Electrical terminator device

Claim 2

An electrical device for terminating an input/output port in electronic equipment, said electrical device comprising: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on at least one side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said terminals having first and second contact ends, each of said terminals being mounted on said first side of said circuit board in a respective one of said plurality of through holes in electrical contact therewith at said first contact end, said terminals extending substantially perpendicularly from said circuit board and substantially parallel to one another; a plurality of impedance elements mounted on said second side of said circuit board, each of said impedance elements being mounted in electrical contact with at least two of said plurality of through holes; a first dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels, said first housing presenting a mating face to said input/output port, said mating face being parallel to said circuit board: a second dielectric housing for covering said impedance elements on said second side of said circuit board; and means for retaining said first dielectric housing, said circuit board, and said second dielectric housing in assembled, sandwiched relationship; whereby said second ends of said terminals project from said terminal receiving channels in said first dielectric housing for connection to said input/output port, a selected impedance being observable between any two selected ones of said terminals.

Claim 3

The electrical device according to claim 1 wherein said electrical terminals are hermaphroditic.

Claim 4

The electrical device according to claim 2 wherein said electrical terminals are serpent terminals.

Claim 5

The electrical device according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said impedance elements are resistive elements, and said selected impedances are selected resistances.

Claim 6

The electrical device according to claim 4 wherein said resistive elements are resistor networks having a plurality of network terminals.

Claim 7

The electrical device according to claim 5 wherein each of said resistor networks has twelve of said network terminals and is equivalent to six resistors.

Claim 8

The electrical device according to claim 5 or 6 comprising four of said resistor networks.

Claim 9

The electrical device according to any of ! claims 1 to 7 wherein said impedance elements are selected, and said signal leads are arranged, such that said selected impedances present a desired impedance to said second device.

Claim 10

An electrical termination device for terminating a signal path having a characteristic impedance and having an array of signal terminals, said electrical termination device comprising: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on said second side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said electrical terminals having first and second contact ends, each of said electrical terminals being mounted on said first side of said circuit board in a respective one of said plurality of through holes in electrical contact therewith at said first contact end, said electrical terminals extending substantially perpendicularly from said circuit board substantially parallel to one another in an array complementary to said array of signal terminals: a plurality of impedance elements mounted on said second side of said circuit board, each of said impedance elements being mounted in electrical contact with at least two of said plurality of through holes: a first dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels mating with said second contact ends of said electrical terminals on said first side of said circuit board; a second dielectric housing for covering said impedance elements on said second side of said circuit board; and means for retaining said first dielectric housing, said circuit board, and said second dielectric housing in assembled sandwiched relationship: wherein said impedance elements are selected, and said signal leads are arranged, such that said second ends of said electrical terminals present a desired impedance for terminating such signal path.

Claim 11

An electrical termination device for terminating a signal path having a characteristic impedance and having an array of signal terminals, said electrical termination device comprising: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on said second side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said electrical terminals having first and second contact ends, each of said electrical terminals being mounted on said first side of said circuit board in a respective one of said plurality of through holes in electrical contact therewith at said first contact end, said electrical terminals extending substantially perpendicularly from said circuit board substantially parallel to one another in an array complementary to said array of signal terminals: a plurality of impedance elements mounted on said second side of said circuit board, each of said impedance elements being mounted in electrical contact with at least two of said plurality of through holes: a first dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels mating with said second contact ends of said electrical terminals on said first side of said circuit board; a second dielectric housing for covering said impedance elements on said second side of said circuit board; and means for retaining said first dielectric housing, said circuit board, and said second dielectric housing in assembled sandwiched relationship: wherein said impedance elements are selected, and said signal leads are arranged, such that said second ends of said electrical terminals present a desired impedance for terminating such signal path.

Claim 12

The termination device according to claim 9 wherein said electrical terminals and said signal terminals are hermaphroditic.

Claim 13

The termination device according to claim 10 wherein said electrical terminals and said signal terminals are serpent terminals.

Claim 14

The termination device according to any of claims 9 to 11 wherein said impedance elements are resistive elements.

Claim 15

The termination device according to claim 12 wherein said resistive elements are resistor networks having a plurality of network terminals.

Claim 16

The termination device according to claim 13 wherein each of said resistor networks has twelve of said network terminals and is equivalent to six resistors.

Claim 17

The termination device according to claim 13 or 14 comprising four of said resistor networks.

Claim 18

The termination device according to any of claims 9 to 15 wherein said desired impedance matches said characteristic impendance.