US5593311A — Shielded compact data connector

Claim 1

Independent Claim 103 words

An electrical connector comprising: an electrically conductive outer housing having a plurality of discrete bounded compartments; electrically insulative terminal support elements, each said support element being accommodated in one of said bounded compartments, a pair of said electrically insulative terminal support elements being formed integrally in stacked relation, said stacked terminal support elements having portions resident in a pair of vertically aligned said bounded compartments of said outer housing; and plural transmission terminal devices supported in at least one said support element; said terminal devices of said one support element being electrically shielded from the other said support elements by said bounded compartment.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 103 words

An electrical connector comprising: an electrically conductive outer housing having a plurality of discrete bounded compartments; electrically insulative terminal support elements, each said support element being accommodated in one of said bounded compartments, a pair of said electrically insulative terminal support elements being formed integrally in stacked relation, said stacked terminal support elements having portions resident in a pair of vertically aligned said bounded compartments of said outer housing; and plural transmission terminal devices supported in at least one said support element; said terminal devices of said one support element being electrically shielded from the other said support elements by said bounded compartment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

An electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said transmission terminal devices of one said support elements are electrical contacts.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

An electrical connector of claim 2 wherein at least another said support element supports additional electrical contacts.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

An electrical connector of claim 2 wherein each said electrical contact includes an interconnection end for electrical engagement with a contact of a mating connector and a terminal end opposite said interconnection end.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

An electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said terminal end includes a pin-type solder tail.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

An electrical connector of claim 4 wherein said terminal end includes an insulation displacement contact portion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

An electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said outer housing is formed from die cast metal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 11 words

An electrical connector of claim 1 wherein said connector is hermaphroditic.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 137 words

An hermaphroditic electrical connector comprising: a connector housing configured for mating engagement with a like housing; and at least one electrical contact supported in said housing and configured for mating electrical engagement with a like contact; said electrical contact having a mating end and an opposed termination end; said mating end of said contact having an elongate deflectable contact beam including a central apex, an inclined front facing mating surface on one side of said apex and an inclined rear facing engagement surface on the other side of said beam; wherein upon said hermaphroditic interconnection of said electrical contact with said like contact said front facing mating surfaces make initial engagement, said apices pass over one another deflecting said contact beams and said rear facing engagement surfaces contact one another locking said contact to said like contact.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 137 words

An hermaphroditic electrical connector comprising: a connector housing configured for mating engagement with a like housing; and at least one electrical contact supported in said housing and configured for mating electrical engagement with a like contact; said electrical contact having a mating end and an opposed termination end; said mating end of said contact having an elongate deflectable contact beam including a central apex, an inclined front facing mating surface on one side of said apex and an inclined rear facing engagement surface on the other side of said beam; wherein upon said hermaphroditic interconnection of said electrical contact with said like contact said front facing mating surfaces make initial engagement, said apices pass over one another deflecting said contact beams and said rear facing engagement surfaces contact one another locking said contact to said like contact.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

An hermaphroditic electrical connector of claim 9 wherein said contact further includes a contact base, said deflectable contact beam extending over said base.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

An hermaphroditic electrical connector of claim 10 wherein said contact further includes said termination end including a contact tail extending from said contact base.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

An hermaphroditic electrical connector of claim 11 wherein said connector housing supports plural said electrical contacts.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 138 words

An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing configured for mating engagement with a complementary housing; and at least two pair of electrical contacts supported in said housing in stacked relationship and configured for mating electrical engagement with at least two pair of complementary contacts; each said electrical contact having a mating end and an opposed termination end; each said mating end of said contacts having an elongate deflectable contact beam including a central apex, an inclined front facing mating surface on one side of said apex and an inclined rear facing engagement surface on the other side of said beam; wherein upon interconnection of said electrical contacts with said complementary contacts said front facing mating surfaces make initial engagement, said apices pass over one another deflecting said contact beams and said rear facing engagement surfaces contact one another.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 138 words

An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing configured for mating engagement with a complementary housing; and at least two pair of electrical contacts supported in said housing in stacked relationship and configured for mating electrical engagement with at least two pair of complementary contacts; each said electrical contact having a mating end and an opposed termination end; each said mating end of said contacts having an elongate deflectable contact beam including a central apex, an inclined front facing mating surface on one side of said apex and an inclined rear facing engagement surface on the other side of said beam; wherein upon interconnection of said electrical contacts with said complementary contacts said front facing mating surfaces make initial engagement, said apices pass over one another deflecting said contact beams and said rear facing engagement surfaces contact one another.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 19 words

An electrical connector of claim 13 wherein said elongate deflectable contact beams are all deflectable in the same direction.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 225 words

A shielded electrical connector for mounting on a printed circuit board comprising: an outer conductive shield including opposed upper and lower walls, and opposed side walls defining a mating end and a terminating end, the outer shield including a rear shield extent disposed at the terminating end of said outer shield, said rear shield extent being separate from said outer shield side walls and upper lower walls; a horizontal shield extent extending between opposed side walls; a vertical shield extent extending between opposed upper and lower walls, said horizontal and vertical shield extents together with said upper and lower walls and said side walls defining four individually shielded quadrants; an insulative member in each quadrant; a pair of electrically conductive contacts in each quadrant, each contact having a mating portion within said shield and accessible in a respective quadrant for connection to a contact of a complementary connector, each contact having a terminating portion projecting outwardly from said outer shield for connection to a conductive element on a printed circuit board, the terminating portions of contacts in the upper quadrants lying in a first row and the terminating portions of contacts in the lower quadrants lying in a second row spaced from said first row, and wherein the rear shield extend includes a first wall portion disposed between said first row and said second row.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 225 words

A shielded electrical connector for mounting on a printed circuit board comprising: an outer conductive shield including opposed upper and lower walls, and opposed side walls defining a mating end and a terminating end, the outer shield including a rear shield extent disposed at the terminating end of said outer shield, said rear shield extent being separate from said outer shield side walls and upper lower walls; a horizontal shield extent extending between opposed side walls; a vertical shield extent extending between opposed upper and lower walls, said horizontal and vertical shield extents together with said upper and lower walls and said side walls defining four individually shielded quadrants; an insulative member in each quadrant; a pair of electrically conductive contacts in each quadrant, each contact having a mating portion within said shield and accessible in a respective quadrant for connection to a contact of a complementary connector, each contact having a terminating portion projecting outwardly from said outer shield for connection to a conductive element on a printed circuit board, the terminating portions of contacts in the upper quadrants lying in a first row and the terminating portions of contacts in the lower quadrants lying in a second row spaced from said first row, and wherein the rear shield extend includes a first wall portion disposed between said first row and said second row.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 15 wherein said pairs of contacts in said lower quadrants are aligned with said pairs of contacts in said upper quadrants.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 16 wherein said mating portions of said contacts are deflectable.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 17 wherein said mating portions of said contacts are all deflectable in the same common direction.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 16 wherein said vertical shield extent electrically and mechanically connects said upper and lower walls.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 19 wherein said horizontal shield extent electrically and mechanically connects said side walls.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 33 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 20 wherein said upper and lower walls, said side walls, said vertical shield extent and said horizontal shield extent are integrally formed as a unitary piece.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 16 wherein said terminating portions of said contacts are formed at substantially right angles to said mating portions.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 33 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 15 wherein said rear shield extent includes a second wall portion disposed externally of said first and second rows and spaced from said first wall portion.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 21 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 23 wherein said first and second wall portions are joined by a conductive web.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 25 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 24 wherein said web lies transversely between two pair of contacts in at least one of said rows.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 32 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 15 further including an insulative support for said contact terminating portions having a portion lying between said first and second rear shield extent wall portions.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 19 words

A shielded electrical connector according to claim 26 wherein said insulative support is separate from each said insulative member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-01-14	2000-07-15	2001-01-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-01-14	2004-07-15	2005-01-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-01-14	2008-07-15	2009-01-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Shielded compact data connector

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