US4921435A — Blind mating connector having self-locating featu…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 179 words

Apparatus for mechanically and electrically connecting a device to a panel comprising: a carrier panel having an aperture therein; a floating connector block received in said aperture, said block including a main body and including at least two pairs of longitudinally spaced flanges extending from said main body in planes parallel with the plane of said aperture, said carrier panel being disposed between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges, said floating connector block further including a plurality of terminal means within said main body oriented substantially perpendicular to said flanges for establishing electrical connections; a plurality of resilient support strips extending between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges such that said strips are tensioned under contact with said carrier panel to locate said floating connector block at a desired position within said aperture; a device-end connector including a plurality of pin means arranged for connection with said terminal means; and guide means for aligning said terminal means and said pin means when said device-end connector and said floating connector block are brought together.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 179 words

Apparatus for mechanically and electrically connecting a device to a panel comprising: a carrier panel having an aperture therein; a floating connector block received in said aperture, said block including a main body and including at least two pairs of longitudinally spaced flanges extending from said main body in planes parallel with the plane of said aperture, said carrier panel being disposed between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges, said floating connector block further including a plurality of terminal means within said main body oriented substantially perpendicular to said flanges for establishing electrical connections; a plurality of resilient support strips extending between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges such that said strips are tensioned under contact with said carrier panel to locate said floating connector block at a desired position within said aperture; a device-end connector including a plurality of pin means arranged for connection with said terminal means; and guide means for aligning said terminal means and said pin means when said device-end connector and said floating connector block are brought together.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises: a locating projection extending from said device-end connector substantially parallel to said pin means and for a distance such that it reaches said floating block connector before said pin means and said terminal means make contact; and a guide receptacle in said floating connector block for receiving said locating projection.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carrier panel comprises a tray for supporting said device, said vertical portion being located at the rear of said tray, and said device-end connector being rigidly mounted to the rear of said device.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the upper edge of said aperture includes a pair of tabs and the upper edge of said vertical portion of said carrier panel includes an open area leading to said aperture.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flanges include receiving grooves in their upper and lower edges and wherein said resilient strips are comprised of a pair of O-rings, each O-ring being received in said receiving grooves of a respective pair of flanges.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a wire bundle connected to said terminal means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pin means is comprised of a plurality of male terminal pins and wherein said terminal means is comprised of a plurality of female terminal sockets.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 192 words

Apparatus for mechanically and electrically connecting a device to a panel comprising: a carrier panel having an aperture therein; a floating connector block received in said aperture, said block including a main body and including at least two pairs of longitudinally spaced flanges extending from said main body in planes parallel with the plane of said aperture, said carrier panel being disposed between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges, said floating connector block further including a plurality of terminal means within said main body oriented substantially perpendicular to said flanges for establishing electrical connections; a plurality of resilient support means engaging said floating connector block and said panel for locating said floating connector block at a desired position within said aperture; a device-end connector including a plurality of pin means arranged for connection with said terminal means; tray means on said panel for supporting said device with said terminal means and said pin means being oriented in general alignment prior to interconnection; and guide means for precisely aligning said pin means and said terminal means for interconnection when said device-end connector and said floating connector block are brought together.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 192 words

Apparatus for mechanically and electrically connecting a device to a panel comprising: a carrier panel having an aperture therein; a floating connector block received in said aperture, said block including a main body and including at least two pairs of longitudinally spaced flanges extending from said main body in planes parallel with the plane of said aperture, said carrier panel being disposed between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges, said floating connector block further including a plurality of terminal means within said main body oriented substantially perpendicular to said flanges for establishing electrical connections; a plurality of resilient support means engaging said floating connector block and said panel for locating said floating connector block at a desired position within said aperture; a device-end connector including a plurality of pin means arranged for connection with said terminal means; tray means on said panel for supporting said device with said terminal means and said pin means being oriented in general alignment prior to interconnection; and guide means for precisely aligning said pin means and said terminal means for interconnection when said device-end connector and said floating connector block are brought together.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 222 words

A connector apparatus comprising: a floating block having a longitudinal axis and having a lateral dimension d 1 , said floating block including terminal means parallel to said longitudinal axis for establishing electrical connections; a carrier panel having a thickness d 2 and having an aperture therein for receiving said floating block, said aperture having a lateral dimension d 3 greater than d 1 ; a first pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 5 from said floating block perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and separated by a distance d 4 greater than d 2 , said flanges of said first pair being disposed on opposite sides of said carrier panel; a second pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 6 from said floating block and separated by said distance d 4 , said flanges of said second pair being disposed on opposite sides of said carrier panel, the sum of d 1 , d 5 , and d 6 being greater than d 3 ; a plurality of resilient support strips extending between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges such that said strips engage said carrier panel and tend to locate said floating block at a desired position within said aperture; and a device-end connector including pin means for connecting with said terminal means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 222 words

A connector apparatus comprising: a floating block having a longitudinal axis and having a lateral dimension d 1 , said floating block including terminal means parallel to said longitudinal axis for establishing electrical connections; a carrier panel having a thickness d 2 and having an aperture therein for receiving said floating block, said aperture having a lateral dimension d 3 greater than d 1 ; a first pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 5 from said floating block perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and separated by a distance d 4 greater than d 2 , said flanges of said first pair being disposed on opposite sides of said carrier panel; a second pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 6 from said floating block and separated by said distance d 4 , said flanges of said second pair being disposed on opposite sides of said carrier panel, the sum of d 1 , d 5 , and d 6 being greater than d 3 ; a plurality of resilient support strips extending between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges such that said strips engage said carrier panel and tend to locate said floating block at a desired position within said aperture; and a device-end connector including pin means for connecting with said terminal means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: guide means for aligning said pin means and said terminal means when said device-end connector and said floating block are brought together.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: a block inserting passage in said carrier panel communicating with said aperture, said passage having a width d 7 greater than d 1 and less than d 3 .

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 64 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said flanges include receiving grooves in their upper and lower edges and wherein said resilient strips are comprised of a pair of O-rings each disposed in receiving grooves of a respective pair of flanges, said O-rings being separated by a distance slightly greater than d 3 such that said O-rings are tensioned under contact with said carrier panel.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said guide means comprises: a locating projection extending from said device-end connector along said longitudinal axis; and a guide slot in said floating block for receiving said locating projection.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pin means is comprised of a plurality of male pins and wherein said terminal means is comprised of a plurality of female terminal sockets.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 273 words

A method for installing an electrical device to a carrier panel comprising the steps of: providing a floating block having a longitudinal axis and having a lateral dimension d 1 ; providing terminal means in said floating block parallel to said longitudinal axis for establishing electrical connections; providing a carrier panel of thickness d 2 having an aperture therein, said aperture having a lateral dimension d 3 greater than d 1 ; providing a first pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 5 from said floating block perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and separated by a distance d 4 greater than d 2 ; providing a second pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 6 from said floating block perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and separated by said distance d 4 , the sum of d 1 , d 5 , and d 6 being greater than d 3 ; providing aligned receiving grooves in the upper and lower edges of said flanges; inserting a respective O-ring in the grooves of each respective pair of flanges; inserting said floating block into said aperture such that said carrier panel is disposed between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges and said O-rings are tensioned under contact with said carrier panel; providing a device-end connector on said device including pin means extending parallel to said longitudinal axis; orienting said device and said carrier panel such that said terminal means and said pin means are substantially aligned; and joining said device-end connector and said floating block by relative axial movement until said terminal means and said pin means are coupled.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 273 words

A method for installing an electrical device to a carrier panel comprising the steps of: providing a floating block having a longitudinal axis and having a lateral dimension d 1 ; providing terminal means in said floating block parallel to said longitudinal axis for establishing electrical connections; providing a carrier panel of thickness d 2 having an aperture therein, said aperture having a lateral dimension d 3 greater than d 1 ; providing a first pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 5 from said floating block perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and separated by a distance d 4 greater than d 2 ; providing a second pair of longitudinally spaced flanges extending a distance d 6 from said floating block perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and separated by said distance d 4 , the sum of d 1 , d 5 , and d 6 being greater than d 3 ; providing aligned receiving grooves in the upper and lower edges of said flanges; inserting a respective O-ring in the grooves of each respective pair of flanges; inserting said floating block into said aperture such that said carrier panel is disposed between the flanges of each of said pairs of flanges and said O-rings are tensioned under contact with said carrier panel; providing a device-end connector on said device including pin means extending parallel to said longitudinal axis; orienting said device and said carrier panel such that said terminal means and said pin means are substantially aligned; and joining said device-end connector and said floating block by relative axial movement until said terminal means and said pin means are coupled.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 89 words

The method of claim 15 wherein said carrier panel includes a block inserting passage communicating with said aperture and having at its narrowest point a width d 7 greater than d 1 and less than d 3 and having a widening slope at its upper end, and wherein said step of inserting said floating block into said aperture comprises the steps of: retracting said O-rings toward said floating block by inserting said floating block into said passage; and moving said floating block into said aperture thereby releasing said O-rings.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 15 wherein said device-end connector includes a locating projection extending parallel to said longitudinal axis and said floating block includes a guide slot for aligning said block pin means and said terminal pin means, and wherein said orienting step is comprised of the insertion of said locating projection into said guide slot.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-04-30	1993-10-30	1994-05-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-04-30	1997-10-30	1998-05-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-04-30	2001-10-30	2002-05-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Blind mating connector having self-locating feature

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