U-shaped Clamp Patents (Class 439/435)
  • Patent number: 10852038
    Abstract: A bonding jumper clip for electrically and mechanically joining two or more solar panel frames has a jumper portion with a first and second clip portion on opposably disposed on the outer edges of the jumper portion. The clip is made of one piece of metal and the clip portions have teeth that are punched, deformed and bent to form a selected clip geometry with a plurality of inwardly pointing teeth that penetrate through a protected surface of the solar panel frames, such as an anodized aluminum coating in order to electrically connect the frames together when the edges of the frames are inserted therein. A single ground is provided that it then electrically connected through the conductive frames to commonly ground the entire installation. The length of the jumper portion is selected to match the size of the frames being installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventor: Elie Rothschild
  • Patent number: 10587074
    Abstract: An electronic receptacle connector includes a hybrid contact assembly that includes a contact plate that has multiple fingers, a contact positioned at a distal end of each finger and a conductor that runs along each finger and electrically couples each contact to an interconnect region positioned outside of the housing. The fingers are made from a first material and the contacts are made from a second material such that each of the first and the second materials can be independently optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Appple Inc.
    Inventors: Hani Esmaeili, Daniel T. McDonald, Aaron A. Oro, Eric S. Jol
  • Patent number: 10553978
    Abstract: A contacting device for contacting an electrical conductor to an electrical conductor track includes a housing having openings for inserting the conductor and the conductor track into a cavity. A contact clip is in the cavity, and is a single element that includes a first portion having an end to press the conductor onto the conductor track, and a second portion from which a protrusion protrudes. The contact clip is bent in the cavity so that the first portion is under bending stress and the end of the first portion is pressed against the protrusion. The second portion is arranged in the housing such that it and the protrusion are displaced when a force acts on the second portion, as a result of which the end of the first portion is released from abutting the protrusion and is pressed against the conductor to hold the conductor on the conductor track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Anke Juelich, Klaus Dauer
  • Patent number: 9343826
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an electrical contact (1) for a terminal of the “screwless” type which allows connection of electrical conductors (8) both with and without the ends stripped of their insulating sheath (8a) due to the special shape of both their contact wall (9), with the ensuing contact edge (10), and their elastic arm (10) disposed before the contact wall (9) with at least one flexion point (12) and forming an angle (a) comprised between 0° and 90° between the two ends of elastic arm (11), additionally, the aforementioned shape allows extension (a) of the cut made by the contact edges (10), thereby breaking the possible thin insulating film that could appear during the cutting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SIMON, S.A.U.
    Inventor: Maria Cristina Moret Codina
  • Patent number: 9239067
    Abstract: A sway brace attachment for firmly connecting to a beam and other flanged structures, and a method for manufacturing the sway brace attachment. The sway brace attachment includes a main body and an insert that is captured within the main body by a pair of set screws which also engage the flange. Preferably, a third set screw is supported by the main body and engages the opposite side of the flange from the pair of set screws. The main body can be generally rectangular in shape, with a top wall, a pair of side walls extending from the top wall and a pair of bottom walls, which extend inwardly from respective side walls in an overlapping relationship. The sway brace attachment can be used for bracing pipes and other loads, suspended below ceilings and floors, against sway and seismic disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Cooper B-Line, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Heath, Dallas Martin Dworak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9166281
    Abstract: A Lightning connector compatible accessory device includes circuitry that is completely enveloped by a mobile device when the accessory device is inserted in a Lightning connector. The accessory device may include a microUSB connector on one end of a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be offset in a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tyfone, Inc.
