Deformable C- Or U-clamp Patents (Class 439/761)
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Patent number: 5839907Abstract: An I/O card (10) comprises a frame (12) sandwiched between a top cover (16) and a bottom cover (18) whereby an internal PC board (14) can be protectively embedded within a space defined between the top cover (16) and the bottom cover (18), and seated on the frame with two connectors (25, 29) positioned at two opposite ends for connection to other complementary connectors. Each cover (16, 18) includes coupling devices or hook sections (32) on its periphery for latchable attachment to the peripheral surfaces of the I/O card (10).Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1997Date of Patent: November 24, 1998Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.Inventor: Cheng Wang Kuo
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Patent number: 5841638Abstract: A stacked memory module having alternating layers of printed circuit boards and spacers. Connections between a given circuit board surface and an adjacent (facing) stacked printed circuit board surface, are made using at least one conductive pad incorporated into the electrical circuitry printed on and within the perimeter of each of the adjacent pair of board surfaces; together with means for interconnecting these conductive pads. The spacers can, for example, take the form of standoffs, spacer boards provided with clearance cutouts for components on the printed circuit boards, etc. The printed circuit boards and spacers are then aligned and fastened together using, for example, one or more alignment rods. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastened assembly is placed in a hollow memory module housing (e.g., a metal cylinder) to complete the fabrication of the memory module.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 1996Date of Patent: November 24, 1998Assignee: L3 CommunicationsInventors: Gregory W. Purdom, Endre M. Berecz
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Patent number: 5836774Abstract: An adapter (10) includes a pair of male/female connectors (12, 14) solderably positioned on two ends of a PC board (16). A pair of identical metal shells (20) are adapted to be engaged with each other with their grounding tangs (38) extending at two ends thereof, respectively, for conductive engagement with the metal shieldings (60, 80) of such pair of connectors (12, 14). The metal shells (20) also defines a space for protectively enclosing the PC board (16) therein. A pair of identical plastic covers (40) are fixedly aligned and attached to each other commonly enclosing such pair of metal shells (20) therein. The metal shells (20) are restrained between the pair of connectors (12, 14), and fixedly aligned with the corresponding covers (40), respectively. The connectors (12, 14) are aligned with and confinably received within the covers (40). Two interconnection ports of such pair of connectors (12, 14) are respectively exposed to the exterior at opposite ends of the adapters (10).Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1996Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Haw-Chan Tan, Gordon Lok, Joel J. Yeh, Sung Liu Hsu
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Patent number: 5833473Abstract: An IC card is provided, of the type that has a cardbus shield (30) with a shield plate (132) mounted on the top of a front connector (12) and with shield tails (36) extending rearwardly and downwardly to secondary ground traces (50) on a circuit board (34), wherein the IC card includes a dielectric cardbus bridge with a crosspiece (100). The crosspiece supports the middle (104) of the front end (102) of the sheet metal top cover so it is held securely out of contact with the cardbus shield but lies above at least portions of the contact tails (130) that extend from the rear of the front connector to signal traces on the circuit board. The crosspiece is supported to lie over the circuit board closely behind the rear end (136) of the shield plate, with the crosspiece having a top cover support surface (112) on which the front end of the cover middle lies.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1997Date of Patent: November 10, 1998Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Jay Brian Betker, Anthony John Knights
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Patent number: 5823797Abstract: A connector-combined unit case comprises a unit case portion for containing electric components; a connector portion for connecting the unit case to a mating connector, said unit case portion and said connector portion each being sealable against external air; a connection portion integrally connecting said unit case portion and said connector portion; and conductors embedded in layers in said connection portion, each extending to connect said unit case portion with said connector portion. This unit case does not require an apt-to-fail, costly and complex slide core-equipped mold, is free from troubles such as a short-circuit, corrosion of internal components and the like, enables easy coupling and decoupling of a mating connector, and does not require the mating connector to be changed in shape.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 1997Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventor: Norio Sugiyama
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Patent number: 5823796Abstract: The rear of a thin IC card is provided with a jack (42A, 42B, FIG. 4) that can receive a multi-contact audio type plug (40) having a diameter that is more than half the thickness of the card. The circuit board has a slot (60) that opens into the rear of the card. A U-shaped insulative block (80) is mounted on the card, with the opposite arms of the block lying at opposite sides of the board slot. Sheet metal contacts are mounted on the block and project into the slot in the circuit board, with each contact having a vertically-extending plug-engaging part (120) lying in the circuit board slot. The IC card includes a housing with a rear end cap (140) having a largely cylindrical passage (142A, 142B) that guides an audio-type plug into the slot in the circuit board to engage the contacts thereat. The end cap is constructed to form a rearward extension of the card that projects rearward of a card-receiving host slot, to enable a wide plug handle to be inserted against the rear of the end cap.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1996Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Gary Cain Bethurum
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Patent number: 5823795Abstract: An assembly of two printed circuit boards (PCBs) mounted either perpendicular to or parallel to each other within a housing, each PCB bearing one or more low-profile high-density board-to-board commodity connectors providing equal numbers of electrical contacts. These commodity connectors mate to connectors permanently mounted on the daughterboard and backplane/sideplane. The assembly housing provides for semi-permanent attachment of the assembly to either the daughterboard or to the backplane/sideplane, as desired for a particular application. The housing may be made of conductive material in contact with earth ground to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Electrical continuity between the PCBs within the assembly is provided by signal conductors of specified electrical impedance and propagation delay.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1996Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventor: Richard A. Schumacher
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Patent number: 5816859Abstract: A system for customizing computers to mate with an array of wire or cable terminus connectors includes a detachable wire or cable terminus connector mounting assembly. The wire terminus connector mounting assembly includes a cover plate and an interfacing circuit board. The cover plate may be customized to present an array of selected computer-based connectors which are electrically connected to the computer by the interfacing circuit board which includes a standard connection array at a predetermined location.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 1996Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Texas Microsystems, Inc.Inventors: Israel Dubin, Robert Vu
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Patent number: 5816829Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting multiconductor cable includes a dielectric terminal seat and a plurality of male terminals. The male terminals are arranged in intersecting rows, and have contact pin portions and leg portions which project from two sides of the dielectric terminal seat, respectively. A printed circuit board is formed with a plurality of conducting indentations in its peripheral end, a plurality of conducting slots when are surrounded by the conducting indentations for making electrical connection with respective ones of the leg portions when the leg portions are inserted therein, and conducting lines for electrically interconnecting the conducting slots and the conducting indentations. Thus, each indentation facilitates locating and making a soldered electrical connection with a respective one of the wire conductors of the cable.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 1997Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Ulan Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kan-Chun Chiang
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Patent number: 5814765Abstract: A waterproof housing with a plug-and-socket connection for protecting electronic circuits includes a hard plastic upper part and a hard plastic lower part. A soft plastic extruded seal is disposed between the upper part and the lower part. A plug part is constructed in one piece with the upper or lower part. The plug part has a hard plastic inner part containing contact pins and a soft plastic sealing collar surrounding the inner part.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Peter Bauer, Josef Dirmeyer, Christian Plankl, Rony Van Houdenhove
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Patent number: 5807140Abstract: A novel coupler for coupling electrical signals from a multiplicity of electrical connector interfaces to another group of electrical connector interfaces. The coupler advantageously utilizes a flexible printed circuit board of a mylar construction to pass the electrical signals and consequently is inexpensive to manufacture while exhibiting increased reliability. The coupler includes a common ground plane to provide a uniform reference to ground for electrical devices connected to the coupler.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1996Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: Metrovideo, Inc.Inventor: T. Eric Hopkins
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Patent number: 5800218Abstract: The present invention provides a unitary, compact telecommunications interface adapter system. The adapter system comprises a bifurcated housing structure enclosing a modular connector and associated category 5 compliant elements. The housing structure has a plug end constructed and arranged for connection to a 110-type telecommunications interface. The associated elements of the adapter are an internal printed circuit board interface between the modular connector and a plurality of longitudinally spring loaded contacts which extend beyond the front perimeter edge of the printed circuit board through channels so that they are exposed for contact outside the housing structure at the plug end. The telecommunications interface adapter system additionally comprises a support structure which has top and bottom spacially parallel extension members integrally formed with the housing structure at the plug end and disposed respectively above and below the longitudinally spring loaded contacts.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1997Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: The Siemon CompanyInventor: Richard T. Abucewicz
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Patent number: 5797771Abstract: An electrical connector particularly adapted for use in a PCMCIA standard connector designed for increased performance, ease of manufacturing, and allowing the connector casing to contain a printed circuit board having larger components is presented. A grounding shield with a hallowed-out area is implemented in the connector casing to create more room for a PC board given the same amount of vertical clearance allowing componentry to be larger than would otherwise be possible. Further, the grounding shield has a soldering cup to allow better adhesion of the solder to the plated grounding shield and to allow the connector to be more easily manufactured. The buttons used to disengage the connector from its receptacle are extended outward from the connection to provide easier accessibility in limited space circumstances. Additionally, the casing and buttons have opposing angles in order to provide more convenient and sure grasping by the user.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 1996Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: U.S. Robotics Mobile Communication Corp.Inventor: R. Troy Garside
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Patent number: 5791916Abstract: An enclosed input/output module comprising an enclosure (1), at least one printed circuit board (2) arranged along one of the interior surfaces of the enclosure, a cover (3) having an essentially U-shaped receiving channel (4) including a pair of hollow legs, and a process connector (5) that fits within the receiving channel of the cover, wherein the module comprises a second printed circuit board such that the two printed circuit boards fit into the legs of the cover to frame the receiving channel on both sides and both printed circuit boards are free of mounted components, apart from light-emitting diodes, in the portions that frame the receiving channel. The module may additionally include light-emitting diodes (6) on the circuit boards (2), optical waveguides (7), latching elements and recesses (25, 26) for retaining the process connector (5) with respect to the cover (3) in a preliminary position, and/or threaded means (17, 18) for fully joining the process connector (5) to the cover (3).Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 1996Date of Patent: August 11, 1998Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Reinhard Schirbl, Werner Meiler, Guenther Deinhardt
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Patent number: 5788514Abstract: A method and device for connecting an electrical component having a lead wire to a printed circuit board or other component in an electrical device includes supporting element for the electrical component having a press fit or frictional device to hold the lead wire in a fixed position, and an intermediate device having a hole for holding an electrically conductive elastomeric connector in a fixed position. The printed circuit board is assembled adjacent one side of the intermediate device and the supporting element is assembled on the other side of the intermediate device so that the connector is pressed into contact with the printed circuit board and the lead wire.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1996Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Ericsson Inc.Inventor: John Joseph Hayes, Jr.
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Patent number: 5788521Abstract: A modular surge protection system is provided having interchangeable power supply and surge protection modules connectable to a power distribution module the power distribution module provides surge protection for the power supply modules while independent surge protection is provided in the surge protection modules.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Inventor: Henry Milan
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Patent number: 5785535Abstract: A computer system having a capability to permit replacing a surface mount component. The component is biased with a spring toward an area array site on a substrate mounted in the computer system enclosure, along with a power supply, a bus system, and connectors for communicating with units external to the enclosure. The component and spring are positioned within a base adjacent the area array site and mechanically held down with a coupler. An interconnect structure for use therewith is provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: William Louis Brodsky, Benson Chan, Glenn Edward Myrto, John Henry Sherman
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Patent number: 5780365Abstract: A PC card frame kit includes an insulating frame holder (4, 5) for supporting a board assembly; a pair of metal panels (10, 11) able to be joined together for completely covering upper and lower sides of the board assembly; engaging members (12A, 13A, 10A; 14A, 15A, 16A) for preventing separation of the metal panels; and resilient members (6E, 8E) for biasing the metal panels in opposite directions to minimize play of the metal panels.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1996Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Daisuke Nogami
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Patent number: 5777849Abstract: A power semiconductor module is specified. It comprises a housing into which any desired power semiconductor circuit is installed. The power semiconductor circuit has at least two connections, which are passed out of the housing. According to the invention, the connections have the form of an elongate plug contact. An insulating plate may additionally be provided between the adjacent plug contacts. Reliable, yet easily releasable, low-inductance electrical contact is achieved by this form of the connections.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 1996Date of Patent: July 7, 1998Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AGInventors: Reinhold Bayerer, Gerald Hilpert, Rolf Schifferli
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Patent number: 5774342Abstract: Thin circuit pathways of an electronic circuit are integral with thick terminal pins. The thin and thick portions are stamped, formed and chemically etched from a single sheet of copper or copper alloys, and mounted on a substrate to eliminate the need of a separate header. Components are soldered to the thin pathways in the conventional manner and a housing is molded to the circuit or a preformed housing is attached to the circuit. In another embodiment, a filtered header which contains thin circuit pathways integral with thick terminal pins is formed in the same manner and includes filtering components.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1996Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Delco Electronics CorporationInventors: Scott David Brandenburg, Jeffery Ralph Daanen
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Patent number: 5766027Abstract: An electrical cable assembly 1 comprising: a housing 2, electrical contacts 3 in the housing 2 connected to a circuit board 4, multiple conductors 5 of an electrical cable 6 connected to the circuit board 4, signal conditioning circuitry 7 on the circuit board 4, the circuitry 7 being interposed between the electrical contacts 3 and the conductors 5, and an insulating holder 8 mounted on the circuit board 4, the contacts 3 extending on the holder 8, and the holder 8 being mounted in a cavity in the housing 2.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1996Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventor: Michael W. Fogg
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Plug-in card for electronic data processing equipment and a process for its manufacture and assembly
Patent number: 5768110Abstract: A plug-in card (10) for electronic data processing equipment in approximately longitudinal, rectangular, flat form has a housing (11), at lent one printed circuit board (16) and at least one edge connector (17, 18) at one transverse side. Such a plug-in card is manufactured without impairing the mechanical stability, in a simpler and more cost-effective manner with a reduced number of components and at the same time has adequate electromagnetic shielding.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1996Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: ITT Cannon GmbHInventors: Juergen Frommer, Manfred Illg, Roland Etzkorn, Michael Duane Baginy -
Patent number: 5766026Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a first sealing subassembly having a shielded, fluid impermeable board (48) with a stake pin (44) for fastening the board to a housing (34). Electrical components (16) are fastened to the board, and include pedestals (51) which are in sealing engagement with respective seals (52). The seals provide sealing and spring biasing forces to the components (16), as respective top edges thereof are pressingly engaged by a hydraulic valve apparatus. Thus a fluid seal barrier is created for preventing the passage of fluid to the interior of the electrical connector assembly.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 1995Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventors: Ralph Melvin Cooper, Donald Gray Stillie
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Patent number: 5762509Abstract: A stabilizer casing for a fluorescent light fixture includes an open lower case, a printed circuit board mounted in the open lower case, a connector connected to a portion of the printed circuit board and having connection terminals, and a cap connected to the open lower case so that the connection terminals of the connector are exposed externally at one end of the cap. The stabilizer can be easily automated and cost reduction can be accomplished accordingly due to the simplified production steps.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.Inventor: Bog Youn Kang
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Patent number: 5761047Abstract: An electrical assembly having a first member and a second member which form a housing for a circuit board. At least one rib extends from an inner face of the first member. The connector assembly also includes an electrical connector disposed in the housing having at least one contact arm contacting the circuit board. The rib contacts the connector and urges the connector against the circuit board. With this invention there is no need to heat stake or otherwise secure the connector to the board.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.Inventors: Steven Settles, Jennifer Wever
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Patent number: 5759067Abstract: A shielded connector assembly includes a first printed circuit board having an inner face directed toward an interior of the assembly and an outer face directed toward an exterior of the assembly. The first printed circuit board has a plurality of media filters formed on at least one face thereof. A plurality of optional light emitting diodes are mounted to the inner face of the first printed circuit board, and a plurality of terminal inserts are mounted to the inner face of the first printed circuit board. A housing member is provided for receiving the first printed circuit board having the described components mounted thereon.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Inventor: Peter L. Scheer
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Patent number: 5752840Abstract: A terminator includes a housing with a standard dimension in either lengthwise or lateral direction for receiving a plurality of contacts therein. A PC board, which is substantially much larger than the housing in the lateral direction, is attached to the housing wherein the contacts extend through the corresponding holes in the PC board. A protective cover is positioned above the PC board for hermetically shielding the inside PC board wherein such cover can be attached to the PC board through the injection molding process, or can be fastened to the high walls which integrally extend from the housing for surrounding the PC board therein.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1996Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kun-Tsan Wu, Peter Kuo
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Patent number: 5749754Abstract: A radiotelephone includes front and back housings, a printed circuit board disposed between the housings, and a battery having a pair of terminals secured to the back housing. A pair of fasteners secure the front and back housings together while sandwiching the printed circuit board therebetween and at the same time, provide an electrical connection between the battery terminals and conductive strips formed on the printed circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1996Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Ericsson, Inc.Inventors: Gregory S. Patterson, Darrell G. Epperson
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Patent number: 5748449Abstract: An electrical enclosure for a circuit board includes a top part and a bottom part. Substantially rigid compression fingers extend downwardly from a top wall of the top part and are disposed inwardly from a top side wall of the top part. One or more shield springs extend upwardly from a bottom wall of the bottom part and are disposed inwardly from a bottom side wall of the bottom part. The top part and the bottom part are attachable and detachable such that the top and bottom shells define a chamber, the compression fingers and the shield springs contacting top and bottom surfaces of the circuit board, respectively, to thereby suspend the circuit board in the chamber. A coaxial cable grounding arrangement and an electrical connector shielding arrangement are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 1995Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Sierra Wireless, Inc.Inventor: Mohammed Tahmassebpur
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Patent number: 5743750Abstract: An electrical connector utilizing a circuit board assembly for providing straight-through electrical interconnection of data line pairs between two jacks, and for providing breakout terminals. The layout of the electrical connector is such that common mode rejection is improved and cross-talk between data line pairs is minimized. The electrical connector has a circuit board with conductors located on both the bottom and top surfaces of the circuit board. The conductors are serially coupled to test pads to form a straight-through connection between pin openings located at opposite ends of the circuit board. The test pads are located so that the pads representing data line pairs are adjacent one another. Location of the test pads allows the conductors representing data line pairs to be located in a close parallel relationship for at least part of the way along the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1996Date of Patent: April 28, 1998Assignee: Test-Um, Inc.Inventors: Robert W. Sullivan, Lee A. Watkins
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Patent number: 5741142Abstract: A field bus connection module for coupling a local bus conductor to an associated field bus system includes a housing formed from functionally different, alignable terminal blocks, and spacing elements. The terminal blocks comprise a feed block and a grounded conductor block. Removably connected with the housing is at least one functional printed circuit board. Removal of the functional printed circuit board necessarily interrupts a separable connection between the local bus conductor and the field bus, although the field bus continues to be connected to the functional printed circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1995Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Weidmuller Interface GmbH & Co.Inventors: Dietmar Dux, Walter Hanning, Uwe Fiene, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes, Christian Hamann, Eckhard Beins, Christoph Zebermann, Hans-Georg Glathe, Martin Herms, Matthiass Liesenjohann, Stefan Steinkamper, Bernhard Schuster, Gerhard Eggert
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Patent number: 5729438Abstract: A pad array carrier module for packaging discrete electronic components is provided. A circuit substrate (8) contains component mounting pad pairs (20), each consisting of a power pad (22) and a ground pad (21), on a first side (10). Component mounting pads are electrically connected by circuit traces (23), through conductive vias (14), to terminal solder pads (16) on the second side (12) of the circuit substrate. Some of the ground pads are connected to a common ground solder pad (17). Likewise, some of the power pads are connected to a common supply voltage solder pad (19). Solder spheres (18) are attached to the solder pads. Discrete electronic components (24) are conductively coupled (26) to the component-mounting pad pairs.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1996Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Kevin J. Pieper, Mitra E. Geeban, Richard J. Kolcz
