SIDE-EDGE CONNECTOR SYSTEM

• US 20180261940A1
• Filed: 03/09/2018
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tag-Connect LLC
• Original Assignee: Tag-Connect LLC
• Inventors: Sherman, Neil Stanley, Eastman, Brian Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,535,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7005 Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors for printed circuit boards H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/50 formed as an integral body H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6273 comprising two latching arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09181 Notches in edge pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/325 by abutting or pinching, i.e. without alloying process; mechanical auxiliary parts therefor adaptations of leads inserted in holes for press-fit connections H05K3/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/403 Edge contacts; Windows or holes in the substrate having plural connections on the walls thereof H05K3/4092 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0069 having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1069 with spring contact pieces

Abstract

Described herein are devices, systems and methods for accessing devices, such as modules or printed circuit boards (PCBs), for electrical communications. Various connectors described herein utilize a side-edge surface of a device, such as a PCB, for connectivity in order to maximize the surface area on the PCB upon which electronic components can be mounted. Such connectors can be used to temporarily connect to devices (e.g., PCBs) for the purposes of debugging, testing and/or configuring circuitry, firmware and/or software. Each such connector utilizes the side-edge surface of a device along its thickness to provide connectivity, which is useful in many situations, including when the device (e.g., a PCB) is to be soldered as a part onto a larger board at a later point in time, or where multiple PCBs are stacked.

Claims

1. A connector for temporarily accessing a printed circuit board for electrical communication with the printed circuit board, the connector comprising:

a connector body having a mating region configured to engage a side-edge surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the mating region includes at least one electrical contact protruding outwardly from the mating region so that each of the at least one electrical contacts engages a corresponding receiving contact disposed along the side-edge surface of the printed circuit board when engaged with the mating region; and

electronic circuitry within the connector body electrically connected with the at least one electrical contact so as to allow at least one of programming, debugging, configuring, monitoring, testing, or state configuring connection of the printed circuit board.

2. A connector as in claim 1, further comprising an adapter configured for electrically connecting to an external electronic device and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to allow transmission of electronic signals between the at least one electrical contact and the adapter during engagement of the side-edge surface of the printed circuit board with the mating region.

3. A connector as in claim 2, wherein the adapter comprises a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly electrically connect with the external electronic device.

4. A connector as in claim 2, further comprising at least one wire electrically connecting the electronic circuitry with the adapter.

5. A connector as in claim 1, further comprising at least one alignment feature configured to ensure alignment of the printed circuit board with the mating region of the connector body so that each of the at least one electrical contacts engages the corresponding receiving contact disposed along the side-edge surface of the printed circuit board.

6. A connector as in claim 5, wherein the at least one alignment feature comprises an alignment structure which engages an alignment receptacle in or on the printed circuit board.

7. A connector as in claim 6, wherein the at least one alignment structure comprises a pin and the alignment receptacle comprises a hole, wherein the pin passes through the hole.

8. A connector as in claim 6, wherein the at least one alignment structure comprises a protrusion and the alignment receptacle comprises an indent, wherein the protrusion mates with the indent.

9. A connector as in claim 1, wherein the mating region comprises a receiving platform for receiving a broad planar surface of the printed circuit board adjacent to the side-edge surface while each of the at least one electrical contacts engages its corresponding receiving contact.

10. A connector as in claim 9, wherein the receiving platform is disposed between an outer edge of the connector body and an inner edge surface of the connector body so as to form a step shape, wherein the at least one electrical contact comprises a plurality of electrical contacts aligned in a row along the inner edge surface and extending outwardly from the inner edge surface over at least a portion of the receiving platform.

11. A connector as in claim 10, wherein each of the at least one electrical contacts comprises a wire which curves downward toward the receiving platform so that a curved portion of the wire is able to contact the corresponding receiving contact.

12. A connector as in claim 11, wherein the side-edge surface of the printed circuit board includes a series of notches and within each of the notches is disposed at least one of the at least one receiving contacts, and wherein:

each of the curved portions are configured to extend into each of the notches to engage the receiving contact therein.

13. A connector as in claim 11, wherein the side-edge surface of the printed circuit board includes a series of notches and within each of the notches is disposed at least two of the at least one receiving contacts, and wherein:

each of the curved portions are configured to extend into each of the notches to engage only one of the two receiving contacts therein.

14. A connector as in claim 11, wherein the inner edge surface includes a series of slots aligned with the plurality of electrical contacts wherein the wire of each of the plurality of electrical contacts emerges from a corresponding slot prior to curving downward toward the receiving platform, and wherein portions of the inner edge surface between each slot in the series of slots electrically isolate each of the plurality of electrical contacts from each other.

15. A connector as in claim 14, wherein the receiving platform includes a plurality of grooves aligned with the series of slots, each groove configured to receive the curved portion of each of the plurality of electrical contacts so as to assist in maintaining separation and stability of the plurality of electrical contacts.

16. A connector as in claim 1, wherein the connector body comprises an additional mating region configured to engage a side-edge surface of an additional printed circuit board, wherein the additional mating region includes an additional at least one electrical contact protruding outwardly from the additional mating region so that each of the additional at least one electrical contact engages a corresponding receiving contact disposed along a side-edge surface of the additional printed circuit board when engaged with the additional mating region.

17. A connector as in claim 16, wherein the mating region and the additional mating region are disposed in parallel with each other along a side of the connector body and wherein the mating region and the additional mating region are spaced apart so as to allow simultaneous engagement with the printed circuit board and the additional printed circuit board when in a stacked configuration.

18. A connector as in claim 16, wherein the mating region and the additional mating region are disposed on different sides of the connector body and allow simultaneous engagement with the printed circuit board and the additional printed circuit board.

19. A method of temporarily accessing a printed circuit board for transmitting electronic signals between the printed circuit board and an external device, the method comprising:

aligning a connector with the printed circuit board, wherein

the connector has at least one electrical contact protruding outwardly from a surface of a connector body and electronic circuitry within the connector body electrically connected with the at least one electrical contact, and

the printed circuit board has at least one side-edge surface having at least one receiving contact disposed thereon; and

mating the connector with the printed circuit board so that each of the at least one electrical contact engages one of the at least one receiving contact so as to allow transmission of electronic signals between the electronic circuitry and the printed circuit board for at least one of programming, debugging, configuring, monitoring, testing, or state configuring of the printed circuit board.

20. A method of claim 19, wherein the connector has an adapter configured to electrically connect with an external electronic device, and wherein the method further comprises electrically connecting the adapter with the external device and transmitting electrical signals between the printed circuit board and the external device through the mated at least one electrical contact and the at least one receiving contact.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein transmitting electrical signals comprises forming a programming, debugging, configuring, monitoring, testing, state configuring connection between the printed circuit board and the external device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein electrically connecting the adapter to the external device comprises mechanically connecting the external device with the adapter to form an electrical connection.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising disengaging the mated at least one electrical contact with the at least one receiving contact and removing the connector from the printed circuit board.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein aligning comprises aligning an alignment structure on the connector with an alignment receptacle in the printed circuit board.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the alignment structure comprises a pin and the alignment receptacle comprises a hole, and wherein mating comprises passing the pin through the hole.