Hybrid input/output connector having low mating force and high cycle life and contacts therefor
First Claim
1. A matable electrical connector assembly of the type having an array of electrical contacts to be mated, comprising:
- first and second connectors having first and second housings adapted to be mated to each other at respective first and second mating faces, said first and second connectors including pluralities of first and second contacts disposed in opposing arrays across said first and second mating faces, each said first and second contact having front and rear contact sections joined by body sections, said front contact sections being exposed at one of said first and second mating faces for mating, said body sections being retained within a body section of one of said first and second housings and rear contact sections being disposed at least proximate rearward sections of said first and second housings for electrical connections to other respective conductive means;
each said front contact section being disposed generally transverse of one of said first and second mating faces of a respective one of said first and second connectors, and each said front contact section at least including a contact surface portion extending forwardly of said housing body section of said respective connector to abuttingly engage an axially opposing contact surface portion of a said front contact section of an associated said contact of the other of said first and second connectors, each said front contact section extending to a respective said contact forwardly of a respective said body section thereof defining a fulcrum; and
each of said first and second housings including a relief recess axially rearwardly of each said front contact section permitting deflection of said front contact section rearwardly thereinto upon abutting engagement with an opposing front contact section during mating of said first and second connectors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly of matable connectors includes first and second connectors (10,100) each including housings (16,116) having a respective plurality of signal contacts (24,124) each having a front contact section (46,146) extending transversely of the connector'"'"'s mating face (12,112) to a free end (52,152) from a bend section (44,144) adjoining the contact'"'"'s body section (40,140). The front contact sections (46,146) of each associated pair extend forwardly of the respective mating faces to engage each other proximate their free ends and deflect each other rearwardly about bend sections (44,144), which results in low mating force and high cycle life. The connector housings (16,116) can include a durable latching system comprising a latch arm (18) of one connector (10) having a spaced apart pair of beams (208) having pairs of latches (210) and each being received into latching slots (252) of the other connector (100) near both lateral ends of the connectors, latching proximate both lateral ends.
92 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A matable electrical connector assembly of the type having an array of electrical contacts to be mated, comprising:
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first and second connectors having first and second housings adapted to be mated to each other at respective first and second mating faces, said first and second connectors including pluralities of first and second contacts disposed in opposing arrays across said first and second mating faces, each said first and second contact having front and rear contact sections joined by body sections, said front contact sections being exposed at one of said first and second mating faces for mating, said body sections being retained within a body section of one of said first and second housings and rear contact sections being disposed at least proximate rearward sections of said first and second housings for electrical connections to other respective conductive means; each said front contact section being disposed generally transverse of one of said first and second mating faces of a respective one of said first and second connectors, and each said front contact section at least including a contact surface portion extending forwardly of said housing body section of said respective connector to abuttingly engage an axially opposing contact surface portion of a said front contact section of an associated said contact of the other of said first and second connectors, each said front contact section extending to a respective said contact forwardly of a respective said body section thereof defining a fulcrum; and each of said first and second housings including a relief recess axially rearwardly of each said front contact section permitting deflection of said front contact section rearwardly thereinto upon abutting engagement with an opposing front contact section during mating of said first and second connectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system of mating contacts comprising:
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first and second contacts having front and rear contact sections joined by body sections, said front contact sections being exposed for mating at first and second mating faces, said body sections extending generally along a mating axis rearwardly from said first and second mating faces, each said front contact section being disposed generally transverse of one of said first and second mating faces and at least including a contact surface portion extending forwardly to engage an opposing contact surface portion of a said front contact section of an associated one of said contacts of the other of said first and second connectors, each said front contact section extending to a respective free end from a bend section of a respective said contact forwardly of a respective said body section thereof defining a fulcrum, and each said front contact section adapted to be deflectable rearwardly upon engagement of said contact surface portions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification