Connectors: A History of Their Technology?

dpbsmith asks: "It seems like a simple engineering problem--construct a device for easily and safely connecting several dozen wires at the same time--but the variety and creativity in their design over the years has been amazing, and, clearly there have been trends, fashions, and styles. In the fifties and sixties, virtually all connectors were roughly similar to the D-Sub design used for RS-232. A stiff, straight pin engaged a springy socket that contacted and bore against it on all sides. There were minor variations in shape and placement; the Amphenol Blue Ribbons (think Centronics), the connectors into which circuit boards engaged, but they were all variations on a theme. I was absolutely astounded the first time I saw a modular RJ-11 connector. Cheap, effective, and utterly unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Who invented these? Western Electric? Recently, we have the USB connector and the Firewire connector, obviously members of the same family (and a cheap-and-cheesy-seeming family it seems); on the other hand, my telephone and my digital camera have connectors that are very small and snap in with a positive lock that must be released with a squeeze, obviously yet another fundamentally different design. What do people know about the design, history, and engineering behind connectors over the years? Is it all hidden away, trade secrets of the connector companies, or is their a story that can be told?"

Comments

Re:connector genders

[Ozan]

moral of the story are:
a) who says electrical engineers / connector designers are not perverted?
b) to save yourself trouble, don't talk about male/femail connectors in front of little kids.

c) to save yourself big trouble teach your children the difference between man and woman before they are 17. Otherwise they might think that just using the fact that men have a penis and women a vagina in a metaphorical way is perverted.
Or just get real.

Re:Power supply adapters and plugs...

[pubjames]

The UK AC plugs may be large, but they are safe

Yes, but Brits have to be some of the most risk-adverse people in the world. That's why they make such crappy businessmen.

I went to a fantastic party in Spain recently with a bunch of Brits. They just moaned - they thought the building was a terrible fire risk. "Wouldn't be allowed in the UK. Regulations..." The miserable bastards. Everyone else had a great time.

Re:connector genders and reistor colorbands

[sputnik73]

You have no penis. I had earlier this morning confirmed that you had no brain due to the raging stupidity you've displayed in every single post you've ever fucking made but now I have discovered that you also lack a penis. This comes as little surprise to me as it was always quite evident that you were a flaming homosexual who enjoyed sucking dick (and therefore a penis is of no use to you). You are a fucktard of the worst variety - chatty. I wish that stupid fucks like yourself would just stay quiet and leave the rest of us in peace, asshole.

(Note: I will be checking your other posts to insult any further stupidity you have displayed on Slashdot, assclown.)