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US 2006/0051987 A1Published application
Hermaphroditic socket/adapter
AssigneeAdvanced Interconnections Corporation
InventorsGlen Goodman, James Murphy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hermaphroditic terminal assembly for connecting electrical devices includes an insulating support member for supporting female sockets and male pins, a number of female sockets, and a number of male pins. An intercoupling component for connecting electrical devices includes two hermaphroditic terminal assemblies configured such that the first hermaphroditic terminal assembly can be mated with the second hermaphroditic terminal assembly.
Claims44
A terminal assembly of the type used to electrically connect electrical devices, the terminal assembly comprising:
- an insulating support member including
- a first array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the insulating support member and configured to receive a socket, and
- a second array of apertures, each aperture extending from the upper surface to the opposite lower surface of the insulating support member and configured to receive a pin;
- a plurality of sockets for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the first array of apertures, each socket received within a corresponding aperture of the first array of apertures of the insulating support member and having an end with an opening configured to receive a pin of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- and
- a plurality of pins for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the second array of apertures, each pin received within an opening of a corresponding aperture of the second array of apertures of the insulating support member and having an end configured to be received within a socket of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact.
3 more elements
An intercoupling component of the type used to electrically connect electrical devices, the intercoupling component comprising:
- a first terminal assembly including:
- a first insulating support member having
- a first array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the first insulating support member and configured to receive a socket, and
- a second array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the first insulating support member and configured to receive a pin;
- a first plurality of sockets for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the first array of apertures, each socket received within a corresponding aperture of the first array of apertures of the first insulating support member and having an end with an opening configured to receive a pin of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- a first plurality of pins for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the second array of apertures, each pin received within an opening of a corresponding aperture of the second array of apertures of the first insulating support member and configured to be received within a socket of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- a second terminal assembly including:
- a second insulating support member having
- a third array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the second insulating support member and configured to receive a socket, and
- a fourth array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the second insulating support member and configured to receive a pin;
- a second plurality of sockets for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the third array of apertures, each socket received within a corresponding aperture of the third array of apertures of the second insulating support member and having an end with an opening configured to receive a corresponding pin of the first terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- a second plurality of pins for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the fourth array of apertures, each pin received within an opening of a corresponding aperture of the fourth array of apertures of the second insulating support member and having an end configured to be received within a corresponding socket of the first terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact.
9 more elements
A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly of the type used to electrically connect electrical devices, the method comprising:
- providing an insulating support member including
- a first array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the insulating support member and configured to receive a socket, and
- a second array of apertures, each aperture extending from the upper surface to the opposite lower surface of the insulating support member and configured to receive a pin;
- providing a plurality of sockets for providing electrical connections, each socket having an end with an opening configured to receive a pin of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact, arranged in a configuration corresponding with the first array of apertures such that each socket is received within a corresponding aperture of the first array of apertures of the insulating support member;
- and
- providing a plurality of pins for providing electrical connections, each pin having an end configured to be received within a socket of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact, arranged in a configuration corresponding with the second array of apertures such that each pin is received within an opening of a corresponding aperture of the second array of apertures of the insulating support member.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing an intercoupling component of the type used to electrically connect electrical devices, the method comprising:
- providing a first terminal assembly including:
- a first insulating support member having
- a first array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the first insulating support member and configured to receive a socket, and
- a second array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the first insulating support member and configured to receive a pin;
- a first plurality of sockets for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the first array of apertures, each socket received within a corresponding aperture of the first array of apertures of the first insulating support member and having an end with an opening configured to receive a pin of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- and
- a first plurality of pins for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the second array of apertures, each pin received within an opening of a corresponding aperture of the second array of apertures of the first insulating support member and configured to be received within a socket of a corresponding terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- and
- providing a second terminal assembly including:
- a second insulating support member having
- a third array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the second insulating support member and configured to receive a socket, and
- a fourth array of apertures, each aperture extending from an upper surface to an opposite lower surface of the second insulating support member and configured to receive a pin;
- a second plurality of sockets for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the third array of apertures, each socket received within a corresponding aperture of the third array of apertures of the second insulating support member and having an end with an opening configured to receive a corresponding pin of the first terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact;
- and
- a second plurality of pins for providing electrical connections arranged in a configuration corresponding with the fourth array of apertures, each pin received within an opening of a corresponding aperture of the fourth array of apertures of the second insulating support member and having an end configured to be received within a corresponding socket of the first terminal assembly and an opposite end configured to contact a corresponding electrical contact.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.