The Whitaker Corporation

Rudolf Kramer

Werner Tille

Christian Schrettlinger

Harald M Lutsch

Manfred Schaarschmidt

Roland Gopel

An actuator for opening and closing a spring clamp terminal mounted within a connector housing is receivable within a cavity of the housing. The actuator comprises a tapered first camming surface for progressively biasing the spring clamp open, and a second rest surface for maintaining the spring clamp open for reception of a wire without requiring use of the tool. Once the wire has been placed in a wire receiving hole of the spring clamp, the actuator can be released by tilting thereof about a pivot line such that the spring arm of the spring clamp engages the first camming surface hence pushing the actuating means outwardly of the cavity, thereby enabling clamping of the wire.

Spring clamp actuator

An IDC branch connector comprises an IDC connection section positioned on a central carrier strip. Strain relief sections extend from either side of the carrier strip such that a wire terminated to the IDC section is securely held on either side. The IDC section comprises first IDC slots positioned between second larger IDC slots such that a large range of wire sizes can be terminated thereto. The branch connector is overmoulded by an insulative housing, whereby the carrier strip can be maintained between a plurality of connector modules depending on the number of wires to be interconnected.

IDC branch connector for large range of wire sizes

The connector comprises an insulative housing having a conductor connection section on one side of the panel and a mating section on the other side of the panel. The conductor connecting section comprises terminals arranged in two adjacent rows that are offset to provide a compact zig-zag arrangement. The terminals are separated by upstanding walls that form slots on the sides of the connector for receiving ring-tongue terminals that are clamped to the terminals by screws. To ensure a sufficient insulation between adjacent terminals, the walls must be made sufficiently long. In order to enable a compact juxtaposed assembly of connectors to a backpanel, the separating walls are slanted thereby forming a zig-zag outer profile of the connector sides such that sides of adjacent connectors interengage.

Panel mount connector

A connector assembly comprises a housing and a clamping screw for clamping connection of ring tongue terminals to terminals of the connector assembly. The clamping screw comprises a flanged portion for, on the one hand clamping down on the terminal, and on the other hand engage against a shoulder of the housing when in the raised, disconnected position to prevent removal of the clamping screw from the housing. A U-shaped metal plate inserted in a housing slot transverse to the clamping screw, provides a second thread means to enable raising the clamping screw away from the mating clamping nut to allow unobstructed insertion of the ring tongue terminal therebetween.

Electrical connector/assembly with screw clamp terminals

A shielded electrical connector is comprised of a shielded connector component having a shielding shroud integrated with a front flange section. The shielded connector is positionable within an outer shell including hermaphroditic shielding shell members whereby each shielding shell member includes hook members on opposing sides thereof for inter-engagement at the front of the shell members. Fasteners can then be used to retain the shell members together.

Shielded connector with hermaphroditic shell

A boardlock for securely connecting an electrical device or connector to a printed circuit board without requiring post-soldering thereof, is shown comprising a pair of rigid arms joined at the lower end by a thinner bridge section. The boardlock is a flat unitary edge-stamped sheet metal part that is insertable through a hole of a printed circuit board such that the bridge portion extends below the printed circuit board and whereby outer portions thereof, extend outwardly of the hole for provisionally holding the boardlock to the printed circuit board. A die comprising an elongate slot of slightly greater thickness than the boardlock, can be engaged against the bridge portion for permanent plastic deformation thereof. The die has a convex bottomed surface in order to arc the deformed bridge portion towards the printed circuit board in order to enhance the mechanical resistance of the boardlock with respect to an upwards pulling force thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Lautertal, Germany

Rudolf Kramer