Molex Corporation

George M Simmel

Chui Ngor Wong

Kiat Keen Chee

David L Brunker

Joseph D Comerci

Yew Teck Yap

Thomas Kos

Sebastian Anjilikkal Poulose

Malgorzata M Firlej

An electrical connector is provided with a latching system for latching the connector to a mating connector and includes a dielectric housing having a forward mating end. A pair of latch arms are disposed at opposite sides of the housing and each latch arm includes a front latch end for latchingly engaging an appropriate latch on the mating connector. Each latch arm includes a rear engagement end and an intermediate pivot portion between the front and rear ends pivotally mounting the latch arm to the housing. Each latch arm further includes a biasing portion engageable with the housing to pivotally bias the latch arm about the pivot portion toward a latched position. A single actuating bracket is pivotally mounted on the housing and is engageable with the rear engagement ends of both latch arms for pivoting the latch arms against the biasing portions thereof toward an unlatched position. A single manually operable actuator is movably mounted on the housing for pivoting the single actuating bracket into engagement with the two latch arms.

Electrical connector with improved latch

An electrical connector is provided for mating with a complementary connecting device in a mating direction. A non-conductive housing mounts a plurality of conductive terminals. The housing has a channel extending generally parallel to the mating direction with an opening to the channel at a forward mating end of the housing. A flexible latch arm is located in the channel and has a free end with a latch plate for latchingly engaging an appropriate latch of the complementary connecting device inserted into the opening of the channel. The latch arm and latch plate are located substantially entirely within the bounds of the channel. The latch plate is in a plane generally parallel to the mating direction and has side edges confined by opposite side walls of the housing.

Electrical connector with improved latch means

An electrical connector assembly includes a first connector having a body mounting a plurality of terminals, with a locking shoulder on the body. A second connector includes a body mounting a plurality of terminals engageable with the terminals of the first connector. The second connector is mateable with the first connector in a given mating direction. A flexible latch arm is mounted on the body of the second connector and includes a latch hook engageable with the locking shoulder of the first connector when the two connectors are mated in the given mating direction. The locking shoulder is located in an open-sided cavity in the body of the first connector to allow the latch hook to be lifted away from the locking shoulder in response to tilting the first connector relative to the second connector transversely of the given mating direction.

Latching/unlatching system for electrical connectors

An electrical connector assembly includes a first connector having a dielectric housing and a receptacle extending in a given mating direction. A second connector is mateable with the first connector in the given mating direction and includes a dielectric housing having an alignment rib positionable in said receptacle when the connectors are mated. The receptacle includes at least one flexible wall allowing the connectors to be unmated and the alignment rib to move out of the receptacle at an angle to the given mating direction.

Mating/unmating system for electrical connectors

A system is provided for varying the capacitive coupling between adjacent terminals in an electrical connector. A connector housing includes at least a pair of adjacent terminal-receiving passages. At least a pair of terminals are insertable into the passages. Each terminal includes a contact end and a terminating end. A pair of generally parallel, laterally spaced arms extend in a given direction between the contact and terminating ends. One end of one of the arms is joined to the contact end, and one end of the other of the arms is joined to the terminating end. An irregularly shaped portion joins the ends of opposite end of the arms. Therefore, the pair of terminals can be inserted into the passages as mirror images of each other to maximize capacitive coupling between the terminals. Alternatively, the pair of terminals alternately can be inserted into the passages inverted relative to each other to transversely misalign the irregularly shaped portions and, thereby, reduce the capacitive coupling between the terminals.

System for varying capacitive coupling between electrical terminals

An electrical connector is provided for terminating an electrical cable and for mating with a complementary mating connector. A dielectric housing includes a front mating end, a rear terminating end and at least one mounting slot therein. A one-piece latch and strain relief device includes a central mounting portion, a forward latching portion and a rearward strain relief portion. The central mounting portion includes a mounting tab insertable into the mounting slot in the housing. The forward latching portion is adapted for latching engagement with the mating connector. The rearward strain relief portion is adapted for engaging the electrical cable. The one piece latch and strain relief device is electrically connected to the upper and lower shielding shells.

Electrical connector with integral latch and strain relief device

An IC connector is adapted for connecting an IC card having a terminal array. The connector includes a base member having a plurality of electrically conductive contacts for engaging the terminal array of the IC card. A cover is mounted on the base member for pivotal movement toward and away from one side of the base member. The cover has a receptacle means for securing the IC card thereon. The IC card is received for sliding movement relative to the cover between a preload position and a latched position. A biasing shoulder on the base member slides the IC card from its preload position to its latched position in response to closing of the cover. A latch on the base member engages the IC card in its latched position to lock the cover and IC card in a closed position on the base member. A release on the base member moves the biasing shoulder out of engagement with the IC card to allow the IC card to be moved back to its preload position out of engagement with the latch, whereby the cover and IC card can be pivoted back to an open position.

IC card connector with release means

An electromagnetic shield is provided for at least one electronic component such as an electrical connector. The shield includes an electrically conductive enclosure having walls defining an open end at a mating face of the component. The walls include an end wall extending generally transversely of a second wall and a first wall. A flexible ground arm is integrally formed from both the end and second walls and include a contact portion for engaging a conductive ground portion of a complementary mating electronic component.

Shielded electrical connector

An electromagnetic shield is provided for at least one electronic component. The shield includes an electrically conductive enclosure having walls defining an open end at a mating face of the component. A flexible elongated ground arm is integrally formed from the walls and extends generally parallel to the mating face. The ground arm includes a contact portion for engaging a conductive ground portion of a complementary mating electronic component. A portion of the walls is folded over in an area in registry with the ground arm to minimize electromagnetic leakage about the ground arm.

Shielded electrical connector with a folded wall

An electrical connector system includes a metal shield having a cavity and being mountable on a substrate in at least two different orientations. A dielectric housing is mountable within the cavity in the shield in at least two different orientations for each orientation of the shield. A plurality of conductive terminals are mountable on the housing in at least two different orientations for each orientation of the housing. Therefore, the total combinations of different orientations of the metal shield, the dielectric housing and the conductive terminals effectively provide at least eight different configurations of electrical connectors.

Electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector includes a housing molded of dielectric material and having a recess defined by opposed side walls having inner surfaces. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing and include contact sections along at least one of the opposed side walls and exposed at the inner surface thereof. The terminals have distal ends at an end of the recess. At least some of the terminals have spacer tabs projecting laterally from edges of the contact sections of the terminals to maintain at least a minimum spacing between the distal ends of the terminals prior to molding the dielectric housing.

Terminal positioning system

An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a recess defined by opposed side walls having inner surfaces. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing and include retention sections spaced along at least one of the opposed side walls and exposed inwardly thereof. A plurality of ribs project inwardly from the one side wall between the spaced retention sections of the terminals. The ribs each have at least one side edge overlapping a side edge of a respective one of the terminal retention sections to capture the sections in the side wall of the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

George M Simmel