The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1997
Keith E Emery, San Diego, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A termination unit includes two termination pucks. A first termination puck (20) includes a plurality of first connectors (21). The first connectors (21) are of a first type. A main connector (22) of the first termination puck (20) is electrically connected to each first connector within the plurality of first connectors (21). A second termination puck (40) includes a first main connector (42) for connection to the main connector (22) of the first termination puck (20). The second termination puck (40) also includes a plurality of second connectors (44-49) that may be formed as wire receptacles. The second connectors (44-49) are of different connector type than the first connectors (21) on the first termination puck (20). Each of a plurality of switches (51-54) on the second termination puck (40) select either a control/status pin from the first main connector (42) or a control/status pin from one of the second connectors (44-49) to be electrically connected to a control/status pin of a second main connector (43). With the two pucks electrically interconnected, tools may be joined by cables to first connectors (21) on the first termination puck (20) or by individual wires to the wire receptacles (44-49) on the second termination puck (40) and switches (51-54) on the second puck may be used to selectively electrically join first connectors (21) or wire receptacles (44-49) to second main connector (43).