Patent US5860816A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5860816A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrical connector assembled from wafers
Assignee: Amphenol Corp
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Filing: 1997-11-24
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Granted: 1999-01-19
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Expires: 2017-11-24
Abstract
Abstract A modular electrical connector made from wafers. Each wafer contains one column of contact elements and is made separately. The wafers are of two different types, which snap together to form two row modules. The modules contain attachment features that allow them to be organized on a metal stiffener. Shield members can be optionally attached to each wafer so that the connector can be made in either a shielded or unshielded versions. In addition, each wafer includes windows through which selected contact elements can be cut to either improve the performance of the shields or to allow attachments of resistors.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel B. Provencher
- 👤 Philip T. Stokoe
- 👤 Mark W. Gailus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:44
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R13/00; H01R13/66; H01R13/719; H01R13/7195; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6585; H01R13/6586; H01R13/6587; H01R43/00; H01R43/20; H01R43/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
A modular electrical connector comprising: a) a first member; and b) a plurality of like modules attached to the first member, each module comprising: i) a first type wafer having an insulative housing and a plurality of contact elements extending there through, said first wafer having a side surface with at least one member projecting therefrom, with the contact elements in the first type wafer extending from the insulative housing in a first line, ii) a second type wafer having an insulative housing shaped differently than the insulative housing of the first type wafer, said second type wafer having a plurality of contact elements extending therethrough, said second wafer having a side surface disposed parallel with the side surface of the first wafer, said second side surface having an opening therein with said projecting member projecting into said opening, and the contact elements in the second type wafer extending from the insulative housing in a second line, wherein the first type wafer and the second type wafer are positioned with the first line and the second line in parallel; and c) wherein the plurality of like modules are positioned with the first lines of each of the modules in parallel to provide an array of contact elements; and d) wherein the plurality of like modules are positioned to provide a connector with a repeating pattern of wafers of the first type and wafers of the second type.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
A modular electrical connector comprising: a) a first member; and b) a plurality of like modules attached to the first member, each module comprising: i) a first type wafer having an insulative housing and a plurality of contact elements extending there through, said first wafer having a side surface with at least one member projecting therefrom, with the contact elements in the first type wafer extending from the insulative housing in a first line, ii) a second type wafer having an insulative housing shaped differently than the insulative housing of the first type wafer, said second type wafer having a plurality of contact elements extending therethrough, said second wafer having a side surface disposed parallel with the side surface of the first wafer, said second side surface having an opening therein with said projecting member projecting into said opening, and the contact elements in the second type wafer extending from the insulative housing in a second line, wherein the first type wafer and the second type wafer are positioned with the first line and the second line in parallel; and c) wherein the plurality of like modules are positioned with the first lines of each of the modules in parallel to provide an array of contact elements; and d) wherein the plurality of like modules are positioned to provide a connector with a repeating pattern of wafers of the first type and wafers of the second type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the member projecting from the first type wafer and the opening in the second type wafer form a snap-fit connection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of signal contacts in each wafer comprises: a) a contact tail adapted to engage a printed circuit board extending from a first edge of the insulative housing of the wafer; b) an elongated portion extending from a second edge of the insulative housing; and c) an intermediate portion joining the contact tail and the elongated portion, the intermediate portion being bent to position the elongated portion at a right angle to the contact tail.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 3 wherein each modular consist essentially of two wafers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 3 wherein the member projecting from the first type of wafers and the openings of the second type wafers cooperate to form snap fit features enabling wafers of the first type to be attached to wafers of the second type.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 3 additionally comprising a plurality of shield members, each shield member disposed between adjacent modules.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first member comprises a stiffener with a plurality of holes therein, and each module comprises a hub inserted into one of the holes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first line and second line of contact elements in each module are spaced apart by 1.5 mm or less.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 8 additionally comprising a plurality of planar shield members, each disposed parallel with the first surface of a first type wafer, wherein each of the shield members has a hole therethrough and the projecting member of the first type housing projects through said hole.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the first member comprises a metal stiffener having a first portion and a second portion bent at right angle to the first portion and the insulative housing of at least the first type wafer of each module is attached to the first portion and the second portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
216 words
A modular electrical connector having a first face adapted to engage a mating electrical connector and a second face, at right angle to the first face, adapted to engage a printed circuit board, the electrical connector having a plurality of columns of contact elements and comprising: a) a plurality of a first type wafers, each wafer having an insulative housing and a plurality of contact tails adapted to engage a printed circuit board extending in a column from said second face; b) a plurality of a second type wafers, each wafer having an insulative housing and a plurality of contact tails adapted to engage a printed circuit board extending from said second face, each of said second type wafers being engaged with a first type wafer to form a module; and c) a support member having a plurality of holes therein with a portion of a module extending into at least one of the holes; d) wherein the wafers of the first type and the wafers of the second type are aligned side by side in a repeating pattern; and e) wherein the insulative housing of one of the first type or second type of wafers has a portion with a thickness in a direction perpendicular to said column that equals the thickness of a module.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
216 words
A modular electrical connector having a first face adapted to engage a mating electrical connector and a second face, at right angle to the first face, adapted to engage a printed circuit board, the electrical connector having a plurality of columns of contact elements and comprising: a) a plurality of a first type wafers, each wafer having an insulative housing and a plurality of contact tails adapted to engage a printed circuit board extending in a column from said second face; b) a plurality of a second type wafers, each wafer having an insulative housing and a plurality of contact tails adapted to engage a printed circuit board extending from said second face, each of said second type wafers being engaged with a first type wafer to form a module; and c) a support member having a plurality of holes therein with a portion of a module extending into at least one of the holes; d) wherein the wafers of the first type and the wafers of the second type are aligned side by side in a repeating pattern; and e) wherein the insulative housing of one of the first type or second type of wafers has a portion with a thickness in a direction perpendicular to said column that equals the thickness of a module.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 11 comprising a plurality of metal shield members having at least one hole therethrough and wherein the insulative housings of the second type members have at least one projecting member with the projecting members extending through the holes of the metal shield members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The modular connector element of claim 11 wherein the insulative housing of one of the types of wafers is molded to define a plurality of parallel walls and the contact elements of adjacent wafers fall between the parallel walls.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 11 wherein the projecting members of the first type wafers and the openings of the second type wafer interact to form a snap fit connection between wafers of the first type and the second type.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 11 wherein the support member is a metal stiffener having a first portion parallel to the fist face and a second portion parallel to the second face.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
74 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 11 wherein each of the types of wafers has at least one conducting contact element projecting through its insulative housing with one of the types of wafers having insulative housing extending beyond the conducting contact element in the direction of the first surface and the other of the types of wafers having the conducting contact element extending beyond its insulative housing in the direction of the first surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein the plurality of holes in the support member are spaced in a repeating pattern in at least one direction with spacing between adjacent holes in that direction being larger than the thickness of each type of wafer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
211 words
A modular electrical connector having an array of contact elements, comprising: a) a plurality of first type wafers, each wafer comprising: i) a plurality of contact elements, each contact element having a tail portion, a contact region and a central portion joining the contact element and a tail portion; and ii) an insulative portion over at least a portion of the central portion of the contact elements thereby holding the contact regions in a first line; b) a plurality of second type wafers, different than the first type wafers, each wafer comprising: i) a plurality of contact elements, each contact element having a tail portion, a contact region and a central portion joining the contact element and a tail portion; and ii) an insulative portion over at least a portion of the central portion of the contact elements thereby holding the contact regions in a second line; c) wherein the wafers are aligned with the first lines of the first type wafers and the second lines of the second type wafers being in parallel and with the second type wafers being interleaved with the first type wafers in a repeating pattern; and e) wherein the first type wafer and the second type wafer each have the same number of contact elements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
211 words
A modular electrical connector having an array of contact elements, comprising: a) a plurality of first type wafers, each wafer comprising: i) a plurality of contact elements, each contact element having a tail portion, a contact region and a central portion joining the contact element and a tail portion; and ii) an insulative portion over at least a portion of the central portion of the contact elements thereby holding the contact regions in a first line; b) a plurality of second type wafers, different than the first type wafers, each wafer comprising: i) a plurality of contact elements, each contact element having a tail portion, a contact region and a central portion joining the contact element and a tail portion; and ii) an insulative portion over at least a portion of the central portion of the contact elements thereby holding the contact regions in a second line; c) wherein the wafers are aligned with the first lines of the first type wafers and the second lines of the second type wafers being in parallel and with the second type wafers being interleaved with the first type wafers in a repeating pattern; and e) wherein the first type wafer and the second type wafer each have the same number of contact elements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 18 additionally comprising a plurality of shield plates, each disposed between a wafer of the first type and a wafer of the second type.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 18 wherein each wafer has a single line of contact elements.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 18 wherein each contact element comprises an elongated element.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 18 wherein each wafer has a single line of contact elements and the connector additionally comprises a plurality of shield plates, each disposed between a wafer of the first type and a wafer of the second type.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 18 additionally comprising a support member, the support member being elongated in a dimension perpendicular to the first lines and second lines and wherein the first type and second type wafers are attached to the support member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 23 wherein each wafer has a single line of contact elements and the connector additionally comprises a plurality of shield plates, each disposed between a wafer of the first type and a wafer of the second type.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The modular electrical connector of claim 23 wherein the support member has a plurality of holes therein and the wafers are attached to the support member by portions inserted into the holes.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-18 | 2002-07-20 | 2003-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-18 | 2006-07-20 | 2007-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-18 | 2010-07-20 | 2011-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |