The Whitaker Corporation

Michael F Laub

Dimitry G Grabbe

Donald K Harper, Jr

Iosif Korsunsky

William John Schnoor

Kenneth F Folk

Richard E Rothenberger

Robert Gyorgy Egri

David W McMullen

Arkadiy Y Golubchik

James P Pacelli

James Stover Hileman, Jr

David Joseph Goetzinger

A system for powering at least one of electronic devices or a battery includes a pneumatic supply source and an accumulator for storing a collected amount of the pneumatic supply. A pneumatically powered generator is connected to the accumulator for generating power upon receipt of the pneumatic supply. The generator is further connected to at least one electronic device and a battery. A microprocessor controls a storage amount of pneumatic supply within the accumulator, determines an output of the pneumatic supply to the generator, and applies an electrical output of the generator to at least one electronic device, a battery, or both an electronic device and a battery. The pneumatically powered generator is an electromagnetic generator having a rotor cavity separated by a wall of the generator housing from a stator and related magnetic disc. An inlet of the generator housing directs air at the rotor, thereby turning a common shaft of the rotor and the magnetic disc until a current is produced in windings of the stator. The current output from the stator windings is used to power peripheral devices including a chargeable battery and at least one electronic device if needed.

Auxiliary generator and system for actuating the same

Injection molded insulating strips receive a plurality of contacts. The strips are stacked together to create a multiple row, multiple column contact array. The contact array is adapted for use in an IC socket to separably connect an IC having either an LGA or BGA package lead styles. A cover plate, locator, array frame, and contact array together comprise a manufacturable and low cost separable IC socket.

Integrated circuit socket for ball grid array and land grid array lead

A zero insertion force electrical connector (60) having a housing (61) which includes a support block (62) reciprocably mounted therein. The housing (61) also includes a contact array (65) with a plurality of contact elements (66,67) extending therefrom for electrical engagement with circuit traces (63a,64a) on printed circuit boards (63,64). The contact array (65) includes a flexible etched circuit (76) thereon for signal transmission and impedance matching; and the contact elements (66,67) include arcuate sections (66a,66b,67a,67b) for ensuring compliancy, conformity, and contact wiping action at the electrical contact interfaces.

Zero insertion force (ZIF) electrical connector

An electrical edge connector housing (1), for mounting onto a printed circuit board substrate (100), has walls that form a plurality of slots (3) and a respective plurality of chambers (2). Each slot (3) is positioned on an opposite side of a substrate receiving groove (13) from a chamber (2). Each slot (3) and chamber (2) receives a contact (18) therein for connection to the substrate (101) received within the groove (13). A retention clip (40) cooperates with an alignment block (50) to align and retain the substrate (101) within the housing (1).

Micropitch card edge connector

An adapter assembly (20) for electrical connection between a small outline integrated circuit (SOIC) (25) and a remote receptacle connector (87) via a cable including a plurality of electrical conductors (23) comprises a nonconductive adapter housing (21) providing a plurality of spaced-apart slots (39) for receiving a plurality of contacts (22). The SOIC (25) being received in a cavity (50) at the bottom of the adapter housing (21), is retained within the cavity (50) by retention teeth (57) engaging respective side retention areas (54) located between each two adjacent leads (24) of the SOIC (25), and by a pair of retention members (55) engaging respective end retention areas (56) of the SOIC (25). A removable clip (26) is locked over the adapter housing (21). Each contact (22) being received in the respective slot (39), engages a respective lead (24) of the SOIC (25) by its lower portion (61). An upper portion (62) of each contact (22) terminates the respective electrical conductor (23).

Adapter assembly for a small outline package

This invention relates to a card edge or backplane type electrical connector, where typically two or more planar electronic devices, such as a mother board and one or more daughter boards, are electrically interconnected usually by arranging the daughter board(s) perpendicular to the mother board. The electrical connector of this invention comprises a pair of opposed housing members having a slot defined by opposing facing surfaces extending therebetween to receive a first of the planar electronic devices or daughter board, where housing member consists of first and second members floatably mounted to one another by spring means urging the first and second members away from one another. Force applying means, preferably in the form of a series of elongated canted coil spring is provided in the housing members along the facing surfaces. Further, a flexible circuit film member for each housing member, having spaced apart rows of contact pads on a surface thereof, is wrapped about a respective first and second member and force applying means, where the contact pads are exposed to the slot. By this arrangement, and by ensuring the separating force of the spring means is greater than the insertion or frictional force required to place the daughter board within the slot, localized and damaging flexing of the circuit film is avoided.

Electrical connector with tension adjusting means

A removable sensor assembly (10) comprises a removable sensor member (15) to be inserted into the opening (27) of an insulated housing (13) mounted on the surface of a PCB (11) and secured thereon by a pair of the contact members (16, 17). The contact members (16, 17) have respective foot portions (19, 20) which are soldered to contact pads (14) on the PCB (11). The removable sensor member (15) is a piezoelectric film sensor mounted onto a hard drive to detect physical shock and to shut the drive down in order to prevent destruction of data thereon. The opening (27) is a slot angled at 45.degree. to the surface of the PCB (11) to allow a three- axis sensing capability as well as reducing the overall height of the insulated housing (13). Each of the contact members (16, 17) includes a contact portion (33), a foot portion (19, 20), a reaction member (34), and a beam member (36), thereby providing a reliable physical and electrical contact between the removable sensor member (15) and the PCB (11) as well as minimizing unwanted forces translated to the foot soldered joint during insertion and removal of the removable sensor member (15). Upon being inserted into the opening (27), the removable sensor member (15) is retained therein by a retention clip (55).