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Patent number: 5720621Abstract: An electrical device (40) has a contact (58) for electrically interconnecting with a second device. The contact (58) is disposed on a rib (60) extending downward from the top of an upper housing (42) of the electrical device. The contact (58) has a cantilevered arm extending from a downward portion (68), and terminates in a contact head (78) which extend upwards through an opening (56). The downward portion (68) of the contact (58) has a contact point (72) for contacting an exposed conductor (50) deflectably mounted on a printed circuit board (46), which is disposed in a lower housing (44). When the upper and lower housings (42) and (44) are assembled together, the contact point (72) is pressed against the exposed conductor (50), deflecting it, and forming a gas tight solderless electrical connection.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1995Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Michael M. Austin, Grant H. Lloyd, Due Huynh
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Patent number: 5718593Abstract: Disclosed is a voltage and current protector device designed for insertion in connecting blocks. The current and voltage protection elements of the protector are mounted on a printed circuit board which has a conductive pattern on both major surfaces such that the elements can be mounted on either surface and the lead portion of the circuit board of the protector device can be inserted into the top or bottom surface slot of a connecting block depending upon which surface the elements are mounted.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1995Date of Patent: February 17, 1998Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Antonio Albino Figueiredo, Adam Stuart Kane
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Patent number: 5717533Abstract: A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture. The transceiver module has a main housing which consists of a potting box with potting material inserted therein. In addition, a circuit board is encased by the potting material. The circuit board has an optical subassembly mounted thereon. The optical subassembly extends outside of the potting box through a recess. Correspondingly, a recess cover is provided for forming a liquid tight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 1995Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: Methode Electronics Inc.Inventors: Daniel S. Poplawski, James W. McGinley
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Patent number: 5716243Abstract: An automotive battery connection assembly comprises terminals for automated connection to battery posts, and a housing with plus and minus pole circuitry mounted therein. The terminal comprises a contact section and a rotatable spring element that has tabs that cam against the periphery of the contact section. Rotation of the spring element thus clamps the battery post between the spring element and the contact section. The latter design enables robotic assembly of the battery terminals to battery posts, for example by means of a tool having pins that engage in slots of the spring element. Within the housing, a linear actuation motor drives a bridge element between tabs of the plus and minus pole circuits respectively for short circuiting the battery in the occurrence of an accident. The short circuiting blows the high current fuse thereby disconnecting power supply to most devices of the automobile. The latter is to prevent occurrence of electrical fires.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 1996Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventor: Fritz Josef Alois Kourimsky
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Patent number: 5716241Abstract: The invention relates to I/O devices for a data bus, which are configured as series terminals having an I/O electronic means installed therein (so-called bus terminals). The terminals are locatable on commercially available support rails and form there a terminal bus. Incorporated in the bus terminals are, power supply lines. A power supply electrically communicates with the power supply lines, the lines being automatically contacted or slipped therethrough upon location on the support rail.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1995Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbHInventors: Lothar Roland Hennemann, Ralf Coors
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Patent number: 5707257Abstract: A battery connection comprises a battery post protruding from a battery and a battery cable terminal for clamping connection with the battery post. The battery post is an elliptical cylinder projecting perpendicularly from the surface of the battery, and the battery cable terminal has a mating elliptical clamping ring. When the clamping ring is fitted over the post and tightened therearound, the elliptical shapes of the post and terminal substantially prevent twisting of the terminal relative to the post and so inhibit loosening of the terminal. The smoothly curved, cornerless elliptical shape of the post allows the ring to slide around the perimeter of the post as the ring is tightened so that the normal contact force between the ring and the post is substantially constant around the perimeter thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 1997Date of Patent: January 13, 1998Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventors: Nobuhiko Kotajima, Takeshi Takahashi
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Patent number: 5697796Abstract: A contact sleeve is inserted in a recess (6) in a support part (2) of a measurement movement, such as a moving magnet measurement instrument, to provide connection in electrically conductive manner to the measurement movement. For this purpose, a contact screw (12) can be screwed into the recess, a circuit board (11) being pressed by it against an end mouth region of the recess (6). A conductive-track region (17) of the circuit board (11) can in this connection be connected in electrically conductive manner to the contact sleeve (7). The contact sleeve (7) on its end facing the circuit board (11), has an approximately radially outwardly extending flange-like widening which extends into the end mouth region of the recess (6) between support part (2) and the circuit board (11) which can be pressed thereon.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1996Date of Patent: December 16, 1997Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AGInventors: Haiderali Harji, Franz Gutmann, Werner Eckhardt
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Patent number: 5695361Abstract: A communications outlet comprises a face-plate and a connection assembly module. The assembly module comprises an outlet connector and a cable connector mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). Different outlet connectors and PCBs can be provided whilst the design of the cable connector remains unchanged. The positioning of the outlet connector and cable connector directly on the PCB which is substantially parallel to the outer wall of the face-plate provides a low profile communications outlet. Stuffer members provide rapid tool-less connection of cable conductors to insulation displacement contacts of the cable connector. An advantageous feature is the provision of secondary locking extensions on the face-plate that engage behind the resilient latches of the connection assembly module for mounting of the module to a wall plate. The secondary locking extensions ensure secure retention of the connection assembly to the wall plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1996Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventor: Davide Elisei
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Patent number: 5689401Abstract: A storage apparatus such as a magnetic disk drive or an optical disk drive having dual I/O ports is disclosed. The storage apparatus has a connector mounting structure which reduces the number of parts and produces a cost savings. When used in a disk drive, the storage apparatus incudes a disk enclosure, a printed circuit board arranged on the bottom surface of the disk enclosure, and connectors mounted on the printed circuit board. One end of the printed circuit board is extended to project from the disk enclosure and the connectors are mounted on the surface of the projecting portion of the printed circuit board so that the connecting direction of the connectors orthogonally crosses the plane of the printed circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1995Date of Patent: November 18, 1997Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Kazunori Shikano
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Patent number: 5685742Abstract: A panel mounted angled modular jack assembly allows a mating modular plug to be inserted at an angle to the panel while permitting the jack contact assembly to be inserted perpendicular to the panel. A printed circuit board terminating ends of the contacts is mounted parallel to the panel allowing conductors to be terminated on an insulation displacement strip located on the board terminal in a direction perpendicular to the board and the jack mounting panel.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 1995Date of Patent: November 11, 1997Assignee: Molex IncorporatedInventor: Howard Reynolds
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Patent number: 5679007Abstract: A portable interface for one or more electronic smart cards (74, 76), the interface being pluggable in a card reader, and comprising a module (80) that is designed to be received in the card reader and having at one end pluggable means (16) for making electrical connection with the card reader, an endpiece (18, 46, 78) secured to the other end of the module (10, 80) and including a slot (24, 48, 50) for insertion of the smart card, a housing (82, 84) designed to receive at least a portion of the smart card and passing through at least a portion of said endpiece, said housing guide and positioning means (101, 103, 102, 104) for the smart card, and electrical connection means (86, 96) for making electrical connection with the electrical contact tabs of the smart card.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1995Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: Schlumberger Industries, S.A.Inventors: Jean Marc Potdevin, Andrew Morgan, Bruno Bizet
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Patent number: 5679008Abstract: An electrical connector 1 comprises a mediate circuit board assembly 4, a housing 2, and a plurality of contacts 3. The mediate circuit board assembly 4 has a plurality of signal paths, to which signal cables 5 are connected, and the housing 2 houses this mediate circuit board assembly 4. The contacts 3 are retained in the housing 2 and connected to the signal paths of the mediate circuit board assembly 4, which is housed in the housing 2. Two double-sided circuit boards, each having at least the signal paths formed on the front face and a grounding path formed on the rear face, constitute the mediate circuit board assembly 4 when these two double-sided circuit boards are abutted with each other, connecting the grounding paths of their rear faces.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1995Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: Kel CorporationInventors: Hisafumi Takahashi, Kouichi Uchiyama
