Litton Systems, Inc.

Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.

Other

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Allen J Bernardini

Edwin J Collin

William D Porzio

Paul Kozubal

The present invention is directed to a structure for coupling a plug connector to a receptacle connector by simply pushing the plug connector to lock into place on a receptacle connector and pull the coupling nut to release. Although the action of the push to lock and pull to release is not unique to the connector industry, the present invention is unique in that the plug and receptacle connectors are locked from relative circumferential motion or axial motion to each other when coupled. The connector in a locked mated condition prevents relative motion during high shock and vibration applications. This is achieved by making surface contact between the plug connector and the receptacle connector with a considerable force. Advantageously, the locking condition of the mated connector protects the electrical contacts from excessive wear created when relative motion exists between the plug connector and the receptacle connector, thus preventing loss of continuity, excessive heating and even combustion due to excessive heating.

Coupling mechanism for electrical connectors

A locking cover plate and locking device respectively, control access to a receptacle and inhibit removal of a plug from a receptacle of a power distribution panel having a sequential coupling guard at a row of receptacles. The first locking cover plate rotates to lock and unlock a receptacle by covering the receptacle using a cover plate portion and uncovering the cover plate portion from the receptacle, respectively. The locking device rotates to lock and unlock a plug in the last receptacle by inhibiting removal of the plug from the receptacle using a tab portion and allowing removal of the plug by rotating the tab portion, respectively.

Power distribution panel with sequence control and enhanced lockout capability

Disclosed is a luminaire including a housing for receiving light axially and having at lest one optical surface for emitting light. A lens is mounted in the housing and has a light input portion and a light output portion. A prismatic film is mounted in the housing onto which light output from the output portion of the lens is incident thereon wherein light is reflected by the prismatic film radially outwardly therefrom.

Luminaire using right angle film

An assembly for selectively grounding one or more contacts of a connector includes an elongate ground insert having a resilient outer periphery for fixing and electrically connecting the ground insert to an inner wall of a rear portion of the connector, the ground insert including an inner wall forming a perimeter around and spaced from all of the back portions of the contacts of the connector, while the ground insert is fixed to and within the rear portion. The assembly includes an elongate grounding leg fastenable to an upper rim of the ground insert, the grounding leg including first and second spaced ends for respectively engaging the ground insert and a back portion of a selected contact to be grounded, to thereby electrically connect the selected contact to the rear portion through the grounding leg and the ground insert.

Assembly for and method of selectively grounding contacts of a connector to a rear portion of the connector

A plug and an adapter are provided for use with an existing electrical receptacle which has a sleeve extending from a mounting base, with a conductive pin within the sleeve. The adapter has a cylindrical collar receivable snugly over the sleeve of the receptacle, and includes a flange for maintaining the collar in a predetermined position on the sleeve. The plug is elongate, with a first end having a recess for receiving the cylindrical collar, the first end also having an electrically conductive contact member to engage the contact pin. The plug and adapter include retaining means for retaining the plug to the adapter and to permit selective engagement of a plug and retaining means to prevent making incorrect connections between selected plugs and electrical receptacles. The plug further includes attachment means for connection to a cable.

Plug and adapter for existing single pole electrical receptacle

Disclosed is an electrical connector of the blade and contact type in which the contact has a tuning fork shape. The tuning fork includes a first tine and a second tine which are spaced apart and are initially parallel to each other. The first and second tines form an elongated slot therebetween. An adjustable tensioner includes an elastic member mounted exterially of one of the tines and a set screw which extends through the elastic member and one of the tines and is engaged with the other of the tines. By adjusting the set screw, the second of the tines is biased in a direction towards the first of the tines and the spacing between the first and second tines is reduced. In this manner, the contact pressure and spacing can be adjusted so that when the blade is inserted into the slot formed by the tines, the frictional resistance can be adjusted. The blade can either be vertically or longitudinally inserted into the slot.

High current connector using tuning fork contacts

A holder for an electrical or electronic component includes a body formed of electrically non-conductive material having a recess to receive a component such as a fuse. At least two laterally spaced electrically conductive contacts are accommodated by the body. Each contact includes at least one aperture engaging section extending beyond a surface of the body to form a solderless low resistance electrical and mechanical connection with a plated through-hole in a printed circuit board or the like and a terminal section to contact a terminal of a component received by the body.

Press-fit fuse or component holder

A female power contact which is energized only upon insertion of a male plug. The contact includes a plunger which is biased toward a position which blocks accidental finger insertion into the contact. The plunger also contains sharp points on its outer edge to further prevent accidental finger insertion into the contact. However, insertion of the male plug into the female power contact, against the spring bias, causes the plunger to depress the spring in order to produce an electrical connection between the male plug and female contact.

Dead-front high current female power contact

An electrical terminal block for a high wattage high intensity projection lamp, and use thereof. The electrical terminal block is connected to an electrical power supply and has an orifice for plug-in of cable that forms part of such a lamp. The terminal block reduces premature lamp failure.

Electrical terminal block for high wattage high intensity lamps

The present invention relates in general to electrical wire connectors and more specifically to multi-pin screw-on or twist-on electrical contacts. An electrical set of male and female contacts is provided which can each connect one or more wires without tools. The contacts of the present invention can be installed into their respective plug and receptacle housing bodies for the purpose of creating an electrical connector which can be mated and unmated many times to hook up or remove from service any electrical device or circuit.

Electrical connector with screw-on or twist-on electrical contacts

A stationary pick-up element for use with a rotary connector having a wire rotary element within a housing. The pick-up element comprises an insulated holder for insertion into a slot in the housing, a plurality of conductive fingers incorporated into the holder and disposed so as to contact the rotary element through an exposed portion of the slot, and end connector incorporated into the holder for connection to a plurality of external wires, and a plurality of conductive traces on the insulated holder for connecting the conductive fingers to the end connector.

Pick-up elements for slip rings or rotary connectors

A holder for an electrical or electronic component includes a body formed of electrically non-conductive material. The body is generally U-shaped having a pair of laterally spaced arms bridged by a bight. Conductive tracing on the arms establishes an electrical connection between the component and a printed circuit board when the holder is electrically connected to the printed circuit board and the terminals of a component contact the arms.

Holder for an electrical or electronic component

A all-plastic ZIF (zero insertion force) electrical connector offers the advantages of low cost and ease of manufacturing inherent to plastic. According to a first embodiment of the invention, an all-plastic ZIF electrical connector has a bias means connected to a first half of the connector for providing a bias force to force the first half of the connector against a PCB (printed circuit board) or other circuitry inserted between the first half and a second half of the connector. According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the all-plastic ZIF electrical connector is attached to a flexible printed circuit which allows a first half of the ZIF electrical connector to be flexed slightly to increase the space between the contact fingers to accommodate insertion of the PCB without the need to force the PCB between the contact-making fingers of the connector when the PCB is inserted into the connector. In particular the connector is intended to be used on a flexible printed circuit which can be flexed slightly to increase the space between the contact fingers to accommodate insertion of the PCB. After the PCB has been inserted into the space between the electrical contact fingers, fastening means may be attached onto the ends of the electrical connector to maintain the electrical contact between the electrical connector and the PCB. The second embodiment offers the ability to insert the PCB with low or no insertion force, thus avoiding damage to electrical contacts on the PCB while still being able to effect a tight mechanical and electrical contact between the contacts of the connector and the connections on the PCB.

All plastic zero insertion force electrical connector

A pad-to-pad connection arrangement between adjacent electrical connectors, such as 'bump-to-bump', 'bump-to-hollow', or 'bump-to-flat' pad arrangements, is achieved. Pads on the surface of an electrical connector may be selectively connected to conductive traces also on the surface of the electrical connector. When two adjacent electrical connectors are joined together in a side-by-side, adjacent relationship, the electrical pads along the side surfaces of the electrical connectors mate, thereby resulting in electrical connections being formed between mated pads of the electrical connectors. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a flexible circuit containing the conductive traces and surface pads is formed about an electrical connector.

Growing community of inventors

Southbury, CT, United States of America

Allen J Bernardini