Amp LLC

The Whitaker Corporation

Teresa K Black

James M English

Michael S Shank

David T Shaffer

Hung Thai Nguyen

Joseph M Pawlikowski

Homer E Henschen

Robert C Hosler, Sr

John C Farrar

Gary L Over

David R Dudukovich

An electrical connector assembly (10) of the type having a pair of mateable cylindrical plug and receptacle shells (18,22) secured together by a rotatable coupling ring (16). The connector assembly is provided with a decoupling retardation mechanism which includes engageable teeth (34) on the interior of the coupling ring (16) and a pair of leaf spring members (46,72) mounted to the plug shell (18) inwardly of the teeth (34). The leaf spring member (46,72) includes a fixed beam portion (62,82) having a projection (64,84) which engages the teeth (34). The sides of the teeth and the projection are steeper on one side than the other. The steeper side is the one which is engaged when the coupling ring (16) is rotated in the direction to decouple the shells (18,22). Accordingly, greater torque is required to decouple the shells than to couple the shells.

Electrical connector assembly including improved decoupling retardation

An electrical connector assembly 10, and method of assembling, comprising a front electrical connector 12 and a rear electrical connector 23 secured together at a separable interface, the front electrical connector 12 including securing means 19 and guiding means 68 and a rear electrical connector 23 including receiving means 56 and aligning means 74. The securing means is engaged by the receiving means to assemble the electrical connector assembly 10 by drawing the front electrical connector 12 relatively toward the rear electrical connector 23, and the guiding means 68 being engaged by the aligning means 74 to maintain the front electrical connector 12 in a precise spatial relationship with respect to the rear electrical connector 23 during assembly and disassembly. The front entry electrical connector 12 further includes first electrical contacts 14 designed to mate with second electrical contacts 48 of the rear electrical connector 23 at the separable interface, the first electrical contacts 14 being removable through the rearward end 34 of the front electrical connector 12 exposed when the front and rear connectors are separated.

Electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector adapted to protect its signal circuits against power surges for at least ESD protection, having a conductive shell (60) with a transverse flange (64) on which are mounted components such as diodes (100) having first electrodes soldered thereto for grounding. A plurality of discrete straps (114) extend from second electrodes of the diodes to respective the contacts (20) and define circuits electrically connecting the contacts to the diodes. The dielectric housing (30) includes slots (46) along side surfaces within which the straps are retained, and a lateral housing flange (42) has recesses (54) within which the diodes are disposed. The method of fabricating the connector includes providing on at least a portion of each strap (114) a thin second layer (152) of magnetic material which in conjunction with the nonmagnetic copper layer (150) defines a self-regulating temperature heater when subjected to RF current, to reflow solder to join to and electrically connect the diodes (100) and contacts (20).

Electrical connector containing components and method of making same

An electrical connector adapted to protect its signal circuits against power surges for at least ESD protection, having a conductive shell (60) with a transverse flange (64) on which are mounted components such as diodes (100) having first electrodes soldered thereto for grounding. A plurality of discrete straps (114) extend from second electrodes of the diodes to respective the contacts (20) and define circuits electrically connecting the contacts to the diodes. The dielectric housing (30) includes slots (46) along side surfaces within which intermediate strap sections 118 of the straps are retained, and a lateral flange (42) of the housing coextends along the transverse shell flange on each side and has recesses (54) within which the diodes are disposed, with channels (48) extending inwardly along the lateral flanges to the slots to retain transverse contact sections of said straps therein. The discrete straps (114) can be joined to carrier strips defining lead frames (110) to facilitate handling and assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Etters, PA, United States of America

Teresa K Black