The Whitaker Corporation

Amp LLC

Martha L Rupert

Timothy Lee Kocher

David M Swartz

Ronald J Baker

Douglas G Fisher

Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr

David James Fabian

George H Douty

Robert Wayne Walker

David L Brockway

James A Hunt

An electric connector (1) comprises, an insulating housing (3), and contacts (7) in respective contact receiving cavities (8). The contacts (7) have respective marker surfaces (18) that align with respect to marker surfaces (21, 23) located in the staggered positions on the housing (3) to position at least one of the contacts (7) farther from a mating end (2) of the housing (3) than another of the contacts (7 ). The contacts (7) are to be inserted by engaging a straight surface of an insertion tool against their marker surfaces (18) and then impelling them along the cavities (8) until the marker surfaces (18) are aligned with respect to selected one or the other of the marker surfaces (21,23). The marker surfaces (21,23) can also serve to limit travel of the insertion tool. The contacts after such insertion are positioned in staggered rows and are retained by engagement of barbs (17) with walls of the cavities.

Electrical connector with contacts at different insertion depths

An electrical connector (1) comprises, a housing (4), a mating face (6) on the housing (4), multiple electrical contacts (7) in the housing (4), terminals (8) on the contacts (7) projecting from the housing (4) for connection with a circuit board, and an insulating alignment member (28) biasing the terminals (8), and a base portion (26) on the housing (4) adapting the connector (1) for vertical mounting and, alternatively, for right angle mounting to a circuit board.

Electrical connector with contact alignment member

A stacked electrical connector assembly 20 for mounting on a circuit board CB includes upper and lower electrical connectors 22,24 each having electrical terminals having connecting post portions 48,72 projecting from the connectors in rows. The upper and lower connectors 22,24 are supported in superposed relationship by means of metal brackets 26. The connecting post portions 72 of the lower connector 24 depend therebelow for insertion through respective holes of a group of holes 112 a circuit board CB. Each connecting post portion 48 of the upper connector 22 is connected to a corresponding connecting posts portion 72 of the lower connector 24 by means of a respective trace 98 of a flexible film cable 28 whereby the connectors 22,24 are wired in parallel for economy of board space and footprinting.

Board saving stacked electrical connector assembly

A stacked electrical connector assembly (2) is disclosed of surface mounting on a circuit board (CB). The assembly comprises a sheet metal supporting bracket (4) having superposed upper and lower connector mounting lugs (20 and 24). An upper standard electrical connector (38) is mounted to the upper mounting lugs (20), a lower standard pin header connector N) being mounted to the lower mounting lugs (24). The pins (54) of the pin header connector (10) are connected to contact tails (46) of the upper connector (38) by means of a flat flexible cable (12). A lower standard multi-contact electrical connector (8) is mounted to the lower lugs (24) in front of the pin header connector (10) and has contact tails (76) projecting below the bracket (4). The assembly can be mounted on the circuit board (CB) by means of boardlocks (14) passed through holes in the lower mounting lugs (24) and in flanges (56 and 78) of the lower connectors (8 and 10) so that the contact tails (76) and lower portions of the pins (54) extend into holes in the circuit board (CB). Spring locking clips (14) serve to ground the bracket (4) to ground conductors on the circuit board.

Stacked electrical assembly

An electrical connector (2) for mounting on a circuit board (4) comprises a housing (8) wiht through passages (10) each receiving an electrical terminal (38) having a transverse lance (76) with a free end (78) lodged in a recess (28) in a side wall (16) of the housing (2). Each terminal (38) has a solder tail (66) for engaging a pad (6) on the board (4), and from which projects a solder tail (66) having a soldering portion (68) outside the housing (2), for soldering to the pad (6) and being flexible about a reduced cross-section part (98). The foot (62) and the tail (66) have sheared edges (94 and 96). Sheared edge (96) engages the pad (6) to provide for high terminal density. The terminals (38) are moved inwardly of their passages (10) against the resilient action of their lances (76) when the connector (2) is applied to the board (4), to urge the sheared edge (96) against the pads (6) while the tails (66) are soldered to the pads (6).

Growing community of inventors

Hummelstown, PA, United States of America

Martha L Rupert