Tyco Electronics Corporation

The Whitaker Corporation

Alexander William Hasircoglu

James Lee Fedder

Lynn Robert Sipe

Randall Robert Henry

Iosif Korsunsky

John Joseph Consoli

Attalee Snarr Taylor

Daniel Robert Ringler

Richard C Schroepfer

David Keay Fowler

David F Miller

John Thomas Larkin, Jr

Jim Fedder

A connector insertion and removal tool for an electrical system including a circuit board and at least one electrical connector therefor includes a first portion configured for coupling to a first surface of the circuit board, and a second portion configured for coupling to the first portion. At least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises an actuator adapted for movement toward and away from the circuit board to contact at least a portion of the connector.

Electrical connector insertion and removal tool

A shroud is provided for an electrical connector having a plug interface for mating with a plug assembly and a component interface engaging an electrical component. The shroud includes a body having side walls defining a connector cavity configured to house the connector therein, wherein the side walls engage the connector. A plug opening is defined by a guide surface, and the opening provides access to the connector cavity and defines a mating window that is larger than the plug interface of the connector. A component surface extends substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the plug opening. The component surface is configured to engage the electrical component when the shroud is secured to the component.

Connector assembly with mating guide surfaces

An electrical connector is disclosed having a housing with first and second sides configured to be joined to first and second circuit boards, respectively. The electrical connector also includes a wafer held in the housing. The wafer has first and second card edges and has electrical traces extending between the first and second card edges. The first card edges are divided into upper and lower sections configured to be received in separate upper and lower connectors mounted on the first circuit board.

Electrical connector module with multiple card edge sections

An electrical connector assembly is provided including a plurality of wafers having ground and signal traces with the signal traces being arranged in differential pairs, a first connector housing including channels adapted to retain a first group of wafers, and a second connector housing including channels adapted to retain a second group of wafers. The electrical connector assembly also includes signal contacts joining the differential pairs of the signal traces on the first group of wafers with corresponding differential pairs of the signal traces on the second group of wafers. The first and second connector housings join the first group of wafers in a non-parallel relationship to the second group of wafers.

Orthogonal interface for connecting circuit boards carrying differential pairs

An electrical connector has been provided that includes a housing having a base having a rear end and an interface end. The base includes at least one channel extending between the rear and interface ends. The electrical connector also includes at least one conductive wafer configured to engage electrical contacts. Each conductive wafer is divided into a rear portion and an interface portion. The rear portion is received and securely retained in a channel with the interface portion extending beyond the interface end of the base. The interface portion moves in a direction transverse to a plane of the conductive wafer to facilitate alignment with a mating structure.

Floating interface for electrical connector

A latch assembly is provided for latching a ground shield around an electrical connector. The latch assembly comprises a latch receptacle portion and a latch insert portion. The latch receptacle portion comprises a receptacle main body, and a strap that is offset from the receptacle main body. The strap defines a slot between the strap and the receptacle main body. The latch receptacle portion also includes a window that is formed within the receptacle main body. The latch insert portion comprises a latch insert portion having an insert main body and a tongue, which is offset from the plane of the main body, with a latching projection formed on, and extending from, one side of the tongue. The strap exerts a normal, uniform force on the tongue thereby biasing the latching projection into the window. Consequently, the latch assembly remains fully engaged because of the force exerted on the tongue by the strap. A method is also provided for manufacturing a ground shield for an electrical connector. The method comprises the steps of stamping the latch receptacle portion from a first end of a stock material and stamping the latch insert portion from a second end of the stock material. The method also includes the steps of forming a latching projection extending outward from the tongue and offsetting a strap from the latch receptacle portion to form a slot between the window in the main body of the latch receptacle portion.

Latch for ground shield of an electrical connector

A modular jack for receiving an RJ-45 plug and for blocking insertion of an RJ-11 plug is disclosed. The modular jack has stamped and formed deflection members having retention sections, ramp surfaces and blocking tabs extending from ends of the ramp surfaces. The blocking tabs project laterally inwardly toward the plug-receiving cavity and block an RJ-11 plug from being inserted into the modular jack. An RJ-45 plug is wider than the RJ-11 plug and engages the ramp surfaces of the deflection members to deflect the blocking tabs away from the plug-receiving cavity, thereby allowing insertion of the RJ-45 plug.

Modular jack with deflectable plug-blocking member

An electrical connector 2, suitable for use as a plug for a Universal Serial Bus cable assembly, includes a plurality of terminals 4 that are partially insert molded in a nonconductive housing 36. A distal end 6 of each terminal 4 is recessed from the front end 38 of the housing 36. The terminals 4 are insert molded while still on a carrier and a weakened section 14 is formed at the distal end 6. After the housing 36 is molded, a tensile force is applied to fracture each terminal 4 at the weakened section 14 so that the distal end 6 of each terminal is recessed where it cannot inadvertently contact shields 54, 64 on the plug 2 or a mating receptacle 62. The rear of the housing is overmolded, and the insert molded housing 36 includes sections completely surrounding the terminals 4 so that the overmolded material cannot flow onto a housing mating surface 42 or onto a terminal mating section 10.

Electrical connector with insert molded housing

A strain relief for ribbon cable (12) or discrete cables (82,84) in a connector (10). Strain relief insert (32) provides a recess (34) having a narrow entrance (36) into which is urged a fold (44) of cable (12) while the insert portions (42) are temporarily flexed or pivoted apart, or the fold is insertable from an end of the recess; a retention rod (46) is inserted into the fold above the cable from the side, such that a cable loop (50) extends around the rod at bend (44). The assembly is then urged into a shell pocket (24) adjacent the cable exit (20), with the pocket sidewalls (52) preventing the insert portions (42) from spreading apart at the narrow entrance after assembly. Strain from the cable (12,82,84) onto the connector tends to urge the cable loop (50) and rod (46) against the constriction of the narrow recess entrance (36) but they are trapped in the recess. A self-sustaining strain relief member (92) may be secured to a connector at its cable exit.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, PA, United States of America

Alexander William Hasircoglu