Osram Sylvania Inc.

Gte Products Corporation

Tyco Electronics Logistics Ag

Douglas G Seymour

Michael J Swantner

Shane Brown

Ronald E Thomas

Richard P Walker

Randall Gillotti

James C Humphrey

Michael F Scholeno

K Troy Alwine

Bradley G Johnson

Steven M Boyd

Michael J Bonavita

David T Humphrey

John F Culver

Randall E Gillotti

Gregory R Pratt

An assemblage () comprises an electrical connector () having body () with a tubular projection () having a push-through portion () having a first diameter and an engaging portion () having a second diameter larger than the first diameter. A support () for the electrical connector () has a major partthat is substantially rigid and includes an aperture () formed by a plurality of deflectable spokes (). The aperture () has a center opening () with a third diameter greater than the first diameter and less than the second diameter, whereby the tubular projection push-through portion () slides through the aperture () and the spokes () engage the second diameter of the engaging portion () and mount the electrical connector () with the support ().

Bracket assembly

An illuminable sign () has a base (); a trough () having a configuration C formed in the base (); a light dispensing medium () having the configuration C fitted in the trough () and including a pair of light-entering ports (); a light generator () fixed in operative relation between the pair of light-entering ports (), the light generator () including at least one light source (); and a cover () fitted to the base.

Illuminated sign and light source for use with said sign

An illuminable indicator () has an opaque base (); a cover () for the base (), the cover () having a formed design () therein having a given circumference with an area () defined by the circumference, the area () provided with a reflector () and at least the formed design being translucent; and mounting means () formed in the base for receiving a light engine ().

Illuminable indicator and light engine therefor

An elongated light source () comprises a subassembly () including a base (), a light engine () positioned in mounting means () formed with the base; a light guide () positioned in spaced apart supports (), and a cover () fixed to the base (). The light engine () comprises a thermally conductive substrate () having a dielectric () on one side thereof; upper and lower lens guards, (), respectively, positioned near one end () of the substrate (); at least one LED () mounted on the substrate between the lens guards (); and electrical conductors () mounted upon the substrate at another end () thereof for supplying power to the LED ().

LED light source with integrated circuit and light guide

A light engine () has a light engine subassembly () comprising: a housing () having a longitudinal axis (), a tubular portion () with a surrounding wall () and a closed end (). A slot () is formed in the surrounding wall () and terminates at the closed end (). A solid-state light source () is mounted adjacent the closed end (), the solid-sate light source having energizing wires attached thereto and exiting the housing via the slot (). A light dispenser () having a first end () is fixed in the tubular portion () and extends for a given distance along the longitudinal axis (). The light engine can be used for backlighting.

Light engine

A right-angled electrical connector () has a one-piece electrically insulating body () molded over a subassembly () that includes a first electrically conductive memberwith a hollow end () and an electrical contact () mounted within the hollow end (). In the mold the contact pin () is electrically isolated from the member () and electrically insulating material of the bodyflows around the contact pin ().

Right angled connector

A method of making an electrical connector comprises the steps of: forming an electrically conductive member having a body including an interface, the body having a longitudinal chamber therein; forming an electrically conductive pin; overmolding the interface with a first electrically insulating material; overmolding at least a part of the electrically conductive pin with a second electrically insulating material to form an overmolded electrically conductive pin; and inserting the overmolded electrically conductive pin into the longitudinal chamber.

Method of making an electrical connector

A cable retainer () for a cable () having a longitudinal axis () and a given diameter has a first elongated body half () arrayed along the longitudinal axis () and having a first surface () and a second, oppositely disposed surface (), the second oppositely disposed surface () having a first cable receiving section () therein with a depth at least one half of the given diameter. A second elongated body half () is arrayed along the longitudinal axis () and has a first area () and a second, oppositely disposed area () with a second cable receiving section () therein. A guide system () is provided for orienting the first elongated body half and the second elongated body half A fastener () is formed on the second elongated body half () and a receptor () for the fastener () is formed on the first elongated body half (). A plurality of cable-engaging projections () is formed in each of the first cable receiving section () and the second cable receiving section (), the cable engaging projections () in the first cable-receiving section () being longitudinally displaced from the projections () in the second cable receiving section (), whereby an inserted cable () is rendered axially and rotationally stable.

Snap-on cable retainer

A socket () for a bi-pin lamp () has a primary housing () including a receptacle (): a secondary housing () formed to be received in the receptacle (), the secondary housing () having a body () with a pair of recesses () therein; a floor () in the recesses (); a pin-receiving aperture () in the floor of each of the recesses (); and an electrical contact () positioned in each recess (), the electrical contact () comprising a substantially U-shaped body () having an open end () and a bight (), the U-shaped body () comprising a substantially U-shaped contact portion () formed of a first material nested within a substantially U-shaped contiguous spring portion () formed of a second material.

Lamp socket

An in-line coaxial cable connector () has an electrically insulating member () that is fitted over a first electrical contact () and has a first end () and a second end () extending over a second end () of the first electrical contact (). The terminus of the second end () includes a lip () forming an alignment area for the reception of a mating electrical contact. The lip () protects the contact beams of the contact () and eliminates the possibility of the contact () mismating with its complement on a mating connector.

Inline connector

A right-angled connector comprises a subassembly () including an electrically conductive member or ground shell () having a longitudinal section () and a transverse section (). The longitudinal section () is provided with a longitudinal axis () and at least a portion () of the member () provides a cylindrical, hollow end (). A trough () is formed in the member () to accommodate an electrically conductive contact pin () and at least one leg () is provided on member () extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis (). In a preferred embodiment the member () has four legs (), as shown in FIGS.and, which in the final construction will provide the ground connections for the connector. Member () can be die cast zinc. Member () additionally is provided with an integral electromagnetic interference shield in the form of oppositely disposed wings (), which project from the hollow cylindrical end. Four apertures, (and) are provided in the wings.

Connector with integral EMI shield

A substantially annular electrical contact () has an inside dimension () and an outside dimension (). A preferred material for the contact () is phosphorus-bronze. The inside dimension () is provided with a plurality of contact beams (). The outside dimension () is provided with a plurality of retention beams (). The contact beams and the retention beams are spaced alternately from one another. A wire-receiving trough () is provided between two of the retention beams and extends away from the annulus. A substantially cup-shaped electrically insulating insert () (see) is also provided and comprises an interior wall () and an exterior wall (). A preferred material for the insert is polypropylene. The interior wall () is provided with pockets () for receiving the contact beams () and the exterior wall () is provided with pockets () for receiving the retention beams (). One end of the pockets () is provided with an undercut () to receive a reentrant portion () formed on the retention beams (). The space between the pockets () includes ribs (), which limit the deflection of the contact beams (). The contact () and the insert () are mated to form a subassembly (). The contact beams () are fitted into the pockets () and the retention beams () are accommodated within the pockets () with the reentrant portions () engaged with the undercuts () for a secure attachment. The subassembly () is then placed in a mold and overmolded with a suitable electrically insulating material to produce a body () completely covering the external wall () of the insert () and forming the electrical connector ().

Overmolded snap connector

An electrical connector that comprises an electrically insulating housing having a front end and a back end displaced along a longitudinal axis. An electrical contact receiving aperture is formed in the housing and is arrayed parallel to the longitudinal axis. The back end of the connector housing further includes a contact receiving entrance that has a given cross-sectional, one-way footprint and has a given length &ldquo;L&rdquo; along the longitudinal axis. An electrical contact is positioned in the contact-receiving aperture, and has the same cross-sectional, one-way footprint as the entrance. At least a portion of the longitudinal length of the contact, designated &ldquo;L &rdquo; is sufficient to retain engagement with the contact receiving entrance until the contact enters the electrical contact-receiving aperture in the insulating housing. The one-way footprint assures correct alignment of the contact with the housing aperture and allows for a much smaller contact with lesser spacing between contacts, thus allowing for a greater contact density and a miniaturization of the connector.

Growing community of inventors

York, PA, United States of America

Douglas G Seymour