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Patent number: 5673181Abstract: An IC card assembly includes an upper housing, a circuit board, a pair of mounting frames, a lower housing and a ground element. The upper housing has both sides extending inwardly to form retain portions; the mounting frames are injection molded integrally with the lower housing; the lower housing has upwardly extending side walls at both lateral sides for closing the mounting frames, and either side wall is provided with a groove for receiving the retain portion of the upper housing. The upper housing and the lower housing may be easily and speedily coupled together without any need for welding or rivets. Besides, the surfaces of the IC card is even and uniform and will not scratch the IC card mounting slot or the user's hand.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1996Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Inventor: Fu-Yu Hsu
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Patent number: 5668698Abstract: A smart connector for an electrical device comprising: a circuit board including a flat surface for receiving at least one surface-mounted circuit component, a plurality of extending male blades formed in a first end of the circuit board, a plurality of female receptacles formed at a second end of the circuit board opposite the first end, wherein (i) an exterior of each of the extending male blades, (ii) an interior of each of the female receptacles and (iii) a select portion of the flat surface all include electrically conductive circuit traces; and a connector housing having a first end with a plurality of female terminal receptacles for terminating a wiring harness, a body portion for housing the circuit board and a second end, wherein the male blades are each received in a separate one of the plurality of female terminal receptacles and wherein the plurality of female receptacles are located at the second end of the housing for receiving a set of extending male terminals of an electrical device.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1996Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Andrew Joseph Jozwiak, Melodee Ann Chapin
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Patent number: 5667390Abstract: An I/O card and associated cable harness assembly (20) comprises an I/O card section (22) and a cable harness section (60) wherein the cable harness section (60) substantially structurally extends out of the I/O card section (22). The distal end of the cable harness section (60) is connected to an outside environment device (100). The cable harness section (60) has an engagement section (72) adapted to be latchably engaged within a cavity (32) in the I/O card section (22). There are a plurality of independent respective wires (64) extending within and along the cable harness section (60), and the front end of each wire (64) is appropriately solderably mounted to the corresponding pad on the internal PC board (26) in the I/O card section (22). The cable harness section (60) is substantially pre-assembled to the I/O card section (22) before the I/O card section (22) itself has been completely assembled.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1995Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.Inventor: Leon Keng
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Patent number: 5664950Abstract: Nestable software license authentication keys connect end-to-end on a circuit board to form an authentication key assembly for internal computer installation or for use as an external assembly connecting to a host system. The circuit board includes at least one plastic housing for one or more authentication keys which define a male connector at one end and a female connector at the opposite end, which connect to a female phone jack(s) electrically connected to the circuit board and attached to the end of a compression spring mounted within each housing. The spring(s) compresses as additional keys are connected end-to-end on the board and the spring biases the keys against the end of the circuit board. The authentication key assemblies may utilize a variety of circuit boards with a variety of connectors, and the external assembly is encased in the plastic housing for use with portable and Apple-type computers.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1996Date of Patent: September 9, 1997Inventor: Richard J. Lawrence
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Patent number: 5658158Abstract: A modular surge protection system is provided having interchangeable power supply and surge protection modules connectable to a power distribution module the power distribution module provides surge protection for the power supply modules while independent surge protection is provided in the surge protection modules.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1995Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Inventor: Henry Milan
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Patent number: 5651690Abstract: An adapter for coupling electrical connectors has a housing having first and second connections on first and second opposite ends of the housing. A set of electrical contacts extends in each connection. A first connector can be coupled to the first connection and can electrically engage its electrical contacts. A circuit is mounted in the housing for electrically connecting the contacts. A latch is attached to the first connection for releasably securing the first connector to the first connection. A release is coupled to the latch and is accessible for operation at the second end of the housing for unlatching the first connection from the first connector.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1995Date of Patent: July 29, 1997Assignee: Hubbell IncorporatedInventors: Daniel E. Klas, Walter H. Wersching, Vang Hang