Amp LLC

The Whitaker Corporation

John A Root

Robert H Frantz

John W Kaufman

Gary W Hawk

Richard P Clark

Earl William McCleerey

David S Szczesny

John L Broschard, Iii

James L Schroeder

Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr

Charles Edward Reynolds

Mark H Waters

Jared Joseph Smalley, Jr

Michael J Scully

An electrical connector (10) includes a housing (12) having at least one conductor-receiving aperture (16) and an associated terminal-receiving passageway (32) intersecting each conductor-receiving aperture (16), and a terminal (40) disposed in each terminalreceiving passageway (32). Each terminal (40) includes a body (42) having a first connecting section (44) extending from one end thereof and a pair of upstanding arms (46) defining an insulation displacement contact at an opposite end. Each terminal (40) is partially inserted into the terminal-receiving passageway (32) in a first position and upon positioning the first connecting sections (44) in corresponding through-holes (62) of a circuit board (60), the terminals (40) can be secured to the board (60). The ends of insulated conductors (70) then can be inserted into respective conductor-receiving apertures (16) and terminated to respective terminals (40) therein by moving the housing (12) toward the board (60) to a second position against the board (60).

Electrical connector for terminating insulated conductors

An electrical connector assembly 20 for a card reader including a housing 24 having opposed major and minor sides 26,30 defining a card receiving mouth 32, a plurality of conductive electrical terminals 36 disposed in the housing 24 and having portions 38 thereof extending into the mouth 32, and a conductive shroud 50 encircling the housing 24, the shroud 24 having inwardly spaced contact portions extending into the mouth 32 along at least one of the major sides 26 of the housing 24, the shroud contact portions being spaced from the electrical terminal portions 38 when the shroud 50 is assembled to the housing 24. The inwardly spaced contact portions can be spring fingers 54 extending into the mouth 32 from an edge 53 of the shroud 50 or dimples 254 expressed into the mouth from an outer surface of the shroud 250. At least one of the major walls 26 of the housing 24 includes a plurality of shroud contact receiving recesses 28 adapted to receive the shroud contact portions such that the shroud contact portions are closely adjacent a card receiving space 34 thereby being positioned to be either electrically engaged by corresponding raised conductive surfaces 84 on an outwardly facing conductive surface 82 of a shielded card 70 upon insertion of the shielded card into the mouth 32, or to remain spaced from surfaces of an unshielded card 170 upon inserting the unshielded card into the mouth 32.

Grounding for electrical connectors

A conductive ground shroud (50) for use with an electrical connector (22) having a plurality of electrical terminals (36) with surface mountable contact sections (42) for electrically engaging circuitry (84) on a circuit board (80). The shroud (50) provides ground reference for the terminals (36). Shroud 50 includes an electrically conductive plate-like body 52 having first and second portions, (54, 62) the first portion (54) adapted to be disposed on a board remote surface (26) of the connector housing. The second portion is configured to extend over the surface mountable contact sections (42) when the shroud (50) is disposed on housing (24). The second portion (62) includes at least one second contact section (70) extending outwardly therefrom for engagement to ground circuitry of circuit board (80). The second portion further includes at least one elongated aperture (64) extending therethrough proximate the surface mountable contact sections (40). Upon disposing the shroud (50) on connector (22 ), mounting the connector (22) and shroud (50) to circuit board (80) and soldering the surface mountable contact sections (42) to corresponding circuit pads (84) on board, aperture (64) permits sufficient heat generated during the soldering process to reach contact pads (84) to melt the solder thereby assuring electrical engagement of contact sections (42) with corresponding pads (84).

Grounding shroud for surface mounted electrical connector

A card securing mechanism for retaining a card 90 in a reader includes a cam 66 pivotally mounted to a guide arm 20 associated with a side edge 94 of a card 90. The cam 66 is mounted at the entrance 34 of a card-receiving channel 30 proximate and beside a push button 36 slidably mounted along the guide arm 20 such that a first cam portion 74 can be rotated into and out of the channel 30. The first cam portion 74 has a notch 76 dimensioned to receive and secure a corner 96 of a card 90 when the card 90 is fully within a reader and the first portion 74 is rotated into the channel 30. A second cam portion 78 is adapted to be engaged by an actuator activated by the card ejection mechanism 50. The cam 66 is pivoted to a card engaging position upon insertion of a card 90 into the card reader. Upon activating the card ejection mechanism, the actuator permits cam 66 to be pivoted from a card engaging position to a card releasing position as the card 90 is urged outwardly of the channel 30 by a card ejection mechanism 50.

Retention mechanism for memory cards

A connector array (10) for mounting to a circuit board is disclosed including a conductive shroud (16) and two electrical connectors (12, 14). The shroud includes a conductive first plate (60) that separates the two connectors (12, 14) and the leads (34) of one connector from the leads (38) of the other connector. The shroud includes solder tails (68) that electrically engage ground circuitry on the circuit board (18). A conductive second plate (64) is spaced from and parallel to the first plate (60). Contacts (72, 80) extend from edges of each of the first and second plates and are arranged so that when memory cards (28, 30) are mated with the two connectors the contacts electrically engage outer conductive surfaces of the two memory cards. The two connectors are secured in a vertically stacked position by means of a pair of clips (50) that are in interfering engagement with openings (52) formed in outer walls of the housings of the two connectors.

Conductive shroud for electrical connectors

An electricl connector (1) for mounting on a circuit board includes a housing (2) having a pair of spaced, rudimentary bottom walls (30) each having a bottom surface (31) for engaging against the circuit board. Each bottom wall (30) has formed therein, a through bore (39) opening into the bottom face (31) and also opening upwardly. A hollow board lock supported in each of the bores (39) has locking legs (37) projecting below the bottom face of the respective bottom wall (30) for insertion in a hole (H2) in a circuit board. The housing (2) has therein a header (8) carrying electrical terminals (64,66,68,70) having terminal legs (76) projecting rearwardly from the header (8) and terminating in soldering tails (78) depending below the housing for insertion in further holes (H1) in the circuit board when the bottom faces (31) of the bottom walls (30) are engaged with the circuit board. A metal shield (18) covering the terminal legs (76 ) has, projecting from opposite side walls (80) of the shield (18) grounding tabs (100) which extend through respective board locks (41) and between their locking legs (76). When the connector (1) is mounted on the circuit board the soldering tails (78) are soldered to signal conductors on the board and the legs (76) of the board locks (41) are soldered to grounding conductors on the board. The grounding tabs (100) are accordingly soldered to the grounding conductors at the same time as the locking legs (37).

Surface mount electrical cohnnector and shield therefor

An electrical connector asembly (10) for mounting to a planar surface (96) has an elongate electrically conductive diecast housing (12) having an aperture (42) therein. A drawn shell (14) having an aperture therein is received in the diecast housing aperture (42). Barbs (60, 62) engage the peripheral edge (50) of flange (46), center drawn shell (14) and assure electrical continuity between drawn shell (14) and diecast housing (12). A burr relief pocket (70) in diecast housing (12) accommodates any burrs (68) from barbs (60, 62) such that flange (46) seats against housing surface (48). A thermoplastic header insert (16) having terminal receiving passages (78) with terminals (82) secured therein is received in and secured in the drawn shell aperture. Insert (16) engages barbs (60, 62) in an interference fit and is centered and partially retained thereby. A portion of rib (104) of diecast housing (12) is formed over lower edge (102) of header insert (16) to secure drawn shell (14) and header insert (16) in diecast housing (12).

Connector assembly with diecast housing and drawn shell

Ribbon cable connector has latch members fixed to cover at opposite ends thereof. Each latch member is U-shaped, having first and second latch arms and a formed bight therebetween. The first arm has projections cooperable with web means on the end of the connector housing and cover which permits the cover to be moved between a first and second position and secured therein. The second arm at its distal end is formed with an outwardly directed hook cooperable with a complementary connector.

Ribbon cable connector with improved cover latch

Ribbon cable connector has stamped and formed metal latch members fixed to cover at opposite ends thereof. Each latch member is U-shaped, having first and second latch arms and a formed bight therebetween. The first arm has stamped apertures cooperable with detents on the end of the connector housing at two positions. The second arm at its distal end is formed with an outwardly directed hook cooperable with a complementary connector.

An improved system is disclosed for retaining electrical terminals in associated housings. The subject retention system provides captivation of terminals in a housing in such fashion that the terminals can be mass terminated by known means and can be individually removed for repair or replacement by insertion of a simple tool. The subject retention system can best be compared to a butterfly extension on the terminal and a key hole in the connector. This serves both as orienting and stabilizing means while allowing limited float to improve matability.

Key hole retention

A cover latching assembly is formed by elongated grooves in opposite ends of a connector housing, the grooves extending between mating and rear surfaces of the housing and having a bridge spanning each groove intermediate the length thereof. Each bridge has a straight side directed toward the rear surface and a profiled side directed toward the mating surface. The cover has depending leg portions received in the respective grooves and engaging with the profiled side so as to have the cover spaced above the rear surface or closely adjacent the rear surface.

T Bar cover latch

A cartridge holder and interconnect system is disclosed formed primarily of two components, namely, a cartridge and an assembly for receiving and holding the cartridge. The holder assembly includes a housing of rigid insulative material and a connector member adapted to engage a circuit board or the like and to engage the cartridge. The holder assembly also has a replaceable face plate profiled for polarizing and keying reception of an appropriate cartridge in the housing. The face plate is detachably secured to the housing so that by simply replacing the face plate the housing can be adapted to receive different cartridges. The housing is also adapted to be situated spaced above a circuit board so as to accommodate components thereunder thereby preserving the available surface of circuit board. The cartridge is formed by a two-piece housing enclosing a circuit board having components, such as integrated circuits, mounted thereon and held within the cartridge in such fashion as to obviate the need for potting, etc. The cartridge also has a connector portion with a profiled mating face for keying and means for covering or exposing a reflective surface used to disable a writing capability for the circuit carried by the cartridge.

Growing community of inventors

Middletown, PA, United States of America

John A Root