Connector for alphanumeric display panels

• US 3,922,051 A
• Filed: 12/20/1973
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles Edward Reynolds
• Original Assignee: Charles Edward Reynolds
• Inventors: Reynolds, Charles Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): McGlynn, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Feinberg, Craig R.
• Application Number:
  US05/426,748
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 339/17R,17CF,17L,17LC,17LM,17M,75MP,217S,176MF,176MP,252,253,258F 317/11DH,11CC,11CP 350/16LC 240/1EL,2.1,2R 40/28R,28C,13E 248/451-453,466,316 254/104
• US Class Current: 439/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7076 for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/12 Resilient or clamping means for holding component to structure

Abstract

A dual purpose connector for both securely holding a visual display panel of the LED or liquid crystal type, and for making electrical contact therewith. The connector is a generally flat, plate-like element with a protruding ledge running along the lower edge thereof and a protruding shoulder extending at right angles to the ledge. The display panel is mounted on the connector with its lower edge resting on the housing ledge, and one end thereof abutting against the shoulder. The ledge is comprised of a series of short, parallel ribs which form grooves therebetween. Contacts are pressed into these grooves. When the panel is mounted on the connector these contacts enter a slot formed in the bottom edge of the display panel and mate with display panel contacts formed in said slot. A panel locking means including a wedge is provided. The wedge is forced in between an overhanging inclined-plane portion of the housing and the top edge of the display panel to thereby press the panel down upon the connector ledge. The wedge is oriented so that any movement of the panel away from the shoulder functions only to tighten the wedge.

Claims

1. The combination of a display panel, a connector for holding said display panel, and contact means between said connector and said display panel, and comprising:

said display panel having substantially rectangular major surfaces and bounded by edges of a finite thickness, with contacts being positioned along a first edge thereof;

said connector having one major surface configuration comprising first and second rib-like extensions extending outwardly therefrom and alignable with at least two adjoining edges of said display panel, and upon which said one major surface said panel display can be mounted and precisely positioned by being abutting against said two rib-like extensions;

said connector further comprising an inclined plane surface constructed to face that particular edge of said panel display which is opposite one of said adjoining edges of said display panel; and

wedge-like means insertable between said inclined plane surface and the said particular edge to force said display panel against said opposite adjoining edge.

2. A combination for electrically communicating with a visual display panel comprising:

a panel display having front and rear major surfaces, upper and lower edges, and first and second end edges, with contacts arranged along said lower edge;

connector means for holding said panel display and having ledge-like means extending outwardly from the surface of said connector and positioned to abut against the lower edge of said panel display and means for positioning one of said end edges when said panel display is mounted properly on said connector means;

said connector means having a plurality of external contacts positioned along said ledge-like means and arranged to mate with predetermined contacts on the lower edge of said display panel when said display panel is mounted in its proper position on said connector means;

said connector means further comprising an inclined surface with respect to, and positioned opposite the top edge of said display panel; and

wedge-like means constructed to be inserted between said inclined surface and the top edge of said display panel to force the bottom edge of said display panel down upon the ledge-like means of said connector means;

said inclined surface and said wedge-like means being oriented to increase the force upon said display panel if the first edge of said display panel should tend to move away from said ledge-like means.

3. A combination in accordance with claim 2 in which said ledge-like means comprises:

a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements;

each wall of said rib-like elements having a shoulder formed therein which faces the bottom of the adjacent groove; and

in which said plurality of external contacts arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner in said grooves;

each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering portion having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will snap in behind said shoulders on the walls of the adjacent rib-like elements to become locked in said groove;

said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves by means of a carrier strip connected thereto;

said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said common elongated base while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

4. A connector for holding a visual display panel, such as an LED or a liquid crystal visual display panel, in a predetermined fixed position resistant to physical shock, vibration, and comprising:

a plurality of external contacts;

an insulative plate substantially rectangular in shape and having a first surface substantially mateable with the back surface of said panel and having a base extension ledge which extends perpendicularly along one major edge of said plate and constructed to hold a plurality of external contacts and also to define the position of a first major surface of said panel;

said plate further comprising movement restricting means constructed to restrain the displacement of said panel along its major and minor directional axes along the contacting first surface of said plate;

said movement restricting means comprising;

shoulder-like means substantially perpendicular to the major axis of said plate to restrict the movement of said panel along the direction of its major axis on the first surface of said plate; and

wedge-like means comprising a wedge-like element and constructed to restrict the movement of said panel along its minor axis along the first surface of said plate;

said wedge-like means comprising wedge receiving means secured to said plate and constructed to receive said wedge-like element between the wedge receiving means and the second major edge surface of said panel, and having an inclined plane surface oriented to resist movement of said panel along the direction of its minor axis and also along its major axis in that direction opposite to that restricted by said shoulder-like means;

said panel comprising an array of receiving contacts along the edge thereof resting on said ledge;

said receiving contacts and said externaL contacts being configured and positioned to mate with each other in predetermined relationship when said display panel is mounted on said plate in said predetermined fixed position.

