No-insertion force connector assembly

• US 5,236,372 A
• Filed: 02/19/1992
• Issued: 08/17/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Tetsuya, Suzuki, Yumiko, Yunoki, Shuichi, Katabuchi, Kenjiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US07/837,720
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 439/59, 439/60, 439/259, 439/260, 439/262, 439/263, 439/265, 439/266, 439/267, 439/269, 439/374, 439/377, 439/381, 439/629, 439/637, 439/660
• US Class Current: 439/260
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/89 acting manually by moving connector housing parts linearly, e.g. slider
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09709 Staggered pads, lands or terminals; Parallel conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0594 Insulating resist or coating with special shaped edges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/167 Using mechanical means for positioning, alignment or registration, e.g. using rod-in-hole alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3405 Edge mounted components, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3452 Solder masks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/951 PCB having detailed leading edge

Abstract

In a no-insertion force connector assembly comprising a connector body comprising a housing for supporting a plurality of resiliently deformable contact members, a connector portion provided on a print circuit board, the connector portion having a plurality of contact terminals each positioned at a place corresponding to the contact of the contact member and at least one float member for resiliently deforming the contact members so that their contacts may each shift to a position where they are each electrically connected to the corresponding contact terminal, the contact members each comprises a plurality of first and second contact members, which are each different in the length ranging from the connecting end up to the above-described contact, the first and second contact members being alternately disposed. The float member comprises a first engaging means for first coming in contact with the first contact member for resilient deformation while shifting and a second engaging means for subsequently resiliently deforming the second contact member. Since the deformation of the first and second contact members by the float mechanism is carried out at different times, an operational force required to shift the float member can be remarkably small thus easing its operation.

Claims

1. No-insertion force connector assembly which comprises a connector body having a housing for supporting a plurality of resiliently deformable contact members each having a proximal end portion connected to an external circuit and a contact at its tip end portion, a connector portion provided on a circuit board and having a plurality of contact terminals places at positions each corresponding to the contact of the contact member when the circuit board is being placed in a predetermined relationship to the connector body and at least one float member for resiliently deforming the contact members so that, when said float member is shifted from a first to a second position, each of said contacts may be shifted to a position, where it may be electrically connected to the corresponding contact terminal of the connector portion disposed in the predetermined relationship to the connector body, characterized in that said contact members each comprise a plurality of first and second contact members each different in the length ranging from said proximal end up to said contact, said first contact members and said second contact members being alternately disposed, and said float member comprises a first engaging means for first coming into contact with said first contact member while shifting from said first position up to said second position, to thereby resiliently deform said first contact member so as to shift its contact to a position where it comes in contact with the corresponding contact terminal, and a second engaging means for subsequently coming in contact with said second contact member to thereby resiliently deform said second contact member so as to shift its contact to a position where it comes in contact with the corresponding contact terminal, said connector portion provided on said circuit board having an insulating layer provided so as to cover the surface of said print circuit board except for notch portions which expose said contact terminals, said notch portions of said insulating layer each having first and second walls opposed to each other, which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of said contact member, said walls each forming a surface inclined at a predetermined angle so that, as the inclined surfaces come close to the surface of said contact terminal that is exposed by said notch portion, said inclined surfaces approach each other.

2. No-insertion force connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said float member has channels for accommodating the tip end portion of each of said first and second contact members, said channels each having a channel extending parallel to the direction in which said float member travels.

3. No-insertion force connector assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first and second engaging means of said float member each comprise an engaging surface formed on said channel.

4. No-insertion force connector assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second contact members each form a curved surface at its side opposed to said contact terminal of said connector portion so as to form part of a cylindrical body having an axis extending parallel to its longitudinal direction.

5. No-insertion force connector assembly which comprises a connector body having a housing for supporting a plurality of resiliently deformable contact members each having a proximal end portion connected to an external circuit and a contact at its tip end portion, a connector portion provided on a circuit board and having a plurality of contact terminals places at positions each corresponding to the contact of the contact member when the circuit board is being placed in a predetermined relationship to the connector body and at least one float member for resiliently deforming the contact members so that, when said float member is shifted from a first to a second position, each of said contacts may be shifted to a position, where it may be electrically connected to the corresponding contact terminal of the connector portion disposed in the predetermined relationship to the connector body, characterized in that said contact members each comprise a plurality of first and second contact members each different in the length ranging from said proximal end up to said contact, said first contact members and said second contact members being alternately disposed, and said float member comprises a first engaging means for first coming in contact with said first contact member while shifting from said first position up to said second position, to thereby resiliently deform said first contact member so as to shift its contact to a position where it comes in contact with the corresponding contact terminal, and a second engaging means for subsequently coming in contact with said second contact member to thereby resiliently deform said second contact member so as to shift its contact to a position where it comes in contact with the corresponding contact terminal, said connector portion provided on said circuit board having an insulating layer provided so as to cover the surface of said print circuit board except for notch portions which expose said contact terminals, said notch portions of said insulating layer each having first and second walls opposed to each other, which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of said contact member, said walls each forming a surface curved so as to approach each other as they come close to the surface of said contact terminal that is exposed by said notch portion.