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Amphenol Corporation

Amphenol Corporation Patent applications
Patent application numberTitlePublished
20120000701ADJACENT PLATED THROUGH HOLES WITH STAGGERED COUPLINGS FOR CROSSTALK REDUCTION IN HIGH SPEED PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS - An electrical signal connection, an electrical signaling system, and a method of connecting printed circuit boards. The electrical signal connection having a first conductive via and a second conductive via disposed in a first printed circuit board. A first conductive trace with a first end and a second end has the first end electrically coupled to the first conductive via at a first distance from the top surface of the first printed circuit board. The second end of the first conductive via is electrically coupled to the second printed circuit board. A second conductive trace with a first end and a second end has the first end being electrically coupled to the second conductive via at a second distance from the top surface of the first printed circuit board. The second end being is electrically coupled to the second printed circuit board.01-05-2012
20110256753ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY WITH KEYING AND GUIDANCE FEATURES - An interconnection system including a two-sided guide pin assembly for aligning connectors on circuit boards. The interconnection system may connect daughter cards disposed on two sides of a backplane. The guide pin assembly includes a first guide pin, a second guide pin facing in a direction opposite to the first guide pin, and at least one separable polarizing member disposed between the guide pins. At least one of the guide pins may be symmetrical and the polarizing member may provide a projection for blocking insertion of the guide pin into a guidance block unless the polarizing member is orientated to align with an orientation member inside the guidance block. Though, one of the guide pins may be asymmetrical to provide a keying feature that only fits into a corresponding guidance block configured with a complementary keying feature.10-20-2011
20110230096HIGH BANDWIDTH CONNECTOR - An improved open pin field connector is provided for enhanced performance when carrying high speed signals by selective application of one or more techniques for controlling electrical performance parameters. Lossy material may be positioned adjacent to conductive elements of the connector so as to reduce resonance in pairs of conductive elements and/or to provide a desired characteristic impedance for pairs of differential signal conductors. The lossy material may be shaped and positioned to avoid capacitive coupling that might otherwise increase cross talk. In a right angle connector, the lossy material may have a step-wise increase in thickness to provide comparable loss along longer and shorter conductive elements. Conductive elements may be shaped to balance performance characteristics of pairs selected to carry differential signals regardless of orientation along a row or column. Alternatively, conductive elements may have narrowed regions, covered with lossy portions, for reducing resonance while supporting DC signal propagation.09-22-2011
20110230095HIGH FREQUENCY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - An improved broadside coupled, open pin field connector. The connector incorporates lossy material to selectively dampen resonance within pairs of conductive members connected to ground when the connector is mounted to a printed circuit board. The material may also decrease crosstalk and mode conversion. The lossy material is selectively positioned to substantially dampen resonances along pairs that may be connected to ground without unacceptably attenuating signals carried by other pairs. The lossy material may be selectively positioned near mating contact portions of the conductive members. Multiple techniques are described for selectively positioning the lossy material, including molding, inserting lossy members into a housing or coating surfaces of the connector housing. The lossy material alternatively may be positioned between broad sides of conductive members of a pair. By using material of relatively low loss, loss when the conductive members are used to carry signals is relatively low, but an appreciable attenuation of resonances is provided on pairs connected to ground. As a result, an overall improvement of signal to noise ratio is achieved.09-22-2011
20110212632HIGH DENSITY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND PCB FOOTPRINT - An interconnection system that includes a daughter card and backplane electrical connectors, each mounted to a printed circuit board at a connector footprint. The backplane connector has conductive elements with transition regions that allow the mating contact portions to be positioned on a uniform pitch while contact tail portions can be shaped to improve signal integrity or to provide a more compact and/or mechanically robust footprint. The conductive elements in both connectors are configured such that the contact tails of the ground conductors align from column to column, but the planar portions of the ground conductors in one column align with a pair of signal conductors in the other column, which improves mechanical and signal integrity. Mechanical integrity may be improved by forming the connector footprints with pads for the ground conductors that span multiple columns.09-01-2011
20110165784ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY - Electrical connectors for interconnecting circuit boards. One such connector includes an integral flange for mounting a guidance pin in any of multiple orientations. A corresponding keying block may have a polarization component that can be mounted in a corresponding number of positions. The connector can accept conductive elements with different shapes for signals and grounds, but the housing may be adapted to receive either type of contact in any contact location. Protection of contact elements from excessive yield is provided within the insulative housing of the backplane connector. On the daughter card connector, height difference between ground and signal contacts in wafer assemblies protects components from electrostatic discharge.07-07-2011
