US4586769A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector terminator
Assignee: CHABIN CORP
•
Filing: 1984-07-05
•
Granted: 1986-05-06
•
Expires: 2004-07-05
Abstract
Abstract A modular electrical connector system provides relatively high density pin out capability for high speed signal transmission and coupling while maintaining discrete wire capability. The system includes plural cable terminators, plural connector blocks, each having plural cells to receive and hold respective terminators with the contacts thereof aligned for connection with further contacts inserted to engage the same, and a frame to hold the connector blocks securely in relative position to each other. Each cable terminator includes one or more contacts for electrically connecting with the cable conductor, electrical insulating molded about the junction of the contact and conductor, and a flexible locking mechanism to facilitate locking and removal of the terminator from its connector block cell, preferably from the back thereof, without disturbing other terminators in the connector block. Means are provided to probe the signals carried by respective terminators while positioned in the connector block, and for such probing and for the inserting/removing function special tools are provided. Methods also are disclosed for servicing such electrical connector systems to insert and/or to remove respective terminators without affecting others and for probing electrical signals carried via respective terminators.
Inventors
- 👤 John N. Tengler
- 👤 James C. Pilny
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/46; H01R13/514; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A terminator for a conductor of an electric cable, comprising contact means for electrically connecting such conductor with another device after said terminator has been axially inserted into a holder therefor, and electrically insulating means for insulating at least part of said conductor and contact means, said insulating means including a terminator body having a main support means for fitting in relatively close engagement with at least part of a holder to cooperate therewith substantially securely to position the terminator in the holder, deflectable means comprising a portion of said terminator body coupled to said main support means along an axial extent thereof in cantilever-like fashion for projection from said main support means generally in a lateral direction relative to said main support means, and locking means proximate the laterally outer end of said deflectable means for locking the terminator in such holder, said deflectable means being capable of selective deflection generally perpendicularly to an axial plane parallel to such lateral direction of projection for moving said locking means generally about an axis parallel to the axial extent of said terminator for selectively releasing said locking means from such holder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A terminator for a conductor of an electric cable, comprising contact means for electrically connecting such conductor with another device after said terminator has been axially inserted into a holder therefor, and electrically insulating means for insulating at least part of said conductor and contact means, said insulating means including a terminator body having a main support means for fitting in relatively close engagement with at least part of a holder to cooperate therewith substantially securely to position the terminator in the holder, deflectable means comprising a portion of said terminator body coupled to said main support means along an axial extent thereof in cantilever-like fashion for projection from said main support means generally in a lateral direction relative to said main support means, and locking means proximate the laterally outer end of said deflectable means for locking the terminator in such holder, said deflectable means being capable of selective deflection generally perpendicularly to an axial plane parallel to such lateral direction of projection for moving said locking means generally about an axis parallel to the axial extent of said terminator for selectively releasing said locking means from such holder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 1, said locking means comprising a ramp surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claim 1, further comprising means for facilitating coupling of a removal tool with the terminator to remove the same from a holder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 3, said terminator body portion having a generally planar surface and said locking means comprising a ramp surface sloping out of the plane of said planar surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 3, said planar surface being positionable in at least close proximity to a sloping guide surface for facilitating sliding of a removal tool into a position between said planar surface and holder wall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention of claim 1, said terminator body portion and said main support means comprising an integral molded body, the cross section of said portion being less than that of said main support means to facilitate such deflecting of the former with respect to the latter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 6, said locking means comprising a locking detent on one surface of said terminator body portion and wherein the opposite surface of said portion has a guiding surface area for guiding a probe contact to engagement with said contact means while the latter is positioned in said holder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
112 words
A terminator for a conductor of an electric cable, comprising contact means for electrically connecting such conductor with another device, electrically insulating means for insulating at least part of said conductor and contact means, at least part of said contact means and insulating means being insertable into a holder, said insulating means including surface means extending to the rear of said insulating means for defining with an adjacent interior surface of such holder a rearwardly opening access passage for a probe to permit electrical connection of such probe with said part of said contact means, while the latter is in such holder and said contact means is connected with such another device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
112 words
A terminator for a conductor of an electric cable, comprising contact means for electrically connecting such conductor with another device, electrically insulating means for insulating at least part of said conductor and contact means, at least part of said contact means and insulating means being insertable into a holder, said insulating means including surface means extending to the rear of said insulating means for defining with an adjacent interior surface of such holder a rearwardly opening access passage for a probe to permit electrical connection of such probe with said part of said contact means, while the latter is in such holder and said contact means is connected with such another device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention of any one of claims 1 or 8, wherein said terminator comprises a portion of an electric cable of the coaxial type.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claim 9, said cable having a central conductor intended for high speed signal transmission, electrical insulation, electrically conductive foil material and a drain wire coupled to said foil material to provide a reference voltage potential effectively shielding said central conductor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 10, said contact means including electrical contacts connected to the conductors of said cable, said terminator further comprising electrically insulating means in the form of a molded body of material directly molded to a portion of said cable and to said electrical contacts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of any of claims 1 or 8, said terminator comprising a portion of a cable having at least one signal conductor and one reference potential conductor, and said contact means including contacts coupled at respective junctions to respective conductors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention of claim 12, said insulating means comprising a molded body molded directly to and about a portion of said cable, conductors, contacts and junctions of contacts and conductors to form an integral structure therewith.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claims 1 or 8, said insulating means including polarity means for preventing insertion of the terminator into such holder in an incorrect orientation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 8, said surface means comprising a smooth guide surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 8, said contact means comprising at least one electrical contact having a surface area that is substantially continuous with said surface means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 8, said contact means comprising at least one electrical contact having a surface area that is at least substantially coplanar with said surface means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claims 16 or 17, said electrical contact having an anchoring portion and a bend connecting the same to said surface area thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claim 18, said insulating means comprising a molded body molded directly to and about at least part of said contact anchoring portion while said bend holds said contact surface area in alignment with said surface means of said insulating means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of said contact bend is embedded in said body.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention of claim 8, said insulating means comprising a main support portion and a body strip portion attached to said main support portion, the main support portion having a larger cross section than the body strip portion, said insulating means having a front end.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention of claim 21, said contact means comprising a pair of contacts, each having an anchoring portion in said insulating means and a contact portion exposed at said front end of said insulating means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 22, said contact portions of said contacts being substantially coplanar.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 23, wherein each contact portion has a surface area coplanar with said support portion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 22, one of said contacts being anchored in said body strip portion and having a surface area substantially continuous with said surface means of said insulating means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention of claims 23 or 25, said surface means comprising a surface of said body strip portion relatively recessed with respect to a major extent of a parallel portion of said main support portion.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claims 23 or 25, said insulating means comprising a body molded about and directly to anchoring portions of said contacts to hold the same and molded about and directly to junctions of conductors of such cable and said anchoring portions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
107 words
The invention of claim 21, said main support portion including a surface parallel with said surface means, said surface means being a surface of said body strip portion, said contact means including a respective contact in each of said main support portion and body strip portion, each contact having anchoring portions held in said insulating means, and each of said contacts having a bend between said anchoring portion and a contacting means for connecting said contacts to an external device inserted to engagement therewith, each contacting means having a surface area held by said bend in substantially parallel relationship with said surface of said body strip portion.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 8, said insulating means including locking means for locking the terminator in a holder therefor and deflectable means capable of selective deflection for selectively releasing the terminator from such holder.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 2, further comprising means for spreading forces at the top of said ramp to reduce breakage thereof under application of relatively high stress forces thereto.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
204 words
A terminator for a conductor of an electrical cable, comprising contact means for electrically connecting such conductor with another device, and electrically insulating body means for encasing a part of said contact means and a part of such conductor with another part of said contact means extending from a front end of said body means and another part of such conductor extending from a rear end of said body means, said body means having a main body portion, a deflectable portion and locking means on said deflectable portion for locking said terminator in a holder therefor, said deflectable portion being joined to said main body portion along an axial extent thereof in cantilever-like fashion for projection from said main body portion generally in a lateral direction relative to said main body portion, said locking means being proximate the laterally outer end of said deflectable portion, and said deflectable portion being deflectable generally perpendicularly to an axial plane parallel to such lateral direction of projection for moving said locking means generally about an axis parallel to the axial extent of said terminator by an amount sufficient to effect release of said locking means from such holder to permit removal of said terminator from such holder.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
204 words
A terminator for a conductor of an electrical cable, comprising contact means for electrically connecting such conductor with another device, and electrically insulating body means for encasing a part of said contact means and a part of such conductor with another part of said contact means extending from a front end of said body means and another part of such conductor extending from a rear end of said body means, said body means having a main body portion, a deflectable portion and locking means on said deflectable portion for locking said terminator in a holder therefor, said deflectable portion being joined to said main body portion along an axial extent thereof in cantilever-like fashion for projection from said main body portion generally in a lateral direction relative to said main body portion, said locking means being proximate the laterally outer end of said deflectable portion, and said deflectable portion being deflectable generally perpendicularly to an axial plane parallel to such lateral direction of projection for moving said locking means generally about an axis parallel to the axial extent of said terminator by an amount sufficient to effect release of said locking means from such holder to permit removal of said terminator from such holder.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
41 words
The terminator of claim 31, said body means being an integral molded body, and the cross-section of said deflectable portion being less than that of said main body portion to facilitate the deflecting of the former with respect to the latter.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
The terminator of claim 31, wherein said deflectable portion has a rear end including a sloping guide surface for facilitating sliding of a removal tool into a position between said deflectable portion and an adjacent interior wall of such holder.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The terminator of claim 31, wherein said locking means includes a ramp locking surface on said deflectable portion.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
55 words
The terminator of claim 31, wherein said deflectable portion has surface means for defining with an adjacent interior wall of said holder a rearwardly opening access passage for a probe permitting electrical connection to said contact means while said body means is in such holder and said contact means is connected with such another device.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The terminator of claim 35, wherein said locking means and surface means are on opposite sides of said deflectable portion.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
33 words
The terminator of claim 35, said surface means comprising a surface on said deflectable portion relatively recessed with respect to a major extent of a parallel surface portion of said main body portion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-05 | 1989-11-04 | 1990-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-05 | 1993-11-04 | 1994-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-05 | 1997-11-04 | 1998-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |