Multipart Contact Prong Patents (Class 439/891)
  • Patent number: 11721924
    Abstract: A spring-actuated electrical connector assembly for electrically and mechanically connecting a device to a power source in high-power, high-voltage applications is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a first connector with an internal receiver, a plurality of side walls, and at least one contact beam. The contact beam integrally extends to an outer surface of the side wall and includes a free end that extends inward of the outer surface of the side wall. An internal spring member is dimensioned to reside within the receiver of the first connector. This assembly also includes a second electrically conductive connector with a receptacle dimensioned to receive both the first connector and the spring member to define a connected position during operation of the device. In the connected position, at least one spring arm of the spring member exerts an outwardly directed force on the contact beam of the first connector to outwardly displace the contact beam into engagement with the second connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Royal Precision Products LLC
    Inventors: Slobodan Pavlovic, Mohamed Zeidan
  • Patent number: 9261535
    Abstract: An adapter for attaching an active probe to a device under test is disclosed. According to one aspect, an active probe adapter includes an adapter body for connecting an active probe to a device under test (DUT), the adaptor body having an impedance controlled conducting path for connecting a signal of the DUT to a signal input of the active probe, the path including a signal conductor and a reference conductor. The adapter body includes probe-side electrical contacts for electrically connecting an active probe to the signal and reference conductors of the adapter, and a set of DUT-side electrical contacts for electrically connecting the signal and reference conductors of the adapter to the DUT via one or more connectors attached to the contacts. The DUT-side electrical contacts are physically arranged to allow different orientations of the connector relative to the adapter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Max Jakobson
  • Publication number: 20150140876
    Abstract: A pin contact for an electrical connector is disclosed having a contact body and a pin. The contact body is formed from a metal sheet and has a mating end, a pin receiving space and an offset wall. The pin receiving space extends inward from the mating end. The offset wall has at least one welding region, and an outer surface facing away from the welding region and accessible from the outside. The pin is positioned in the pin receiving space and projects out of the mating end. The pin is welded to the welding region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS AMP GMBH
    Inventors: Antonio Lehner, Volker Seipel, Harald Kraenzlein
  • Patent number: 9022812
    Abstract: An electrical connector system having electrical contacts with reduced normal force is provided. The electrical contacts can define cantilevered beams of extended length, such that normal forces exerted by the electrical contacts on the electrical contacts of a complementary electrical connector are reduced. The beams of the electrical contacts can be coupled by a tie bar that can act to enhance the structural rigidity of the electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC
    Inventors: Steven E. Minich, Mark R. Gray
  • Publication number: 20150118922
    Abstract: Mating interfaces for high speed, high density electrical connectors. In some embodiments, a contact comprises a base region, a first elongated member comprising a distal end attached to the base region and a proximal portion, a second elongated member comprising a distal end attached to the base region and a proximal portion, and a strap coupling the distal portion of the first elongated member to the distal portion of the second elongated member, wherein the strap is conductive and compliant such that the distal portion of the first elongated member is capable of moving independently of and is electrically connected to the distal portion of the second elongated member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Amphenol Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas S. Cohen
  • Publication number: 20150079859
    Abstract: An electrical terminal assembly has a base and a spring member. The base defines an axis and including a plurality of base beams deflectable in a radial direction relative to the axis. The spring member has a main portion disposed over the base. The spring member includes a plurality of spring beams extending from a front end of the main portion. The spring beams bias the base beams radially inwardly towards the axis. The main portion is made from a folded blank having a first edge that is permanently secured to a second edge such that the edges cannot be pulled apart from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Glick, Slobodan Pavlovic, Tulasi Sadras-Ravindra, Brantley Natter
  • Publication number: 20150017846
    Abstract: A fork type electrical connector for use in providing an electrical joint comprises a first connector part having a body that supports two spaced prongs; a second connector part comprising a conductive element with a first face and a second opposing face and which is shaped so as to define a rail flanked on opposing sides by respective spaces and a pair of outer legs which extends on opposite sides of the element containing the first face from a respective outer edge of a respective space. In a position of use the prongs extend through respective spaces in the element with the inner edges engaging the edges of the rail to provide an electrically conductive connection and the outer edge of the prongs engaging the legs to apply a force to the prongs that resists the reaction force generated between the prong and the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: TRW Limited
    Inventors: Timothy Bryan Greenway, David Jonathon Coles
  • Patent number: 8915747
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to a connector assembly. Optionally, first conductive members form a first row. Second conductive members include a first subset forming a second row and a second subset forming a third row, the second and third rows being parallel and offset with respect to one another. Individual ones of the first and second conductive members are arranged to be coupled at a first end to a corresponding contact. At least one of the first and second subsets has a vertical displacement to form a common row of the second conductive members at a second end of the second conductive members. Individual ones of the first conductive members are arranged to be coupled proximate a second end of the first conductive members to the second end of a corresponding one of the second conductive members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gaurav Chawla, Rajasekaran Raja Swaminathan, Donald T. Tran
  • Publication number: 20140287604
    Abstract: A terminal comprises an upper arm having a top surface for a mating area; a lower arm paralleled with the upper arm and having a bottom surface soldering area; and a connecting arm connected with the upper arm and the lower arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: PO-YUAN LIN, LI-DONG TANG, CHIH-HAO LEE
  • Publication number: 20140273670
    Abstract: A coupling member for receiving wire strands of a stranded composite core conductor includes a substantially cylindrical body having first and second ends. A first through hole extends from a first opening at the first end to a second opening at the second end of the body for receiving a wire strand of the stranded conductor. A first protrusion extends axially outwardly from the first end of the body. A first recess in the second end of the body is adapted to receive a protrusion of an adjacent coupling member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Bernard Chenault Crutcher
  • Publication number: 20140273671
    Abstract: Mating interfaces for high speed, high density electrical connectors. In some embodiments, a contact comprises a base region, a first elongated member comprising a distal end attached to the base region and a proximal portion, a second elongated member comprising a distal end attached to the base region and a proximal portion, and a strap coupling the distal portion of the first elongated member to the distal portion of the second elongated member, wherein the strap is conductive and compliant such that the distal portion of the first elongated member is capable of moving independently of and is electrically connected to the distal portion of the second elongated member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Amphenol Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas S. Cohen
  • Publication number: 20140213125
    Abstract: A terminal, including an insertion groove for pressing a conductor thereinto disposed between a pair of conductive arm parts, where, when t represents a distance from a center of a contact part between the conductive arm part and the conductor to an end of the conductive arm part at a time of pressing-in of the conductor; h represents a width of the conductive arm part at the end thereof; and Y represents a width between an arbitrary position of the insertion groove and an outer edge of the conductive arm s art the followin relation holds: at a point of (½)×t, Y=(h/?2)×(0.8 to 1.2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Hemmi, Hirotada Teranishi
  • Publication number: 20140206219
    Abstract: A fly line connector is disclosed. A pin is connected to a main body. A fly line is wrapped around the pin. A first engaging portion is formed on the main body. A first engaging hole is formed in the main body and is opposite to the first engaging portion. When a number of the fly line connectors are combined together, the first engaging portion of one of the fly line connectors is engaged with the first engaging hole of the other one of the fly line connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Wei TSAI, Ssu-Wei FU, Ming-Cheng LEE
  • Publication number: 20140179176
    Abstract: A pin for use with a jumper is illustrated. The jumper defines two insertion holes. The pin includes a main rod and at least one engaging portion. The main rod includes an arc-shaped first end, an opposite second end, and a sidewall between the first end and the second end. The at least one engaging portion connected to the main rod and comprising a top end lower than the first end of the main rod, the top end being configured to be inserted into one of the insertion holes of the jumper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: LEI LIU, GUO-YI CHEN
  • Patent number: 8708719
    Abstract: A terminal fitting (T) includes a terminal main body (10) with a tab (11) at a front end part and a wire connecting portion (13) at a rear end part, and a shell (30) provided on the terminal main body (10) to be relatively displaceable between a protecting position for surrounding the tab (11) and an exposing position located behind the protecting position for exposing the tab (11). If the shell (30) is displaced to the protecting position, the tab (11) is protected from the interference of an external matter and the like, wherefore deformation, breakage and the like of the tab (11) can be prevented. Further, if the shell (30) is displaced to the exposing position to expose the tab (11), a mating terminal and the tab (11) can be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Iihoshi
  • Publication number: 20140099844
    Abstract: A direct-attach orthogonal electrical connection system with improved high frequency performance is provided. A conductive member is provided between first and second components, each having signal and ground conductors. The conductive member is electrically coupled to ground conductors of both the first and second components and may also have openings through which signal conductors of the first and second components may connect. As such, signal conductors may be positioned relative to the conductive member such that a uniform impedance is maintained along a signal path throughout the interconnection, reducing noise and reflections. The first-type conductive elements may be formed with multiple beams of different lengths to create multiple points of contact distributed along an elongated dimension. For example, a third beam may be fused to a mating portion to allow a tolerance for deviations in alignment between two directly attached connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Amphenol Corporation
    Inventor: John Robert Dunham
  • Publication number: 20140087607
    Abstract: Provided is a terminal fitting capable of making an electric contact portion and a cap member retained at the electric contact portion to be reliably engaged together. A terminal fitting includes an electric contact portion provided at one end side and formed into a tube-like shape such that a mating terminal is fitted thereto, an electric wire connection portion provided at the other end side and arranged to fasten an electric wire, and a cap member fitted to a distal end of the electric contact portion and retained at the distal end. A first engagement portion arranged to engage with the cap member is provided at the distal end of the electric contact portion, and the cap member is provided with a second engagement portion arranged to engage with the first engagement portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kojima, Tsutomu Sawada
  • Publication number: 20140065899
    Abstract: A plug contact arrangement is provided having a plurality of plug contact modules, including a plug socket module and a plug contact module. The plug socket module includes a base member and a socket contact section connected to the base member and having pair of contact members extending linearly and parallel with respect to each other and defining a contact blade receiving member there between. Each of the pair of contact members includes a contact face extending into the contact blade receiving member. The plug contact module is securable to the plug socket module and includes a plurality of lateral walls extending parallel to each other, a reinforcement member connecting the plurality of lateral walls, and a contact section extending from the plurality of lateral walls and having a contact blade having opposite contact faces to engage the pair of contact members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS AMP GMBH
    Inventors: Mohamed Aboulkassem, Bert Bergner, Rudolf Kraemer, Christian Schrettlinger, Konstantin Zech, Sabine Hass
  • Patent number: 8591248
    Abstract: An electrical connector is provided. The connector includes a housing having a wire end and a mating end. A terminal array extends between the wire end and the mating end of the housing. The terminal array has second terminals and first terminals. Each of the second terminals and the first terminals has a wire contact positioned at the wire end of the housing and a mating contact positioned at the mating end of the housing. The wire contact of each second terminal is positioned closer to the wire end of the housing than the wire contact of each first terminal. The mating contacts of the second terminals are positioned adjacent the mating contacts of the first terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Paul John Pepe, Ralph Sykes Martin
  • Publication number: 20130273790
    Abstract: An electric terminal (1) made of sheet metal having a contact portion (3) including a top wall (7), a bottom wall (8), a first side wall (9) and a second side wall (10) and a contact spring arm (6) having: a contact beam (14) for achieving an electric contact with a complementary contact element and being integrally connected to the top wall (7) and a reinforcement beam (15), wherein the contact beam (14) and the reinforcement beam (15) together form an L-shaped cross-section, wherein the reinforcement beam (15) is only connected to the contact beam (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: YAZAKI EUROPE LTD.
    Inventors: Ivica JAKOPLIC, Josip JELAK
  • Patent number: 8550853
    Abstract: In one aspect, provided is an electrical connector that can improve reliability of signal connection by ensuring insulation between adjacent terminals. In one aspect, connector housing 2 has front housing 3 and rear housing 4 that are combined together during assembly and that have respective partition walls 10 and 11 to define terminal accommodation chambers 8 and 9, respectively, and wherein movable wall 15 is provided to extend from partition wall 11 of rear housing 4 to displace and connect to partition wall 10 of front housing 3 when both housings 3 and 4 are combined together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Makoto Fukushi
  • Patent number: 8439714
    Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a linear-array plural-contact tail of an in-body multi-contact medical electrode device. The connector includes an elongate body member defining an elongate void extending along the length of the body member. An array of electrical conductors are secured in the body member and project into the elongate void to facilitate electrical connection of the contacts on the tail when the plural-contact tail is in the elongate void. A cylindrical carrier member is rotatably contained in the elongate void, the carrier member itself forms a tail-receiving subvoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ad-Tech Medical Instrument Corp.
    Inventor: David A. Putz
  • Publication number: 20130095673
    Abstract: An electrical contact includes a pair of prongs that extend from a base of the electrical contact spaced apart by a gap disposed therebetween. The gap is configured to receive a mating electrical contact that mechanically and electrically communicates with the pair of prongs. A plane defined along respective exterior surfaces of the pair of prongs is such that a portion of one prong of the pair of prongs is bisected by the plane. A method of making an electrical contact includes a step of stamping out a piece from a sheet of electrically-conducting material and another step of folding one or more portions of the piece to at least produce the pair of prongs of the electrical contact spaced apart by the gap. An electrical assembly includes a printed circuit board and at least one electrical contact that contains the pair of prongs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER ALAN BRANDON, ADRIAN FLORES, FRANK ROMERO, RICHARD D. KIRKWOOD
  • Patent number: 8348698
    Abstract: Male terminals are respectively provided in terminal attachment portions formed on a flange unit. Female terminals and grommets are provided for a harness. A seal lip portion to be fitted into each of the terminal attachment portions is formed on each of the grommets. In the cylindrical terminal attachment portions the male terminals are individually accommodated while being electrically insulated from each other. The terminal attachment portions are arranged alternately in two rows so that a line segment obtained by connecting the respective centers of openings of the terminal attachment portions is a polygonal line. The openings are arranged to form the Olympic symbol. At a fore-end of each of the terminal attachment portions, slits are provided. Owing to the slits, the opening is likely to be enlarged when the rubber grommet is inserted therethrough. As a result, the placement of the rubber grommet is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Mitsuba Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bunji Homma, Takao Ikarugi, Taichi Nakamura, Yasunori Fukushima, Takeshi Yanagisawa, Masayuki Toriyama, Naoyuki Yamate
  • Patent number: 8342891
    Abstract: In one aspect, provided is an electrical connector that can improve reliability of signal connection by ensuring insulation between adjacent terminals. In one aspect, connector housing 2 has front housing 3 and rear housing 4 that are combined together during assembly and that have respective partition walls 10 and 11 to define terminal accommodation chambers 8 and 9, respectively, and wherein movable wall 15 is provided to extend from partition wall 11 of rear housing 4 to displace and connect to partition wall 10 of front housing 3 when both housings 3 and 4 are combined together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Makoto Fukushi
  • Patent number: 8308493
    Abstract: A low-profile power adapter is disclosed. In one embodiment, a low profile power adapter is facilitated by improved approaches to construct and assembly of a power adapter plug for the power adapter. According to one aspect, a base for a power adapter plug of a power adapter can include a metal base connected to a blade (or prong) of the power adapter plug. The metal base can provide mechanical support to the blade as well as electrical connectivity to an internal terminal for the power adapter plug. According to another aspect, internal terminals used by a power adapter plug of a power adapter can be flexibly positioned on the power adapter plug, thereby facilitating interconnection with electrical components used by the power adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Way Chet Lim, Cameron Frazier, Kevin Walsh
  • Patent number: 8253020
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to facilitate welding connection of an enameled wire to a busbar to increase accuracy and reliability of the welding, and inverter-integrated electric compressor by reducing processes of welding operation. In a busbar connection structure for closely contacting, welding and connecting an enameled wire end portion (27A, 28A) of a coil onto an external connection bent surface (35) formed on a busbar (33), a through hole (36, 46) through which the end portion (27A, 28A) of the enameled wire (27, 28) passes is formed on the inside of a base portion of the bent surface (35) of the busbar (33), and the end portion (27A, 28A) of the enameled wire (27, 28) is passed through the through hole (36, 46), positioned onto a welding point (35A) of the bent surface (35), and welded and connected onto the bent surface (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Niwa, Makoto Hattori, Takayuki Takashige, Atsushi Takai
  • Patent number: 8251760
    Abstract: A terminal for electrical resistive elements of molybdenum silicide or alloys of this material, which terminal is arranged to pass through a furnace wall or a furnace ceiling or corresponding insulated wall, where the terminal located at each end of the hot zone of the element has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of the element in the hot zone. The invention is characterised in that a terminal connector is connected to each terminal, in that the terminal connector is made from aluminium, in that the terminal connector has a length that fully or partially constitutes the length of the combined terminal length, where the combined terminal length is the length of the relevant terminal of the element and the terminal connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
    Inventor: Jan Andersson
  • Publication number: 20120164893
    Abstract: When a male side contact is inserted into a female side contact, female side contact portions in the female side contact press a plurality of male side contact portions in the male side contact, and each of the male side contact portions is displaced in a thickness direction of the male side contact while contacting the female side contact portions so that a contact area between the contacts can be sufficiently ensured. When the contacts are connected to each other, a feeling of the female side contact portions, together with each of the male side contact portions, being displaced in the thickness direction of the male side contact can be obtained. Further, the contacts engage with each other by the displacement of each of the contact portions so that movement of the male side contact in a direction opposite to its insertion direction can be regulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: IRISO ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Mitsuzuka, Toru Takane
  • Publication number: 20120094553
    Abstract: A projected end of a bus bar (20), including projection portions (21A, 22B, 23C, 24D, 25E, 26F), and a recessed connector (30), including a cylindrical portion (43A), a recess portion (31B), a cylindrical portion (42C), a recess portion (31D), a cylindrical portion (41E), and a recess portion (31F), are engaged with each other, thereby enabling the bus bar (20) and the connector (30) to electrically connect with each other. That is, only inserting the bus bar (20) into the connector (30) makes an electrical connection possible, so it is not necessary, for example, to fasten the terminal with a screw. Therefore, this facilitates the connection between the bus bar (20) and the connector (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.,
    Inventors: Naoya Fujiwara, Akio Sugimoto, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Takayasu Fujiura, Naoki Kikuchi, Koji Inoue
  • Publication number: 20120052752
    Abstract: A contact arrangement (10) comprising fork-shaped contacts (15) that engage opposite faces of a blade contact (18). For good heat dissipation together with low transition resistance, the contact arrangement is made up of multiple planar, i.e., plate-shaped, fork contacts (15), which are supported and connected to each other on a shaft-like carrier (16) that is joined to a perpendicular connecting unit (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Martin Littek, Andreas Michael Schremmer, Bernd Hagmann, Marcus Bihrer
  • Patent number: 7976353
    Abstract: A two piece electrical terminal is shown where one part is comprised of a contact member having a contact section in the form of a pin and retention section. A conductor connecting member is comprised of a conductor connecting section and a retaining member. The contact member has a lug extending along one side thereof and the retaining member has a complementary opening which retains the contact member and conductor connecting member together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: John Mark Myer, Hurley Chester Moll, Leo J. Graham, Forrest I. Kinsey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7909668
    Abstract: A contact includes a conductive portion, a wire-receiving portion and a bundle of wound wires. The conductive portion has a compliant portion extending from a first end thereof. The compliant portion is configured to be positioned in an opening of a panel. The wire-receiving portion has a wire-receiving channel provided thereon. The bundle of wound wires is mounted in the wire-receiving channel and has a contact section which is configured to engage a mating connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Richard McAlonis, Thomas Gartlan, David James Fabian
  • Patent number: 7896702
    Abstract: A compact power adapter is disclosed. In one embodiment, a compact power adapter is facilitated by improved approaches to construct and assemble the power adapter. According to one aspect, connectors can serve to electrically couple blades (or prongs) of a power adapter plug to a printed circuit board assembly internal to a housing for the power adapter. The connectors serve to couple AC power to the printed circuit board assembly where the AC power can be converted to DC power. The connectors also facilitate assembly of the power adapter in that reliable interconnections can be provided without wires, soldering or other custom assembly operations. In one embodiment, a base for a power adapter plug of a power adapter can include a metal base connected to a blade (or prong) of the power adapter plug. The metal base can provide mechanical support to the blade as well as electrical connectivity to an internal terminal for the power adapter plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Stiehl, Cameron Frazier, Jonathan Aase, Mathias Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7891991
