Snap on flexible printed circuit connector

• US 6,121,701 A
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Kloeppel, Klaus D., Pelstring, Robert M., Knoche, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LABALLE, CLAYTON E
• Application Number:
  US09/060,146
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 310/67 R, 310/71, 439/495, 439/895, 360/98.07, 360/99.04, 360/99.08
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/2009 Turntables, hubs and motors for disk drives; Mounting of motors in the drive means for clamping of disk to turntable G11B17/022 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/772 Strain relieving means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2203/03 Machines characterised by the wiring boards, i.e. printed circuit boards or similar structures for connecting the winding terminations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2211/03 Machines characterised by circuit boards, e.g. pcb
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132

Abstract

A connector assembly comprising a base portion which plugs into the base of the motor shaft and a connector body having electrical interface rods along an axial face thereof. A flexible printed circuit having one end connected to the stator has dedicated connector pads on a surface thereof which line up with and are intended to be pressed against the molded body connector rods. To maintain the pads and rods in tight electrical contact, a connector snap spring assembly is snapped in place over the connector body. The snap spring assembly is assembled in two parts comprising a first U-shaped connector snap having a base and two arms, the arms being sized and adapted to snap over shoulders of the molded body; and a connector spring which is pressed in place over the body of the connector snap and includes a plurality of flexible fingers which are aligned with the flexible printed circuit pads and the molded body connector rods so that when the arms of the snap spring assembly are snapped over the shoulders of the body, the springlike fingers tightly press the pads and connector rods together. A hole is formed in the printed circuit axially displaced from the connector pads; a finger extending radially from the connector body passes through this hole to maintain the axial alignment of the flexible printed circuit with the remainder of the press fit connector.

Claims

1. An improved flexible printed circuit connector for use in a motor having a hollow shaft comprising:

a base adapted to be plugged into an opening in said hollow shaft;

a body supported on said base and having a substantially flat face supporting connector rods which are electrically extended through said base to be available for electrical connections;

a connector/snap spring assembly comprising a pair of arms adapted to snap over shoulders on said body and a one or more flexible springs adapted to be pressed against a flexible printed circuit which is inserted between said connector/snap spring assembly and said body and base portion so that electrical traces on a surface of said flexible printed circuit are pressed against said connector rods to firmly establish electrical connections between said flexible printed circuit and said electrical conductive rods;

a pin supported from said face of said connector body and extending radially across the base of said body above said connector pads and adapted to be inserted through a hole in said flexible printed circuit to serve as a strain relief on said flexible printed circuit to prevent the circuit from being pulled out of the connector;

wherein said connector/snap spring assembly includes said flexible fingers being equal in number to the number of connector rods on said face of said body so that said traces on said flexible printed circuit are tightly pressed against each of said connector rods; and

a connector snap having flexible arms supported from a body and a connector spring having a back portion and a finger portion which are integrally formed and snapped axially over said body to form an integrated connector assembly with said springs being supported between said arms facing said connector rods on said body portion.

2. A disc drive spindle motor comprising:

a central shaft adapted to be supported in a base of said disc drive,

bearings mounted on said shaft and supporting a hub for rotation about said shaft, said hub supporting a magnet thereon,

a stator supported on an external surface of said shaft;

said shaft defining a hollow center extending to said base and at least partially up through said shaft;

a cylindrical electrical connector inserted in said shaft comprising

a base adapted to be plugged into an opening in said hollow shaft;

a body supported on said base and having a substantially flat face supporting connector rods which are electrically extended through said base to be available for electrical connections;

a connector/snap spring assembly comprising a pair of arms adapted to snap over shoulders on said base and a one or more flexible springs adapted to be pressed against a flexible printed circuit which is inserted between said connector/snap spring assembly and said body portion so that electrical traces on a surface of said flexible printed circuit are pressed against said connector rods to firmly establish electrical connections between said flexible printed circuit and said electrical conductive pads;

a connector including a pin supported from said face of said connector body and extending radially from the face of said body above said connector rods and adapted to be inserted through a hole in said flexible printed circuit to serve as a strain relief on said flexible printed circuit to prevent the circuit from being pulled out of the connector;

a connector wherein said snap spring assembly includes said flexible fingers being equal in number to the number of connector rods on said face of said body so that said traces on said flexible printed circuit are tightly pressed against each of said connector rods; and

a connector snap having flexible arms supported from a body and a connector spring having a back portion and a finger portion which are integrally formed and snapped axially over said body to form an integrated connector assembly with said springs being supported between said arms facing said connector rods on said body portion.