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US5378161A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Tapered electrical connector

Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1993-08-04
•
Granted: 1995-01-03
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Expires: 2013-08-04
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Abstract

Abstract An electrical connector includes a male plug having preferably two tapered major surfaces and a female receptacle having walls corresponding in taper to the major surfaces of the male plug. The male plug is adapted to terminate a ribbon cable and may be formed by a tapered circuit board or a tapered form around which conductors of a ribbon cable are bent. The female receptacle is lined with a flexible circuit for contact to the male plug and connection to a circuit board.

Inventors

  • 👤 Harry A. Loder

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 08:46
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/714; H01R12/77; H01R12/79

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 219 words
An electrical connector comprising: a male connector half terminating in a plug end having a vertical axis and two major surfaces wherein at least one of said major surfaces is a tapered surface disposed at an acute angle to said vertical axis; a female connector half having walls defining a receptacle for said male connector half and a vertical axis parallel to said male connector half vertical axis wherein one of said walls is a tapered wall disposed at an angle to said female connector half vertical axis corresponding to said acute angle of said male connector half tapered surface; at least said male tapered surface and at least said female tapered wall each including corresponding individual electrical contact traces lying in planes parallel to said male tapered surface and said female tapered side wall, respectively, for making electrical contact between said male connector half and said female connector half when said connector halves are mated so as to force said male tapered surface and said female tapered wall together; and wherein said male connector half terminates an electrical cable comprising a series of parallel conductors encapsulated in an electrically insulating sheath, said tapered surface includes a series of parallel grooves, and said electrical contact traces are exposed conductors of said cable disposed one each in a said groove.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 219 words
An electrical connector comprising: a male connector half terminating in a plug end having a vertical axis and two major surfaces wherein at least one of said major surfaces is a tapered surface disposed at an acute angle to said vertical axis; a female connector half having walls defining a receptacle for said male connector half and a vertical axis parallel to said male connector half vertical axis wherein one of said walls is a tapered wall disposed at an angle to said female connector half vertical axis corresponding to said acute angle of said male connector half tapered surface; at least said male tapered surface and at least said female tapered wall each including corresponding individual electrical contact traces lying in planes parallel to said male tapered surface and said female tapered side wall, respectively, for making electrical contact between said male connector half and said female connector half when said connector halves are mated so as to force said male tapered surface and said female tapered wall together; and wherein said male connector half terminates an electrical cable comprising a series of parallel conductors encapsulated in an electrically insulating sheath, said tapered surface includes a series of parallel grooves, and said electrical contact traces are exposed conductors of said cable disposed one each in a said groove.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said male connector half includes one tapered major surface and an opposite vertical major surface parallel to said vertical axis of said male connector half and said female connector half includes a vertical wall corresponding to said male connector half vertical surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
An electrical connector according to claim 2 wherein both major surfaces of said male connector half and corresponding walls of said female connector half include electrical contact traces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 44 words
An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein both major surfaces of said male connector half and corresponding walls of said female connector half are tapered surfaces inclined at opposite but equal acute angles with respect to said vertical axes of said connector halves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
An electrical connector according to claim 4 wherein both major surfaces of said male connector half and corresponding walls of said female connector half include electrical contact traces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 42 words
An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said female connector half includes a flexible circuit overlying a wall of said female connector half and defining said contact traces, said flexible circuit including a polymeric backing and electrically conductive pathways attached thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
An electrical connector according to claim 6 wherein said female connector half further includes a resilient member disposed between said flexible circuit and said wall of said female connector half which said flexible circuit overlies.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
An electrical connector according to claim 7 wherein said resilient member is a fluid-filled bladder.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

NL297484A Cited
US4875259A Cited
US4768971A Cited
US4907975A Cited
US4971565A Cited
US5176530A Cited
US5156553A Cited
US5123852A Cited
US5133667A Cited
US5171154A Cited
US5160269A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-01-02 1998-07-04 1999-01-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-01-02 2002-07-04 2003-01-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-01-02 2006-07-04 2007-01-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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