Molex Corporation

Molex Incporporated

Gregory R Pratt

Kent E Regnier

Robert A Owsley

Vladimir A Dashevsky

Paul Christopher Berg

Thomas G Premo

Daniel G Achammer

Harry N Etters

Russell L Mackowiak

Sasikumar Vimalan

Daniel Thomas Klein

Christopher J Vetch

Control modules having connectors with compliant pin terminals for connection to a printed circuit board (PCB) are provided. The module housing can be made of a die cast metal to withstand harsh environments and have at least one open bay area for receiving a connector having compliant pin contacts for connecting the module to a PCB. A plurality of compliant pin terminal can have a push shoulders for providing an engagement surface for insertion of the terminals through passages in a connector housing, for positioning the connector relative to the die cast housing during the mounting the connector to the die cast housing, and to transfer the force away from the connector housing applied in connecting the PCB to the compliant pin tips. The connectors can be linear and exposed terminal surfaces can be sealed against the elements by a sealant. The passages of the connector housing can have at one end of the passages cross shaped portions to allow for a strengthened die tool which forms the small passages and chamfered sides at the opposite end of the passages for tight engagement with the terminals to prevent leak of sealant. The connectors can include a three-pronged compliant pin grounding terminal to increase the current flow.

Compliant pin control module and method for making the same

An electrical connector assembly includes a first connector having a dielectric housing mounting a plurality of conductive terminals. A second connector includes a grounding housing. A double-sided printed circuit board is sandwiched between the first and second connectors. One side of the board has circuit means connected to the terminals of the first connector. A second side of the board has ground circuit means connected to the grounding housing of the second connector.

Electrical connector assembly incorporating printed circuit board

An elongate strip of electrical terminals adapted to be inserted into a row of terminal-receiving passages in connector housing is disclosed. The strip includes a series of terminals joined by a mid-carrier strip and includes alternating first and second terminals. The terminals have base portions with retention sections adapted to be inserted into the terminal-receiving passages. Spring arms having contact portions extend from first ends of the base portions. Tail portions extend from second, opposite ends of the base portions. The mid-carrier strip joins the alternating first and second terminals at the base portions of the first terminals and at the spring arm of the second terminals. A second carrier strip joins the tips of the tail portions of only the first terminals so that the adjacent ends of the second terminals can be formed independent of the first terminals.

Fabrication of electrical terminals for edge card connectors

A connector for an edge card includes an elongated insulative housing with a central edge card-receiving slot formed in its top surfaces between two opposing sidewalls of the housing. The housing incudes two sets of terminal-receiving cavities disposed between the two side walls. The cavities are spaced apart from each other and separated by intervening cavity walls and the cavities are open to the exterior of the connector housing at the top and bottom of the housing. Conductive terminals are inserted into the cavities, preferably from the bottom and the terminals contain contact portions that are adapted to engage confronting contact pads on the edge card. The contact portions extend through additional openings of the cavities so that part of the contact portions extend into the card-receiving slot. The housing includes two preload walls that extend the length of the housing and separate the top openings from the slot openings of the cavities.

High-density edge card connector

An improved core detail tooling assembly for use in the injection molding of electrical connector housings utilizes opposing sets of tooling elements and one set of tooling elements positively engages the other set at a location exterior of openings in the mold cavity. This engagement location permits the molding of electrical connector housings with greater reliability and at smaller pitches.

Molding core construction and process for molding of high-density

A push-pull edge card electrical connector is adapted for receiving an edge of a printed circuit board having contact pads on opposite sides of the board adjacent the edge. The connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a board-receiving face. An elongated slot is disposed in the board-receiving face generally along a longitudinal axis of the housing for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board. A plurality of pairs of transversely spaced terminal-receiving cavities are disposed on opposite sides of the slot defining two rows of cavities lengthwise of the housing. The pairs of transversely spaced cavities are separated by transverse walls extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A plurality of terminals are received in the transversely spaced cavities. The terminals are in pairs for engaging the contact pads on opposite sides of the printed circuit board. One terminal in each pair is disposed in a respective one of the transversely spaced cavities. Recesses are provided in the transverse walls between the cavities for accommodating carrier strip cutoffs projecting from the terminals. Different length preloading walls are provided in the housing for preloading spring contact portions of the terminals.

Edge connector for a printed circuit board

A push-pull edge card electrical connector is adapted for receiving an edge of a printed circuit board having contact pads on opposite sides of the board adjacent the edge. The connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having an elongated slot for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board. A plurality of first and second alternating terminal-receiving cavities are spaced along at least one side of the slot and separated by transverse walls extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The cavities are disposed between longitudinal side walls of the housing and a reinforcing rib extends across and joins the transverse walls of at least some of the cavities generally adjacent the slot. A first press-fit recess is located generally adjacent but spaced from one of the longitudinal sidewalls of the first cavities and a second press-fit recess is located generally adjacent but spaced from the reinforcing rib within the second cavities. A plurality of first and second terminals are provided with each first terminal received in one of the first terminal-receiving cavities and each second terminal is received in one of the second terminal-receiving cavities. Each of the terminals includes a base portion having a retention section press-fit within the press-fit recess of its respective cavity.

A push-pull edge card electrical connector is adapted for receiving an edge of a printed circuit board having contact pads on opposite sides of the board adjacent the edge. The connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a board-receiving face. An elongated slot is disposed in the board-receiving face generally along a longitudinal axis of the housing for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board. A plurality of pairs of transversely spaced terminal-receiving cavities are disposed on opposite sides of the slot defining two rows of cavities lengthwise of the housing. The pairs of transversely spaced cavities are separated by transverse walls extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The housing includes side walls at each pair of transversely spaced terminal-receiving cavities, with the side walls being of different thicknesses along the length thereof to accommodate different shapes of terminals in each pair thereof. A plurality of pairs of first and second shapes of terminals are received in the transversely spaced cavities with one terminal in each pair disposed in a respective one of the transversely spaced cavities. One of the first and second shapes of terminals includes a retention section press-fit between the transverse walls adjacent the thicker of the side walls of different thicknesses. Another feature is that different length preloading walls are provided in the housing for preloading spring contact portions of the terminals.

A push-pull edge card electrical connector is adapted for receiving an edge of a printed circuit board having contacts on opposite sides of the board adjacent the edge. An elongated dielectric housing includes a board-receiving face and a board-mounting face. An elongated slot is disposed in the board-receiving face generally along a longitudinal axis of the housing for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board. A plurality of pairs of alternating transversely spaced terminal-receiving cavities define two rows of first and second cavities on opposite sides of the slot lengthwise of the housing. The pairs of transversely spaced cavities are separated by transverse walls. A plurality of retention bosses are molded integrally with the housing in alignment with said second cavities and projecting from the board-mounting face a predetermined distance. A pair of first and second shapes of terminals are received in each pair of first and second cavities, respectively. The terminals include base portions having retention sections adapted to be press-fit within the housing with at least a portion of the retention section of the second shape of terminal engaging one of said retention bosses.

Terminal retention for an electrical connector

A push-pull edge card electrical connector is adapted for receiving an edge of a printed circuit board having contact pads on opposite sides of the board adjacent the edge. The connector includes an elongated dielectric housing having a board-receiving face. An elongated slot is disposed in the board-receiving face generally along a longitudinal axis of the housing for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board. A plurality of pairs of transversely spaced terminal-receiving cavities are disposed on opposite sides of the slot defining two rows of cavities lengthwise of the housing. The pairs of transversely spaced cavities are separated by transverse walls extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A plurality of terminals are received in the transversely spaced cavities. The terminals are in pairs for engaging the contact pads on opposite sides of the printed circuit board. One terminal in each pair is disposed in a respective one of the transversely spaced cavities.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Gregory R Pratt