Molex Corporation

Gary M Comstock

Arvind Patel

Yew Teck Yap

John S Luthy

Timothy E Purkis

Jose H Chavez, Jr

Stephen H McCombs

Yew-Teck Yap

A method of manufacturing electrical terminals and/or a terminal module is disclosed. The method includes the steps of stamping from a sheet of metal material a blank for a plurality of elongated terminals having contact portions at one end and terminal portions at the other end and joining the terminals by a tie bar intermediate the ends. The contact portions of the respective terminals are separated from each other by the stamping step. The terminal portions remain joined in the sheet of metal after the stamping step. The blank then is sheared to separate the terminal portions. The tie bar is cut to separate the terminals. In order to form a terminal module, a dielectric housing is overmolded about the terminals intermediate the ends thereof, with the tie bar being located outside the housing and removed after the overmolding process.

Method of manufacturing electrical terminals and terminal modules

A shielded electrical connector assembly includes a dielectric housing having a module-receiving cavity. A terminal module is inserted into the cavity. A conductive shell is disposed about at least a portion of the housing. The shell includes a locking portion projecting through the housing into a position for engagement with the terminal module to lock the module in the cavity.

Shielded electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector (10) includes a dielectric housing (12) having a terminal-receiving passage (14) for insertion thereinto of a terminal (16) in a given insertion direction (A). The terminal includes a first spring contact arm (22) projecting into the passage (14) for engagement by an appropriate first mating conductor. An engagement arm (26) is in line with the first spring contact arm (22) to provide an engagement shoulder for an insertion tool which forces the terminal (10) into the passage (14) of the housing. A second spring contact arm (24) is offset laterally of the insertion direction (A) from the first spring contact arm (22) out of a path for the insertion tool to the engagement arm. The second spring contact arm (24) is adapted for engagement by an appropriate second mating conductor.

Electrical connector with stabilized offset spring arm

A panel mounted electrical connector is adapted for mounting in an aperture in a panel. The connector includes a dielectric housing insertable along an axis through the aperture from a first surface to at least a second surface of the panel and including at least one side wall. A flexible latch arm projects from the side wall and includes a locking portion adapted to engage the second surface of the panel at the periphery of the aperture when the housing is inserted completely therethrough. A stop bar projects transversely outwardly of the side wall and includes a stop shoulder adapted to engage the first surface of the panel at the periphery of the aperture when the housing is inserted therethrough. A yieldable anti-vibration arm projects inwardly of the stop bar and is axially aligned with the flexible latch arm. The anti-vibration arm is adapted to engage the first surface of the panel and to bias the locking portion of the flexible latch arm against the second surface of the panel, thereby preventing vibration between the connector and the panel and over flexing of the anti-vibration arm.

Panel mounted electrical connector

A security locking system is disclosed for use with an electrical connector which includes a latch device for latching the connector to a complementary mating electrical connector. The latch device has a depressible portion to effect unlatching of the device. The depressible portion has a vacant space therebeneath. A locking key is insertable in a given direction into the vacant space beneath the depressible portion to prevent unlatching of the latch device. Retaining shoulders are provided on the locking key, engageable with the connector, to prevent removal of the key opposite the given direction. The locking key is sufficiently flexible in a direction transverse to the given direction to effect disengagement of the retaining shoulders in response to bending the key transverse to the given direction. A stop of a given height is provided on the connector to prevent bending the locking key unless the key is lifted above the height of the stop. A tether device is provided for tethering the locking key to an electrical cable terminated to the electrical connector to prevent misplacement of the locking key.

Growing community of inventors

LaGrange, IL, United States of America

Gary M Comstock