EDGE CONNECTOR

• US 3,710,303 A
• Filed: 09/13/1971
• Issued: 01/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jacob Boon Jr. Gallager
• Original Assignee: Jacob Boon Jr. Gallager
• Inventors: Gallager, Jacob Boon Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Champion, Marvin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Staab, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/180,072
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 339/59M,61M,17L,17LC,17LM,17F,17M,176MF,176MP,75M,75MP,217S,114,143
• US Class Current: 439/593
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/87 acting automatically by insertion of rigid printed or like structures

Abstract

An edge connector for a printed circuit board includes a housing detachably secured to a plurality of contact elements. A conductor is provided within the housing to form a transmission line with the contact elements. The transmission line thus formed has a characteristic impedance equal to that of the circuitry associated with the respective contact elements. Cam surface projections are included which shift the contact elements beyond the insertion path of the circuit board in response to the insertion of the board into the connector. The conductor which provides the characteristic impedance cooperates with the shifting projection to secure the housing to the contact elements and to provide a spring load on the housing for returning the housing to the unshifted state.

Claims

1. An electrical edge connector for a printed circuit board, comprising:

a set of flexible electrical contact elements, an insulating connector housing for receiving a printed circuit board edgewise therein, said housing being removably attached directly to said contact elements, said elements being secured in a predetermined arrangement when said housing is attached thereto, means connected to said housing for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of said circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said housing to substantially eliminate sliding friction between said contact elements and said circuit board;

means within said housing adjacent and removably attached to said contact elements including a conductor for providing a predetermined impedance between each respective one of said contact elements and said conductor, said impedance means being in contact with said contact shifting means for urging said housing and said contact in the secured state, and means for connecting said conductor to a source of reference potential.

2. An electrical edge connector for securing a first printed circuit board to a second printed circuit board and for coupling the conductors on the boards to each other, the first printed circuit board having conductors disposed on at least one surface thereof terminating at one edge thereof, and including at least one recess adjacent said one edge disposed on at least one surface thereof, said connector comprising:

a set of elongated electrically conductive Contact elements, each including a resilient contact portion, a terminal portion, and at least two projections depending from said element, one of said projections being disposed intermediate said two portions and the other projection being disposed at the end of said element adjacent said resilient portion, a housing including an insulating body having a channel formed therein and a plurality of spaced recesses in communication with said channel disposed in at least one side thereof, each of said recesses being adapted to engage a respective different one of said projections for removably attaching said housing to said contact elements, said elements having a predetermined arrangement when attached to said housing, said housing including two oppositely disposed members which cooperate to form the side walls of said channel, and further including means for removably securing one member to the other, means connected to said housing for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of said first circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said housing to substantially reduce sliding friction between said contact elements and said first circuit board, said shifting means including a cam surface projection extending inwardly from at least one of said side walls and spaced from the bottom of said channel, the portion of said one side wall adjacent said cam projection being shifted in cam follower response to the insertion of said circuit board into said channel, said cam projection being received by said circuit board recess for returning said one side wall to its unshifted state, and for securing said first board to said connector, each respective one of said end projections of the contact elements being disposed in the corresponding housing recess such that said end projection is shifted with said side wall to free the adjacent respective resilient portion of the contact element associated therewith from substantial contact with said first circuit board during said insertion, and means within said housing adjacent said contact elements including a conductive sheet and insulating means for providing predetermined impedance between each respective one of said contact elements and said conductive sheet, said sheet being disposed between said housing and said contact element such that a major surface area of said sheet is distributed uniformly adjacent said contact elements, said insulating means having substantially uniform thickness disposed between said sheet of conductive material and said contact elements for providing predetermined fixed impedance between each of said contact elements and said conductive sheet, and means for connecting said sheet to a source of reference potential.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein said cam surface projection depends towards the channel bottom from said one side wall member forming a U-shaped cavity therebetween, said uniform impedance means having an edge thereof disposed within said cavity and an end opposing said edge adjacent said bottom and secured to another one of said housing members, said edge being resiliently moveable with respect to said secured end for resiliently restraining said side wall shifting and for removably securing said housing members to each other adjacent said cam projection.

4. An electrical edge connector for a printed circuit board, comprising:

a set of elongated flexible electrically conductive contact elements, an insulating connector housing for receiving a printed circuit board edgewise therein and detachably secured directly to said contact elements, said elements being secured in a predetermined arrangement when said housing is attached thereto, means within said housing adjacent and removably attached to said contact elements including a conductor for providing a predetermined impedance between each respective one of said contact elements and said conductor, said impedance means being in contact with said housing for urging said housing and said contacts in the secured state, and means for connecting said conductor to a source of reference potential.

5. An electrical edge connector for coupling a first printed circuit board to a second printed circuit board, the connector comprising:

a set of elongated electrically conductive contact elements, each including a resilient contact portion, a terminal portion, and at least two projections depending from said element, one of said projections being disposed intermediate said two portions and the other at the end of said element adjacent said resilient portion, a housing including an insulating body having a channel formed therein and a plurality of spaced recesses in communication with said channel disposed in at least one side thereof, each of said recesses being adapted to engage a respective different one of said projections for removably attaching said housing to said contact elements, said elements having a predetermined arrangement when attached to said housing, said housing including two oppositely disposed members which form the side walls of said channel, and further including means for removably securing one member to the other when attaching said elements to said housing, means within said housing adjacent to said contact elements including a conductive sheet and insulting means for providing a predetermined impedance between each respective one of said contact elements and said conductive sheet, said sheet being disposed between said housing and said contact elements such that the major surface area of said sheet is distributed uniformly adjacent said contact elements, and said insulating means having substantially uniform thickness disposed between said sheet of conductive material and said contact elements for providing predetermined fixed impedance between each of said contact elements and said conductive sheet, and means for connecting said sheet to a source of reference potential.

6. A multi-contact electrical connector for use with a printed circuit board, the combination comprising:

a set of flexible elongated electrically conductive contact elements each element being capable of flexing independently of the other elements, an insulating connector housing defining an open channel having upper and lower side wall portions and a base portion for receiving a printed circuit board edgewise therein, said housing being removably attached to said contact elements which are secured in a predetermined arrangement when said housing is attached thereto, and means connected to said housing for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of said printed circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said housing to substantially reduce sliding friction between said contact elements and said circuit board, said latter means including a cam projection integrally formed with said housing for bending at least one of said upper side wall portions relative to the respective lower side wall portion of that side wall, said upper side wall portion shifting said contact elements therewith.

7. A multi-contact electrical connector for connecting the conductors of a first printed circuit board to the conductors of a second printed circuit board, said connector covering a portion of the conductors of said latter board when affixed thereto, the connector comprising:

a set of elongated electrically conductive contact elements, each including a resilient contact portion, a terminal portion, and at least two projections depending from said element, one of said projections being disposed intermediate said two portions and the other at the end of said member adjacent said resilient portion, a housing for receiving a printed circuit board edgewise therein including an insulating body having a channel formed therein and a plurality of spaced recesses in communication with said channel disposed in at least one side thereof, each of said recesses being adaptEd to engage a respective different one of said projections for removably attaching said housing to said contact elements which are secured in a predetermined arrangement when attached to said housing, said housing including two oppositely disposed members which cooperate to form the side walls of said channel, and further including means for removably securing one member to the other, means connected to said housing for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of said first circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said housing to substantially eliminate sliding friction between said contact elements and said first circuit board, said shifting means including a cam surface projection extending inwardly from at least one of said side walls and spaced from the bottom of said channel, the portion of said one side wall adjacent said cam projection being shifted in cam follower response to the insertion of said circuit board into said channel, each respective one of said end projections of the contact element being disposed in the corresponding housing recess such that said end projection is shifted with said side wall to free the adjacent respective resilient portion of the contact element associated therewith from substantial contact with said first circuit board during said insertion.

8. In an electrical connector having an insulating body defining a channel therein and including electrical spaced contact elements secured in at least one row in communication with said channel, the combination comprising:

means connected to said body for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of said circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said channel to substantially eliminate sliding friction between said contact elements and said printed circuit board, means within said body adjacent said contact elements and in contact with said shifting means for urging said contact elements and said shifting means toward said channel, including a conductor for providing a predetermined impedance between each respective one of said contact elements and said conductor, and means for connecting said connector to a source of reference potential.

9. The connector of claim 8 wherein said shifting means including a cam surface projection extending inwardly from at least one of said side walls and spaced from the bottom of said channel, the portion of said one side wall adjacent said cam projection being shifted in cam follower response to the insertion of said circuit board into said channel, said contact elements each being secured to said one side wall for being shifted therewith, and said predetermined impedance means including a sheet of electrically conductive material disposed between said body and said secured contact elements such that a major surface area of said sheet is distributed uniformly adjacent said contact elements, and a dielectric having a predetermined thickness disposed between said sheet of conductive material and said contact elements for providing predetermined fixed impedance between each of said contact elements and said conductive sheet.

10. An electrical edge connector for a printed circuit board, comprising:

a set of elongated flexible conductive contact elements fixed in substantially parallel spaced relationship, said contact elements including a resilient portion and a terminal portion, an insulating body defining a channel therein including means for securing said contact elements in said fixed spaced relationship within said channel, said body including two side walls and an elongated bottom wall defining a channel therebetween, said side walls being resiliently movable distal said bottom wall about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bottom wall, means for mounting said contact elements in said fixed spaced relationship, said contact elements having their respective resilient portions secured to at least onE of said side walls communicating with said channel, one end of each of said resilient portions being positioned distal said bottom wall and the other end proximal said bottom wall, and means connected to said housing for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of the leading edge of said circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said channel, said contact shifting means including at least one cam surface projection extending inwardly from at least one of said side walls and spaced from the bottom of said channel, said sides being shifted in cam follower response to the insertion of said first circuit board therebetween.

11. An electrical connector for use with a printed circuit board comprising:

a set of separate, elongated conductive contact elements fixed in substantially parallel spaced relationship, each element being capable of flexing independently of the other elements, an insulating housing for securing said contact elements in said fixed spaced relationship, and means within said housing adjacent said contact elements and in contact with said housing for urging said housing and said contact elements towards an inserted printed circuit board including a conductor for providing a predetermined impedance between each of said contact elements and said conductor, and means for connecting said conductor to a source or reference potential.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein said impedance means including a conductive sheet and insulating means is removably attached within said housing between the housing and said contact elements.

13. The connector of claim 11, wherein said conductor cooperates with each of said contact elements to form a transmission line therewith having a predetermined characteristic impedance.

14. The connector of claim 11, wherein said sheet of electrically conductive material includes a major surface area distributed adjacent said contact elements and disposed between said housing and said contact elements, and a dielectric having a predetermined thickness disposed between said conductive sheet and said contact elements.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein said dielectric includes a coating of insulating material having substantially uniform thickness disposed on one surface of said sheet.

16. An electrical connector for use with a printed circuit board comprising:

a set of separate elongated conductive contact elements fixed in substantially parallel spaced relationship, each element being capable of flexing independent of the other elements, said elements including a resilient contact portion, and a terminal portion, an insulating housing for securing said contact elements in said fixed spaced relationship, said housing including a channel, means for securing said contact elements in parallel spaced relation such that their resilient portions are in communication with the channel in a row of opposed substantially parallel pairs and the terminal portion extends through the channel bottom, means within said housing adjacent said contact elements and in contact with said housing for urging said housing and said contact elements toward an inserted printed circuit board including a conductor for providing a predetermined impedance between each of said contact elements and said conductors, and means for connecting said conductor to a source of reference potential, said impedance means including a channel shaped member formed from a sheet of conductive material disposed within the channel of said housing intermediate said housing and said contact elements, said channel shaped member including a plurality of spaced apertures to pass said contact members therethrough, and further including a dielectric coating disposed on the surface adjacent said contact elements, said coating having a uniform thickness.

17. In an electrical connector having an insulating body defining a channel therein and including electrical spaced contact elemenTs secured in at least one row in communication with said channel for use with a printed circuit board, the combination comprising:

means connected to said body for shifting said contact elements beyond the insertion path of said circuit board in response to the insertion of said board into said channel to substantially eliminate sliding friction between said contact elements and said printed circuit board, and means including a spring member disposed within said body adjacent said contact elements and in contact with said shifting means for urging said contact elements and said shifting means toward said channel.

18. An electrical connector having an insulating body having a spaced array of resilient metallic contacts, said insulating body comprising:

two opposing members, each having a base portion having means for engaging a base spacing member, a substantially upright side portion, and an upper portion having means for receiving the upstanding sides of a u-shaped spring;

a base spacing member having means for engaging said resilient metallic contacts, thereby aligning and retaining said contacts within said electrical connector, and means for engaging said opposing members engaging means, and a u-shaped spring having upstanding sides for engaging said receiving means of said upper portions of said opposing members.

19. An electrical connector having an insulating body having a spaced array of resilient metallic contacts, said insulating body comprising:

two opposing members, each having a base portion, a substantially upright side portion, and an upper portion having means for receiving the upstanding sides of a u-shaped spring;

a base spacing member having means for engaging said resilient metallic contacts, thereby aligning and retaining said contacts within said electrical connector, a U-shaped spring having upstanding sides for engaging said receiving means of said upper portions of said opposing members, and means connected to said body for coupling said base portions to said base spacing member.