Electrical connectors having dual biased contact pins

• US 6,102,714 A
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Oliphant, David, Johnson, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US09/271,620
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 439/131, 439/946
• US Class Current: 439/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

An electrical coupling system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) that is selectively fixed to an electrical apparatus. The PCB has an elongated finger with a plurality of partially exposed contact lines formed thereon. A jack includes a slide plate having an aperture extending therethrough and a channel communicating with the aperture. The aperture is configured to receive a media plug. Mounted on the slide plate so as to be positioned over the channel is a pin block. The pin block has a plurality of elongated slots formed therein. The slots face the channel and are separated by insulating walls. Disposed within each of the elongated slots is a substantially S-shaped pin. Each pin has a tail end that is mounted to the pin block, a downwardly curved portion that extends within the channel, and an opposing lead end which is freely disposed within the aperture of the slide plate. The finger of the PCB is slidably received within the channel of the slide plate such that the jack can be selectively moved between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position the aperture is openly exposed to receive the media plug and the downwardly curved portion of each pin is biased against the exposed portion of a corresponding contact line on the PCB.

Claims

1. An electrical coupling system for use with a media plug, the coupling system comprising:

(a) a fixed member having a contact formed thereon, the fixed member extending to a free end;

(b) a slide plate having an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of the media plug, the slide plate being selectively movable relative to the fixed member between an extended position and a retracted position, the free end of the fixed member being vertically aligned with the aperture when the slide plate is horizontally disposed in the retracted position; and

(c) means for effecting electrical communication between the media plug and the contact on the fixed member when the slide plate is in the extended position and the media plug is received within the aperture thereof.

2. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fixed member comprises a PCB.

3. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 1, wherein the slide plate has a channel formed therein, at least a portion of the fixed member being disposed within the channel.

4. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 3, further comprising a pin block disposed over the channel, the pin block having a plurality of slots separate by insulating walls, the slots facing the channels.

5. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for effecting electrical communication comprises a pin having a lead end disposed within the aperture and a portion slidably biased against the contact on the fixed member when the slide plate is in the extended position.

6. An electrical coupling system for use with a media plug, the coupling system comprising:

(a) a PCB having a contact formed thereon;

(b) a slide plate having an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of the media plug and a channel having at least a portion of the PCB received therein, the slide plate being selectively movable relative to the PCB between an extended position and a retracted position; and

(c) means for effecting electrical communication between the media plug and the contact on the PCB when the slide plate is in the extended position and the media plug is received within the aperture thereof.

7. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 6, wherein the channel intersects the aperture.

8. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the channel is enclosed by a pin block mounted on the slide plate.

9. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 6, wherein the means for effecting electrical communication comprises a resiliently flexible pin having a lead end disposed within the aperture and a portion biased against the contact when the slide plate is in the extended position.

10. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

(a) a plurality of pins each having a tail end coupled with a yoke block having opposing ends;

(b) a pin block disposed over at least a portion of the channel, the pin block having apertures formed on the opposing sides thereof, the opposing ends of the yoke block being disposed with the apertures.

11. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 10, further comprising means for preventing annular rotation of the tail end of the plurality of pins relative to the pin block.

12. An electrical coupling system for use with a media plug, the coupling system comprising:

(a) a fixed member having a contact formed thereon;

(b) a slide plate having an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of the media plug, the slide plate having a channel formed thereon in alignment with the aperture, at least a portion of the fixed member being disposed within the channel, the slide plate being selectively movable relative to the fixed member between an extended position and a retracted position; and

(c) a resiliently flexible pin having a lead end disposed within the aperture and a portion slideably biased against the contact on the fixed member when the slide plate is in the extended position.

13. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

(a) a plurality of pins each having a second end coupled with a yoke block having opposing ends;

(b) a pin block disposed over at least a portion of the channel, the pin block having apertures formed on the opposing sides thereof, the opposing ends of the yoke block being disposed within the apertures.

14. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 12, wherein the pin has a length extending between opposing ends in a range between about 17 mm to about 22 mm.

15. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 12, wherein the pin has a substantially S-shaped configuration with a downwardly curved portion being biased against the contact on the fixed member.

16. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for preventing the passage of the media plug completely through the aperture.

17. An electrical coupling system as recited in claim 12, wherein the aperture extends through the slide plate at an orientation perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the slide plate.

18. A jack for electrical coupling with a media plug, the jack comprising:

(a) a slide plate having an aperture formed thereon and a channel communicating with the aperture, the aperture being configured to receive the media plug;

(b) a pin block at least partially covering the channel,

(c)an elongated yoke block having opposing ends, the yoke block being mounted on the pin block; and

(d) a pin having a lead end freely disposed within the aperture and an opposing tail end connected to the yoke block.

19. A jack as recited in claim 18, wherein the pin has a substantially S-shape configuration.

20. A jack as recited in claim 18, wherein the pin block has apertures disposed on opposing sides thereof, the ends of the yoke block being removably received within the apertures.

21. A jack as recited in claim 18, further comprising a plurality of pins each having a tail end connected to the yoke block, the pin block having a plurality of elongated slots formed therein with each slot being separated by an insulating wall, each of the plurality of pins being a least partially disposed within a corresponding slot.

22. A jack as recited in claim 18, wherein a portion of the tail end of the pin is biased against the pin block so as to prevent rotation of the pin relative to the pin block when the media plug is received within the aperture.

23. A jack as recited in claim 18, further comprising means for releasably securing the media plug within the aperture.