Removable sensor assembly

A connector and contact for electrically interconnecting terminals of an upgraded circuit module to the leads of a pre-existing electronic component affixed to contact pads on a substrate through a separable connection, the connector having a frame upon which contacts are retainably positioned to form the interconnection between respective terminals and leads and a clamping mechanism for holding at least the connector and the pre-existing electronic component together to maintain the electrical interconnection. The circuit module being mountable either directly above the pre-existing electronic component in piggy-back manner or at a remote location by placing conductive pathways, such as a flat flex cable, between the terminals and the contacts.

Electronic component upgrade connector and contact

The contacts extending from the four sides of a flat-pack are releasably held against corresponding contacts extending from the sides of a socket for the flat-pack, by means of a cover comprising four arms pivotally mounted on the socket each near one of its four corners; by pivoting the arms downwardly against the tops of the flat-pack contacts, these contacts are pressed against, and held in positive contact with, the underlying socket contacts, and by pivoting the arms upwardly, the flat-pack can be released for removal and subsequent replacement. In addition, the cover is usefully mounted in position on the flat-pack even when the flat-pack is free of the socket, in which use it serves to protect the leads of the flat-pack in handling and during storage, for example.

Apparatus for removably applying a flat-pack to a socket

A connector for electrically connecting circuit members having a high density of contact pads located in an area array, the connector having an area array specific holder that is simple to produce for retainably positioning mass-produced standardized contact modules containing a deformable contact within a module body for interconnecting the contact pads, where the contact is constructed to be supportingly engaged by the module body to provide sufficient opposing spring force to effect a wiping interconnection between the contact and the contact pads.

High density area array modular connector

A connector and contact for electrically interconnecting terminals of an upgraded circuit module directly to the leads of a pre-existing electronic component affixed to contact pads on a substrate through a separable connection, the connector having a frame upon which contacts are retainably positioned to form the interconnection between respective terminals and leads and a clamping mechanism for holding the upgraded circuit module, the connector, and the pre-existing electronic component together to maintain the electrical interconnection.

A hinged cover for an electrical socket having a top plate fixed relative the socket's housing and a cover plate pivotally attached to the top plate for removably retaining an electronic package in electrical engagement with contacts within the housing by compressing the electronic package against the contacts. The top plate is fixed relative to the housing of the socket and has integrally formed hinge members and first latch portions. The cover plate is pivotally movable between an open position and a closed position. The cover plate has an integrally formed complementary hinge member that is receivable about the hinge member and a second latch portion integrally formed with the cover plate and disconnectably engageable with the first latch portion to hold the cover in the closed position, thereby enabling the cover plate to exert the necessary force against the electronic package.

Hinged cover for an electrical socket

A system for conveying chips from a container to a predetermined position on top of a chip socket. A vacuum-held hand tool having a handle is supplied with a vacuum or with a positive air pressure at its working face, as controlled by placement of a digit of the operator with respect to an air exhaust port on the handle. The bottom or working face of the tool is provided with a recess fitting the outline of a chip to be picked up by the tool working face, to hold the chip fixed on the tool as it is carried by the tool to a position atop the socket, where it is discharged by flow of air from the working face when a digit of the operator is applied to the exhaust port of the tool. A first set of pins protruding normally from the working face of the tool assures proper lateral positioning of the tool with respect to the container in which the chip is originally located, by mating with depressions in the container, and a second set of pins protruding from the working face assure proper lateral positioning of the tool and chip with respect to the socket by fitting against the socket near its corners. Indicia on the tool cooperate with corresponding indicia on the container and socket, to aid in proper orientation of tool with chip during pick-up and tool with socket during chip discharge.

Vacuum placement system and method, and tool for use therein

An improved contact for use in a high density chip carrier socket mounted on a circuit member which utilizes a cover which to wedge the leads of the chip carrier into electrical engagement with a respective contact. A tool receiving recess is incorporated into the contact so that the forces exerted on the socket while pressing the cover into place can be opposed, minimizing the forces exerted on the connection between the socket and the circuit member, typically a solder joint. Providing a tool, that operates from one side of the circuit member, in order to press the cover into place while engaging the contact recess to oppose the insertion related forces, which can also pull the cover from the contacts, without exerting significant forces on the connection, by engaging a lip in the cover while pressing on the carrier.

Supportable contact and chip carrier socket for use with an

A modular chip carrier socket of integral construction and method of making the same for electrically engaging the leads of an integrated chip carrier to the conductors on a substrate that structurally simulates the monolithic molded plastic construction of chip carrier specific sockets. Where the modular socket is designed for minimal lead time manufacture of nonstandard sockets with limited application specific components. Standard contact modules, supporting contacts therein, are permanently affixed to an application specific base plate to form a socket of modular construction prior to assembly of the socket upon the substrate. An embodiment of the invention has improved thermal characteristics over the molded sockets by using a base plate having the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Etters, PA, United States of America

Michael F Laub