High density board to board interconnection system
First Claim
1. An electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of first circuit boards having first conductive regions provided thereon with a plurality of second circuit boards having second conductive regions provided thereon, the electrical connector comprising:
- support means having a first planar member with a first major surface provided thereon, and a second planar member spaced from and parallel to the first planar member, the second planar member having a second major surface provided thereon;
positioning means positioned on the support means, first positioning means cooperate with the first conductive regions of the first printed circuit boards and second positioning means cooperate with the second conductive regions of the second printed circuit boards;
connector means mounted to the support means, the connector means having conductors provided thereon, a first mating end of each connector means is provided proximate a respective first positioning means, and a second mating end of each connector means is provided proximate a respective second positioning means, the connector means is positioned between the first planar member and the second planar member, the planar member having securing means which cooperates with the connector means to maintain the spacing of the planar members and to maintain the connector means therebetween;
whereby upon insertion of a first circuit board into a respective first positioning means, the first conductive regions of the first circuit board are placed in electrical engagement with the conductors at the first mating end of the connector means, and upon insertion of a second circuit board into a respective second positioning means, the second conductive regions of the second circuit board are placed in electrical engagement with the conductors at the second mating end of the connector means, thereby placing the first circuit boards in electrical engagement with the second circuit boards.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high density interconnection system (2) is configured to provide a reliable interconnection between boards (4, 6). In order to accommodate space restrictions, the circuit boards (4, 6) are placed in a three-dimensional arrangement. The electrical interconnections between boards (4, 6) are provided by electrical connectors (10) rather than by a mother board. The use of electrical connectors (10) enables the signal paths length between the boards to be minimized, thereby allowing for high speed signal transmission.
77 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electrical connector for electrically connecting a plurality of first circuit boards having first conductive regions provided thereon with a plurality of second circuit boards having second conductive regions provided thereon, the electrical connector comprising:
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support means having a first planar member with a first major surface provided thereon, and a second planar member spaced from and parallel to the first planar member, the second planar member having a second major surface provided thereon; positioning means positioned on the support means, first positioning means cooperate with the first conductive regions of the first printed circuit boards and second positioning means cooperate with the second conductive regions of the second printed circuit boards; connector means mounted to the support means, the connector means having conductors provided thereon, a first mating end of each connector means is provided proximate a respective first positioning means, and a second mating end of each connector means is provided proximate a respective second positioning means, the connector means is positioned between the first planar member and the second planar member, the planar member having securing means which cooperates with the connector means to maintain the spacing of the planar members and to maintain the connector means therebetween; whereby upon insertion of a first circuit board into a respective first positioning means, the first conductive regions of the first circuit board are placed in electrical engagement with the conductors at the first mating end of the connector means, and upon insertion of a second circuit board into a respective second positioning means, the second conductive regions of the second circuit board are placed in electrical engagement with the conductors at the second mating end of the connector means, thereby placing the first circuit boards in electrical engagement with the second circuit boards. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for interconnecting circuit boards, the system comprising:
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a plurality of first circuit boards, the first circuit boards being spaced from each other and extending essentially parallel to each other; a plurality of second circuit boards, the second circuit boards being spaced from each other and extend essentially parallel to each other, the second circuit boards and the first circuit boards are configured in an orthogonal array; a plurality of conductive zones provided on the first and the second circuit boards; a plurality of connector means provided proximate the conductive zone of the circuit boards, the connector means having conductors provided thereon, each respective conductor means is in electrical engagement with a respective conductive zone of a second circuit board, such that an electrical path is provided over which signals of the respective first circuit board and second circuit board can travel; the conductors are provided in a flat flexible cable; whereby the connector means provides the electrical path required to insure that every first circuit board is in electrical engagement with every second circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An interconnection member for connecting plurality of first circuit boards with a plurality of second circuit boards, the interconnection member comprising:
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connector means having a first end surface and a second end surface, the first end surface being essentially perpendicular to the second end surface, conductor means provided to cooperate with the connector means, the conductor means extend from the first end surface to the second end surface; support means provided proximate the connector means, the support means being secured to the connector means to maintain the spacing of the connector means, openings are provided in the support means, the openings extend from a first major surface of the support means to a second major surface of the support means, the openings being positioned such that when the connector means are secured to the support means, the first ends and the second ends of the connector means are provided proximate the openings; whereby as first and second circuit boards are inserted into respective openings, the openings act as guides to insure that the circuit boards are positioned proximate respective ends of respective connector means and in electrical engagement with the respective conductor means, such that the first circuit boards are placed in electrical communication with the second circuit boards. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification