Terminal block with encapsulated heat sink

• US 4,082,407 A
• Filed: 05/20/1977
• Issued: 04/04/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amerace Corporation (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Amerace Corporation (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Lindlau, Paul F., Smorzaniuk, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, DeWalden W.
• Application Number:
  US05/798,900
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 339/112 R, 339/17 M, 339/275 T, 361/386, 361/388
• US Class Current: 439/487
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/66 Structural association with built-in electrical component coupling devices having concentrically or coaxially-arranged contacts H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/36 Conductive members located under tip of screw
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/24 Terminal blocks

Abstract

A printed circuit panel connector comprises an encased heat sink for maintaining all electrical connections to the connector at substantially the same temperature. The heat sink is disposed between a plurality of tubular electrical connector elements adapted to receive corresponding external conductors, and a like plurality of electrical contact elements for making electrical connections between each one of the tubular electrical connector elements and a corresponding terminal adjacent the edge of a printed circuit board. Portions of the contact elements are in spring loaded contact with the heat sink such that the heat sink positively retains the contact elements within the terminal block body and maintains the various tubular electrical connector elements and electrical contact elements at substantially the same temperature.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for serving as an interface between a circuit panel and a plurality of external conductors comprising:

(a) a body member of electrically insulative material having an elongated socket for receiving an edge of a circuit panel therein;

(b) at least one longitudinally extending thermally conductive member disposed in a recess in said body and being entirely surrounded by the electrically insulative material of said body;

(c) a plurality of electrical connected members in said body for receiving a corresponding plurality of external conductors;

(d) a like plurality of electrical contact elements, each of said contact elements being situate in said body member such that a first portion of each one of said contact elements extends into said socket to engage a terminal on a circuit panel inserted into said socket, a second portion engages said thermally conductive member for transferring heat into and away from said thermally conductive member, and a third portion engages a corresponding one of said plurality of electrical connector members.

2. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one longitudinally extending thermally conductive member comprises an external electrically insulative coating thereon.

3. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises a resiliently flexible region that electrically bridges said first and second portions, said region being adapted to be positioned between an internal surface of said connector and a corresponding confronting surface of said thermally conductive member such that said region is resiliently urged into positive spring-loaded contact with said confronting surface of said thermally conductive member.

4. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein said first portion of said contact elements comprises a substantially straight leg region and a generally U-shaped region, said straight leg region being juxtaposed to rest adjacent one opposed side wall of said socket, said U-shaped region being resiliently biased to a position away from said one opposed side wall said juxtaposed therewith, whereby said U-shaped region is deflected inwardly to positively engage a corresponding said terminal on said circuit panel.

5. The electrical connector as recited in claim 4 wherein said third portion of said electrical contact elements comprises a substantially flat configuration, said third portion being adapted to be received by corresponding ones of said connector members.

6. The electrical connector as recited in claim 5 wherein said second portion comprises a resiliently flexible region that electrically bridges said first portion and said second portion, said resiliently, flexible region being adapted to be positioned between an internal surface of said connector and a corresponding confronting surface of said conductive member such that said region is resiliently urged into positive spring-loaded contact with said confronting surface of said conductive member.

7. The electrical connector as recited in claim 6 wherein said resiliently, flexible region and said third portion form a straight extending segment, while said first portion is offset at nearly right angles with said formed straight extending segment.

8. The electrical connector as recited in claim 6 wherein said first portion and said resiliently, flexible portion form a straight extending segment, while said third portion is offset at nearly right angles with said formed straight extending segment.

9. An electrical connector for serving as an interface between a circuit panel and a plurality of external connectors comprising:

(a) a body member of electrically insulating material having an elongated socket for receiving an edge of a circuit panel therein;

(b) two encapsulated laterally-spaced parallel-extending thermally conductive members, said members being surrounded by the electrically insulative material of said body;

(c) a first and second pair of rows of electrical connector members for receiving corresponding external conductors, each said first and second pair of rows respectively being astraddle a median line passing longitudinally through said connector body, said first pair being positioned closer to said median line than said second pair, said first pair being longitudinally staggered relative to said second pair to form alternating columns of inboard and outboard pairs of said electrical connector members;

(d) separate electrical contact elements for each said electrical connector members in each said first and second pairs of rows, wherein each said separate contact element in said first and second pairs is respectively associated with a different one of said two thermally conductive members and wherein said separate electrical contact elements are situate in said body member such that a first portion of each said separate contact element extends into said socket to engage a circuit-panel terminal, a second portion engages said associated thermally conductive member, and a third portion engages said corresponding electrical connector member.

10. The electrical connector as recited in claim 9 wherein said first portion is a U-shaped socket contact region, said third portion is a substantially flat connecting region and said second portion is a resiliently flexible region that electrically bridges said U-shaped region and said connecting region.

11. The electrical connector as recited in claim 9 wherein said electrical contact member comprises a first form, wherein said connecting region and said resiliently flexible region merge with one another into a straight extending segment, while said socket contact region is offset at nearly right angles with said merged straight extended segment.

12. The electrical connector as recited in claim 11 wherein electrical contacts comprise a second form, wherein said resiliently flexible region and said socket contact region merge with one another into a straight extending segment, while said connecting region is offset at nearly right angles to said merged straight extended segment.

13. The electrical connector as recited in claim 12 wherein said electrical contact elements alternate between said first and second form in said alternating columns of inboard and outboard rows of said electrical contact.

14. The electrical connector as recited in claim 13 wherein each said separate electrical contact element in said first and second pairs is respectively associated with a different one of two opposed side walls of said socket.

15. The electrical connector as recited in claim 14 wherein said two encapsulated laterally-spaced parallel extending conductive members comprise exterior electrically insulative coatings thereon.

16. An electrical connector for serving as an interface between a circuit panel and a plurality of external conductors comprising:

(a) a body member of electrically insulative material having an elongated socket for receiving an edge of a circuit panel therein, said body member including first and second parts interfitted together, said elongated socket being disposed in said second part;

(b) at least one longitudinally extending thermally conductive member disposed in a recess in said first part of said body member and being entirely surrounded by the electrically insulative material of said body;

(c) a plurality of electrical connector members in said body member first part for receiving a corresponding plurality of external conductors;

(d) a like plurality of electrical contact elements, each of said contact elements being situate in said body member such that a first portion of each one of said contact elements extends into said socket in said second part to engage a terminal on a circuit panel inserted into said socket, a second portion engages said thermally conductive member for transferring heat into and away from said thermally conductive member, and a third portion engages a corresponding one of said plurality of electrical connector members in said body member first part.