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 being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; 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 for altering the relationship between said port and said electronic equipment.

Claim 3

The electrical device according to claim 1 wherein said impedance elements are resistive elements, and said selected impedances are selected resistances.

Claim 4

The electrical device according to claim 2 wherein said resistive elements are resistor networks having a plurality of network terminals.

Claim 5

The electrical device according to claim 3 wherein each of said resistor networks has twelve of said network terminals and is equivalent to six resistors.

Claim 6

The electrical device according to claim 4 comprising four of said resistor networks.

Claim 7

The electrical device according to claim 1 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 8

The electrical device of claim 1 wherein each of said channels has, at an end adjacent said circuit board, a channel portion having a cross-sectional area that increases with decreasing distance from said circuit board for facilitating insertion of said plurality of serpent terminals.

Claim 9

An electrical termination device for terminating a signal path having first and second ends, having a characteristic impedance, and having an array of signal terminals at said second end, 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 being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; 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 altering the relationship between said first and second ends, thereby terminating such signal path.

Claim 10

An electrical termination device for terminating a signal path having first and second ends, having a characteristic impedance, and having an array of signal terminals at said second end, 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 being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; 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 altering the relationship between said first and second ends, thereby terminating such signal path.

Claim 11

The termination device according to claim 8 wherein said impedance elements are resistive elements.

Claim 12

The termination device according to claim 9 wherein said resistive elements are resistor networks having a plurality of network terminals.

Claim 13

The termination device according to claim 10 wherein each of said resistor networks has twelve of said network terminals and is equivalent to six resistors.

Claim 14

The termination device according to claim 11 comprising four of said resistor networks.

Claim 15

The termination device according to claim 8 wherein said desired impedance matches said characteristic impedance.

Claim 16

The electrical device of claim 8 wherein each of said channels has, at an end adjacent said circuit board, a channel portion having a cross-sectional area that increases with decreasing distance from said circuit board for facilitating insertion of said plurality of serpent terminals.

Claim 17

An electrical device for connection to an input/output port of a second device, said input/output port having a predetermined relationship with said second device, said electrical device comprising: a connector portion; and a functional portion electrically connected to said connector portion; wherein said connector portion comprises: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on said first side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes, said functional portion being in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes on said second side of said circuit board; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said terminals being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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 dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels, said housing presenting a mating face to said second device, said mating face being substantially parallel to said circuit board, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; and means independent of said terminals for retaining said dielectric housing and said circuit board in assembled relationship; wherein said circuit board and said terminals thereon can be removed from said housing when desired by releasing only said terminal-independent retaining means.

Claim 18

An electrical device for connection to an input/output port of a second device, said input/output port having a predetermined relationship with said second device, said electrical device comprising: a connector portion; and a functional portion electrically connected to said connector portion; wherein said connector portion comprises: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on said first side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes, said functional portion being in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes on said second side of said circuit board; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said terminals being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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 dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels, said housing presenting a mating face to said second device, said mating face being substantially parallel to said circuit board, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; and means independent of said terminals for retaining said dielectric housing and said circuit board in assembled relationship; wherein said circuit board and said terminals thereon can be removed from said housing when desired by releasing only said terminal-independent retaining means.

Claim 19

The electrical device of claim 15 wherein said functional portion is a terminator portion for terminating said port, said terminator portion comprising impedance elements for altering the relationship between said port and said second device.

Claim 20

The electrical device of claim 15 wherein each of said channels has, at an end adjacent said circuit board, a channel portion having a cross-sectional area that increases with decreasing distance from said circuit board for facilitating insertion of said plurality of serpent terminals.

Claim 21

An electrical device for connection to an input/output port of a second device, said input/output port having a predetermined relationship with said second device, said electrical device comprising: a connector portion; and a functional portion electrically connected to said connector portion; wherein said connector portion comprises: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on said first side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes, said functional portion being in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes on said second side of said circuit board; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said terminals being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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 dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels, said housing presenting a mating face to said second device, said mating face being substantially parallel to said circuit board, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; and means independent of said terminals for retaining said dielectric housing and said circuit board in assembled relationship, said terminal-independent retaining means being the sole means for retaining said dielectric housing and said circuit board in assembled relationship.

Claim 22

An electrical device for connection to an input/output port of a second device, said input/output port having a predetermined relationship with said second device, said electrical device comprising: a connector portion; and a functional portion electrically connected to said connector portion; wherein said connector portion comprises: a circuit board having first and second sides and a plurality of through holes, and having signal leads on said first side in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes, said functional portion being in electrical contact with said plurality of through holes on said second side of said circuit board; a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said terminals being a hermaphroditic serpent terminal 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 dielectric housing having multiple terminal receiving channels, said housing presenting a mating face to said second device, said mating face being substantially parallel to said circuit board, each of said serpent terminals being free of means for latching into said channels, said plurality of serpent terminals being simultaneously insertable into, and simultaneously removable from, said channels; and means independent of said terminals for retaining said dielectric housing and said circuit board in assembled relationship, said terminal-independent retaining means being the sole means for retaining said dielectric housing and said circuit board in assembled relationship.

Claim 23

The electrical device of claim 18 wherein said functional portion is a terminator portion for terminating said port, said terminator portion comprising impedance elements for altering the relationship between said port and said second device.

Claim 24

The electrical device of claim 18 wherein each of said channels has, at an end adjacent said circuit board, a channel portion having a cross-sectional area that increases with decreasing distance from said circuit board for facilitating insertion of said plurality of serpent terminals.