Patent US6830469B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6830469B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector assembly
Assignee: Molex LLC
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Filing: 2004-03-19
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Granted: 2004-12-14
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Expires: 2024-03-19
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector assembly is provided for mating with a complementary second connector. The assembly includes a housing mounting a terminal module for movement relative to the housing between a projecting position and a retracted position. The terminal module includes a dielectrical module body having a front mating end which projects from the housing and a rear mounting end which mounts the terminal module in the housing for movement between said positions. A plurality of conductive terminals are mounted on the module body and include front flexible contact ends projecting from the front mating end of the module body for engaging appropriate terminal contacts of the complementary second connector. When the second connector is mated with the connector assembly, the contacts of the second connector engage the front flexible contact ends of the terminals and move the terminal module from its projecting position to its retracted position.
Inventors
- 👤 Seamus Doyle
- 👤 Colm Conlon
- 👤 Francis Duggan
- 👤 Eugene Folan
- 👤 John Rochford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/62; H01R13/629; H01R13/631; H01R13/6315; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/727; H01R13/627; H01R13/6271; H01R13/6273; H01R13/6275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
An electrical connector assembly for mating with a complementary second connector in a mating direction, comprising: a housing; a terminal module mounted on the housing for movement relative thereto between a projecting position and a retracted position and including, a dielectrical module body having a front mating end which projects from said housing and a rear mounting end which mounts the terminal module in the housing for movement between said positions, and a plurality of conductive terminals mounted on the module body and including front flexible contact ends projecting from the front mating end of the module body for engaging appropriate terminal contacts of said complementary second connector and rear terminating ends secured to the module body, whereby when the second connector is mated with the connector assembly the contacts of the second connector engage the front flexible contact ends of the terminals and move the terminal module from its projecting position to its retracted position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
An electrical connector assembly for mating with a complementary second connector in a mating direction, comprising: a housing; a terminal module mounted on the housing for movement relative thereto between a projecting position and a retracted position and including, a dielectrical module body having a front mating end which projects from said housing and a rear mounting end which mounts the terminal module in the housing for movement between said positions, and a plurality of conductive terminals mounted on the module body and including front flexible contact ends projecting from the front mating end of the module body for engaging appropriate terminal contacts of said complementary second connector and rear terminating ends secured to the module body, whereby when the second connector is mated with the connector assembly the contacts of the second connector engage the front flexible contact ends of the terminals and move the terminal module from its projecting position to its retracted position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said dielectric module body includes a plurality of open grooves within which said terminals are disposed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said conductive terminals includes a base fixed in the dielectric module body and the front flexible contact end of the terminal is forwardly of the base.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 3 wherein said rear terminating end of each terminal comprises a termination arm projecting rearwardly of the base and having a conductor termination portion at the distal end thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 3 wherein said front flexible contact end of each terminal is joined to the base by a flexible spring arm cantilevered forwardly of the base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 5 wherein said front flexible contact end of each terminal has a convex configuration and presents a rounded contact surface for abutting engagement by the contacts of the second connector.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 , including biasing means for biasing the terminal module toward its projecting position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 wherein said biasing means comprises a coil spring sandwiched between the module body and a portion of the housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein said housing has an interior compartment within which the coil spring is disposed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 wherein said module body is elongated in a direction generally transverse to said mating direction to define opposite ends of the body, and including a pair of biasing springs sandwiched between the opposite ends of the body and portions of the housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 10 wherein said housing has a pair of interior compartments near said opposite ends of the module body within which the biasing springs are located.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
196 words
An electrical connector assembly for mating with a complementary second connector in a mating direction, comprising: a housing; a terminal module mounted on the housing for movement relative thereto between a projecting position and a retracted position and including, a dielectrical module body having a front mating end which projects from said housing and a rear mounting end which mounts the terminal module in the housing for movement between said positions, and a plurality of conductive terminals mounted on the module body, each terminal including a base rigidly fixing the terminal in the dielectric module body, a flexible spring arm cantilevered forwardly of the base, and a front flexible contact end of the terminal joined to a front end of the flexible spring arm and projecting from the front mating end of the module body for engaging appropriate terminal contacts of said complementary second connector; and spring means for biasing the terminal module toward its projecting position, whereby when the second connector is mated with the connector assembly the contacts of the second connector engage the front flexible contact ends of the terminals and move the terminal module from its projecting position to its retracted position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
196 words
An electrical connector assembly for mating with a complementary second connector in a mating direction, comprising: a housing; a terminal module mounted on the housing for movement relative thereto between a projecting position and a retracted position and including, a dielectrical module body having a front mating end which projects from said housing and a rear mounting end which mounts the terminal module in the housing for movement between said positions, and a plurality of conductive terminals mounted on the module body, each terminal including a base rigidly fixing the terminal in the dielectric module body, a flexible spring arm cantilevered forwardly of the base, and a front flexible contact end of the terminal joined to a front end of the flexible spring arm and projecting from the front mating end of the module body for engaging appropriate terminal contacts of said complementary second connector; and spring means for biasing the terminal module toward its projecting position, whereby when the second connector is mated with the connector assembly the contacts of the second connector engage the front flexible contact ends of the terminals and move the terminal module from its projecting position to its retracted position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 12 wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring located within an interior compartment of the housing and sandwiched between a portion of the housing and the module body.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 12 wherein said dielectric module body includes a plurality of open grooves within which said terminals are disposed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 12 wherein said front flexible contact end of each terminal has a convex configuration and presents a rounded contact surface for abutting engagement by the contacts of the second connector.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 15 , wherein said rear terminating end of each terminal comprises a termination arm projecting rearwardly of the base and having a conductor termination portion at the distal end thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 12 wherein said module body is elongated in a direction generally transverse to said mating direction to define opposite ends of the body, and including a pair of biasing springs sandwiched between the opposite ends of the body and portions of the housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electrical connector assembly of claim 17 wherein said housing has a pair of interior compartments near said opposite ends of the module body within which the biasing springs are located.
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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) | 2007-12-14 | 2008-06-14 | 2008-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-12-14 | 2012-06-14 | 2012-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-12-14 | 2016-06-14 | 2016-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |