Comblike Retainer For Conductor Patents (Class 439/942)
  • Patent number: 6512876
    Abstract: A fiber splice tray for optical fiber splices capable of holding multiple single fiber splices, ribbon fiber splices and combinations thereof having a base, a plurality of adjacent opposed retention members extending upwardly from the base and a plurality of adjacent opposed extension members extending upwardly from the base in an area between opposed retention members. The opposed extension members are separated by a space for accepting at least a portion of a fiber ribbon splice and the retention members terminate in opposed arms for accepting a single fiber splice. The fiber splice tray can include an opening through the base bounded by a shelf for the fiber or ribbon extending from the splice to pass, to assist in preventing the splice from coming dislodged from the retention member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Bassel H. Daoud
  • Patent number: 6483980
    Abstract: A holding device (200) used for a DWDM module. The holding device comprises a base (201), a plurality of projections (209), a plurality of C-shaped grooves (205) interleavingly defined between the projections, and a plurality of C-shaped slots (210) defined in upper portions of the projections respectively. An upper portion of each projection forms two chamfers (211, 212), on opposite sides of the corresponding slot. The chamfers extend inclinedly upwardly in a mutually diverging manner. The upper portion of each projection also forms two opposite slanted faces (207, 208). Two slanted faces of any two projections that oppose each other across an intervening groove extend inclinedly upwardly in a mutually diverging manner. The grooves hold sleeves (101) that enclose DWDMs (100). The slots hold optical fibers (102) of and connecting with the DWDMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kun-Tsan Wu, Chien-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 6464530
    Abstract: A strain relief for a plurality of cables comprises two portions which act together to clamp the cables in position without the use of tools in a manner which is intuitive to a user. The first portion has hook elements projecting from a surface, each hook element being for retention of a cable. A second set of hook elements is also provided. A second portion has a cable receiving opening corresponding to the cable receiving opening in the first portion. The second portion latches to the first portion, so as to clamp the cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Andrew Smith, Ian McFarlane Denny, Joseph James Hall
  • Patent number: 6454596
    Abstract: An electrical conductor strain relief for connecting electrical conductors to a printed circuit board. The strain relief includes a first member having a first array of first conductor receiving holes and a second member having a second array of second conductor receiving holes. The second member is connectable to the first member at a predetermined fixed location such that the second holes are at least partially aligned with respective ones of the first holes as pairs of holes. The first and second holes of each pair of holes have center axes which are offset relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonio Montagano, Donald C. White, Scott B. Beardsley, Bruce J. Hodson, Michael J. Schubert, Mark D. Lee, Frank M. Vasquez
  • Patent number: 6428364
    Abstract: A battery connection plate a manufacturing method therefor is provided. A terminal 5 and a busbar 9 are insert-molded in the plate body 2. The terminal 5 is screw-connected to an electrode of a battery with a nut. The terminal 5 is provided with a hole portion and a projecting portion having an opening communicating with the hole portion, and the opening faces in the screwing direction of the nut. Otherwise, the plate body 2 is provided with a pin portion and projections arranged on both sides of the pin portion, and the terminal is provided with a through hole for the pin portion. The projections are positioned adjacently to both sides of the terminal, and the terminal is secured to the plate body 2 by melting the pin portion and the projections and by transforming them. The terminal body is formed integrally with the busbar 9 with use of a metal sheet, and the busbar 9 is formed by double-folding back the metal sheet, wherein the terminal body is connected to the busbar through a narrow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Saito, Tomohiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6390858
    Abstract: A battery connection plate a manufacturing method therefor is provided. A terminal (5) and a busbar (9) are insert-molded in the plate body (2). The terminal (5) is screw-connected to an electrode of a battery with a nut. The terminal (5) is provided with a hole portion and a projecting portion having an opening communicating with the hole portion, and the opening faces in the screwing direction of the nut. Otherwise, the plate body (2) is provided with a pin portion and projections arranged on both sides of the pin portion, and the terminal is provided with a through hole for the pin portion. The projections are positioned adjacently to both sides of the terminal, and the terminal is secured to the plate body (2) by melting the pin portion and the projections and by transforming them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Saito, Tomohiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6361329
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a header or receptacle for use in a power connector, comprising a housing provided with at least two power contact elements having a mating end, a retaining portion for retaining the contact element in the housing, and a tail for connecting the contact element to a printed circuit board, cable, or the like. The retaining portion of the contact element and, preferably, also the mating end are cylindrical and a fixation element is placed between the tails, thus fixing the position of the tails relative to one another and avoiding contact between the mating ends of the contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jereon Sebastiaan Dekker, Petrus Wouter Hendrikus Schalk
  • Patent number: 6350151
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to relates to a telecommunications outlet box 20 including a peripheral wall 70 that is primarily curved except for a portion in which a connector access opening 40 of the box 20 is defined. The present disclosure also relates to a telecommunications outlet box 20 having a cradle 32 in which a cable management spool 34 is retained. The present disclosure further relates to a cable guide 320 for use with a telecommunications outlet box 20. The cable guide 320 projects outward from a connector access opening 40 of the outlet box 20 and provides a protective shield around cables connected to the outlet box 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Elliot, Robert Debrey
  • Patent number: 6332801
    Abstract: A housing (1) supports a plurality of contact elements (21) with contact sections (27) making contact with core wires (C2) of cables. A press member (14) is rotatable between the open and closed positions with the housing (1). The press member (11) is provided with a receiving section (13) which has a guiding section (13A) opposed to the contact section at the open position and a retention section (13C) opposed to the contact section (27) at the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Watanbe
  • Patent number: 6302724
    Abstract: A cable connector which includes a concave housing having opposed planar sides and a relation between the planar sides and having a proximate opening and a distal opening and first and second interior axial walls. A cable extends through the proximate opening in the exterior wall of the concave housing toward the distal opening and diverges adjacent the distal opening of the housing into opposed first and second transverse cable extensions. A terminal block is mounted in the distal opening of the housing having first and second projections and each of the projections engage one of the interior axial walls of the housing and one of the transverse cable extensions. Metallic contacts also extend from the terminal block to be electrically connected to the transverse cable extensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: FCI Americas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew G. Meller
  • Patent number: 6293829
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a central body portion with a front face, a rear face and at least three rows of terminal-receiving passages extending therebetween and including a top row, a middle row and a bottom row. A plurality of terminals are received in the passages and include top terminals received in at least some of the passages in the top row, middle terminals received in at least some of the passages in the middle row and bottom terminals received in at least some of the passages in the bottom row. All of the terminals have tail portions projecting rearwardly from the body portion beyond the rear face thereof. A pair of juxtaposed wire guide members include a top wire guide member having a top surface with wire-receiving channels for aligning a plurality of electrical wires with the tail portions of the top row of terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Huili Qiao, Gary S. Manchester, Richard A. Nelson, Galen Fromm
  • Patent number: 6290532
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing and organizing wires in electrical data connectors is disclosed. The method provides the steps to optimally position signal wires in the region where the wires are transitioned between industry standard paired cable signal positions and industry standard attachment positions for a printed circuit board. The apparatus is a data connector forcing the signal wires to maintain optimal positions in the wire transition region and an associated circuit board that eliminates unnecessary unmatched or asymmetrical plated through holes and maintains signal transmission line symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Dean Camiel William Vermeersch, Julia Anne Lachman
  • Patent number: 6217388
    Abstract: An electrical connector for use in an SIR system comprises a connector housing which has a plug portion with a filter cavity disposed therein. A filter element which has a pair of longitudinally disposed receptacles is disposed within the filter cavity. The connector also has a pair of terminals each of which has a barrel portion that is disposed within each of the receptacles within the filter element and a perpendicular crimp portion. A retaining cap which has a connector position assurance portion (CPA) and a cover portion connected by a pair of flexible straps is fastened to the connector housing to align and retain the terminals within the connector housing. The terminals have a U-shaped transition area that allows for a smaller terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Francis
  • Patent number: 6217385
    Abstract: A sealing unit about an elongated element, particularly a cable of an electric connector, and presenting first and second elastically deformable sealing elements facing each other, in use, on either side of the elongated element, and each having complementary first and second portions. The sealing elements are pressed against each other so that the first and second portions cooperate in sealing manner with each other, at least one of the first and second portions being deformed by the other portion to cooperate in sealing manner with the elongated element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Framatome Connectors International S.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Genta, Pier Carlo Bigotto
  • Patent number: 6183289
    Abstract: An article adapted to pass a cable through a housing includes a substantially solid body, including front and rear ends. A side surface of the body provides a groove extending into the body from the front to the rear end. The groove is sized to carry a selected size electric cable. The body also includes connective structure adapted to removably connect the body to the housing. The article also includes a sheet of nonconductive material extending across the groove at the front end of the body. The sheet provides a circular opening sized to allow the cable to pass therethrough. The sheet also has a slit extending from the side surface to the circular opening. The sheet is fabricated of a resilient material and is structured to allow the cable to be inserted through the slit and into the circular opening such that the cable extends along the groove and extends into the housing from the rear end of the body when the body is connected to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: The Foxboro Company
    Inventors: Harold Lake, Charles Piper, David P. Prentice, Simon Korowitz
  • Patent number: 6159041
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (10) for mounting to a panel (80) includes a connector (12) having a housing (14) divided into forward and rearward portions (16, 22) by a peripheral flange (20), a plurality of electrical terminals (78), each terminated to a respective wire (76) and disposed in respective terminal-receiving passageways (40), each wire (76) extending to a wire-receiving face (24) on the rearward portion (22); and a cover (50) configured to be disposed over and surround the rearward housing portion (22) in a closely fitting relationship. A side wall (26) of the rearward housing portion (22) includes a wire-receiving recess 28) extending from the wire-receiving face (24) to the flange (20) and the cover (50) includes a cooperating a wire-receiving recess (60) that together define a wire-receiving passageway (62) proximate the housing flange (20) when the cover (50) is disposed over the rearward portion (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne Samuel Davis, Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6146185
    Abstract: A contact wire connector includes a housing connected to an insulation displacement contact (IDC) and a contact sleeve. A strain relief member is connected to the housing opposite the IDC. The contact sleeve connects to a pin of a substrate and the IDC connects to an insulated wire which establishes an electrical connection between the substrate and the insulated wire. The strain relief member engages the insulated wire to maintain the electrical connection in an unstrained state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thelma E. Cole, Jason A. Kay, David S. Kerr, Ivan Pawlenko, Walter Pelosi, Anthony R. Tancreto
  • Patent number: 6132250
    Abstract: A connector is provided to prevent gelatinous seal members from being adhered to terminal fittings and improve the insertion operability of the terminal fittings. The connector includes a housing 11 with a rear surface that is held watertight since clearances between a cover 23 and the housing 11 and between the cover 23 and wires 15 are sealed by gelatinous seal members 40. Thus, female terminal fittings 14 are not brought into contact with the gelatinous seal members 40 while being inserted. Therefore, there is no likelihood that the gelatinous seal members 40 are adhered to the female terminal fittings 40 and that the viscosity resistance thereof acts on the female terminal fittings 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shinozaki, Kouji Nemoto
  • Patent number: 6129583
    Abstract: A modular jack includes an insulative housing, a cavity defined in the housing, and a plurality of contacts extending into the cavity for connecting with wires extending from a lower portion of a rear face of the housing. A retaining spacer is integrally formed on a middle portion of the rear face of the housing. The spacer defines a plurality of grooves for snugly receiving a corresponding plurality of wires therein, respectively. The provision of the retaining spacer promotes conservation of space on the PCB on a portion thereof adjacent to the rear face of the housing of the modular jack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Inc. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gordon Lok
