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US 6,273,762 B1Granted
Connector module retainer especially suitable for wafer connectors and connector assembly utilizing same
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorKent Regnier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retainer and connector system serves to reliably hold together and align a series of thin connector modules, such as wafer connectors, into an overall unit formed from the individual connector modules. The side edges of each of the connector modules have a pair of cavities formed therein. A retainer member is provided having a length equal to the thickness of the connector unit. The retainer member has two opposing ends, each with first and second engagement members disposed thereon. The first engagement members are inserted into the first engagement cavities and rotated toward the connector modules until the second engagement members enter and engage the second engagement cavities.
Claims20
A connector assembly comprising:
- a plurality of individual connector elements, each of the connector elements having a connector body portion, each connector body portion having a plurality of distinct sides, said individual connector includes being arranged in a block of connector in side-by-side order such that said distinct sides of said connector body portions of said individual connectors cooperatively define distinct sides of said block of connectors
- each of the individual connector element having a plurality of cables extruding from a first one of said connector body portion sides,
- a plurality of conductive terminals disposed along a second of connector body portion sides, said terminals being electrically connected to said cables;
- at least one retainer for retaining said connector modules together as said block, the retainer having a predetermined length and opposing, distinct first and second edges that extend lengthwise of said retainer and which are separated by an intervening body portion of said retainer, each of said retainer first and second edges further respectively including a plurality of discrete first and second engagement elements, pairs of said first and second engagement elements of said retainer engaging respective first and second engagement cavities formed in corresponding sides of each of said individual connector element body portions, so that said individual connector elements are held together as a block.
1 more element
A connector for use with multi-conductor electrical cables, comprising:
- a plurality of individual connector elements assembled together into a mass of connector elements, each of the individual connector elements having a body portion with a cable end into which at least one of said cables extends, a terminal end having a plurality of conductive terminals disposed therealong, said terminals and said cables being electrically connected within said body portions of said connector elements;
- a first retainer for holding all of said individual connector elements together in a unitary fashion to form a mass of connector elements in a predetermined relationship to one another with their terminal ends being aligned together to form a terminal end of said connector element mass for connection to an opposing connector;
- the body portions of each of said connector elements including first pairs of first and second engagement cavities, the first and second engagement cavities of each connector element being spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance along lengths of said connector element body portions,
- the first retainer having an elongated body having a length that approximately matches a width of one side of said connector element mass, the body having first and second opposing engagement ends that extend lengthwise of the retainer, said retainer first and second engagement ends each respectively including a plurality of individual first and second engagement members for respectively engaging said connector element first and second engagement cavities, one of said retainer first engagement members being received within one of said connector element first engagement cavities and one of said retainer second engagement members being received within one of said connector element second engagement cavities, said retainer first engagement members being rotatable within said connector element first engagement cavities for an arc length sufficient to bring said retainer second engagement members into engagement with said connector element second engagement cavities.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.