The Whitaker Corporation

Amp LLC

Allen-bradley Company, LLC

Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Compao Computer Corporation

Amp General Patent Counsel

Earl William McCleerey

Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr

Michael Eugene Shirk

Dennis C Mackey

Robert Wayne Walker

Pete Cosmos

David Dale Brandt

Charles Edward Reynolds

Robert E Lounsbury

Brian J Taylor

Douglas M Walburn

Robert W Walker

Michael E Shirk

Wayne Samuel Davis

John Michael Landis

George H Douty

Richard A Nelson

Timothy Lee Kocher

George R Defibaugh

John A Root

Edward K Marsh

Warren C Hillbish

Michael David Long

Michael A McCaffrey

Gary J Verdun

Robert H Frantz

Jeffrey Byron McClinton

Charles H Weidler

John C Asick

John Phillip Huss, Jr

Jon A Fortuna

Keith S Koegel

Albert Casciotti

Robert S Correll, Jr

Earl C Myers, Jr

Kevin E Walker

John L Broschard, Iii

Karen Elizabeth Benjamin

Lahman D Lambert, Ii

John L Himes, Jr

Hurley Chester Moll, Jr

David A Griesemer

Melissa Ann Sherman

Navin Kanjibhai Patel

David A Trout

James Philip Moser

Richard James Conrad

Michael Albert Viselli

James Paul Ward

Michael Chung-Ta Chiang

A plurality of interface modules (200,300,400,500) having identical first mating interfaces (202,302) for mating with the mating face (100) of a cable tap connector (10), to enable interconnection therewith at second mating interfaces by different types of electrical conductors. A set of contacts in each module have identical first contact sections (212,318) along the first mating interface, and the contacts are secured in the module housing (206,306) under an insulative retention plate (210,360) that assuredly secures the contacts in proper position for accurate positioning of the first contact sections. The insulative plate (210,360) also protects the first contact sections during handling of the module.

Electrical interface connector

A connector includes a connector base, a contact housing, and a floating latch. The connector base has a first bottom surface, and the contact housing has a second bottom surface. The floating latch couples the contact housing to the connector base. The floating latch is adapted to allow the first and second bottom surfaces to move relative to one another.

Electrical connector with floating housing

Interface modules (200,300) have identical first mating interfaces (204,304) to mate with the same cable tap connector (10). Contact arrays for either of the two different interface modules (200,300) are defined by use of the same first members (232) having first contact sections (224,322) and transverse body sections (228,324), being joined to one of two groups (226) or (336) of socket members by crimping pin embossments (242) or (338) at either closely spaced holes (248) or less closely spaced holes (250), to define a closely spaced array (254) or a less closely spaced array (258) along second mating interfaces (206,306) to correspond with smaller round cable connector (208) or larger round cable connector (308). Thereby a cable tap connector (10) providing connection to a flat cable (12) may be modified by selection of different interface modules (200) or (300) for use with different types of mating connectors (208) or (308) The contacts of each array may also be of different sizes.

Contact array for electrical interface connector

A connector (10,200,300) for termination to a multiconductor cable (12,306) along a length thereof and including a housing (20,202,302) and a cover (22,204,304) securable to each other around the cable. The housing contains a plurality of contacts (60,220,320) with first contact sections (66,234,328) adapted to penetrate insulation of said cable upon actuation and engage the cable's conductors (16). A pair of gaskets (34,36;334,334;600,602) along faces of the housing and the cover define a seal surrounding termination regions of the cable upon installation of the connector to the cable.

Power cable tap connector with cable-sealing gaskets

Retention system (10) for guiding a processor module during mating, and retention thereafter, having a pair of retention members (12) with upper sections (20) pivotable from upright positions to recumbent positions with respect to lower sections (22) when a processor module is absent. Retention members (12) latch a module (16,100) therebetween upon full insertion into guide channels (52). Module (16) includes latching surfaces (78) that latch beneath latch surfaces (76) defined on a latch (70) that is deflectable outwardly to delatch. Module (100) includes latch projections (102) that seat in apertures (88) adjacent the guide channel entrance.

