Amp LLC

The Whitaker Corporation

Other

David T Shaffer

William H Rose

Michael D Galloway

David J Gingerich

Brent David Yohn

Richard F Granitz

David W Rupnik

James Paul Scholz

Eric Timothy Green

Robert Francis Meehan

Charles F Staley

Philip J Walker

Dimitry G Grabbe

Joseph M Pawlikowski

Walter C Shatto, Jr

Homer E Henschen

Michael J McKee

Andrew Dewitt Balthaser

Richard L Schaeffer, Jr

Daniel G Eaby

Robert Alan Kirker

Teresa K Black

George Gilman Richards, Iii

Gary L Over

Patrick R McCarty

Alexander M Sharpe

Mark Corrao

A continuous method of fabricating multiple band antennas having first and second conductive wire lengths that are partially overlapped a selected distance, at least one of the wire lengths being insulated, includes the steps of: severing a first end of at least one of the wire lengths from a second end of a preceding antenna; defining an overlap portion of the first conductive wire length coextending a selected distance along and adjacent an overlap portion of the second conductive wire length, defining an overlap; and severing the second end of at least one of the wire lengths from a first end of another of the one of the wire lengths after the overlap is defined. At least one of the conductive wire lengths is insulated. The overlap portions of the conductive wire lengths and the insulation therebetween comprise and define a mechanical and a reactive coupling.

Method of making a multiple band antenna and an antenna made thereby

A circuit card assembly (10) including a circuit card such as a terminator card (12) and a holder (14), insertable into a receptacle connector (20) of a mother board. Card (12) is snapped into the holder and maintained therein so that the assembly is manipulatable as a unit. Latch arms (56, 58) along side sections (52, 54) of the holder latch the assembly into guides (16, 18) of the receptacle connector.

Holder for circuit card

An electrical connector assembly (10) of the type having a pair of mateable cylindrical plug and receptacle shells (18,22) secured together by a rotatable coupling ring (16). The connector assembly is provided with a decoupling retardation mechanism which includes engageable teeth (34) on the interior of the coupling ring (16) and a pair of leaf spring members (46,72) mounted to the plug shell (18) inwardly of the teeth (34). The leaf spring member (46,72) includes a fixed beam portion (62,82) having a projection (64,84) which engages the teeth (34). The sides of the teeth and the projection are steeper on one side than the other. The steeper side is the one which is engaged when the coupling ring (16) is rotated in the direction to decouple the shells (18,22). Accordingly, greater torque is required to decouple the shells than to couple the shells.

Electrical connector assembly including improved decoupling retardation

An electrical connector assembly (10) of very low profile for interconnecting a daughter card to a mother board, mountable onto mother board (150) and having a housing (12) and an array of contacts (40) having elongate pin sections (42) insertable into through-holes (156) of mother board (150). Short pin sections (48) extend above the planar body section (14) of the housing and through apertures (122) of termini (120) of circuit traces (102) of a flexible circuit element (100) and soldered to said termini. Potting material embeds, seals and insulates the solder joints and short pin sections securing the flexible circuit element to the housing. Side portions (106) of the flexible circuit element extend upwardly from the housing to regions (110) of exposed trace portions (116) to be soldered to circuit traces of a daughter card (170).

Low profile board-to-board electrical connector

An electrical connector assembly (10) of low profile for mounting onto a mother board (150), and having a housing (12) and an array of contacts (40) having elongate pin sections (42) insertable into through-holes (156) of mother board (150). The assembly includes a thin apertured organizer (50) movable along pin sections (40) and further includes a pair of guide posts (80) affixed to the housing (12) for example and extending through larger-diametered apertures (58) through organizer flanges (60) to leading ends (84) insertable into guide holes (154) of mother board (100). Organizer (50) abuts board (15) and is thereafter urged relatively toward and against housing (12) upon full mounting, being movable along guide posts (80) and pin sections (42). The assembly is accurately positionable with respect to the through-hole array by reason of the guide post leading ends (84) being received into guide holes (154) prior to pin section leading ends (44 ) entering through-holes (156).

Electrical connector with board-mounting alignment system

An assembly of matable connectors includes first and second connectors (10,100) each including housings (16,116) having a respective plurality of signal contacts (24,124) each having a front contact section (46,146) extending transversely of the connector's mating face (12,112) to a free end (52,152) from a bend section (44,144) adjoining the contact's body section (40,140). The front contact sections (46,146) of each associated pair extend forwardly of the respective mating faces to engage each other proximate their free ends and deflect each other rearwardly about bend sections (44,144), which results in low mating force and high cycle life. The connector housings (16,116) can include a durable latching system comprising a latch arm (18) of one connector (10) having a spaced apart pair of beams (208) having pairs of latches (210) and each being received into latching slots (252) of the other connector (100) near both lateral ends of the connectors, latching proximate both lateral ends.

Hybrid input/output connector having low mating force and high cycle

A connector (10) having one or more arrays of elongate cantilever beam arms (22) of contacts (20) can have contact sections (26) on free ends (24) thereof soldered to respective traces (94) of a circuit element (90), by securing a lead frame (50) to free ends (24) which includes a corresponding plurality of fingers (56) extending from a carrier strip (52). On the finger ends (58) are affixed preforms (80,82) of solder; on the carrier strip (52) is defined a thin magnetic layer, transforming the brass carrier strip into a Curie point heater. When the carrier strip is subjected to RF current, it generates thermal energy which melts the solder preforms to join the fingers first to the contact sections (26) of the connector contacts (20), and in a remote location later subjected to RF current to reflow solder preform (82) to join contact sections (26) to traces (94).

Method of assembling a connector to a circuit element and soldering lead

A pair of small diameter lead assemblies as a complete electrically and environmentally sealed matable high voltage connection suitable for use under rugged environmental conditions, have a plug element and a receptacle conditions, have a plug element and a receptacle element physically matable therewith. The lead assemblies can each include annular retention clips therearound enabling insertion into and retention within passageways of matable housings of a multi-terminal hybrid connector assembly, to enable certain existing connectors to be converted into use as high voltage connector assemblies for rugged conditions without housing modification. The plug has a small diameter dielectric annular shell with a socket terminal in an internal passageway; and the receptacle has a small diameter dielectric annular shell having a pin terminal in its internal passageway which is matable with the socket terminal. A forward receptacle portion of the receptacle surrounding the pin contact section snugly receives thereinto a forward reduced dimension plug portion of the plug. Spaced apart O-rings disposed along and tightly around the plug portion are compressed by the receptacle portion and assuredly seal the annular space therebetween, preventing generation of voltage discharge and minimizing corona formation thereat. The rearward passageway portions surrounding the existing conductor wires are potted to prevent voltage discharge and minimize corona formation thereat.

High voltage lead assembly and connector

A lead frame assembly comprises a stamped and formed lead frame having spaced pairs of electrical terminals and other contact sections. Severable sections initially interconnect potential electrical circuit sections of the lead frame separating the lead frame into separate metal members defining discrete electrical circuits if severed. A dielectric covering is molded over the lead frame exposing the pairs of terminals and other contact sections for termination or electrical engagement. Openings are formed in the housing exposing the severable sections of the lead frame for severing, to be selectively severed creating separate electrical circuit sections, or to be retained unsevered, as desired. After the molding of the covering over the lead frame, the article thus fabricated can be customized by selective severing and connecting of components as desired.

Lead frame assembly having severable electrical circuit sections

A connector assembly for an anti-skid hydraulic braking system comprises a bulkhead connector extending through an aperture in a sidewall of the brake fluid reservoir, a connector harness mounted along the inside of the reservoir sidewalls extending from the bulkhead connector to three solenoid assemblies mounted on the reservoir floor, and a solenoid connector on each solenoid assembly in engagement with the connector harness. The solenoids extend through floor apertures into the master cylinder to respective hydraulic lines extending to brake cylinders in the wheels, one of the solenoids handling both rear wheels. The bulkhead connector mates with a connector outside the reservoir which is terminated to a wire harness connected to the on-board microprocessor to relay current to the solenoids when data from individual wheel speed sensors is processed to determine that a particular wheel is about to skid. The solenoid for that wheel is then instantaneously actuated to momentarily decrease hydraulic pressure in that wheel's brake fluid line. The connector harness is planar and can be bent around corners between adjoining sidewalls of the reservoir. Contact sections on path members of the harness are exposed to be engaged by spring arm contact sections of the bulkhead connector and the individual solenoid connectors. The harness is made by overmolding spaced cover portions over a stamped lead frame and then severing the individual path members from each other, and the path member can be bent between the cover portions.