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulting housing, a mating face, a rear face opposite to the mating face, a first receiving groove defined into the mating face and a second receiving groove defined into the rear face, and the two receiving grooves extend towards each other. The first contact includes a contacting contact retained in the first receiving groove and a soldering contact separated from the contacting contact and retained in the second receiving groove, and the contacting contact defines a mating portion exposed to the mating face, and the soldering contact defines a soldering portion exposed out of the housing for mounting onto a printed circuit board and a resilient arm extending into the second receiving groove and soldered to the contacting contact. The separated mating contact and soldering contact are soldered together to provide a secure connection therebetween and a good electronic capability for the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Han-Ming Zhang
  • Publication number: 20110014823
    Abstract: An electrical contact (1) comprises an upper contact (10), a lower contact (12) and a spring (14) located between the upper contact (10) and the lower contact (12). The upper contact (10) comprises a first contacting portion (104) at one end thereof and a first mating end (108) comprising two contacting sheets overlapped at an opposite end thereof, and a lower contact comprises a second contacting portion and a second mating end defining a channel, the channel providing a space to allow movement of the first mating end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHUN-FU LIN
  • Patent number: 7867045
    Abstract: An electrical connector is provided and includes a housing that has a mating face configured to engage a mating connector. The electrical connector also includes a plurality of conductors that extend through the housing and a plurality of socket members that project from the mating face. Each socket member is electrically coupled to one of the conductors and includes a shaft that is configured to be inserted into a cavity of the mating connector. The shaft forms a passage that is configured to receive an associated mating contact held within the cavity for establishing an electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Richard McAlonis
  • Patent number: 7805838
    Abstract: A method of forming an electrical connector includes winding a conducting wire around a carrier strip, cutting the carrier strip to a desired length, forming the carrier strip into a cylindrical member to form an inner tube subassembly, and inserting the inner tube subassembly into an outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hypertronics Corporation
    Inventors: Francis P. Morana, Mark M. Ayzenberg
  • Patent number: 7766707
    Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, a pin for an electrical connector is provided. The pin includes a head that is fixedly mated with a shaft to form the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Fidel P. Vista, Jr., Qing Wen Liu
  • Publication number: 20100173541
    Abstract: A terminal connector assembly is provided for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The terminal connector assembly includes an electrically conductive member having opposing connecting and terminal portions, and a housing having a divider. The connecting portion is electrically connected to a power conductor of the circuit breaker. The divider includes first and second sides and an aperture extending therebetween. A plurality of walls extend perpendicularly outwardly from the first side of the divider to form a cavity, and a plurality of projections extend outwardly from the second side of the divider to engage and align the housing and the electrically conductive member with respect to the molded casing of the circuit breaker. The connecting portion of the electrically conductive member extends through the aperture of the divider and outside of the housing. The remainder of the electrically conductive member is disposed within the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: RUSSELL T. BORONA, HOYMA J. MAZARA
  • Publication number: 20090280676
    Abstract: An elongate electrical contact element (1) for physically contacting electrical components under test, having two electrical contacting end regions (2, 3) and an elongate intermediate region (4) situated between the end regions (2, 3). The intermediate region (4) has an essentially rectangular cross-section and is configured lamellar along its longitudinal extent. Also disclosed is a corresponding contacting apparatus (22) including such a contact element (1) and a contact element holder (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: FEINMETALL GmbH
    Inventors: Achim WEILAND, Gunther Boehm
  • Publication number: 20090132016
    Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting a multi-contact medical electrode device with a plural-contact tail. Having a tail-receiving first elongate member with a tail-receiving void and a second elongate member. The second elongate member has a nesting surface and an array of electrical conductors which are spring-loaded pin plunger devices. The spring-loaded pin plunger devices having movable pins that project into the tail-receiving void. The second elongate member also having at least one canopy extending from the nesting surface and over a respective electrical conductor, the canopy being configured for snap-engagement with the notch whereby the canopy holds in place the respective linear-array plural-contact tail through locking frictional engagement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: AD-TECH MEDICAL INSTRUMENT CORP.
    Inventor: David A. Putz
  • Publication number: 20090029606
    Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting to an electrical apparatus within a high power circuit includes an electrical contact and an enclosure. The electrical contact is configured to connect to a bushing of an electrical apparatus within a high power circuit. The electrical contact extends along a first direction from a coupling region. The enclosure extends from the coupling region in a second direction that is nonparallel to the first direction. The enclosure includes two or more electrical devices, with each electrical device being connected to the electrical contact within the coupling region and providing a current path from the electrical apparatus to at least one external coupling device within the high power circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: David Charles Hughes
  • Publication number: 20080248658
    Abstract: An electrical interconnection system with high speed, differential electrical connectors. The connector is assembled from wafers containing columns of conductive elements, some of which form differential pairs. Each column may include ground conductors adjacent pairs of signal conductors. The ground conductors may be wider than the signal conductors, with ground conductors between adjacent pairs of signal conductors being wider than ground conductors positioned at an end of at least some of the columns. Each of the conductive elements may end in a mating contact portion positioned to engage a complementary contact element in a mating connector. The mating contact portions of the signal conductors in some of the pairs may be rotated relative to the columns. The printed circuit board to which the differential signal connector is mounted may be constructed with elongated antipads around pairs of signal conductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas S. Cohen, Brian Kirk, Jason E. Chan, Andreas C. Pfahnl, Marc B. Cartier, David Manter
  • Patent number: 7422494
    Abstract: A two piece electrical terminal is shown where one part is comprised of a contact member having a contact section in the form of a pin and retention section. A conductor connecting member is comprised of a conductor connecting section and a retaining member. The contact member has a lug extending along one side thereof and the retaining member has a complementary opening which retains the contact member and conductor connecting member together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel W Fry, Jr., Leo J Graham, Michael J Vino, John M Myer, Hurley C Moll, Forrest I Kinsey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7393252
    Abstract: The female contact element comprising a rear shank designed to receive an electrical conductor and a front shank equipped with an elastic socket designed to receive a male contact element. The female contact element is formed from a one-piece tubular body in which the front shank and the rear shank are arranged, the elastic socket being fixed mounted in the front shank. A method for manufacturing such a female contact element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Sourian
    Inventors: Pascal Ribeau, Jean-Michel Dechanteloup
  • Publication number: 20080146094
    Abstract: A connector housing (20) includes a fitting recess (21A) and an intermediate wall (23) at the back of the fitting recess (21A). Press-in holes (28) extend through the intermediate wall (23) and receive tabs (12) of a joint terminal (10). Bored-portion forming regions (32M) are set above and below alignment regions for the press-in holes (28). However, the synthetic resin of the housing (20) extends continuously in portions (35) of the regions (32M) above and below intermediate positions between the press-in holes (28) adjacent in an alignment direction without providing any bored portion. The continuous material portions (35) prevent tensile forces from acting in the vertical direction between the two press-in holes (28) and prevent the formation of cracks in the resin material between the two press-in holes (28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Tooru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7263770
    Abstract: Provided is an electrical connector having first and second surfaces and configured to establish electrical communication between two or more electrical devices. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing and a resilient, conductive contact retained in an aperture disposed from the first surface to the second surface. To contact the electrical devices, the contact includes a center portion from which extends two diverging, cantilevered spring arms that project beyond either surface of the electrical connector. To shorten the path that current must travel through the contact, one spring arm terminates in a bellows leg that extends proximate to the second spring arm. When placed between the electrical devices, the spring arms are deflected together causing the bellows leg to press against the second spring arm. For retaining the contact within the aperture, the contact also includes retention members extending from the center portion that engage the insulative housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Cinch Connectors, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Mendenhall, Hecham K. Elkhatib, Richard Miklinski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7198525
    Abstract: The card edge connector includes a housing and a card edge terminal. A plurality of through holes is formed on the housing. A cable is electrically connected to the card edge terminal. The card edge terminal to which the cable is attached by crimping is pressed and inserted into a plurality of through holes on the housing. Conductor areas are provided on the surface and the back of the substrate. The substrate is inserted and fitted into the housing and also held by the holding part of the card edge terminal which is pressed and inserted into the housing and electrically conducted to the conductor areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: J.S.T. Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Nagamine, Megumi Chiyoda
  • Patent number: 7191518
    Abstract: A hyperboloid contact socket is provided which comprises a tubular body of conductive material and preferably having at one end a lip defining an entrance aperture for receiving a mating pin terminal and having on the opposite end a termination of an intended configuration for attachment to a circuit board or other device or item. The tubular body contains a plurality of conductive wires conductively and permanently affixed at their respective ends torespective inner surfaces at or near the outer and inner ends of the body and disposed in an angular disposition to the longitudinal axis to form the shape of a single sheet hyperboloid. In one aspect of the invention a mandrel employed to orient the wires within the tubular body during fabrication of the contact socket remains attached to the tubular body after assembly of the contact wires and serves as a connecting pin to which various terminations can be attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: QA Technology Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Beloritsky, Thomas D. Coe, Robert P. Lascelles, W. William Podszus