Wedge driven elastomeric connector

• US 5,145,381 A
• Filed: 08/22/1991
• Issued: 09/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMP Limited
• Original Assignee: AMP Limited
• Inventors: Volz, Keith L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US07/748,992
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 439/59, 439/62, 439/65, 439/73, 439/260, 439/86, 439/66, 439/91
• US Class Current: 439/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/89 acting manually by moving connector housing parts linearly, e.g. slider
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2414 conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/50 utilising a cam, wedge, cone or ball also combined with a screw

Abstract

An electrical connector (12) employs wedges (72) to drive elastomeric inserts (42) having conductive traces (52) against the conductive traces (64, 66) of a printed circuit board (60) with the connector housing (14) clamping the insert to a further printed circuit (68) and conductive traces (70) thereon to interconnect multiple conductive paths between the boards. The wedges include two latch positions through surfaces (80, 82) engaging spring latches (22) to allow board insertion and removal with low forces from the said connector.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for interconnecting the conductive traces of printed circuit boards or the like including a plastic housing having an opening adapted to receive and guide a first circuit board inserted therein and means to clamp the said housing to a second board, at least one insert comprised of an elastomeric insulating material having conductive traces therein and fitted in said opening, the said insert including a side aligned with and proximate to the surface of the said first board as inserted in said housing and a second side positioned to engage the second board and be compressed by said housing as clamped to said second board, wedge means having a cross section to fit into said opening proximate to said insert and engaging the inner walls of said housing so as to wedgingly compress the said insert as said wedge means is driven in said housing, first means to hold said wedge means in said housing in a first position to provide an interconnection of the traces of the said boards and second means to hold the said wedge means in a second position in said housing to facilitate a low force insertion and withdraw of said first board relative to said housing.

2. The connector according to claim 1 wherein said first means is defined by surfaces interior of said housing and surfaces on the said wedge means operable to latch said wedge means in said first position in said housing affecting the compression of said insert.

3. The connector according to claim 1 including a pair of inserts operable to engage the opposite sides of the said first board and interconnect the traces thereon to rows of traces on said second board.

4. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the said insert is L shaped in cross sectional geometry.

5. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the said insert includes an elastomeric material covered with a thin insulating film having conductive traces thereon, defining a multiplicity of conductive paths.

6. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the said means to hold said wedge means in said housing includes latch surfaces operable to engage said wedge means and further includes a deflectable element to release said wedge for displacement in said housing.

7. The connector according to claim 1 wherein said first and second means comprise surfaces interiorly of said housing and at the ends of said wedge means.