Electrical connector for connecting a plurality of printed circuits
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A printed circuit connector comprising:
- a first printed circuit having a substrate layer, one or more electrically conductive traces and an insulation layer, wherein the one or more electrically conductive traces are exposed in at least one location on the circuit;
a second printed circuit having a substrate layer, one or more electrically conductive traces and an insulation layer, wherein the one or more electrically conductive traces are exposed in at least one location on the circuit such that they make direct face-to-face electrical contact with the exposed traces of the first circuit when the circuits are faced insulation layer to insulation layer;
wherein the first printed circuit and the second printed circuit originate from outside the connector; and
a means for retaining the first and second circuit in electrical contact.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention comprises an inexpensive and simple means for electrically and mechanically connecting a plurality of printed circuits together. The present invention also comprised embodiments where the printed circuits can be moved relative to each other without breaking the electrical contact between them. Yet another embodiment contemplates a means for joining two linear printed circuits to make a longer circuit. In yet another embodiment, the printed circuits and connections are used to make an inexpensive, reliable electrical harness for contacting a patient-worn sensor to a patient monitor such as an ECG monitor.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A printed circuit connector comprising:
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a first printed circuit having a substrate layer, one or more electrically conductive traces and an insulation layer, wherein the one or more electrically conductive traces are exposed in at least one location on the circuit; a second printed circuit having a substrate layer, one or more electrically conductive traces and an insulation layer, wherein the one or more electrically conductive traces are exposed in at least one location on the circuit such that they make direct face-to-face electrical contact with the exposed traces of the first circuit when the circuits are faced insulation layer to insulation layer; wherein the first printed circuit and the second printed circuit originate from outside the connector; and a means for retaining the first and second circuit in electrical contact. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A printed circuit connector comprising:
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a first printed circuit having a substrate layer, one or more electrically conductive traces and an insulation layer; a shaped region on the first printed circuit wherein the one or more electrically conductive traces are non-linear and are at least partially exposed; a second printed circuit having a substrate layer, one or more electrically conductive traces and an insulation layer, and a shaped region wherein the one or more electrically conductive traces are exposed for electrical connection to the shaped region on the first printed circuit; wherein the first printed circuit and the second printed circuit originate from outside the connector; and a movable means for retaining the first and second circuits in direct face-to-face electrical contact at the shaped region such that when the first and second circuits are rotated, the one or more traces remain in electrical contact. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. An articulated electrical connector comprised of:
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a body comprised of a top surface and a bottom surface, each surface having an aperture; at least two or more printed circuit ends originating from separate electrical connections, each having an aperture located on its surface; at least one or more printed circuit traces located on said printed circuit ends that terminate into an annular shape that is concentric about the apertures on said printed circuit ends; a means for locking said top surface and said bottom surface together such that said at least two or more printed circuit ends are pressed between said top surface and said bottom surface in an overlapping configuration such that the apertures located on the surface of said top surface, said bottom surface, and said at least two or more circuit ends are aligned and form a hole through which a conductive protruding member of a separate electrical conductor may be inserted, such that said at least one or more printed circuit traces on said circuit ends are in direct face-to-face electrical contact wherein said circuit ends may be rotated with respect to one another. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An articulated electrical connector comprised of:
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a body comprised of a flat, non-conductive top surface and an identical bottom surface, each surface having a circular aperture located at its centering axis; at least two or more circular-shaped printed circuit ends originating from separate electrical connections, each having a circular aperture located at its centering axis; at least one or more printed circuit traces located on said printed circuit ends that terminate into an annular shape that is concentric about the circular apertures located at the centering axes of said printed circuit ends; a means for locking said top surface and said bottom surface together such that said at least two or more printed circuit ends are pressed between said top surface and said bottom surface in an overlapping configuration such that the apertures located on the surface of said top surface, said bottom surface, and said at least two or more circuit ends are aligned and form a hole through which a protruding member of a separate electrical conductor may be inserted, such that said at least one or more printed circuit traces on said circuit ends are in direct face-to-face electrical contact wherein said circuit ends may be rotated with respect to one another. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification