The Whitaker Corporation

Tyco Electronics Corporation

Michael David Long

Hurley Chester Moll, Jr

Charles H Weidler

John Michael Landis

Michael Eugene Shirk

Earl William McCleerey

George H Douty

John Phillip Huss, Jr

David A Griesemer

Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr

Michael John Phillips

Michael Warren Fogg

Charles Edward Reynolds

John Eugene Westman

William J Schnoor

A lever-style de-latch mechanism for a pluggable electronic module, such as an SFP MSA fiber optic transceiver or other pluggable optoelectronic or electronic module. The mechanism is easily accessible to an operator and does not require any tools to operate. The mechanism uses rotational motion of a lever about a horizontal axis transverse to a horizontal direction of elongation of a module, or about a vertical axis (relative to a module extending in a horizontal plane), to cause translational motion of the de-latch actuator. Mechanisms including both T and bail latch style levers are provided. The lever may be adjacent to, or extend beyond, the front/face of the module's housing for tool-free accessibility and operation. The mechanism may allow the user to apply force to actuate the mechanism in a direction that does not oppose a withdrawal and/or module ejection force.

Lever style de-latch mechanism for pluggable electronic module

A push-button style de-latch mechanism for an SFP MSA fiber optic transceiver or other pluggable optoelectronic or electronic module. The mechanism is readily accessible to an operator and does not require any tools to operate. The mechanism uses translational motion of an actuator to de-latch the module from its receptacle. The actuator is slidable from a first (inoperable) position in which the actuator extends beyond the housing face for tool-free accessibility and operation, to a second position for de-latching the module. The actuator includes a pair of outer legs, each defining a wedge, and an inner leg positioned between the outer legs and having a barb for retaining the actuator on the module. The inner leg deflects to allow the actuator to be easily mounted/demounted from the module's housing for assembly/repair/replacement purposes. Modules and module assemblies including such de-latch mechanisms are also provided.

Push button de-latch mechanism for pluggable electronic module

A connector assembly ( ) includes a housing ( ) receiving electrical terminals ( ) that accompany insulating modules ( ). The housing includes a shroud ( ) projecting in a rearward direction from the housing ( ), the shroud ( ) engaging the modules ( ). The shroud ( ) has flat portions ( A) and notches ( B) in spaced-apart rear edges ( ) that interfit with flat surfaces ( A) and projecting wedges ( B) on the modules ( ).

Connector assembly with stabilized modules

An electrical connector which is mountable on a circuit board includes a housing (10) having a board-mounting face (13), a channel (38) which opens into the housing from the board-mounting face, and a pair of grooves (36, 37) which extend from the channel in respective opposite directions parallel to the board-mounting face. A boardlock (20) has a pair of oppositely extending wings (24) which are mounted in the grooves, a body which extends through the channel, and a base (22) which is engageable with the circuit board. The channel (38) and the pair of grooves (36, 37) are open to a side of the housing for receiving the boardlock in a direction parallel to the board mounting face (13). The boardlock resides completely within a lateral outline of the housing.

Electrical connector and boardlock with minimal footprint

An insert subassembly for an electrical connector includes a lower terminal insert and an upper terminal insert. The lower terminal insert includes a lower insulative member which carries a plurality of terminals which have exposed portions at a rear of the lower insulative member. The exposed portions extend downwardly to provide leads for the connector. The upper terminal insert includes an upper insulative member having support surfaces which confront the exposed portions of the terminals of the lower terminal insert to provide support for the exposed portions when the leads are engaged with a circuit board.

Support for compliant pin terminals

A connector includes a contact insert, at least one contact, and a housing. The contact is mounted to the contact insert. The contact includes a mounting portion coupled to the contact insert and a beam portion having a length. The housing is engageable with the contact insert. The housing includes a first portion adapted to deflect the beam portion and a second portion adapted to contact the beam portion at a pivot point along the length of the beam portion.

Modular connector with preload and beam length reduction features

A connector includes a contact insert (20), first and second contacts (43, 45), and a first plate (30). The contact insert has at least first and second contact channels (58) and at least a first plate receptacle (54) defined therein. The first plate receptacle is proximate the first contact channel and the second contact channel. The first contact is retained in the first contact channel. The second contact is retained in the second contact channel. The first plate (30) is retained in the first plate receptacle (54) to magnetically couple the first contact (43) and the second contact (45).

Modular connector with capacitive plates

Connector (10) having a housing (12) and a latching member (30) mountable thereto at a fastening site (32) with a latching end (34) adjacent a mating face (18) and an elongate actuation arm (36) extending rearwardly along the connector and biased away therefrom. The latching member (30) is pivotable when actuated to delatch from a mating connector (42), by movement of actuation arm (36) toward the housing against spring bias to pivot the latching end (34) away from the mating connector to disengage from the latching section (44) thereof. Latching member (30) may be initially separate from the connector to permit selection from a set of latching members of different lengths prior to mounting.

Connector with affixable latch member

A system for latching and delatching a first article (14) to and from respectively of a second article (12), having a latch member (18,20) with an elongated shaft (28) and an actuator (34) at a trailing end (36) and a latch (30) projecting laterally from a leading end (32). The leading end (32) extends beyond the end of a passageway (64,66) containing the shaft (28) to cooperate with a ledge (40) of the second article for latching. Manipulation of the actuator (34) at the rearward end (26) of the first article (14) enables latching and delatching of the latch (30) with the ledge (40), thereby enabling remote latching and delatching of said first article with and from said second article.

System for remote latching and delatching

An electrical connector (1) comprises conductive electrical contacts (3) within an insulating housing (2), and a conductive shield (40) encircling the housing (2); a latch (53) latching together portions (51,42) of the shield (40) to enclose the housing (2); and a projecting housing portion (37) impinged against the shield (40). The housing portion (37) biases the housing (2) against the shield (40) to immobilize the housing (2) at a desired position relative to the shield (40).

Electrical connector with shield

An electrical connector (1) comprises electrical contacts (3) arranged in two contact rows on opposite sides of an insulator (6), with the contacts (3) in each row being spaced apart laterally one from one another, the contacts (3) being arranged in pairs with the insulator (6) being between the contacts (3) of each pair, mating contact portions (24) on each pair of the contacts (3) overlying each other in opposed spaced relationship, and electrical terminals (26) on each pair of the contacts (3) being offset from each other in lateral directions, and being offset from each other front to rear.

Connector for an electrical cable

An electrical connector (1) for a battery (2) comprises, electrical battery terminals (5, 6, 7, 8), a first pair of the terminals (5, 8) connecting battery cells (4) electrically in series, a second pair of the terminals (6, 7) comprising data and charging terminals, an insulating package 3 containing the cells 4 and at least a part (14) of a charging control circuit, and accessible portions (18) of the terminals (5, 6, 7, 8) being accessible through an end (19) of the package (3) and also through a side (20) of the package (3), whereby the end (19) and the side (20) of the package (3) are adapted to matingly engage another, mating electrical connector (24).

Growing community of inventors

Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

Michael David Long