Multicore connector for connecting a plurality of contact pads of a circuit board to a plurality of contacts in a one-to-one correspondence

• US 6,896,535 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITT Cannon Ltd. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Cannon Ltd. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Masahiro, Ikenaka, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US10/606,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20040002249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 439/372, 439/76.1, 439/342, 439/953, 439/289, 439/108, 439/607, 439/66
• US Class Current: 439/289
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/88 acting manually by rotating or pivoting connector housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/953 with latch rod to be retainingly received by opening of mating connector

Abstract

A connector has a board with a plurality of contact pads electrically connected to a plurality of signal lines on one side. The connector also has a modularized structural unit on the other side. The structural unit includes a plurality of spring contacts as the mate to which the contact pads are electrically connected. The connector further has a shaft provided near the central part of the board and perpendicular to the board and a roller provided on the structural unit. To combine the contact pads and the contacts, the shaft is rotated to cause the rollers to engage with a projecting part provided at the tip of the shaft. The roller is provided higher in position than the circuit board on which the connector is to be mounted.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting a plurality of signal lines to a specific electronic apparatus which uses the plurality of signal lines, the connector comprising:

a first structural unit that includes a board having a plurality of contact pads to be electrically connected to said plurality of signal lines and a rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft, said rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft passing through the board, extending perpendicular to the board, and having a projecting part protruding from one side; and

a second structural unit that includes a bottom, a plurality of spring contact sections provided on the bottom, and a rotatable roller provided on the bottom, each of the plurality of spring contact sections facing, at one end, the corresponding one of the plurality of contact pads and being connectable, at the other end, to the specific electronic apparatus,

wherein the first structural unit is to be inserted, in part, into the second structural unit, so that the rotatable roller comes close to the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft when the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft and a part of the first structural unit are inserted into the second structural unit, and when the first structural unit is inserted, in part, into the second structural unit and the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft is rotated through a specific angle, the projecting part comes to a position beneath to push the board against the plurality of contact sections, thereby to bring the plurality of contact pads into contact with the plurality of contact sections, respectively, and

wherein the roller is higher in position than a circuit board of the specific electronic apparatus on which the connector is to be mounted.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the board has a grounding conductive pattern section on its periphery, the first structural unit has a frame section with a conductive surface for supporting the board, with the conductive surface of the frame section being electrically connected to the conductive pattern section, the second structural unit has a housing with a conductive surface, with a plurality of conductive springs being provided in specific positions on the bottom surface of the housing, and the frame section and the housing are configured to be electrically connectable to each other via the plurality of conductive springs.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of contact sections are a contact module in which a plurality of contact sections are previously arranged.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein the contact module is a plurality of subdivided contact modules.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the first structural unit has a protective cover for protecting the plurality of contact pads under the board.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of contact sections have connecting terminals projecting downward with respect to the bottom.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the bottom has an alignment pin and/or a mounting hole for making alignment with the circuit board of the specific electronic apparatus on which the connector is to be mounted.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable roller is mounted on a cylindrical bushing provided on the bottom.

9. A connector for connecting a plurality of signal lines to a specific electronic apparatus which uses the plurality of signal lines, the connector comprising:

a first structural unit that includes a board having a plurality of contact pads to be electrically connected to said plurality of signal lines and a rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft, said rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft passing through the board, extending perpendicular to the board, and having a projecting part protruding from one side; and

a second structural unit that includes a bottom, a plurality of spring contact sections provided on the bottom, and a rotatable roller provided on the bottom, each of the plurality of spring contact sections facing, at one end, the corresponding one of the plurality of contact pads and being connectable, at the other end, to the specific electronic apparatus,

wherein the first structural unit is to be inserted, in part, into the second structural unit so that the rotatable roller comes close to the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft when the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft and a part of the first structural unit are inserted into the second structural unit, and when the first structural unit is inserted, in part, into the second structural unit and the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft is rotated through a specific angle, the projecting part comes to a position beneath to push the board against the plurality of contact sections, thereby to bring the plurality of contact pads into contact with the plurality of contact sections, respectively, and

wherein the board has a grounding conductive pattern section on its periphery, the first structural unit has a frame section with a conductive surface for supporting the board, the conductive surface of the frame section being electrically connected to the conductive pattern section, the second structural unit has a housing with a conductive surface and a plurality of conductive springs being provided in specific positions on the bottom surface of the housing, the frame section and the housing being electrically connectable to each other via the plurality of conductive springs.

10. A connector for connecting a plurality of signal lines to a specific electronic apparatus which uses the plurality of signal lines, the connector comprising:

a first structural unit that includes a board having a plurality of contact pads to be electrically connected to said plurality of signal lines and a rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft, said rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft passing through the board, extending perpendicular to the board, and having a projecting part protruding from one side; and

a second structural unit that includes a bottom, a plurality of spring contact sections provided on the bottom, and a rotatable roller provided on the bottom, each of the plurality of spring contact sections facing, at one end, the corresponding one of the plurality of contact pads and being connectable, at the other end, to the specific electronic apparatus,

wherein the first structural unit is to be inserted, in part, into the second structural unit so that the rotatable roller comes close to the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft when the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft and a part of the first structural unit are inserted into the second structural unit, and when the first structural unit is inserted, in part, into the second structural unit and the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft is rotated through a specific angle, the projecting part comes to a position beneath to push the board against the plurality of contact sections, thereby to bring the plurality of contact pads into contact with the plurality of contact sections, respectively, and

wherein said plurality of contact sections are a contact module in which a plurality of contact sections are previously arranged.

11. A connector for connecting a plurality of signal lines to a specific electronic apparatus which uses the plurality of signal lines, the connector comprising:

a first structural unit that includes a board having a plurality of contact pads to be electrically connected to said plurality of signal lines and a rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft, said rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft passing through the board, extending perpendicular to the board, and having a projecting part protruding from one side; and

a second structural unit that includes a bottom, a plurality of spring contact sections provided on the bottom, and a rotatable roller provided on the bottom, each of the plurality of spring contact sections facing, at one end, the corresponding one of the plurality of contact pads and being connectable, at the other end, to the specific electronic apparatus,

wherein the first structural unit is to be inserted, in part, into the second structural unit so that the rotatable roller comes close to the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft when the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft and a part of the first structural unit are inserted into the second structural unit, and when the first structural unit is inserted, in part, into the second structural unit and the rotatable substantially hollow cylindrical shaft is rotated through a specific angle, the projecting part comes to a position beneath to push the board against the plurality of contact sections, thereby to bring the plurality of contact pads into contact with the plurality of contact sections, respectively, and

wherein said plurality of contact sections have connecting terminals projecting downward with respect to the bottom.

12. The connector according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of contact sections are a contact module in which a plurality of contact sections are previously arranged.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the contact module is a plurality of subdivided contact modules.

14. The connector according to claim 11, wherein the roller is higher in position than a circuit board of the specific electronic apparatus on which the connector is to be mounted.

15. The connector according to claim 11, wherein the first structural unit has a protective cover for protecting the plurality of contact pads under the board.

16. The connector according to claim 11, wherein the bottom has an alignment pin and/or a mounting hole for making alignment with a circuit board of the specific electronic apparatus on which the connector is to be mounted.

17. The connector according to claim 11, wherein the rotatable roller is mounted on a cylindrical bushing provided on the bottom.