20110123157OUTDOOR TRANSCEIVER CONNECTOR - A cable connector assembly for outdoor connection to transceivers. Electrical connection between a component of the cable connector assembly and a connector inside an electronic assembly to which the cable connector assembly is attached is made through a force generated by a biasing member within the cable connector assembly. The biasing member may generate the force as the cable connector assembly is attached to an adapter. Once the cable connector assembly is disengaged from the adapter, the force is released, allowing easy removal of the cable connector assembly, without the need to release a latch. In an environmentally sealed connector in which access to a release mechanism may be restricted, such a structure provides ease of use for either electrical or optical connectors. For optical cable connector assemblies, the optical cable connector may be coupled to a transceiver such that biasing force generated within the cable connector assembly holds the transceiver in a mating relationship with a connector within an electronic assembly but can be easily removed.05-26-2011
20110104948SURFACE MOUNT FOOTPRINT IN-LINE CAPACITANCE - An interconnection system with capacitors integrated into a printed circuit board footprint of an electrical connector. One end of each capacitor shares a pad on the printed circuit board with a contact tail of a conductive element in a connector. The shared pads are not connected through vias to internal circuit structures. Rather, a via, such as which would conventionally be formed as part of the connector mounting pad, is formed as part of a separate, adjacent pad. A second end of the capacitor is attached to the adjacent pad, forming an electrical connection between the conductive element and the via through the capacitor. Incorporating capacitors into the footprint reduces the number of vias required, which improves signal integrity. The capacitors may be placed on the printed circuit board separately from the connector or may be incorporated into the connector, allowing the connector and capacitors to be placed in one operation.05-05-2011
20110059652MULTI-PATHWAY CONNECTOR FOR CIRCUIT BOARDS - A connector includes a contact and a housing that receives the contact. The contact includes at least first and second prongs and a tension portion joining the first and second prongs that biases the prongs away from one another. The housing includes a slot shaped to receive the contact such that the first and second prongs are forced together against the bias of the tension portion.03-10-2011
20100240244MULTI-PORT CABLE CONNECTOR WITH TWO-STAGE RETENTION CLIPS - A device of and method for making a multi-port cable connector is disclosed. The device comprises a connector housing having a plurality of orifices and a clip receiving portion extending into each orifice, each orifice being adapted to receive a corresponding cable connector therein and each clip receiving portion including, at least one grooved engagement surface disposed in a sidewall of the clip receiving portion and defining a first stage, and at least one second grooved engagement surface disposed below the at least one first grooved engagement surface in a sidewall of the clip receiving portion and defining a second stage; and comprises a plurality of retention clips adapted to slide between the first stage and the second stage in a corresponding clip receiving portion, each retention clip including a pair of engagement arms having a notched engagement surface for alternately engaging the pair of first engagement surfaces and the pair of second engagement surfaces.09-23-2010
20100221940SURFACE MOUNT COAXIAL CONNECTOR WITH SWITCHING FUNCTION - An electrical connector that comprises a body including an interface part adapted to engage a mating connector and a mounting part adapted to mount to a surface of a printed circuit board. An internal bore extends through the interface and mounting parts. A fixed interface contact is provided in the internal bore at the interface part. The fixed interface contact is configured to engage a corresponding contact of the mating connector. An actuating contact is received in the internal bore and is axially moveably within the internal bore between first and second positions. First and second stationary contacts are supported by the mounting part. Each of the first and second stationary contacts have a first contact end received in the internal bore of the body and a second exposed end that extends outside of the body for connection to the printed circuit board. The first and second stationary contacts define first and second electrical paths, respectively, wherein movement of the actuating contact between the first and second positions switches the electrical path between the first and second electrical paths, respectively.09-02-2010
20100210151ELECTRICAL CONTACTS - A device of and method for an improved electrical contact is disclosed. The electrical contact includes a plurality of axially-aligned electrically conductive wires, each wire being in electrical contact with at least one other wire at a peripheral surface thereof; an electrically conductive inner sleeve disposed around the plurality of wires and having at least one slot extending axially from a leading end that is adapted to allow the inner sleeve to expand radially; an outer shell disposed around the inner sleeve for protecting at least a leading end of the plurality of wires and the inner sleeve; and an attaching portion disposed at a terminal end of the plurality of wires, the inner sleeve, and the outer shell, the attaching portion being in electrical contact with at least the plurality of wires and the inner sleeve and being adapted to place at least the plurality of wires and the inner sleeve in electrical contact with a first electronic device.08-19-2010
20100203761MICRO GANGMATE MULTI-PORT MODULAR RF CARD EDGE CONNECTOR - A connector assembly includes: at least one signal contact adapted to terminate at least one conductor of a cable; at least one terminal adapted to receive the at least one signal contact; a housing including a channel configured to receive the at least one terminal and adapted to receive at least a portion of a printed circuit board; and means for biasing the at least one terminal against the circuit board, thereby pressing the at least one signal contact against the circuit board to inhibit horizontal movement of the at least one signal contact relative to the at least a portion of a printed circuit board.08-12-2010
20100202736HIGH DENSITY FRONT PANEL OPTICAL INTERCONNECT - A connector assembly has a cable assembly, plug assembly and a socket assembly. The socket assembly is a female member which is received within an opening at the front face of a panel. The plug assembly is a male member which then engages the socket at the front face of the panel. The cable assembly connects the cables carrying optical fibers to the plug assembly. As the socket assembly receives the plug assembly, doors on the respective housings open and ferrule carriers carried by the socket and plug assemblies mate. The plug assembly has a movable front end which permits the fibers to move in both horizontal and vertical directions.08-12-2010
20100158457RUGGEDIZED, LIGHTWEIGHT, AND COMPACT FIBER OPTIC CABLE - A fiber optic cable is described. The fiber optic cable includes optical fibers, a matrix substantially encasing the optical fibers, a tape substantially around the matrix, a tube substantially around the tape, a strength member around the tube, and a jacket substantially on an outer periphery of the fiber optic cable.06-24-2010
20100124848FILTERED POWER CONNECTOR - An improved power connector provides improved signal integrity in an interconnection system. The connector includes a filter element between a supply contact and a return contact. The filter element may be primarily capacitive, but may also include a resistance and a ferrite member. For connectors that include multiple sets of supply and return contacts, a single filter element may be included, or multiple filter elements may be included between multiple pairs of power and return contacts. The filter element may be formed within a connector housing or otherwise incorporated when the connector is manufactured. Alternatively, the filter element may be inserted into a receptacle such that filtering may be selectively incorporated as the connectors are used. When connected to a conducting loop for carrying power supply, the filter element provides substantially zero attenuation at frequencies below about 50 MHz and in excess of 10 dB of attenuation over a range that extends above 500 MHz.05-20-2010
20100110719ILLUMINATION FIBER OPTIC RIBBON - An illumination fiber optic ribbon includes optically-transmissive fibers which are adjacent to each other. At least two of the optically-transmissive fibers are twisted together to form a twisted segment. Where the two optically-transmissive fibers are not twisted forms a non-twisted segment. The twisted segments and non-twisted segments alternate along the length of the ribbon. Bends are disposed along the twisted segment and are formed by twisting adjacent optically-transmissive fibers. A light source is connected to one or both ends of the optically-transmissive fibers. The light source emits a light flux into the ribbon so that light emits from the bends in the twisted segment.05-06-2010
20100093233PUSH ON TERMINAL ASSEMBLY - A terminal assembly includes a terminal and a barrel. The terminal has a coupling portion that fastens to a conductor, a mating portion with compression tabs arranged to form a channel, and an interlocking member on at least one of the compression tabs. The barrel is separate from the terminal and has a bore formed therethrough configured to receive the compression tabs of the mating portion. The barrel includes an interlocking member corresponding to the interlocking member of the at least one compression tab.04-15-2010
20100093216ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED SHIELD AND SHIELD COUPLING - An electrical connector provides shielded signal pathways. The electrical connector includes a shield plate, a first finger that extends from an edge of the shield plate, and a second finger that extends from the edged of the shield and that is adjacent to the first finger. A channel is formed between the first finger and the second finger. A coupling is placed within the channel adjacent the first finger. The coupling includes a contact, a first connecting arm extending from a first end of the contact to a first portion of the first finger, and a second connecting arm extending from a second end of the contact to a second portion of the first finger. The first connecting arm and the second connecting arm provide at least two current paths from the contact to the first finger.04-15-2010
20100081317GROUNDING BAND FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS - A conductive band for an electrical connector that includes an elastic metal strap with first and second ends and an array of flexible members extending between the first and second ends. Each of the first and second ends has a terminal lead. A clip is coupled to the terminal leads of the first and second ends.04-01-2010
20090239395ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LEAD FRAME - An electrical interconnection system with high speed, high density electrical connectors. The connector is assembled from wafers containing columns of conductive elements, held in an insulative housing. The conductive elements may each have a plurality of beams of different lengths such that the mating contact surfaces of the first beam are offset, in a direction perpendicular with the columns, from the mating contact surfaces of the second beam. The mating contact surface of the shorter beam of each conductive element may be behind the mating contact of the longer beam such that the width of the conductive element is reduced while still protecting the shorter beam from stubbing upon connector mating. The multi-beam conductive elements may be used as signal or ground conductors.09-24-2009
20090197483CONNECTOR WITH REFERENCE CONDUCTOR CONTACT - An electrical connector with a reference contact for improved shielding. The contact provides multiple points of contact between members in the ground structure of two mating connectors. The points of contact are arranged to provide desirable current flow in the signal paths and ground structures of the connectors. The contact is stamped from a shield plate and has multiple elongated members that provide spring force for adequate electrical connection. The elongated members are curved to position the points of contact with the desired orientation. Such a contact structure may be used alone or in combination with other compliant structures providing further points of contact.08-06-2009
20090186534Electrical Connector Contact - An electrical connector contact includes a metal strip, a shear-formed tab extending the strip to a point with a shear-formed rounded edge corners intersecting at the point to form a small double curvature contact tip.07-23-2009
20090186495Interposer Assembly and Method - An interposer assembly for forming electrical connections between contact pads on opposed substrates includes a top plate, a bottom plate, a lateral shift interface between the plates and a plurality of electrical circuit paths extending between contact surfaces at the top of the top plate and at the bottom of the bottom plate. The circuit paths maintain electrical connections between opposed pairs of pads on the substrates despite misalignment of the substrates or lateral shifting of the plates at the interface because of forces exerted on the substrates. The plates are secured together to permit limited lateral movement at the interface. The assembly may have a circuit board plate between the top and bottom plates and two lateral shift interfaces. The contacts may have very small and high contact pressure shear-formed contact tips.07-23-2009
20090111319STRAIN RELIEF BACKSHELL ASSEMBLY - A backshell assembly that includes a housing configured to terminate a cable. The housing has a main body defining a central longitudinal axis, a connector interface for mating with an electrical connector, and at least one adjustment extension extending from the main body opposite the connector interface and substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis. An adjustable strain relief structure is coupleable to the cable and the housing. The adjustable strain relief structure including at least one adjustment member cooperating with the adjustment extension of the housing such that the adjustment member is pivotable between different cable positions with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the housing. A movable locking member is coupleable with the adjustment extension of the housing and the adjustment member of the adjustable strain relief structure to releasably lock the adjustment member in a selected cable position with respect to the housing. A biasing member is supported by the locking member. The biasing member biasing the locking member into engagement with the adjustment extension of the housing and the adjustment member. The biasing member allows adjustment of the adjustment member between the different cable positions with respect to the adjustment extension of the housing without disassembly of the housing and the adjustable strain relief structure.04-30-2009
20090061684MIDPLANE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO AN ORTHOGONAL ARCHITECTURE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM - A midplane has a first side to which contact ends of a first differential connector are connected and a second side opposite the first side to which contact ends of a second differential connector are connected. The midplane includes a plurality of vias extending from the first side to the second side, with the vias providing first signal launches on the first side and second signal launches on the second side. The first signal launches are provided in a plurality of rows, with each row having first signal launches along a first line and first signal launches along a second line substantially parallel to the first line. The second signal launches are provided in a plurality of columns, with each column having second signal launches along a third line and second signal launches along a fourth line substantially parallel to the third line.03-05-2009
20090011641HIGH SPEED, HIGH DENSITY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR - An electrical connector includes a wafer formed with a ground shield made from a non-conductive material made conductive with conductive particles disposed therein, thereby eliminating the necessity of the metal ground shield plate found in prior art connectors while maintaining sufficient performance characteristics and minimizing electrical noise generated in the wafer. The wafer housing is formed with a first, insulative housing at least partially surrounding a pair of signal strips and a second, conductive housing at least partially surrounding the first, insulative housing and the signal strips. The housings provide the wafer with sufficient structural integrity, obviating the need for additional support structures or components for a wafer. Ground strips may be employed in the wafer and may be formed in the same plane as the signal strips. The second, conductive housing may be connected (e.g., molded) to the ground strips and spaced appropriately from the signal strips. The wafer may also include air gaps between the signal strips of one wafer and the conductive housing of an adjacent wafer further reducing electrical noise or other losses (e.g., cross-talk) without sacrificing significant signal strength.01-08-2009
20080227314FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY - An electrical connector assembly for connecting a flexible circuit to a circuit board includes a flexible circuit attached to a clamp member and a plurality of alignment posts extending from the circuit board. The clamp member has notches that receive the posts to place the contact field of the flexible circuit above the contact field of the circuit board. A spring assembly attached to the clamp member has a manually-operated drive that moves a cam member deflecting the spring against the posts, generating a spring force pressing the clamp member against the circuit board. Barriers formed on the posts prevent contact of the flexible circuit with the circuit board until the contact fields are properly aligned.09-18-2008
20080207019FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY - An electrical connector assembly for connecting a flexible circuit to a circuit board includes a flexible circuit attached to a clamp member and a plurality of alignment posts extending from the circuit board. The clamp member has notches that receive the posts to place the contact field of the flexible circuit above the contact field of the circuit board. A spring assembly attached to the clamp member has a manually-operated drive that moves a cam member deflecting the spring against the posts, generating a spring force pressing the clamp member against the circuit board. Barriers formed on the posts prevent contact of the flexible circuit with the circuit board until the contact fields are properly aligned.08-28-2008

Patent applications by Amphenol Corporation