Bunker Ramo Corporation

Allied Corporation

Tedford H Spaulding

James V Becher

An optoelectronic connector assembly having electrical and optical connector parts include housings which can be resiliently engaged and manually disengaged from each other. The electrical connector part housing has a socket receiving cavity therethrough for receiving an optoelectronic transducer. The transducer can be a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode, or can be a light responsive element such as a photodiode. The two housings are engaged by means of a protuberance having an inclined ramp on one of the housings, the other housing having an interlock recess therein so that, when the two housings mate, the inclined ramp operates upon the interlock recess so as to provide for a resilient but positive and firm engagement of the two housings. The optical connector part housing has a pin contact receiving cavity for receiving a fiber optic light guide. A pin connector means holds the fiber optic light guide within the pin receiving cavity so that the light guide cooperates with the optoelectronic element in the socket receiving cavity of the electrical connector part housing. The pin contact means includes a first crimpable section which is engageable about an outer jacket of the fiber optic light guide while a second crimpable section engages about an inner light conductive fiber of the light guide. The pin contact means engages the interior portions of the pin contact receiving cavity so as to be firmly engaged therein. A terminal end of the fiber optic light guide can have a curved shape: convex, mushroom, or meniscus shape such as that determined by a surface tension effect of the fiber optic material by application of heat applied to its terminal end.

Optoelectronic connector assembly

An improved modular interface connector and connector assembly incorporating such connectors for interconnecting telephones and telephone signal equipment, and particularly for electrically connecting multi-conductor cables to a plurality of conductors electrically coupled to telephone signal equipment. The modular connector assemblies of the invention include improved mounting structures which permit each connector to be slidably mounted on a removable support member within an enclosure. The connectors can be mounted on the support member in at least two alternate orientations and retained in any one of a plurality of positions between spaced shoulders of the support member.

Modular interface connector

Improved modular interface connectors and connector assemblies incorporating such connectors are disclosed for interconnecting telephones and telephone signal equipment. The modular connectors of the invention include improved mounting structures which permit each connector to be slidably mounted on a support member in at least two alternate orientations and to be retained at any position between two spaced shoulders of the support member. In addition, the modular connector is preferably an integrally molded plastic unit configured to permit its fabrication in a single-action mold. In one embodiment, the interface connector further includes a removable comb member which separates and aligns the active portions of the connector contact elements and prevents access through the entrance aperture of the connector to the free ends of the contact elements. In another embodiment, the interface connector includes an integral comb structure and embossments disposed on the connector housing for engaging and mounting at least one bus bar member to the housing adjacent the comb structure. A connector assembly incorporating the improved interface connector of the invention is also disclosed for interconnecting at least one first multi-conductor cable engaged to at least one remote signal station, such as an individual telephone unit, to a plurality of conductors which are electrically coupled to a central signal processing system, such as telephone signal equipment.

Electrical connectors and assemblies therefor

An electrical contact member formed from an axially extended tube is provided intermediate its ends with an axially extending insulation-opening slot. The slot is terminated at one end in an entry opening through the tube. The entry opening and an inwardly tapered entry ramp are formed by a free-ended piece of the tube wall bent into the inner opening of the tube. An insulated conductor may be inserted into the contact member in either of two ways: by insertion through the appropriate end of the tube and deflection by the entry ramp through the entry opening; or, by insertion through the entry opening and deflection by the entry ramp through the end of the tube. After insertion by either method, the ends of the insulated conductor may be pulled to force the conductor into a narrowed engagement portion of the slot where the insulation around the conductor is opened by spreading or cutting and electrical contact is made between the tube and the metallic conductor. The tube at a section apart from the slot may be crimped to secure the conductor after the conductor is positioned in the slot. A contact member or plurality of contact members may be assembled with insulating means to form a connector.

Insulation piercing contacts and connectors

A contact assembly is disclosed including an inner liner and outer shell. The liner has a transverse slot dimensioned to always align with at least one of two inspection apertures on opposite sides of the shell regardless of the rotational orientation of the liner with respect to the shell. Thus, the liner need not be rotationally indexed with the shell during assembly of the contact in order to insure an unobstructed view into the crimp barrel.

Two-piece contact assembly for electrical connector assemblies

An electrical contact is disclosed which is formed from a single, integral piece of sheet metal and includes an active contact element, a terminal element and a hood. The hood covers at least the active contact element to protect the pin-engaging tines formed integrally therewith from inadvertant distortion or breakage.

Unitary hooded electrical contact

An improved electrical connector is disclosed for mounting and electrically coupling an integrated circuit device to a circuit board. A resilient cover applies pressure at several points on a substrate on which the integrated circuit device is mounted to press the substrate against support surfaces in the connector base. Each of a plurality of flexible electrical contact elements extending from the support surfaces engages a corresponding conductive pad on the substrate with sufficient force to insure good electrical contact between the contact and the pad which is electrically coupled to the integrated circuit device by a conductive path on the substrate.

Electrical connector having a resilient cover

A contact member is disclosed having a novel insulation-piercing terminal which penetrates and strips insulation from a conductor to provide an optimal mechanical and electrical solderless connection with the conductor. The terminal includes means for radially penetrating the insulation, means for stripping the insulation from a longitudinal portion of the conductor and means for contacting the thus exposed conductor in wiping engagement.

Growing community of inventors

Norridge, IL, United States of America

Tedford H Spaulding