5. A connector in accordance with claim 4 in which said base extension ledge comprises:

a connector assembly comprising;

a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements;

each wall of said rib-like elements having a shoulder formed therein which faces the bottom of the adjacent groove; and

in which said plurality of external contact elements arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner, and connected to a common carrier strip and spaced apart predetermined distances in registry with the spacing between said grooves;

each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering position having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will snap in behind said shoulders on the walls of the adjacent rib-like elements to become locked in said groove;

said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves with the said carrier strip being connected thereto;

said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said base extension ledge while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

6. In a connector containing external contacts for making electrical connections with the terminals of a visual display panel;

a housing for holding said display panel;

an elongated slot extending along one edge of said display panel and containing there within a plurality of electrically conductive terminals;

a plurality of contacts for making individual contact with individual terminals in said slot in said display panel, and held in said housing in a position to enter said slot and make contact with the terminals therein when said display panel is mounted on said housing in a proper, predetermined position;

each of said external contacts having a housing engaging portion and further having a contact head portion which comprises;

a first portion bowed outwardly in a convex manner with respect to the general axis of said terminal; and

a second portion secured to the free end of said first portion and comprised of two legs extending back towards said housing engaging portion along either side of said first portion, and bowed outwardly from the general axis of said terminal in a direction opposite to the bowing of said first portion to form a generally spear-tip shaped configuration when viewed from the side.

7. A connector for holding a visual display type panel in a fixed position thereon even in the presence of severe physical shock or vibration and comprising:

an insulative plate having a substantially rectangular first surface upon which said panel is mounted, with a ledge extending in a first direction along said first surface and constructed to hold a plurality of contacts and against which a first edge of said panel is abutted;

said insulative plate further comprising movement restricting means for restraining the movement of said display panel vertically, horizontally and rotationally on said first surface of said plate;

said movement restrictive means comprising;

shoulder means formed on said first surface substantially perpendicular to said ledge to abut against a second edge of said panel to restrict the movement of said panel in one direction along said ledge; and

wedge-like means for restricting the movement of said display panel on said first surface in a direction perpendicular to said ledge;

said wedge-like means comprising guiding track means secured to said insulative plate and constructed to receive a wedge-like element between said track means and a third edge of said panel;

said wedge-like element having its inclIned plane oriented to resist movement of said display panel in a direction opposite to that direction opposed by said shoulder means.

8. A connector in accordance with claim 7 in which said ledge comprises:

a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements;

a wall of each rib-like elements having a locking means formed therein;

a plurality of contact elements arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner, and connected to a common carrier strip and spaced apart predetermined distances in registry with the spacing between said grooves;

each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering portion having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will lock with said locking means on the walls of said rib-like elements to become locked in said groove;

said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves with the said carrier strip being connected thereto;

said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said base extension ledge while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

9. A combination in accordance with claim 7 in which said ledge comprises a series of partitioning elements placed side-by-side in a parallel manner to each other to form a series of elongated parallel groove therebetween, with said grooves lying substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of said ledge;

each of said partitioning elements having a locking means formed therein and constructed to receive and retain a predetermined section of a contact terminal;

each of said contact terminals having said predetermined sections constructed to lock with said locking means when depressed into place in said groove and to be securely held thereby in said groove.

10. In a connector, a contact for making electrical contact with a receiving contact area formed on the substantially parallel walls of a slot in a slotted receptacle, and including connector housing means for holding said contact and said slotted receptacle in a fixed position with respect to each other, and comprising:

a connector housing engaging portion; and

contact head means for electrical engaging said receiving contact;

said contact head means comprising;

a first portion secured at a first end thereof to said connector housing engaging portion and bowed outwardly in a concave manner with respect to the first side of a plane which is substantially parallel with said receiving contact area and which substantially bisects said slot in said slotted receptacle;

a second portion comprising a pair of elements, one of said elements being on each side of said first portion, secured to the free end of said first portion, and extending backwardly towards said connector housing engaging portion, each of said pair of elements of said second portion being bowed outwardly in a concave manner with respect to said first plane and on the second side of said plane;

said outwardly bowed configurations of said first and second portions of said contact head having a spear tip-shaped configuration in a second plane which is normal to both said first plane and to the walls of said slot in said slotted receptacle;

said connector housing constructed to hold said contact terminal head within said slot in said slotted receptacle and in contact with the receiving contact area contained therein;

said connector housing comprising a grooved portion defined by a pair of facing walls, with shoulders which are formed in said walls and which face the bottom of said groove; and

said connector housing engaging portion of said contact being generally U-shaped so that the open ends of said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'U'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' snap into a position behind said shoulders in said walls to retain said contact in said groove.