3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovation Properties Company

Richard J Scherer

Joseph N Castiglione

Jesse A Mann

Alexander Barr

William J Lee

Douglas B Gundel

Charles F Staley

Mark M Lettang

William H Ballard

Michael L Black

Steven Feldman

Jerome P Dattilo

Steven A Neu

James G Vana, Jr

Abhay R Joshi

Kevin R Meredith

Daniel F Cronch

Wing C Chow

Alexander R Mathews

Rocky D Edwards

Ching-Long Tsai

Richard D Twigg

Johannes P M Kusters

Rudy L Densmore

John W Benedict

Mark T Palmer

James A Wessman

Jess A Mann

Adam P Rumsey

Leon D Schmidt

Gregg R Couture

William D McKittrick

Philip M Smith

Kenneth J Vidacovich

George R Hare

Ronald K Revell

William R Plummer

Daniel H Henderson

Charles W Hoffman

Willard E Anderson

William G Witt

Frank J Cuzze

William V Ballard

An electrical cable () including a plurality of substantially parallel insulated conductors () is described. Each insulated conductor () includes an electrically conductive inner conductor () co-extensive and covered with an insulating layer (). At least a portion of a periphery of each insulated conductor () may be encompassed by a substantially co-extensive electrically conductive shield (). For each insulated conductor (), portions of the insulating layer () are removed from the top side () of the cable () to expose a portion of the inner conductor () of the insulated conductor (). The insulated conductor () is adapted to mate with an electrically conductive mating conductor () at the exposed portion () of the inner conductor ().

Electrical cable

A connector for establishing electrical connections with a PCB comprises first and second sets of contact pads arranged in first and second rows on a same surface of the PCB. The connector includes a first set of elongated contacts, a second set of elongated contacts, and a contact block. The first set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a first row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the first set of contact pads of the PCB. The second set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a second row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the second set of contact pads of the PCB. The contact block supports the first and second sets of contacts and causes the contact surfaces to wipe against the first and second sets of contact pads when making and breaking electrical connectivity therewith.

Multiple row connector with zero insertion force

A flat electrical cable is described. The cable includes a plurality of equally spaced substantially parallel electrical conductors lying in a same plane and extending along the length of the cable. Each conductor has a same diameter D. The cable further includes a common unitary electrically insulating layer encapsulating the plurality of conductors. The insulating layer includes a plurality of cover portions where each cover portion is concentric with a corresponding conductor and has a radial thickness t. t/D is in a range from about 0.50 to about 1.25.

A connector assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of wires to a circuit board is described. The connector assembly includes a vertical connector that includes an insulative base having pluralities of substantially parallel first and second base channels formed on respective opposing first and second major surfaces of the base. The vertical connector further includes pluralities of first and second terminals in registration with the respective first and second base channels, each first and second terminal including a contact portion for making contact with a wire, and a press-fit portion for being inserted into a conductive via of a circuit board. At least a majority length of each first and second terminal is disposed outside the housing. Each first and second terminal is secured in the connector at least in part by virtue of making physical contact with a corresponding wire.

Connector assembly

Various high speed shielded cables are used in combination with a connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a plurality of electrical terminations in electrical contact with the conductor sets of the cable at a first end of the cable, the electrical terminations configured to make electrical contact with corresponding mating electrical terminations of a mating connector and at least one housing configured to retain the plurality of electrical terminations in a planar, spaced apart configuration.

Connector arrangements for shielded electrical cables

A shielded electrical ribbon cable is disclosed. The cable includes a plurality of conductor sets including a first conductor set adjacent a second conductor set. Each conductor set includes one or more insulated conductors. The cable further includes first and second shielding films disposed on opposite sides of the cable forming cover portions and pinched portions, where the cover portions substantially surround each conductor set, and the pinched portions form pinched portions of the cable on each side of each conductor set. The insulated conductors in a conductor set are not in a same geometrical plane. A first insulated conductor of the first conductor set is nearest the second conductor set. A second insulated conductor of the second conductor set is nearest the first conductor set. The first and second insulated conductors have a center-to-center spacing S. The first insulated conductor has an outer dimension Dand the second insulated conductor has an outer dimension D. S/Dmin is in a range from 1.7 to 2, where Dmin is the lesser of Dand D

An electrical connector includes a plurality of electrical cable terminations for mating with a corresponding plurality of contact pins and a planar insulative connector body. Each of the electrical cable terminations includes a tubular housing, an inner housing, and at least one electrical contact. The tubular housing is of electrically conductive material and has inner walls defining an opening and first and second opposed open ends. The inner housing is of electrically insulating material and is inserted into the tubular housing from at least one of the open ends thereof. The inner housing comprises at least one inner space configured to receive an electrical contact in a fixed relative position. The electrical contact is positioned in the inner housing and configured to be connected to an electrical cable. The planar insulative connector body has an upper surface and an opposing lower surface. The upper and lower surfaces are defined by a front edge, a back edge, and two longitudinal side edges. The upper surface includes a plurality of longitudinal channels. Each channel contains one of the plurality of electrical cable terminations. The front edge of the connector body has a plurality of openings for guiding the contact pins into the mating electrical cable terminations positioned within the channels. An electrical connector assembly may include a plurality of the electrical connectors secured in a stacked configuration.

Electrical connector and assembly

An electrical connector system includes a header and an electrical connector assembly. The header includes a leading end having a plurality of contact pins that are insertable into an electronic device and a plurality of separated stripline ground plates extending from the leading end toward a mating end of the header. The electrical connector assembly is coupleable with the mating end of the header and includes a plurality of electrical connectors secured in a stacked configuration. Each electrical connector includes a planar insulative connector body and a plurality of electrical cable terminations for mating with a corresponding plurality of contact pins of the header. At least two electrical cable terminations make electrical contact with a common stripline ground plate when the header and the electrical connector assembly are in a mated configuration.

Electrical connector assembly and system

A shielded electrical cable is disclosed that includes a plurality of spaced apart conductor sets where each conductor set includes one or more insulated conductors. The cable further includes first and second shielding films that include concentric portions, pinched portions, and transition portions arranged such that the concentric portions are substantially concentric with one or more end conductors of each conductor set, the pinched portions form pinched portions of the cable on two sides of the conductor set, and the transition portions provide gradual transitions between the concentric portions and the pinched portions. The cross-sectional areas of the transition portions are less than the cross-sectional areas of the conductors. The radius of curvature of the shielding films in the transverse direction is at least 100 microns.

Electrical cable with shielding film with gradual reduced transition area

A tool includes a housing and a plunger supported by the housing. The housing has one or more tines configured to unlatch at least one terminated cable assembly from an electrical connector assembly. The plunger is configured to at least partially remove the at least one terminated cable assembly from the electrical connector assembly. The tool can be used as an extraction and insertion tool facilitating the repair of high speed electrical connectors.

Tool for terminated cable assemblies

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Richard J Scherer