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US 6,208,233 B1Granted
Trim resistor connector and sensor system
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilliam L. Stein, Sr., Rick Loutzenhiser, Mark D. McCall
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AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilliam L. Stein, Sr., Rick Loutzenhiser, Mark D. McCall
Estimating the term…
An improved IDC trim resistor connector assembly made up of a generally open top cup shape connector with side wall slots and an interior first array of terminal posts arranged for passage therethrough of a first lead wire of sensor circuitry. A first stamped metal IDC terminal is push-on mounted on the terminal posts for IDC cradling and electrically and mechanically receiving and connecting to the first lead wire. A conventional trim resistor substrate is loose mounted but accurately positioned on the connector bottom wall and has an “E” pattern of resistive material adapted for center leg laser trimming to calibrate the associated sensor circuitry. A first IDC terminal spring leg overlap contacts one side leg of the trim resistor E-pattern and thereby spring clamps the resistor substrate. A cover is snap-latch mounted on the connector and has an access opening to enable laser trimming of the trim resistor after cover installation. One end of a second lead wire is received in a second IDC metal terminal in turn mounted on a second array of connector-interior terminal posts and also having a spring leg overlap electrically contacting and clamping the other E-pattern side leg. Spring barbs on the terminals anchor the same once fully inserted downwardly onto the terminal posts. Connector locking tangs and cover locking ears provide snap-on retention of the cover on the connector, and press-in/keeper internal cover projections cause push-down assembly of the lead wires as the cover is latched onto the connector. Cover locking tangs and cap latching ears provide snap-together locking of a cap on the cover when the cap is pushed down on the cover to seal the access opening after completion of laser trimming and in-filling of the covered container with sealant. In a second embodiment a crimp-type terminal, also provided with a spring clamping leg, is fastened to the second lead wire and has a barbed mounting strap clasping a modified second terminal post array when fully installed thereon.
Trim resistor connector assembly comprising in combination a connector of generally open top cup shape having a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall with side wall slots to accommodate passage therethrough of a first lead wire of sensor circuitry, a first array of terminal posts on said bottom wall arranged within the interior of the connector housing, a first stamped metal terminal push-on assembly mounted on said terminal posts and adapted to cradle the first lead wire therebetween, a trim resistor, having a substrate mounted on the bottom wall of said connector and having a resistive conductive composition material arranged in a pattern thereon for laser trimming and calibration of circuitry to be associated with said trim resistor connector assembly, said first terminal having a first spring arm adapted to lap a first portion of said trim resistor material and to clamp said resistor substrate in place on said connector bottom wall in assembly, a cover adapted to be mounted onto said connector to cover the same, said cover having an access opening in registry with the trim resistor substrate as positioned interiorly of said connector to enable laser trimming and circuit calibration by access to said trim resistor substrate through said cover opening, and second lead wire electrical coupling means mounted in said connector and adapted for electrically connecting a second lead wire to a second portion of said trim resistor material on said substrate whereby said trim resistor is adapted to provide a conductive laser-trimmable resistance path between the first and second lead wires in assembly and operation of the connector assembly in an electrical system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.