PROGRAMMABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

• US 3,784,956 A
• Filed: 06/05/1972
• Issued: 01/08/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AG Communication Systems Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gerald R. Gassman
• Inventors: Gassman, Gerald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Champion, Marvin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Terrell P.
• Application Number:
  US05/259,617
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 339/17-19,24,28,29,65,66,75,103,150-151,154,157,176,195,196,198,206,208,210,222
• US Class Current: 439/511
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/55 characterised by the terminals

Abstract

This solderless connector comprises a rigid dielectric base having a plurality of holes therethrough with longitudinal axes that are parallel and in a common plane; a resilient channelshaped dielectric cover; a straight strapping pin that is Ushaped; and a crossover strapping pin with parallel legs and a Ushaped head having a crossbar that is offset from adjacent ends of the legs of the second pin. A particular connector is assembled by inserting the legs of a first strapping pin into selected holes in the base through which electrical connection is desired. Connection through selected holes on either side of one leg of the first pin, without making electrical connection thereto, is provided by inserting legs of a crossover pin into the selected holes with the offset crossbar bypassing the one leg. The base and cover have complementary locking surfaces for holding the assembled connector together. In a connector for making more complex interconnections, the dielectric base and cover comprise complementary body halves that are hinged together. A plurality of complementary grooves having longitudinal axes parallel to each other and in a common plane are formed in one surface of each body half for receiving the legs of strapping pins. A pair of complementary troughs with longitudinal axes perpendicular to the axes of the grooves are formed in the one surface of each body half for receiving the offset crossbars of strapping pins. Mating locking surfaces are formed on both body halves for holding an assembled connector together.

Claims

1. A programmable plug-in connector for selectively interconnecting sockets of a receptacle, comprising a connector body formed of an electrically insulating material and comprising a pair of mating body halves, each of said body halves having a plurality of grooves in one wall thereof with parallel longitudinal axes that are in a common plane and having a first trough with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axes of said grooves, said grooves forming a plurality of openings in said body that extend through the bottom thereof when the one walls of said body halves are mated together, a first electrically conductive strapping pin having a first leg in one of said openings that has other openings on either side thereof, said first leg having one end protruding through the bottom of said body and having an other end, a second electrically conductive strapping pin having second and third legs in associated openings on differnt sides of the one opening so that the longitudinal axes of said first, second, and third legs are in the common plane, said second and third legs also having one ends projecting through the bottom of said body and having other ends, said second pin having an electrically conductive arm in a trough in one of said body halves and interconnecting the other ends of said second and third legs through a path that bypasses first leg, and means securing said body halves together for holding said pins in place when the one ends thereof are forced into the sockets of a receptacle.

2. The connector according to claim 1 including a second trough in one of said body halves, said second trough having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said grooves and parallel to the longitudinal axes of said first troughs and a depth sufficient to receive said arm therein.

3. The connector according to claim 2 wherein each of said body halves has a second trough therein with a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axes of said grooves and a depth sufficient for receiving said arm therein, the longitudinal axes of said second troughs being in the same plane.

4. The connector according to claim 3 wherein said mating halves are hinged together.

5. A programmable plug-in connector for selectively interconnecting sockets of a receptacle, comprising a first elongated body section formed of an electrically insulating material and having a plurality of first grooves in one side thereof with longitudinal axes that are parallel to each other and in a common plane, and having a first trough in the same one side thereof with a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the axes of said first grooves, a second elongated body section formed of an electrically insulating material and having in one side thereof a pattern of second grooves and a second trough that is complementary to the pattern on said first body section, said first and second grooves forming openings extending through the bottom surfaces of said body sections when the one sides of the latter body sections are mated together, a first electrically conductive strapping pin having a first leg in one of said openings that has other openings on either side thereof, said first leg having one end protruding through the bottom surfaces of said body sections and having an other end, a second electrically conductive strapping pin having second and third legs in associated openings on different sides of the one opening so that the longitudinal axes of said first, second, and third legs are in the common plane, said second and third legs also having one ends projecting through the bottom surfaces of said body sections and having other ends, said second pin having an electrically conductive arm interconnecting the other ends of said second and third legs through a path that bypasses said first leg, said arm being located in one of said first and second troughs, and means for securing said first and second body sections together.

6. The connector according to claim 5 including a plurality of said first troughs spaced apart in said first body section, each of said first troughs having a depth sufficient to receive said arm therein.

7. The connector according to claim 5 wherein said arm is in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the common plane and has a substantially channel-shaped cross section with a crossbAr bypassing openings in said body sections that are between the legs of said second pin and including a plurality of first and second complementary troughs spaced apart in said first and second body sections, respectively, and having parallel longitudinal axes, each of said first and second troughs having a depth sufficient to receive said crossbar therein.

8. The connector according to claim 7 wherein said body sections are hinged together.

9. The connector according to claim 8 wherein said last-named securing means comprises a support member having one end connected to said first body section and extending toward the second body section, the other end of said member and a surface of the second body section having a complementary hook thereon and slot therein, respectively, whereby said body sections are snap-locked together by rotating said body sections about said hinge.

10. A programmable plug-in connector for selectively interconnecting sockets of a receptacle, comprising a first electrically conductive strapping pin having a first leg with one and other ends thereof;

a second electrically conductive stapping pin having second and third legs that are parallel to each other in a common plane, each of said second and third legs having one and other ends thereof, said second pin having an electrically conductive arm interconnecting the other ends of said second and third legs and being in a second plane that is orthogonal to the common plane containing said second and third legs, the thickness of said arms being no greater than a prescribed value;

an electrically nonconductive elongated connector body having a plurality of holes therethrough having parallel longitudinal axes in a common plane and defining openings in opposing bottom and top walls thereof, at least one other wall of said body extending above said top wall to form a closed ridge around the connector body and having a height equal to the prescribed value;

said first leg being selectively inserted into one of said holes that has other holes on either side thereof, one and other ends of said first leg protruding through the bottom and top walls, respectively, of said body;

said second and third legs being selectively inserted into associated holes on different sides of the one hole so that the longitudinal axes of said first, second, and third legs are in the same common plane;

said second and third legs having one and other ends projecting through the bottom and top walls, respectively, of said body;

said arm being located in the ridge opening on said body, and being spaced in the second plane from and bypassing the other end of said first leg;

an electrically nonconductive cover, and means for connecting said cover to said body over the other ends of said legs for holding said pins in place when the one ends thereof are forced into the sockets of the receptacle.

11. The connector according to claim 10 wherein said arm is substantially channel shaped and has a crossbar spaced from the other end of said first leg in the second plane, said arm being located in the body opening formed by said ridge;

and wherein said cover is an open-ended elongated channel-shaped flexible structure;

the cross sections of a portion of said cover and body being complementary, a side surface portion of one of said cover and body having a tab thereon, an adjacent side surface portion of the other of said cover and body having a mating slot therein for interlocking with said tab when said cover is pressed onto said body.