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US5273459A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Connector feature for improved contact wiping

Assignee: Whitaker LLC
•
Filing: 1993-01-25
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Granted: 1993-12-28
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Expires: 2013-01-25
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Abstract

Abstract A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block (41), contact terminals (51) supported on the block (41) for connection to wires (21), a rear bumper (43) bridging across the block (41) and extending laterally beyond the wires (21), a conductive front shell (6) encircling the block (41), conductive backshells (12, 14) enveloping the block (41), pushing arms (15) on at least one of the backshells (12,14) engaging the bumper (43) and urging a mating end of the block (41) to a most forward position relative to a front mating end of the front shell (6), and shifting of the block (41) rearwardly is resisted to promote contact wiping during mating connection of the connector (19) with another, mating connector.

Inventors

  • 👤 Wayne S. Davis

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 06:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6591; H01R13/6592; H01R13/6593; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6582

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 93 words
A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block, contact terminals supported on the block for connection to conductors, a rear bumper bridging across the block and extending laterally beyond the wires, conductive backshells enveloping the block, pushing arms on at least one of the backshells engaging the bumper and urging the block forwardly of the one backshell, and urging a front mating end of the block to a most forward position relative to a front mating end of a conductive front shell encircling the block and being connected to the one backshell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 93 words
A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block, contact terminals supported on the block for connection to conductors, a rear bumper bridging across the block and extending laterally beyond the wires, conductive backshells enveloping the block, pushing arms on at least one of the backshells engaging the bumper and urging the block forwardly of the one backshell, and urging a front mating end of the block to a most forward position relative to a front mating end of a conductive front shell encircling the block and being connected to the one backshell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 63 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 1, comprising: a housing encircling the block, the block being connected to the housing, and the pushing arms engaging the bumper and urging the block to impinge against the housing and to urge a front mating end of the housing to a most forward position relative to the front mating end of the front shell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 1, comprising: the pushing arms being provided by indented front facing edges on one of the backshells.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 1, comprising: the bumper comprising a portion of the block intersecting a central axis of the block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 1, comprising: the bumper having a rear facing tapered edge engaged by the pusher arms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 31 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 1, comprising: portions of the backshells being secured together and providing a cable strain relief for wires being connected to the contact terminals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 60 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 1, comprising: a set of pushing arms on one of the backshells engaged against rear facing edges of a second one of the backshells, a flange on the second one of the backshells urged forwardly by the set of pushing arms forwardly against a rear of a flange on the front shell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 7, comprising: slots on the second backshell having open ends to receive the second set of pushing arms when the first backshell is pivoted toward the second backshell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 8, comprising: rear facing edges of the slots being engaged by the second set of pushing arms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 79 words
A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block, a conductive front shell encircling a mating end of the block, contact terminals supported on the block for connection to wires, conductive backshells enveloping the block, a set of pushing arms on one of the backshells urged forwardly against the block urging the block to a most forward position relative to a mating front end of the conductive front shell, and the one backshell being connected to the front shell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 79 words
A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block, a conductive front shell encircling a mating end of the block, contact terminals supported on the block for connection to wires, conductive backshells enveloping the block, a set of pushing arms on one of the backshells urged forwardly against the block urging the block to a most forward position relative to a mating front end of the conductive front shell, and the one backshell being connected to the front shell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 87 words
A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block, contact terminals supported on the block for connection to wires, and shielding for the connector comprising; a mating end on a front shell encircling a mating end of the terminal support block, and conductive backshells enveloping the block, whereby, to prevent shifting of the block rearwardly relative to the front shell, one of the backshells pushes against the block urging the block to a most forward position relative to the front shell, and the backshells being connected together.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 87 words
A shielded electrical connector comprising: a terminal support block, contact terminals supported on the block for connection to wires, and shielding for the connector comprising; a mating end on a front shell encircling a mating end of the terminal support block, and conductive backshells enveloping the block, whereby, to prevent shifting of the block rearwardly relative to the front shell, one of the backshells pushes against the block urging the block to a most forward position relative to the front shell, and the backshells being connected together.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 11 wherein said one of the backshells is pivoted to push against the terminal support block.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 48 words
A shielded electrical connector as recited in claim 12 wherein a pushing arm on said one of the backshells pushes against the terminal support block, and the length of the said backshell is a multiple of the distance between the pushing arm and a pivot for said backshell.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3760335A Cited
US4619494A Cited
US4682836A Cited
US4619494B1 Cited
US4641902A Cited
US5073130A Cited
US5158481A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-12-27 1997-06-28 1997-12-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-12-27 2001-06-28 2001-12-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-12-27 2005-06-28 2005-12-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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