Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.

Itt Corporation

Peter Joseph Hyzin

Charles Linsday Bates, Iii

Michael Santos Finona

Can Trong Nguyen

James Edward Novacoski

David E Welsh

Le Huu Nguyen

Hermenegildo A Espiritu

David Rofer

Cameron Burns

Russell Frederick Gross, Iii

Hung Duc Tran

Russell Frederick Gross Iii

Thomas W Conrad

A coupling can include a barrel that includes a communication pathway, such as an electrical contact or optical pathway. The coupling can include a nut that is configured to engage with a corresponding portion of a mating connector, such as via a threaded connection. When the coupling and the mating connector are engaged, the nut secures the coupling and the mating connector together, and respective termination elements of the coupling and the mating connector are in communication with each other. The coupling can include a torque-limiting mechanism. The torque-limiting mechanism can be configured to enable the transmission of torque up to a limit amount, and to inhibit or prevent the transmission of torque above the limit amount.

Torque-limiting couplings

A connector includes a connector body, a first sleeve rotatably coupled to the connector body, and a second sleeve receiving the first sleeve and being movable axially between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The second sleeve has a plurality of teeth extending from a surface thereof. A ratchet ring is positioned on the connector body, and the ratchet ring has a plurality of teeth corresponding to the plurality of teeth of the second sleeve. A biasing member is provided for biasing the second sleeve to the engaged position. The teeth of the ratchet ring engage the teeth of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is in the engaged position, and the teeth of second sleeve are spaced from the teeth of the ratchet ring when the second sleeve is in the disengaged position.

Locking and ratcheting connector

A connector system includes first and second mateable connectors () with coaxial contacts, wherein the first connector has movable center and outer contacts () that are each biased forward by a separate spring () to engage stationary contact pads () of the mating second connector. A stationary tubular insulator () surrounds much of the movable center contact, and a stationary sheet metal shield () lies around the tubular insulator and within the outer contact. The front end of the movable outer contact forms an internal flange () with a hole () that allows the front end of the movable center contact to pass through. The shield front-end has an internal flange () that lies between the front end of the tubular insulator and the movable outer contact internal flange, to maintain a constant impedance through out the first connector.

Dual spring probe coaxial contact system

Coaxial contacts of a second connector () are in the form of static pads (), while coax contacts of a first connector () are in the form of spring contacts () with pins () that engage the static pads. The first connector includes a coax center spring contact () positioned to engage a center static pad () of the second connector, and the first connector includes a plurality of outer coax spring contacts (A,B,C,D) positioned to engage the outer static pad () of the second connector. When fully mated, a static pad region () on the first connector lies facewise adjacent to the outer static pad. The connectors are constructed to mate by pivoting the first connector against the second one, to assure that an outer coax spring contact makes engagement before the center spring contact makes engagement.

Coax connector with spring contacts

A quad interconnect system for receiving quad connectors and connecting their quad contacts to corresponding signal traces on a circuit board, provides a grounded electromagnetic shield around each quad connector in a simple arrangement that occupies a minimum amount of space on the circuit board. A housing with quad-receiving passages that receive the quad connectors, is constructed of metal to provide a grounded metal shield closely around each quad connector. Only a few grounding devices (less than half the number of quad-receiving passages) are used to connect the metal housing to a grounded trace on the circuit board, to minimize the space taken up on the circuit board. Sheet metal clips with tines that engage shoulders at the rear ends of flanges on each metal shell of a quad connector, have short tabs with edges that also engage the shoulders to assure good electrical connection and minimize vibration. Quad connectors can be used that do not have shells, but which are closely surrounded by smaller diameter grounded housing passage walls.

Quadrax interconnect grounding

An optic fiber connector has a terminus () with a front tip () that lies at an initial position at which the tip is at least flush with or forward of the surrounding housing front surface () and which is moved rearwardly by a mating terminus () so the tips of the termini are halfway between front and rear ends () of an alignment sleeve (). The housing has a peripheral portion () that projects forward of the ferrule front tips to protect them even though they project forward of the housing front surface. The alignment sleeve has a short length (A) that is about three times its inside diameter (C), and a long spring () is used to bias the terminus forwardly and maintain a substantially constant forward force on the terminus, the spring having an initial length (B) which is at least 150% of the alignment sleeve length. A plug () that holds the alignment sleeve in place, has an internal bore with a rear bore portion () that receives the front end of the terminus body (). A retainer () includes a clip holder () with a holder rear portion () surrounded by the spring.

Fiber optic connector with long terminus movement and moderate length

A connection system is provided for connecting conductors of a quad cable () to terminals (), through the use of a low cost and commonly available insert () that has multiple rows and columns of passages () that each contains a double-ended pin (), with the rear ends of the pin contacts engaged with the terminals. A quad terminator () has four contacts () lying within a terminator main shield (), the four contacts each terminated to one of the cable conductors, and the four contacts having mating ends () projecting forward of the terminator housing. A backshell adaptor () is provided which has bores () that each receives and retains the main shield of a quad terminator, with the contact mating ends projecting forward beyond a front face () of the backshell adaptor. Each of the four contacts of the terminator project into the passages () of the insert frame, where the terminator contacts engage the rear ends of four pins in the four passages. The insert may be inserted forwardly into a bay () of a shell () until shoulders of the insert abut corresponding shoulders in the bay. The backshell adaptor is fastened to the shell to hold the backshell adaptor in place and to hold the insert in place in the bay.

Quad cable interface using available insert

First and second connector housings ( ) each hold a corresponding set ( ) of numerous fibers, that are coupled when their tips ( ) abut, in a low-cost and rugged arrangement. The housings are identical and each has numerous bores ( ) extending to a mating face ( ). Each fiber is fixed in position in one of the bores, by potting material ( ). The diameters of the bores are only slightly greater than the diameters of the fibers, so the potting material helps center the fiber in the end of the bore that lies adjacent to the mating face.

Multi-fiber interconnect system

An optical fiber connector ( ) has a terminus ( ) lying in a housing passage ( ) and biased forwardly by a spring ( ), which enables removal of the terminus while the spring remains in the passage, in a compact arrangement. The terminus body has a groove ( ) that forms a rearwardly-facing shoulder ( ). A retainer ( ) includes a clip ( ) with tines ( ) that engage the shoulder to push the terminus forwardly, the clip being pushed forwardly by a front end ( ) of the spring. The retainer includes a sleeve member ( ) which is slideable in the terminus passage and has a rear end ( ) that abuts the front end of the spring to push the sleeve forwardly, the spring having a forwardly-facing shoulder ( ) that abuts the rear end of the clip to push it forwardly. Each of two mating connectors ( ) has a spring that biases its terminus toward the other terminus to enable installation of a replacement terminus.

Releasable terminus retention

An optical fiber connector system includes a rear connector ( ) comprising a main rear shell ( ) with a plurality of ports ( ) and a plurality of rear module bodies ( ) each lying in one of the ports. A plurality of backshells ( ) extend rearwardly from the rear of the module bodies, with the jackets of multiple fiber cables stripped at a location within each backshell to leave free individual optical fiber devices that extend into passages of the module. Each backshell has a pair of backshell passages ( ) that each holds a backshell fastener ( ) that fastens the backshell to a module body, each backshell fastener having a wrench-receiving passage ( ). Jackscrews ( ) fasten each module body to the shell, and each backshell has a wrench-receiving passage ( ) extending along its length for passing a wrench to screw in and unscrew a jackscrew.

High density fiber optic connector with individual fiber removal

Front and rear optical fiber connectors ( ) can be mated and unmated from the front, while the rear connector and the rear portion ( ) of the front connector can be removed for cleaning and replacement from the rear. A jackscrew ( ) with a handle ( ) at the front, extends through the connectors and has a threaded rear end ( ) for engaging a nut ( ) on the rear connector. The jackscrew also can be operated from the rear to remove the rear connector for maintenance. A spring ( ) urges the jackscrew forwardly, to allow a person to sense when the jackscrew has not engaged the nut. A front connector frame ( ) has a vertical divider ( ) forming a pair of cavities ( ) that receive shaped body elements ( ). U-shaped brackets ( ) hold a back plate ( ) to each connector. Alignment pins ( ) are coupled through springs ( ) to the rear connector.

Blind mating high density fiber optic connectors

A mechanism is provided for moving each of a plurality of second connectors ( ) into engagement with each of a plurality of first connectors ( ), where selective movement of the second connectors can be accomplished at a front panel ( ) that is distant from the connectors. An elongated turning member ( ) has a front end handle ( ) that can be turned about an axis ( ), with the rear of the turning member coupled to a selected one of a plurality of gear devices ( ) that each moves a different second connector when that gear device is turned. A selector ( ) that extends parallel to the turning member, has a selector front end handle ( ) that can be turned to a selected position, to turn cam portions ( ) at the rear end of the selector. Each cam portion can push a corresponding coupler ( ) that can slide within a slot ( ) in the turning member, so the coupler engages a cutout ( ) in the gear device to thereby rotatably connect the turning member to the gear device. In another arrangement, the selector ( ) is slideable along the axis ( B) of the turning member to different positions to cause coupling members ( ) to slide into engagement with walls of a cutout ( ) in a selected gear device.

Mechanism for coupling of connector array

A combined stacking and right angle electrical connector is mounted between a pair of parallel circuit boards. Stacking contacts mounted in the connector body have sockets on their opposite ends that releasably engage pins mounted in the circuit boards. A plurality of right angle contact assemblies are provided in the connector body. Each contact assembly includes two separate contact parts that are mounted from different sides of the connector body into contact passages that are perpendicular to each other.

Combined stacking and right angle electrical connector

Inner and outer coaxial contacts (,) of a connector are connected to first and second conductors (,) of a cable by first crimping the conductors to the rear ends (,) of a pair of terminals (,) that have pin-shaped front ends (,). Then, the pin-shaped front ends of the terminals are inserted into passages (,) at the rear ends of the contacts to lie in a sliding fit with the contacts. The passage at the rear end of each contact holds a clip (,) forming tines (,) that grasp the pin at the front of a terminal to establish good electrical contact. An insulative terminal positioner (,) has bores (,) that receive the terminals to position them. The rear portion (,) of the outer contact has two laterally spaced holes (,) with centers lying on opposite sides of the connector axis, a second of the holes being the second connector passage (,) that receives the second terminal pin, and the first hole receiving the rear portion of the inner contact and the inner insulator.

Coaxial connector termination

An electrical connector assembly having a latching arrangement including a pair of latch arms pivotally connected to the sides of the plug connector body for pivotable movement about a common transverse axis extending through the sides. The pivotable arms have latching shoulders on their forward ends that engage catches formed on the inside of a mating receptacle connector.

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Trabuco Canyon, CA, United States of America

Peter Joseph Hyzin