Molex Corporation

Henry Zielke

Daniel A Dixon

Eugene J Mysiak

Hsin Lee

Thomas P Pellegrino

Hasmukh Shah

Richard L Patterson

David L Brunker

Jerry A Long

John E Lopata

Philip J Dambach

Irvin R Triner

Russell G Larsen

Joseph W Nelligan, Jr

Gregory D Spanier

A flexible circuitry connector includes an improved contact spring assembly that is compared with a plurality of discrete spring elements arranged longitudinally along the connector. Flexible circuitry is supported by the spring elements and held against a circuit card by each such spring element in a manner such that the spring elements apply a series of discrete contact forces for the length of the spring assembly, thereby eliminating any problems due to circuit card thickness variations and warpage as well as other compliance issues.

Laminated spring structure and flexible circuitry connector

A circuit card connector that utilizes flexible circuitry includes one or more isolator portions attached to its base that serve to substantially isolate the base of the connector from the circuit board to which the connector is mounted. The isolator portions include feet that extend out from the connector and which partially support the flexible circuitry. These isolator portions are made from thermally insulative material and serve to prevent heat transfer to the connector base from occurring during soldering of the flexible circuitry conductive portions to the circuit board.

Circuit card connector with isolation base assembly

A surface mount electrical connector assembly is provided for electrically connecting a plurality of terminals of an electrical connector to circuit traces on a printed circuit board. The terminals are mounted on a dielectric housing of the connector and have contact ends exposed exteriorly on one side of the housing. A flexible circuit sheet is mounted on the side of the housing, with conductive circuit paths being electrically terminated to the contact ends of the terminals. The flexible circuit sheet has an edge for surface engaging the printed circuit board, with contact pads at the edge for electrical termination to the circuit traces on the printed circuit board.

Surface mount electrical connector assembly

A miniature DIN connector is provided for mounting to a circuit board. The miniature DIN connector comprises a molded nonconductive housing having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving electrically conductive terminals. The housing includes an array of channels for positively positioning the board contact portions extending from the terminals and preventing lateral movement thereof. An internal shield is mountable in the housing to substantially surround pin-receiving portions of the terminals. The housing is lockingly engageable with a base, which in turn is mountable to the circuit board. The base includes apertures through which the board contact portions of the terminals may be directed. An external shield is disposed around four sides of the miniature DIN connector. The external and internal shields may include extensions into recesses in the front of the housing that provide ground contact to a conductive chassis panel abutting the front of the miniature DIN connector. The internal and external shields are not connected to one another, however the external shield may include a contact for directly contacting the shield of a DIN connector plug.

Miniature circular DIN connector

A termination machine for inserting wires into insulation displacement slots of terminals of an electrical connector. During each termination stroke, a connector locating member moves together with the termination blade to precisely position the connector for termination. A wire locator moves together with the termination blade and moves the wire into a guide slot in a template over the connector. When the blade, the wire and the connector are in precise alignment, the termination blade completes the termination stroke. A feed slide and pawl system moves the connector in steps equal to the terminal centerline spacing, and the feed stroke is selectively adjusted to skip voids where terminals are not to be terminated.

Method and apparatus for feeding and indexing a connector

A miniature DIN connector is provided for mounting to a circuit board. The miniature DIN connector comprises a molded nonconductive housing having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving electrically conductive terminals. The housing includes an array of channels for positively positioning the board contact portions extending from the terminals and preventing lateral movement thereof. An internal shield is mountable in the housing to substantially surround pin-receiving portions of the terminals. The housing is lockingly engageable with a base, which in turn is mountable to the circuit board. The base includes apertures through which the board contact portions of the terminals may be directed. An external shield is disposed around four sides of the miniature DIN connector and is groundable to the board. The internal and external shields are not connected to one another.

Connector termination apparatus and method

A miniature DIN connector is provided for mounting to a circuit board. The miniature DIN connector comprises a molded nonconductive housing having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving electrically conductive terminals. The housing includes an array of channels for positively positioning the board contact portions extending from the terminals and preventing lateral movement thereof. An internal shield is mountable in the housing to substantially surround pin-receiving portions of the terminals. The housing is lockingly engageable with a base, which in turn is mountable to the circuit board. The base includes apertures through which the board contact portions of the terminals may be directed. An external shield is disposed around four sides of the miniature DIN connector and is groundable to the board. The internal and external shields are not connected to one another, however the external shield may include a contact for directly contacting the shield of a DIN connector plug.

An apparatus is provided for accurately sensing the presence of an end of a wire in a position for stripping insulation therefrom or crimping a terminal thereto. The apparatus comprises a housing having an aperture extending therethrough for delivering a flow of low pressure air. A target is pivotally mounted to the housing and can undergo a small range of pivotal movement. The flow of air through the housing will urge the target to one extreme position in its range of pivotal movement. However, the end of a wire urged into contact with the target will cause the sensor target to pivot through its range of movement into a position for blocking the flow of air through the housing. Back pressure created by the blockage of air through the housing will be sensed by appropriate apparatus to initiate portions of the apparatus for stripping insulation from the wire or crimping a terminal thereto.

Growing community of inventors

Hoffman Estates, IL, United States of America

Henry Zielke