    Inventors: Siva G. Narendra, Prabhakar Tadepalli, Saurav Chakraborty
  • Patent number: 8677804
    Abstract: To provide a gas sensor which can stably carry out a securement of an electric continuity between a sensor element and a contact member. A contact member in which an electric connection to a sensor element is obtained by pinching and fixing the sensor element in an inserting port formed by a pair of housing members includes a constraint member which is provided in an outer periphery of a pair of housing members. The constraint member constrains a displacement of a pair of housing members within a predetermined range before the sensor element is pinched and fixed by a pair of housing members, and exists in a state of being pinched between the annular member and a pair of housing member without generating any reaction force with respect to the external force, after the sensor element is pinched and fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Masuda, Hirohito Kiyota, Nobukazu Ikoma
  • Patent number: 8647080
    Abstract: The motor-driven compressor is mounted on a first mounting of a vehicle. The motor-driven compressor includes a compressor body, a second mounting, a first spacer, a flexible conductor and a fastener. The compressor body is electrically powered to draw in fluid for compression and to discharge the compressed fluid. The second mounting is formed on the compressor body and has a mounting hole. The first spacer is made of a resin and interposed between the first mounting and the second mounting. The conductor is formed integrally with the first spacer for electrically connecting the first mounting and the second mounting. The fastener is made of a resin and inserted through the mounting hole of the second mounting for joining the first mounting and the second mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Shinji Tsubai, Ken Suitou, Kosaku Tozawa
  • Patent number: 8167642
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus, in particular a sensor or a control unit, includes at least one component that has at least one contacting device such as a pin or a wire, where the contacting device engages a clamping section of a housing part to produce an electrical connection and has a longitudinal axis, the clamping section being formed as part of a sliding device that is situated in the housing part and is movable transversely to the longitudinal axis of the contacting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Zweigle, Christian Arens
  • Publication number: 20120088395
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a plug-connector for insertion of a multi-wire cable, wherein the wires are attached with the clamping-cutting technique. The plug-in connector exhibits a substrate and a plurality of clamping-cutting devices configured on the substrate and suitable for the insertion of wires. A first subset of the plurality of clamping-cutting devices is located on top of the substrate, while a second subset of the plurality of clamping-cutting devices is located at the bottom of the substrate. The plug-in connector furthermore exhibits wiring flaps suitable for the hinged insertion of the wires into the clamping-cutting devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Feldner, Thomas Fuhrer
  • Patent number: 8113868
    Abstract: An electric device has an electric unit having a receiving region, a power supply unit received by the receiving region of the electric unit in a receiving direction, contact units for making an electrical connection between the power supply unit and said electric unit, unit for counteracting a motion of the contact units, which is movable relative to the electric unit in the receiving direction, relative to the power supply unit located on the receiving region, and within a region intended for the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Glauning, Marcin Rejman, Wolf Matthias
  • Publication number: 20120003850
    Abstract: An electrical insulation displacement connector includes a bare single-wire contact element having a first end defined by opposed blades that define a receipt aperture for an insulated wire, and a second end configured for direct electrical contact at a contact position on a printed circuit board. Retaining structure is defined on the blades. A cap is configured for fitting over the exposed bare blades. The cap includes side walls and end walls with a slot defined in each of he end walls that align with the blade aperture. The side walls are engaged by the retaining structure upon pressing the cap onto the blades. The slots in the end walls of the cap have a width and height such that upon fully pressing the cap onto the blades, the slots engage and longitudinally align the insulated wire into the blade aperture so that the blades pierce and make electrical contact with a core in the insulated wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: AVX CORPORATION
    Inventors: PETER BISHOP, NORMAN HUNTLEY
  • Patent number: 7892017
    Abstract: A biomedical electrode connector for coupling with a biomedical electrode of the type including an electrode base and a male terminal projecting from the electrode base is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP
    Inventors: Peter Meyer, Kathleen Tremblay, Joseph R. Shoum, Frank Cable, Mark Tauer, David Selvitelli, Warren Copp
  • Patent number: 7883355
    Abstract: An electric device has an electric unit having a receiving region, a power supply unit received by the receiving region of the electric unit in a receiving direction, contact units for making an electrical connection between the power supply unit and said electric unit, unit for counteracting a motion of the contact units, which is movable relative to the electric unit in the receiving direction, relative to the power supply unit located on the receiving region, and within a region intended for the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Glauning, Marcin Rejman, Wolf Matthias
  • Publication number: 20110028027
    Abstract: A grounding or bonding assembly comprising a strap or wire having multiple ends, with at least one end electrically connected to a clamp. The clamp includes a clamping means such as a screw and a penetrating means such as a spike. When the clamp is mounted on a structure and pressure is applied by means of the screw, the spike digs into the structure's surface and creates a low impedance electrical connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Schluter
  • Publication number: 20090318012
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus, in particular a sensor or a control unit, includes at least one component that has at least one contacting device such as a pin or a wire, where the contacting device engages a clamping section of a housing part to produce an electrical connection and has a longitudinal axis, the clamping section being formed as part of a sliding device that is situated in the housing part and is movable transversely to the longitudinal axis of the contacting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Peter ZWEIGLE, Christian ARENS
  • Publication number: 20090197455
    Abstract: A device for electrical connection of discontinuous conductors, extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising a body made of insulating material inside which is disposed a conductor element provided with means adapted to come into contact with the conducting part of at least one respective discontinuous conductor, said body having guides for sliding of a respective slider provided with at least one relative seat extending parallel to said longitudinal direction and adapted to contain a portion of the relative discontinuous conductor, said slider being movable from a first position of extraction from the body to a second position of insertion inside said body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Vincenzo Corradi, Mauro Pasquinelli
  • Patent number: 7357661
    Abstract: Provided is a pressure coupling connector which can decrease the number of components for coping with various electric wire diameters, prevent problems due to difference in product kind, and reduce the stock. The pressure coupling connector includes a wire holding block for holding electric wires and a contact block for holding a connection terminal to which the electric wire is coupled with pressure by inserting the wire holding block into the contact block. The connection terminal of the contact block includes a U-shaped blade rising toward an opening surface into which the wire holding block is inserted. The wire holding block includes a wire holding portion in which a holding hole for transmitting the electric wire from the rear side thereof and holding the electric wire is formed and a reception groove for receiving the U-shaped blade of the connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yamamoto, Norimasa Kaji, Hirohisa Tanaka, Hidetoshi Takeyama, Shuji Katou, Mitsuhiro Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 6761576
    Abstract: An insulation displacement contact (IDC) connector (1) includes a housing (10) receiving a plurality of contacts (11), a cover (12) and a locking member (13). The cover has two latches (121) at opposite ends thereof, and the locking member has two arms (131) at opposite ends thereof. The housing has two receptacles (101) at opposite ends thereof. Each receptacle includes an inner wall, two parallel sidewalls (1011) extending from the inner wall, and an outer wall (1012) interconnecting the two sidewalls. Each outer wall has two gaps (1013) respectively adjacent the sidewalls and spanning from a bottom edge thereof to a middle section thereof, for providing the outer wall with better elasticity. The latches and the arms insert into the receptacles with the outer walls elastically deforming, thereby establishing electrical connection between tails of the contacts and a determined section of a flat cable, while not damage the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hui Ye, Ren-Chih Li
  • Patent number: 6340306
    Abstract: A bridge clip for testing electrical connections includes a body and at least one test lead having a first end connected to the body, and a second end having a dimple formed thereon. In a second embodiment, a bridge clip for testing electrical connections includes a body, a test lead connected to the body having a free end, and a latch formed with the body, the latch including a first deflection beam formed on one side of the body and a second deflection beam formed on an opposite side of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Avaya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Bassel H. Daoud
  • Patent number: 5762513
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (1) including a header (2), a housing (3) matable with the header (2), a termination cover (4) retained on the housing (3), and a wiring strain relief (5), with housing (3), cover (4) and strain relief (5) securable as a unit to header (2). Latches (25) include a latch arm (26) on the strain relief (5) extending past the termination cover (4) and engaging and latching to the header (2), and further include overstress stops (30) movable to engage surfaces (31) on the strain relief (5) and resist further pivoting movement of the latch arms (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Jon Davidson Stine
  • Patent number: 5676563
    Abstract: There is disclosed a snow-melting tile wiring unit which includes a main line (10) having two power supply cables (11), a main line connection plug (21) connected to one end of the main line (10), a main line receptacle connected to the other end of the main line (10), a predetermined number of main line branching molded portions (23) spaced on the main line (10) for connection between the main line (10) and branch lines (30) to be connected to snow-melting tiles (A), and branch line connection plugs (41) connected to the front end of the branch lines (30), wherein the branch line connection plugs (41) are connected to branch line receptacles (42) connected to the front end of leads (b) of the snow-melting tiles (A) each including a ceramic heater (B) deposited on the reverse face thereof, thereby electrically connecting the snow-melting tiles (A) to the main line (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Kondo, Masanobu Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 5451167
    Abstract: An improved grounding clip connector for positively grounding an insulated conductor to an appliance panel comprises a base section, a first pair of laterally spaced blade members projecting upwardly from one edge portion of the base section, and a second pair of laterally spaced blade members projecting upwardly from a second opposite edge portion of the base section, the laterally spaced blade members defining vertical passageways between the pairs thereof for retaining the insulated conductor upon the connector. A spring clip member is integrally formed with the base section of the connector and is substantially C-shaped in configuration so as to cooperate with the base section of the connector in grasping the appliance panel therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Zielinski, John G. Drelicharz
  • Patent number: 4813244
    Abstract: Retractable cryogenic leads for superconducting magnets are provided for making low resistance contacts at liquid helium temperature reliably in the presence of heavy frost. A tube defining a bayonet socket on one end extends through a vertical stack cover of a cryostat insert to engage and disengage a vertical terminal rod having a transverse pin. A copper rod is slidable mounted inside the tube and is vertically displaced relative to the tube by a hydraulic actuator having a housing secured on the other end of the tube. A piston is slidably mounted in the housing. After the bayonet socket engages the pin of the vertical terminal rod, the piston when extended from the housing can force the copper rod against the top of the vertical terminal rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven J. Brzozowski
  • Patent number: 4776808
    Abstract: A ground contactor couples to the space between the pipe fitting used in the electrical supply conduit. The contactor consists of a knife-edge contacting surface having a screw thread adjustment located at the surface. The screw thread is a pointed screw thread which is adjustable without removing the contact surface for the space. The contact surface is clamped by a U-shaped clamp and tightened securely in the pipe fitting space. Angular contact surfaces are provided at the points of threaded adjustment between the clamp and the contactor so that forces are created for adjusting the clamp relative to the contact surfaces to permit the device to be used on conduits of different diameters. The contactor thus shaped and configured permits permanent electrical ground contact to be achieved and also permits serviceability of the electrical conductivity of the conduit connection arrangement without the necessity to move or otherwise disturb the ground contactor installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Inventor: Richard J. Davidson