Richard John Scherer

US Patent:

6368120, Apr 9, 2002

Filed:

May 5, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/565707

Inventors:

Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX
William R. Plummer - Leander TX
Wing C. Chow - Austin TX

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 466

US Classification:

439101, 439108, 439608

Abstract:

An electrical connector assembly includes a printed circuit board having signal traces and at least one ground trace. The ground trace includes a ground contact pad positioned adjacent an edge of the printed circuit board. A surface mount pin header is connected to the signal traces of the printed circuit board. The connector for receiving the contact pins of the pin header includes a contact beam for contacting the ground trace adjacent the edge of the printed circuit board.

US Patent:

6524135, Feb 25, 2003

Filed:

Sep 20, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/400519

Inventors:

Steven Feldman - Cedar Park TX
Wing C. Chow - Austin TX
Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 903

US Classification:

439610, 439701

Abstract:

An electrical connector for terminating a shielded cable and connecting the cable to regularly arranged contact pins. The connector includes a connector body formed from an insulative material. The connector body has an upper surface and an opposing lower surface defined by a front edge, a back edge and two longitudinal side edges. The upper surface includes a plurality of longitudinal channels adapted to receive a plurality of socket contacts. A planar conductive ground plate engages the bottom surface of the connector body and extends across each of the plurality of socket contacts to establish a ground plane across the entire connector. A cover member encloses the longitudinal channels and socket contacts. A plurality of individual connectors may be stacked together and retained in a stack by a removable retaining rod.

US Patent:

6780069, Aug 24, 2004

Filed:

Dec 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/317690

Inventors:

Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX
Joseph N. Castiglione - Cedar Park TX

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 13514

US Classification:

439752, 439608, 439595

Abstract:

In one aspect, the invention relates to a carrier for use with an electrical connector assembly. The carrier comprises a housing, means for managing and securing terminated cable assemblies to the carrier, such as a combination of a clip and a cross-clip, and means for fastening a header onto the housing. The carrier provides controlled impedance and allows for quick and easy access to the header and the terminated cable assemblies in the event that replacement is necessary.

US Patent:

7004793, Feb 28, 2006

Filed:

Apr 28, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/833836

Inventors:

Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX, US
Joseph N. Castiglione - Cedar Park TX, US

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 13/648

US Classification:

439610, 439578, 439608

Abstract:

An electrical connector system includes mating header and socket connectors. The header connector includes a plurality of signal pins and a plurality of shield blades. The socket connector including an electrically insulative carrier containing a plurality of electrical cable connectors. Each of the cable connectors comprises an electrically conductive outer housing containing an electrically insulative inner housing. The inner housing holds at least one conductive terminal in electrical isolation from the outer housing for making electrical connection between a cable signal conductor and a signal pin of the header connector. The inner housing includes a cavity for receiving one of the plurality of shield blades of the header connector, and the outer housing includes a contact for electrically coupling with the shield blade.

US Patent:

7090501, Aug 15, 2006

Filed:

Mar 22, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/086829

Inventors:

Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX, US
Jerome P. Dattilo - Cedar Park TX, US
Frank J. Cuzze - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 12/00

US Classification:

439 61, 361 65, 361108, 361109, 361 74, 361 78

Abstract:

A connector system includes a circuit board having a plurality of holes extending therethrough. First and second connector bodies, each having a front wall, are positioned on first and second sides of the circuit board, respectively. The front walls of the connector bodies have a plurality of signal pin openings aligned with the circuit board holes. A plurality of signal pins extend through the signal pin openings of the first and second connector bodies and through the circuit board holes. At least one of the plurality of circuit board holes has a diameter larger than a diameter of the signal pin extending therethrough, such that walls of the at least one circuit board hole are spaced apart from the signal pin extending therethrough.

US Patent:

7101224, Sep 5, 2006

Filed:

Sep 9, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/658019

Inventors:

Jerome P. Dattilo - Cedar Park TX, US
Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

3M Innovation Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 13/648

US Classification:

439608

Abstract:

Disclosed herein are backplane interconnect systems that use surface mount technology for mating conductive pins in a header connector to surface mount pads on a printed circuit board. In particular, the interconnect system uses a plurality of conductive pins that are not fully inserted into the body of the header connector, thus allowing them to move during mating with a printed circuit board. In this way, the interconnect system exhibits self-leveling characteristics.

US Patent:

7374429, May 20, 2008

Filed:

Apr 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/114287

Inventors:

Daniel F. Cronch - Austin TX, US
Alexander W. Barr - Austin TX, US
Wing C. Chow - Austin TX, US
Steven Feldman - Cedar Park TX, US
Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

H01R 12/00

US Classification:

439 67, 439496

Abstract:

A connector assembly includes a frame mounted on a printed circuit substrate having a plurality of contact pads, and a spring member configured for insertion into the frame. The spring member has a flexible circuit supported thereon. The spring member and frame are shaped to exert biasing forces in two non-parallel directions when the spring member is inserted into the frame.

US Patent:

D571735, Jun 24, 2008

Filed:

Aug 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

29/284153

Inventors:

Richard J. Scherer - Austin TX, US
Michael L. Black - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

International Classification:

1303

US Classification:

D13156