  • Patent number: 6129594
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a shell, a plurality of terminals, a spacer and a pair of spacer covers. The insulative housing defines a plurality of passageways for receiving the terminals therein. The shell covers the housing for providing protection from EMI. The spacer is rearwardly assembled to the housing for properly positioning the terminals. The spacer cover engage, with the spacer and forms a space for receiving soldering sections of the terminal therein. Thus, the withstand voltage ability of the electrical connector is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chin-Te Lai
  • Patent number: 6109976
    Abstract: Connectors are formed from insulative, terminal-carrying frames that are open on at least one major surface. The open major surfaces allows rapid insertion of contact terminals and attachment of wires to contact surfaces within the frame. The frame includes wire receiving openings and cavities for positioning wires within the frame. Electrical continuity between the wires and the terminals may be achieved directly or by a circuit substrate that has circuit traces for electrically connecting an attached wire to a connector terminal. High speed cable connectors can be made in an industrially effective manner by such structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Berg Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Albertus van Zanten, Bernardus L. F. Paagman
  • Patent number: 6039611
    Abstract: A connector including a plastic body, a steel case housing a front part of the plastic body, an insertion body assembled to a rear end of the plastic body with insertion terminals on the plastic body separately located in terminal slots on the insertion body. Two cables including many conductors are symmetrically connected to upper and lower sides of the insertion body with bared front ends of the conductors separately located in the terminal slots on the insertion terminals. Two covers with forward projected pressing ribs are firmly covered onto the cables with the pressing ribs located in the terminal slots of the insertion body above the bared front ends of the conductors and the insertion terminals to tightly press them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: All Best Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: George Yang
  • Patent number: 6019637
    Abstract: A contact terminal fixing construction including a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion which are mounted on a board in spaced relation to each other. When a distal end portion of a contact terminal is moved obliquely relative to the surface of the board, the first fixing portion engages this distal end portion. The second fixing portion includes a pair of claws, and a proximal end portion of the contact terminal is fitted into a space between these claws, and is engaged with the second fixing portion. The contact terminal has a limitation portion for limiting the movement of the contact terminal in a direction of a length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Iwata, Hiroshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6019628
    Abstract: A covered electric wire is placed on a conductor drawn out onto a terminal retaining portion protruding from an end portion of a connector housing. A a core wire of the covered electric wire is conductively contacted with the conductor and welding ribs on both sides of a cover closing the terminal retaining portion are welded to the terminal retaining portion by oscillating ultrasonic waves while pressing the covered electric wire against the conductor by means of this cover. On an outer periphery of the cover there is formed a reinforcing rib covering the length between the welding ribs on both sides thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Shinchi
  • Patent number: 5997337
    Abstract: An electric-wire connecting structure for press-connecting an electric wire to press-connecting blades of a press-connecting terminal. In such a structure, the electric wire press-connected to the press-connecting blades of the press-connecting terminal is bent toward a fitting mount such as a connector housing with the press-connecting blades as boundaries. The fitting mount fitted with the press-connecting terminal is provided with electric-wire holding members for holding the bent electric wire, whereby a conductor of the electric wire is kept in contact with the press-connecting blades of the press-connecting terminal while tension is being applied to the press-connecting blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Chieko Torii
  • Patent number: 5964611
    Abstract: A latch/cable management unit (LCM) provides a handle to push or pull a faceplate of a circuit pack or module into or out of a cabinet designed to house circuit modules. The LCM is also designed to contain and route cables or fibres extending from the faceplate. The LCM is pivotally connected to one end of the faceplate, pivotable in a plane parallel to an axis of the faceplate from a closed to an open position. The LCM has two arms which form a gap for containing the cables. Upper portions of the arms form an entrance/exit to allow passage of the cables or fibres into and out of the gap. The LCM also has a securing bar which locks the faceplate into the cabinet when the LCM is rotated into the closed position. The LCM also has means to hold the LCM in either the open position or the closed position to prevent inadvertent rotation of the LCM. Typically, the LCM will be used in combination with a latch located at another end of the faceplate to help move the faceplate into or out of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Corporation
    Inventors: Michal Karin Jacob, Floyd James Pushelberg, Mark Justin Sonderegger
  • Patent number: 5954533
    Abstract: In a crimping connector 10 in which a crimping terminal 20 having an electric contact portion 21 with a mating connector on a front end thereof and a wire pressuring portion 22 on a back end thereof is inserted and set into a terminal accommodating chamber 12 of a connector housing 11, and in which a wire 4 is pressured and connected to the wire pressuring portion 22, the interior of the terminal accommodating chamber 12 is separated into a front chamber 12F and a back chamber 12B with a shield wall 23 interposed between the wire pressuring portion 22 and the electric contact portion 22 of the crimping terminal 20, and a pressured and connected portion 29 of the wire is molded with resin by charging a resin 30 into the back chamber 12B. Further, an elastic bent portion 24 is interposed between the shield wall 23 and the electric contact portion 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Hatagishi, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5947761
    Abstract: An electrical connector for terminating a plurality of wires (4) includes a housing (10) which holds a plurality of insulation displacement contacts (52) that are associated with respective ones of the wires. The contacts are arranged in two spaced-apart rows (55, 56). A fixture (16) is pivotally connected to the housing. The fixture has an array of first slots (82) and an array of second slots (86). The arrays of slots are spaced-apart. The first slots (82) are axially aligned with respective ones of the second slots (86) to define pairs of axially aligned spaced-apart slots. The wires (4) can be laced into respective ones of the pairs of slots (82, 86) when the fixture (16) is in an open position, and the slots are arranged such that the wires become terminated to respective ones of the contacts (52) when the fixture is pivoted to a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventor: Paul J. Pepe
  • Patent number: 5944552
    Abstract: A multiple tier electrical connector includes a housing (2) having a plurality of lower arranging grooves (8) for receiving a lower row of cables; a plurality of guiding sections (8C) provided on upper portions of the lower arranging grooves; an arranging member (4) having a plurality of upper arranging grooves (12) for receiving an upper row of cables and a plurality of downward guiding projections (11) for entering the guiding sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chiyoki Hanami
  • Patent number: 5921805
    Abstract: A connector cover (10) fits over a connector (20) to define an exit (11a) for a wire (W). The wire is guided in a groove (13,14a) and retained by a latchable closure (31,50,130,240,326). An external force applied to the wire W does not separate the wire from the groove; several embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Tabata, Masaaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5899770
    Abstract: A modular plug for directing a plurality of twist pairs of core wires into an opening of a modular jack (500) for electrical connection, includes a guide member (140) for separating and arranging the twist pairs for each twist pair; a housing (110) for positioning and holding each twist pair for each core wire; and a plurality of contact terminals (120), each connected to each core wire. The contact terminals are arranged such that adjacent contact terminals are not substantially overlapped each other or overlapped only in part. The modular jack includes a plurality of contact terminals (520) arranged such that adjacent contact terminals are not substantially overlapped each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuya Ezawa
  • Patent number: 5890924
    Abstract: Disclosed is an insulation-displacement-contact connector comprising a first frame, a second frame, and tabs. The first and second frames pinch electric wires tight between them when assembled together. The first frame has an opening so that the insulation-displacement-contact pins of a mating material can pass through and touch the wires. The tabs on the second frame extend outwardly at an angle and bend exposed portions of the wires along the outer surfaces of the first frame, making the wires gripped more securely against pushing force exerted by the insulation-displacement-contact pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Endo, Yuji Hatagishi
  • Patent number: 5883511
    Abstract: A wire lead strain relief mechanism includes a housing having a first wall and a second wall located in substantially parallel and spaced apart positions. The first wall carries a pair of spaced apart terminals and the second wall includes a generally flat surface with a pair of posts including a first post and a fifth post that are spaced apart a distance further than the terminals are spaced apart. The generally flat surface also has a set of three posts including a second post, a third post, and a fourth post all three positioned substantially in line with the first and fifth posts and substantially centered between the first and fifth posts. A wound coil is carried in the housing between the first and second walls and has a pair of terminal ends each engaging one of the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: David Alden Foster
  • Patent number: 5850692
    Abstract: In a process for fitting a round cable provided with a number of single wires with a multi-way, preferably flat, plug into which the single wires are placed, the single wires have their free ends stripped of insulation and are fitted with contacts. In such a process, assembly can be carried out in a cost-effective manner and the risk of damage to the small contacts is greatly reduced. Provision is made for the single wires to be placed alongside each other in a wire holder of the plug, for the ends projecting beyond the wire holder to be cut to the same projecting length and stripped of insulation to the same length and for a contact carrier to be provided with the corresponding number of adjacent contacts and connected to the end of the wire holder receiving the single wire ends, and for the opposing regions of stripped single wire ends and connection elements of the contacts to be interconnected to make electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Manfred Schock, Juergen Frommer, Manfred Illg, Werner Pfitzenreiter
  • Patent number: 5816081
    Abstract: A computer includes receptacles for receiving electric cables of peripheral equipment. A gate can be mounted to the housing to extend across the cables and form a gap small enough to prohibit the cable plugs from being separated from the housing. The gate can be locked to the housing by a cable anchoring device which also anchors the housing to a stationary structure. Hence, the computer housing is anchored, and the peripheral equipment is locked to the anchored housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Johnston
  • Patent number: 5810461
    Abstract: A personal computer includes an outer wall having plug receptacles adapted to receive the plug-in cables of peripheral equipment such as keyboards, modems, printers, etc. The outer wall carries a comb element which forms a row of slots into which respective cables can be inserted. The slots serve to organize the cables which otherwise would tend to lay haphazardly on the computer support surface. A cover is pivotably mounted on the outer wall to extend across the slots. A cover extension can be snapped onto the cover to cover the plug receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Ive, Ronald J. Moller
  • Patent number: 5801328
    Abstract: The apparatus and method includes a backplane (14) and a plurality of cable connectors (16) arranged orderly on the backplane (14) to which the cables (12) are connected. A plurality of conductive groomer fingers (30) extend generally perpendicularly from the backplane (14) along at least one edge of the backplane (14), where slots of a predetermined width are defined therebetween. Each cable (12) has an EMI termination zone (32) packed in the groomer finger slots to achieve good electrical contact with the groomer fingers (30). A rear cover (34) is used to substantially enclose the backplane (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: DSC Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Sheldon L. Rohde, Michael W. Kement, Michael K. Pratt, Felipe D. Mendoza
  • Patent number: 5769646
    Abstract: The present invention provides, for use in a personal computer having a chassis with an electrical interface configured to form a connection with an electrical apparatus that extends externally from the chassis, an electrical connector protection device. The protection device comprises an electrical connector guard movably coupled to the chassis adjacent the interface to move between a retracted storage position and an extended guard position with respect to the chassis. The electrical connector guard, when in the extended guard position, is configured to guard and protect the electrical interface and the electrical apparatus from sustaining damage when the two are connected together by extending under a portion of the electrical apparatus, to thereby guard and protect the electrical interface and the electrical apparatus from sustaining damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Dell U.S.A., L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher Cavello, Russell B. Smith
  • Patent number: 5709566
    Abstract: A press-contact connector assembly for a socket joint of a lighting fixture includes a press-contact electrode including a box-shaped body, a press-contact blade on one end of the box-shaped body, the press-contact blade having two opposed press-contact portions which extend away from the box-shaped body and form an axial slot therebetween for receiving a cable, and a power supply terminal on the other end of the box-shaped body. The assembly further includes a casing having a hood for receiving a lighting fixture electrode, a cylindrical portion for holding the press-contact electrode so that the power supply terminal contacts with the lighting fixture electrode in the hood, and a guide portion for defining a guide path to introduce the cable into the axial slot of the press-contact blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Tsuji, Takuya Inoue, Nori Inoue
  • Patent number: 5695358
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (100) which includes electrical contacts (10) of the insulation displacement type, an inner housing (20), an outer housing (40), and a strain relief member (50). The assembly (100) is assembled by first securely placing the electrical contacts (10) within the inner housing (20) and then inserting the inner housing (20) into the outer housing (40) so that the electrical contacts (10) can be terminated to wires by using the insulation displacement method of wire termination. The inner housing (20) is fully inserted into outer housing (40), and is then in a fully latched position within the outer housing (40). Strain relief member (50) is then mounted to outer housing (40) and includes an abutment flange (55) for ensuring that the inner housing (20) has been fully inserted within outer housing (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: John Mark Myer, John Raymond Shuey
  • Patent number: 5662493
    Abstract: The multiple contact pin holder of a modular connection device for telephone or weak current systems includes a device for solderless insulation displacement wiring which are provided with at least one pivoting cover which can be pressed down onto the body of the contact pin holder and from the contact side of which ribs extend downwards. These ribs enter the body's slits for receiving wires when the pivoting cover is pressed down onto the body and press the inserted wires into the insulation displacers of the contact pins. The slits for receiving wires are provided with lateral retaining projections arranged above one another. At least one retaining projection is located near the spot where the wires are inserted for the purpose of positioning the inserted wire, and the other retaining projection is located near a region of the insulation displacer for the purpose of fastening the wire which is pressed into the insulation displacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Reichle + De-Massari AG
    Inventor: Hans Reichle
  • Patent number: 5607321
    Abstract: In a process for fitting a round cable provided with a number of single wires with a multi-way, preferably flat, plug into which the single wires are placed, the single wires have their free ends stripped of insulation and are fitted with contacts. In such a process, assembly can be carried out in a cost-effective manner and the risk of damage to the small contacts is greatly reduced. Provision is made for the single wires to be placed alongside each other in a wire holder of the plug, for the ends projecting beyond the wire holder to be cut to the same projecting length and stripped of insulation to the same length and for a contact carrier to be provided with the corresponding number of adjacent contacts and connected to the end of the wire holder receiving the single wire ends, and for the opposing regions of stripped single wire ends and connection elements of the contacts to be interconnected to make electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: ITT Corporation
    Inventors: Manfred Schock, Juergen Frommer, Manfred Illg, Werner Pfitzenreiter
  • Patent number: 5554053
    Abstract: A modular, multiple-wire connector has a connector body (10) with insulation displacement contacts (18) or twisted plug contacts to allow the modular interconnection of a plurality of wires, particularly pairs of telecommunications wires, and further includes a cover which is releasable from the connector body to expose the terminal portions of a first set of the wires at their connection points, and a wire retention strip (40) which is separably attached to the connector body along an edge thereof. Variations of the connector body (10) and wire retention strip (40) are disclosed, and several similar or different strips may be used on a single connector body. The wire retention strip (40) may have two rows of wire retention posts (44) along both edges thereof, and the connector body (10) may be designed to receive two such strips (40), one on either side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Gary B. Matthews
  • Patent number: 5514006
    Abstract: A unitary lampholder (10) including a lamp socket (12,14) as well as a multi-position switch which can take the form of a three-way, two circuit switch for operating a two filament lamp, a single circuit switch for operating a single filament lamp or arranged to permit the switch to be operated from a remote point. The lampholder has a bottom housing (14) and a top housing (12) which includes an access door (16) which is slidably and rotatably mounted to the remainder of the top housing by a guide member 54 which moves within slots (93,94) and permits the access door 16 to be rotated from a position on and perpendicular to the top housing axis to one parallel to that axis in which position it can be slidably moved towards the bottom housing. Upon slidably moving the access door towards the bottom housing, projections (160, 162) on the base of access door force insulated conductors (92,94) into the insulation displacing terminals (86,88) of the contacts (60,62) to make electrical contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Arkady Getselis, Anthony Tufano