Wells Electronics, Inc.

Amp LLC

The Whitaker Corporation

Anderson Power Products

Sealectro Corporation

Clyde T Carter

James W Robertson

Craig H Baker

Christine M Svelnis

Reuben E Ney

James S Hower

Urs F Nager, Jr

Maris Anthony Glass

Mark A Wojcicki

Christopher P Palagi

Alexander S Fater

An electrical socket contact with a plurality of tines for mating with a pin contact. At least one tine functions as an initial arc receiving tine while another tine functions as an axially extending pin contacting tine. The pin contacting tine has a shorter axial length than the arc receiving tine so that the arc receiving tine produces a make-first/break-last electrical contact.

Electrical socket contact with tines

An electrical connector (10) having a body (20), a switch assembly (30) for slideable disposition in the body (20), and discriminators (60,70,80) for terminating large and/or small gauge wires. The switch subassembly includes a conventional dummy-load test circuit. Insulation displacement contacts (40,50) are disposed in the body and in the discriminators (60,70 80) for termination with the wires. The switch assembly (20) is slidably disposed within the body (20) in a sealed cavity (27), and contacts (32) of the subassembly slidably but electrically interface with contacts (40,50), the switch assembly (20) is thereby suspended in the cavity and its motion is guided along contacts (40,50) which act as tracks as the switch assembly is displaced between normal and test mode positions.

Electrical connector with switch subassembly

A cross-connection assembly (10) including a plurality of cross-connection sites (14) provided by housing modules (30) secured to a base frame (12). Each site (14) is defined by a silo (52) containing a first terminal (60) and an actuator (120) secured thereatop rotatable to terminate a first wire (112) to the first terminal. At a selected site, a second terminal (160) is mountable to the actuator (120) thereat to electrically engage the first terminal, and a corresponding cap (190) over the second terminal is initially rotatable with respect to actuator (120) in order to terminate a second wire (220) at the site. Upon the first rotation the cap becomes locked to the actuator, providing that later rotation of the cap also moves the actuator and second terminal and second wire of necessity to permit untermination and retermination of the first wire (112) with respect to the first terminal (60).

Cross-connection module providing for uninterruptible transmission

A modular socket for an integrated circuit package, wherein a single base is adapted to receive a plurality of replaceable contact modules having a variety of conductive lead counts. The modularity permits tooling of a single base to accommodate a variety of integrated circuit packages. The socket includes a lid pivotally connected to the base by a hinge and hinge pin. The hinge pin defines a pivot axis which is in a plane with the bottom surface of the lid to limit lateral movement on the contacts carried by the module.

Modular socket for an integrated circuit

A zero insertion force socket using normally closed contacts and three adjacently overlying plates. Upon lifting the activating arm, a cammed cylinder is rotated which pushes the middle plate and pulls the top plate to thereby open the prongs of the contact for component lead insertion therebetween. Upon the activating arm being moved back into its original position the cammed cylinder rotates and the middle plate shifts back to its original position under the influence of a contact prong closing about the component lead as the top plate shifts back to its original position under the influence of the cammed cylinder.

Zero insertion socket with normally closed contacts

A socket device for an integrated circuit package having fine pitch or closely spaced leads or contact pads. The socket device includes a base having a platform for supporting the IC package. Opposed actuating latches are pivotally carried upon the base at opposite sides of the platform to accommodate receipt and retention of the integrated package. The socket device includes a plurality staggered contacts in multiple ranks at opposite sides of the platform adjacent the actuator latches. The contacts engage the actuator latches so as to be moved between open and closed positions upon pivotal movement of the latches.

Socket device for fine pitch lead and leadless integrated circuit package

A chip connector which includes conductive contacts which electrically contact the carrier. The contacts include an outwardly extending cantilevered projection to allow the contacts to be shifted outwardly on downward engaging movement of the connector top to allow insertion or removal of the chip. The connector base includes a wall positioning part which biases the contacts into a preloaded or clamped position.

Chip connector

A connector for a leadless chip carrier. The connector includes a base which has opposed latches and a spring biased camming actuator which shifts the latches into a clamped position to secure the chip carrier within the base.

RAM connector

A zero insertion force connector is provided for a dual-in-line integrated circuit package. The connector includes a base, a plurality of spring loaded contacts mounted in recesses extending along opposed sides of the base, and a frame which surrounds and is slidably mounted on the base. The recesses in which the contacts are mounted correspond in number and spacing to the leads on the integrated circuit package. The frame is slidably movable between extreme raised and lowered positions, and includes cam fingers aligned with the respective contacts. The frame is constructed such that in its lower position the cam fingers thereof urge the leads of the integrated circuit package against the contacts mounted in the base.

Zero insertion force socket

A connector assembly is disclosed for mounting a module on a circuit board or the like without requiring any soldering. The subject assembly includes a header mounted on a circuit board to at least partially enclose an area of contacts integral with the circuit board. A plug assembly is secured to a mating module and adopted to engage in the header. The plug assembly includes an outer housing enclosing an inner housing which is directly attached to the module and movable within the outer housing. At least one series of spring terminals are mounted in the plug assembly with a first portion engaging the outer housing and a second portion bearing against the module carried by the inner housing. Spring bias means are mounted in the outer housing bearing against the opposite side of the inner housing from the terminals. Both the terminal and the bias spring are profiled to assume either a rest condition, or an over centered contacting position so that when the plug assembly is mated into the header there is initially no contact force but subsequently insertion force applied over centers the terminals and the bias spring to place them into an over centered condition in which the terminals engage both the module and the circuit board making good electrical and mechanical contact therebetween. It is particularly of note that no solder is required in the subject invention and that all electrical contacts are made through a mechanical action.

Connector assembly for mounting a module on a circuit board or the like

An improved expandable reel assembly is disclosed having a pair of mating hub members which allow ready assembly of the reel as well as adjustability for expansion of the width of the reel. The reel assembly includes a pair of sidewall members, a spacer member, and the mating pair of hub members which secure the sidewalls to the spacer member and accomplish both the spacing and locking of the reel assembly.

Adjustable and expandable spool or reel assembly

An impact extraction tool is disclosed for driving contacts from housings, circuit boards, and the like. The tool is adapted to extract contacts of substantially any post length and even contacts having posts lying under flush with respect to the supporting surface. The tool has a floating cocking spring and thus is shorter than similar tools.

Impact extraction tool

The present invention relates to a receptacle and also a zero insertion force connector in the form of an electrical receptacle mounted within a housing. The housing is provided with an apertured cover which is movable on the housing to one position in order to bias the receptacle to an open position, allowing a male contact to be inserted through the apertured cover and into the receptacle without substantial resistance to insertion thereof. The cover is subsequently moved to a second position on the housing to release the receptacle and allow the receptacle to resiliently close and grip on the male contact, thereby electrically terminating the male contact to the receptacle within the housing. As a further feature of the invention, the receptacle is of stamped and formed configuration having a body portion with a pair of opposed gripping portions projecting therefrom. Means are provided on the body portion to distribute the resilient deflection of the spring fingers substantially along the length of the body portion, such that a gripping force is provided by the cumulative deflections of the spring fingers and the body portion together. Also the tendency for unfolding of the body portion as the spring fingers are deflected in greatly aleviated by distribution of the deflection along a substantial length of the body portion.

Growing community of inventors

Shermans Dale, PA, United States of America

Clyde T Carter