Electrical connector assembly for antiskid braking system

A spring for a switch actuating assembly is of generally E-shape or sinuous configuration wherein inwardly-curved free ends of outer sections are adapted to engage the legs of a central U-shape section when the spring member is compressed, thereby limiting the movement of the outer sections and increasing the spring characteristics of the spring member. The spring can be disposed in a slide member in a housing and be movable from one selected position to another so that the spring moves a movable contact member from an electrically connected condition to a disconnected condition.

Sinuous spring

A connector assembly for an anti-skid hydraulic braking system comprises a bulkhead connector extending through an aperture in a sidewall of the brake fluid reservoir, a connector harness mounted along the inside of the reservoir sidewalls extending from the bulkhead connector to three solenoid assemblies mounted on the reservoir floor, and a solenoid connector one each solenoid assembly in engagement with the connector harness. The solenoids extend through floor apertures into the master cylinder to respective hydraulic lines extending to brake cylinders in the wheels, one of the solenoids handling both rear wheels. The bulkhead connector mates with a connector outside the reservoir which is terminated to a wire harness connected to the on-board microprocessor to relay current to the solenoids when data from individual wheel speed sensors is processed to determine that a particular wheel is about to skid. The solenoid for that wheel is then instantaneously actuated to momentarily decrease hydraulic pressure in that wheel's brake fluid line. The connector harness is planar and can be bent around corners between adjoining sidewalls of the reservoir. Contact sections on path members of the harness are exposed to be engaged by spring arm contact sections of the bulkhead connector and the individual solenoid connectors. The harness is made by overmolding spaced cover portions over a stamped lead frame and then severing the individual path members from each other, and the path members can be bent between the cover portions.

Method of making electrical connector assembly for antiskid braking

A lead frame assembly comprises a stamped and formed lead frame having spaced pairs of electrical terminals and other contact sections. Severable sections initially interconnect potential electrical circuit sections of the lead frame separating the lead frame into separate metal members defining discrete electrical circuits if severed. A dielectric covering is molded over the lead frame exposing the pairs of terminals and other contact sections for termination or electrical engagement. Openings are formed in the housing exposing the severable sections of the lead frame for severing, to be selectively severed creating separate electrical circuit sections, or to be retained unsevered, as desired. After the molding of the covering over the lead frame, the article thus fabricated can be customized by selective severing and connecting of components as desired. Thus a method has been described for making a customizable lead frame assembly.

Method of making a customizable electrical article

A wire length having a very small diameter is terminated to a contact member by forming a groove in the contact member, disposing the wire length entirely within and along the groove, and striking the surface of the contact on both sides of the groove deforming the sides of the groove downwardly and inwardly into the groove firmly against the wire therein. The contact members can be made in lead frames on a carrier strip and have grooves formed therein, the wire can be placed in the grooves and terminated to the contact members in an automated assembly to make, for example, fuse components where wire segments bridge gaps between associated contact sections of pairs of the contact members, and the lead frames can have housings molded thereto while on the carrier strip.

Method of making an electrical termination

A connector assembly for an anti-skid hydraulic braking system comprises a bulkhead connector extending through an aperture in a sidewall of the brake fluid reservoir, a connector harness mounted along the inside of the reservoir sidewalls extending from the bulkhead connector to three solenoid assemblies mounted on the reservoir floor, and a solenoid connector on each solenoid assembly in engagement with the connector harness. The solenoids extend through floor apertures into the master cylinder to respective hydraulic lines extending to brake cylinders in the wheels, one of the solenoids handling both rear wheels. The bulkhead connector mates with a connector outside the reserovir which is terminated to a wire harness connected to the on-board microprocessor to relay current to the solenoids when data from individual wheel speed sensors is processed to determine that a particular wheel is about to skid. The solenoid for that wheel is then instantaneously actuated to momentarily decrease hydraulic pressure in that wheel's brake fluid line. The connector harness is planar and can be bent around corners between adjoining sidewalls of the reservoir. Contact sections on path members of the harness are exposed to be engaged by spring arm contact sections of the bulkhead connector and the individual solenoid connectors. The harness is made by overmolding spaced cover portions over a stamped lead frame and then severing the individual path members from each other, and the path members can be bent between the cover portions.

Growing community of inventors

Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

David T Shaffer