal protecting plate which is fitted into the first connector housing, a second connector housing into which female terminals fit and which is equipped with a locknut, and a simple clamp bolt. The terminal protecting plate is provided with a plane section having terminal support holes each corresponding in position to the terminal receiving holes of the first connector housing, and a pair of housing indicators each erected upright on both end sides of the underside of the plane section. An opening is formed in the central part of the plane section so as to receive the bolt holder formed in the central front part of the first connector housing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a connector wafer for interconnecting a vertical receptacle and a printed circuit board and a connector assembly for interconnecting parallel circuit boards. The connector wafer has an insulative block, locating pins providing for an interference fit into the printed circuit board, an attachment fork for receiving a locating pin on the vertical receptacle, passages for receiving terminal tails of the female receptacle, and standoffs providing a space between a side of the connector connector wafer and an opposing mating side of the vertical female receptacle. The connector assembly is an assembly of the connector wafer and the vertical receptacle.

Abstract: In a first housing accommodating a female terminal, there is provided a front wall defining an insert opening into which a male terminal accommodated in a second housing is inserted. The first housing includes a first slope defining the insert opening for guiding the distal end of the male terminal in the second housing toward a fitting part of the female terminal into which the male terminal is fitted and an inside wall for encompassing the female terminal and for defining an escape room around the female terminal. Also, the first housing includes a second slope in the front wall which extends from the open end of the insert opening toward the escape room for guiding the male terminal in the second housing toward the escape room when the male terminal is deformed and does not enter the insert opening.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided with a housing having a first member and a second member, electrical contacts, and retention members. The electrical contacts are fixedly connected to the first member and extend through the second member. The retention members fixedly connect the first and second housing members to each other and, include a mounting section for mounting the housing to a printed circuit board.

Abstract: This invention provides a connector which can readily position distal ends of terminal pins 2. The connector comprises a plurality of terminal pins 2 having ends extending perpendicularly from a connector body 1 and a comb like longitudinal positioning member 3. A comb like lateral positioning member 4 is attached to the longitudinal positioning member 3 in a vertical direction, thereby positioning distal ends of the terminal pins 2. The positioning members 3 and 4 enclose the distal ends of the terminal pins 2 in a grid manner to position the distal ends longitudinally and laterally.

Abstract: A right-angle header (10) includes a main housing (50) and a post locating member (200) securable thereto along a rear face thereof and including an array of post-receiving passageways (222,224,236,238) extending vertically therethrough to a mounting face (30), including post-locating portions at least at the mounting face. Contacts (100,130,140,160) include contact sections (118,120,142) exposed for mating across the mating face, body sections (102,132,144) including a right-angle bend, and post sections (110,110',148) which extend through the apertures of the post locating member (200) and beyond the mounting face for insertion into through-holes of a circuit board (40) upon mounting the header (10) thereto.

Abstract: An electrically insulated connector housing has a cable receiving end and a mating end and a plurality of spaced cavities extending longitudinally therethrough for receiving terminals crimped onto electrical cables which are positioned within the cavities. The connector assembly also includes an alignment overlay overlying the mating end of the connector housing and which is adhesively secured thereto. The overlay has openings therethrough which are arranged in a plurality of predetermined patterns and which are aligned with certain ones of the terminal cavities in the housing. The housing block has projections extending from the mating end at certain locations and the alignment overlay has notches at certain locations for receiving the projections to ensure that the overlay can only be adhesively secured to the housing if properly oriented relative to the housing block.

Abstract: A surface mounting connector having an alignment block that can be used without boring redundant holes on a circuit board is supported by the connector body and has holding grooves for receiving and holding the terminal leads. The connector body and alignment block have locating means and fixtures for locating the alignment block at a given position.

Abstract: The present invention is a socket for removably connecting electrical conductors directly to the bond pads of an integrated circuit chip, and includes a chip holder that locks into the socket for burn-in and other testing and then can be removed and easily handled by automated equipment in the further processing of the chip. The socket has a series of contacts that are guided into electrical engagement with the bond pads through precisely positioned openings in a ceramic plate. The ceramic plate and the chip holder are aligned by a pair of guide pins that project from a housing. A pair of latching members secure the chip holder to the housing during burn-in and testing.

Abstract: A connection system is provided of the type wherein a plug connector must be accurately guided to mate with a receptable connector, which minimizes the space coupled by guiding apparatus and which enables the guiding apparatus to electrically ground portions of the two connectors. The plug connector (12, FIG. 4) includes an insulative body (40) with small holes that hold signal contacts (24), the body also having larger holes (42) that hold guide pins (30) that project rearwardly further than the signal contacts to guide the connectors so they properly mate. The receptable connector (14, FIG. 5) has larger socket contacts (60) with through holes therein, which initially receive rearward guide parts (56) of the guide pins to provide the guiding function, and which then receive greater diameter contacting parts (58) of the guide pins which make good electrical contact with the socket contacts. Each guide pin has a forward contacting end (82, FIG.

Abstract: A pluggable electrical connector is provided having contact elements with first ends soldered to a daughter board, midsections which are crimped and bent through ninety degrees, and second ends which have a converging portion and which terminate in bifurcated conical contact portions which make contact with the rims of contact-quality plated through holes of a mother board. By causing contact between the rim and the cone surface, normal forces greater than the mating force are generated. The connector housing includes self-centering funnel openings adjacent the mother board for centering the converging portions of the contact elements therein in a nominal position and for acting as a preloading stop. The housing also includes side-wall locking tabs which hold adjacent rows of contacts at identical fixing points relative to the ninety-degree bend to ensure identical spring parameters for all contact elements.

Abstract: A float/guide member is provided with contact receiving cavities for receiving the contact members of an electrical connector. The contact receiving cavities are provided with a portion which is oversized with respect to the size of the contact members, thereby allowing the electrical connector to float laterally with respect to the float/guide member by floating or bending of the contact members within the enlarged portions of the contact receiving cavities.

Abstract: A female electrical contact is provided having spaced jaws adapted to receive a mating contact such as a male pin. The spaced jaws are formed so that release forces of different magnitude are necessary to withdraw such male contact from the spaced jaws at the opposed contact ends.