Retention member for processor module

A connector includes a contact housing and a signal contact. The contact housing has at least two cooperating retention channels. The signal contact is coupled to the contact housing. The signal contact includes a finger portion, a base portion, and a foot. The base portion has first and second retaining tabs. The first and second retaining tabs are interference fit into cooperating retention channels. The foot is defined in the base portion between the first and second retaining tabs.

Electrical connector with reduced contact footprint

A contact assembly (90) includes separate conductive members (42,54) with insulative material (90) molded about body sections (50,64) to define an integral unit for handling during connector assembly. The method includes stamping the conductive members (656,658,660,662) from a common blank (680) to have beams (610,612,614,616) associated in pairs to define sockets (606,608), second contact sections (648,650,652,654) at other ends, and body sections (656,658,660,662) joining the respective beams and second contact sections (648,650,652,654). Final separation of the conductive members may occur after molding of the insulative material (670), prior to which the conductive members may be retained on carrier strip facilitating the stamping, plating and molding processes. One contact assembly (604) provides sockets (606,608) having pairs of beams (610,612 and 614,616) with the beams defined on separate conductive members (640,642,644,646) and is inserted into a housing doubling the contact density of the connector without increasing the size of the housing.

Method of making a contact assembly

Connector (10) for termination to a multiconductor cable (12) remote from an end thereof and including a housing (20) and a cover (22) securable to each other around the cable, defining a channel (32) therethrough. Housing (20) contains a plurality of contacts (60) with first contact sections (66) in slots (62) that open onto the assembly face adjacent the cable jacket to penetrate the cable insulation and establish electrical connections with the cable's conductors (16). A pair of gaskets (100,102) are mounted to the housing and cover (20,22) and seated within grooves (104,106) thereof, with cable-engaging portions (132) extending outwardly of the grooves to be engaged by and compressed by the cable (12) during application of the connector to the cable, being compressed into the grooves (104,106), surrounding and sealing the sites where the contacts will penetrate the cable insulation during termination.

Gaskets for power cable tap connector

Cable tap connector (10) applied to a cable (12) at an end thereof. End cap (70) is urged over the cable end (72) for sealing thereof and includes projections (84) that seat in openings (82) of either the connector housing (20) or the connector cover (22).

Cable end cap for power cable tap connector

A connector (10,200,300) for termination to a multiconductor cable (12,306) along a length thereof at a point remote from an end thereof, such as after installation of the cable within a premises, and including a housing (20,202,302) and a cover (22,204,304) securable to each other around the cable. The housing contains a plurality of contacts (60,220,320) with first contact sections (66,234,328) in slots (62,236,330) that open onto the cable face adjacent the cable jacket. Upon actuation of actuators (90,222,326), the contacts associated with the actuators are urged downwardly against the cable jacket, penetrating the jacket (14) and compressively engaging the cable's conductors (16). Second contact sections (68,232,348) are exposed along the mating face (72,214,310) of the connector for mating with complementary contacts of an interface module (400).

Power cable tap connector

An electrical connector (20) having a cover (70) pivotally secured thereto includes a housing (22) having a base (42), opposed side walls (26), and end walls (32), together defining a terminal receiving cavity (68) and a plurality of terminals (90) disposed in at least two rows therein. The cover (70) includes a hinge receiving slot (76) extending along a common one of its elongate sides (72) and inwardly from each end thereof. The cover (70) is secured to the housing (22) by a pair of hinges (78) with a base (80) of each hinge retained within in a respective one of the cover slots (76) and the leading end (84) of a leg (82) of each hinge (78) pivotally mounted proximate a middle position of a respective one of the housing end walls (32) adjacent an entrance to the cavity (68). When the cover (70) is in its open position, the cover 70 can be rotated about the hinge bases (80) so that it is adjacent either one of the housing side walls (26) as desired thereby allowing access to a row of terminals (90) proximate the other side wall (26).

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Mechanicsburg, PA, United States of America

Earl William McCleerey