Molex Corporation

Woodhead Industries, Inc.

Bruce A Peterson

Frank L Geoghegan

Richard A Faje

Paul A Rattin

James T Roberts

Joseph R Weltz

Irena Borucki

A keying system is provided for a plurality of electrical connectors having different numbers of terminals. The connectors include at least four sets of mating connectors, such as a male and female connector in each set. Each set of connector is adapted for mounting at least one pair of interengaging terminals, with the numbers of pairs of terminals in any given set of connectors being different from that of any other set of connectors, and with the number of mating terminals in the at least four sets of mating connectors increasing in a predetermined progression. The connectors in each respective set thereof have complementary interengaging mating portions. The respective mating portions of the sets of connectors are constructed such that either connector in any given set thereof cannot mate with a connector of any other set thereof. The mating portions of the connectors are formed by silos and receptacles having generally rectangular cross-sections and arranged in at least one row on their respective connectors. One side of the rectangular silos and receptacles in the row being oriented in a common line along the length of the respective connectors, and flattened corners of the silos and receptacles are located only on an opposite side thereof providing keying means for the connectors.

Keying system for electrical connectors

A shielded, molded electrical connector includes a conductive sleeve surrounding an insert body housing the connector elements. A metal coupling member is received on the sleeve and in electrical continuity with the sleeve. An outer sheath formed of moldable thermoplastic material with wire strands embedded throughout forms a conductive shield from the sleeve to a braided shield (in the case of a cord set) or to a conductive shield on an insert body housing complementary connector elements (in the case of a splitter).

Shielded, molded electrical connector

An electrical connector is adapted for connecting a conductor of an electrical wire to a terminal of a mating connector. A dielectric housing has at least one elongated terminal-receiving cavity defining a longitudinal axis. A terminal is received in the cavity and has a mating portion adapted to mate with the terminal of the mating connector, a conductor-terminating portion, and an intermediate portion joining the mating and conductor-terminating portions. The intermediate portion includes a base and a pair of elongated resilient side walls extending from the base. Each side wall has an upper free end portion. A pair of elongated slots are provided within a wall of the cavity receiving the upper free end portions of the side walls of the terminal to prevent movement of the terminal laterally or angularly of the longitudinal axis.

Electrical connector with improved terminal positioning means

An electrical connector includes a housing having an elongated terminal-receiving cavity for insertion thereinto of a terminal in a given insertion direction. The cavity includes a constricted opening leading to a locking shoulder facing in the insertion direction. An elongated terminal is adapted to be inserted into the cavity and has a body portion with a cantilevered locking arm formed out of a side wall of the body portion. The locking arm has a fixed end joined to the side wall and a free end projecting outwardly from the side wall oblique to and opposite the insertion direction. The free end is adapted to engage the locking shoulder. The housing and terminal are constructed such that, upon insertion of the terminal into the cavity, the locking arm is biased laterally inwardly and then resiliently returned to a locking position with the free end thereof engaged with the locking shoulder. The locking arm has a first portion bent inwardly from the fixed end oblique to and opposite the insertion direction. A second portion of the locking arm is bent outwardly from a juncture with the first portion beyond the side wall to the free end of the locking arm.

Electrical connector with terminal locking means

A generally elongate female electrical terminal includes an improved torsional mating portion having a terminal-receiving passageway adapted to receive a male terminal. The mating portion includes two longitudinally spaced generally U-shaped cross sectional portions defining the front and rear of the passageway. Each U-shaped cross sectional portion is defined by a pair of legs joined by a bight portion. Two spaced apart side walls extend lengthwise of the passageway and connect the legs of the cross sectional portions. Each side wall has two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting dimples for engaging the male terminal received in the passageway. A bottom wall extends generally perpendicular from one of the side walls toward the other side wall. A free end of the bottom wall forms a transverse opening with the other side wall intermediate the U-shaped cross sectional portions. The front and rear of the bottom wall are spaced from the cross sectional portions. The side walls are flexed outwardly away from each other about generally longitudinal axes when a male terminal is inserted into the passageway. The bottom wall flexes upwardly to bias the male terminal in a more centered alignment with the dimples.

Female electrical terminal

A system is disclosed for maintaining an electrical connector assembly mounted on a printed circuit board during soldering of the assembly to the board. A housing has a plurality of terminals mounted therein. The terminals include solder tails projecting from the housing for insertion into respective holes in the printed circuit board. Each terminal is stamped in planar form of sheet metal material. The solder tails are arranged in a row of pairs thereof, with the solder tails in each row being in a plane transverse to the row. All of the solder tails are of similar shape with each solder tail including a straight intermediate section projecting from the housing, a straight tip section for insertion into a respective hole in the printed circuit board, and an offset curved section between the intermediate and tip sections. The curved section of one solder tail extends in a direction transverse to the row opposite to the curved section of the other solder tail in each pair thereof. Each curved section is shaped such that each solder tail engages the circuit board within its respective hole only at a portion of the curved section. The straight intermediate section and the straight tip section of each solder tail are collinear.

Electrical connection assembly for mounting on a printed circuit board

An electrical connector assembly is provided for interconnecting a modular phone plug with a printed circuit board. The connector assembly includes a housing having a forward mating end and a rearward end. A plug-receiving socket is formed in the forward mating end and is adapted to receive a modular phone plug. The rearward end is configured so that an edge of a printed circuit board can be inserted at a first angular orientation relative to the housing and then rotated to a second angular orientation. A plurality of terminals are mounted in the housing. Each terminal includes a contact portion at one end, a tail portion at an opposite end and an intermediate portion therebetween. The intermediate portion is anchored in the housing. The contact portion projects into the socket for engaging a contact of the modular phone plug. The tail portion is configured for engaging a contact pad on the printed circuit board with minimal contact force in the first angular orientation of the board and with considerable contact force in the second angular orientation of the board.

Circuit board mounted modular phone jack

A retention system is provided for an electrical connector which includes a dielectric housing having at least one terminal-receiving cavity. A terminal is insertable through an insertion face of the housing into the cavity. The terminal is stamped from metal material and includes a generally planar retention body portion press-fit into the terminal-receiving cavity. A groove is provided in the housing communicating with the cavity and the insertion face of the housing. The groove has opposite side walls extending in an insertion direction of the terminal. The terminal includes a retention boss stamped from the body portion and insertable into the groove. The boss has side walls establishing a force-fit with the side walls of the groove. preferably, the boss is generally peanut-shaped in cross-section to define a pair of enlarged lobe portions providing four points of contact with the side walls of the groove.

Electrical connector with improved terminal retention means

An electrical connector is provided for mounting on the surface of a printed circuit board. The connector includes a dielectric housing for mounting a plurality of terminals connectable to appropriate circuit traces on the circuit board. A board mounting clip is mounted on the housing for mounting the connector on the surface of the circuit board. The mounting clip includes a C-shaped portion defining an upper leg and a lower leg respectively insertable into a pair of slots in the housing. At least one of the slots includes a ramped leading edge adapted to engage the free end of a respective one of the legs to bias the board mounting device into firm position on the housing.

Printed circuit board mounting device for electrical connectors

A collapsible insulation displacement terminal is disclosed for terminating an insulated wire having an electrical conductor with a sheath of insulation thereabout. The terminal includes at least one terminal wall portion deflectable for displacing the insulation and for engagement with the conductor upon application of a force on the terminal in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insulated wire. The first terminal wall portion includes a blade portion deformable therefrom generally parallel to the axis of the insulated wire to present a substantial area of contact with the conductor of the wire. A second terminal wall portion is deflectable upon application of the axial force into engagement with the blade portion of the first terminal wall portion to insure contact between the electrical conductor and the first terminal wall portion.

Insulation displacement terminal for an electrical connector

A generally elongated electrical terminal pin is adapted to be inserted into a plated-through hole in a circuit board. The pin is a stamped and formed metal member and includes a mating portion adapted to contact an electrically conductive element and a compliant portion adapted to make electrical contact with conductive plating material defining an interior surface of the plated-through hole. The compliant portion, in a lateral direction, is formed by a generally W-shaped curved cross-section sized such that the outer legs of the W-shape contact the interior surface of the plated-through hole. In the exemplary embodiment, the compliant portion has a substantially uniform thickness, and the outer legs of the W-shape are substantially shorter than the central portion of the W-shape.

Compliant terminal pin

A floating panel mount for an electrical connector is provided. The floating panel mount includes a central support post from which a pair of helically configured inwardly collapsible vanes extend. The vanes are tapered to define a minor cross-sectional dimension less than the diameter of a mounting aperture in the panel and a major dimension which exceeds the diameter of the mounting aperture. The support post is generally circular in cross-section throughout substantially the entire length thereof and includes a bore in a distal end thereof to decrease insertion forces of the post into the mounting aperture in the panel. The vanes are spirally collapsed in response to ramping forces generated as the floating panel mount is urged into the mounting aperture of the panel. The vanes then resiliently return to their undeflected condition to engage the panel. In this mounted condition, the vanes permit radial float of the electrical connector relative to the panel, but prevent backup in response to mating forces.

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Schaumburg, IL, United States of America

Bruce A Peterson