CA1207048A - Electrical connector assembly - Google Patents
Electrical connector assemblyInfo
- Publication number
- CA1207048A CA1207048A CA000451600A CA451600A CA1207048A CA 1207048 A CA1207048 A CA 1207048A CA 000451600 A CA000451600 A CA 000451600A CA 451600 A CA451600 A CA 451600A CA 1207048 A CA1207048 A CA 1207048A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- contact
- connector
- members
- displacement
- circuit board
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
- H01R12/70—Coupling devices
- H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
- H01R12/72—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures
- H01R12/722—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits
- H01R12/728—Coupling devices without an insulating housing provided on the edge of the PCB
Landscapes
- Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Electrical Connector Assembly To reduce wear on the contact area of contacts of an electrical connector assembly each of the contacts of a male connector of the assembly is provided with a displacement member which is arranged to cooperate with respective contact members of a corresponding female connector of the assembly to displace the contact members during mating of the connectors. In a particular embodiment a printed circuit board (2) carries an attachment in the form of a comb which attachment has a plurality of displacement members (8) respectively arranged to lie alongside printed contact areas (9) of the printed circuit board(2). In use a part (7) of each contact member of a female connector rides up a forward ramp of the respective displacement member (8) travels along a plateau and rides down a rear-ward ramp after the leading edge of the printed circuit board (2) has passed over the contact area of the respective female contact. Preferably electrical contact between the female contact and the contact area (9) of the printed circuit board (2) is permitted after the leading edge has passed over the contact area but before completion of mating of the printed circuit board (2) to the female connector so as to assist the removal of any film or debris in the respective contact areas.
Electrical Connector Assembly To reduce wear on the contact area of contacts of an electrical connector assembly each of the contacts of a male connector of the assembly is provided with a displacement member which is arranged to cooperate with respective contact members of a corresponding female connector of the assembly to displace the contact members during mating of the connectors. In a particular embodiment a printed circuit board (2) carries an attachment in the form of a comb which attachment has a plurality of displacement members (8) respectively arranged to lie alongside printed contact areas (9) of the printed circuit board(2). In use a part (7) of each contact member of a female connector rides up a forward ramp of the respective displacement member (8) travels along a plateau and rides down a rear-ward ramp after the leading edge of the printed circuit board (2) has passed over the contact area of the respective female contact. Preferably electrical contact between the female contact and the contact area (9) of the printed circuit board (2) is permitted after the leading edge has passed over the contact area but before completion of mating of the printed circuit board (2) to the female connector so as to assist the removal of any film or debris in the respective contact areas.
Description
The present invention relates to electrical connector assemblies and more particularly but not exclusively to such assemblies comprising a male connec-tor and a female connector detachably connectable to 5 each other.
~ itherto when a circuit board housing an edge connector (i.e. a'~ale connector") has been inserted into its socket (i.e. a "female connector") it has been usual for the edge of the board to be used to displace 10 the contacts of the socket to permit the insertion~
Thus each time the board is inserted the edge thereof scrapes the electrical contact area. Whilst some wiping action of the electrical contact Prea on insertion is desirable to remove any film which may have built up, 15 the scraping action causes some damage to the contact area and may, if several insertions and removals of a particular board are required result in the removal of the precious metal plating of the contact area.
It is an object of the present invention to provide 20 an electrical connector assembly in which one connector causes displacement of the contact members of the other connector on insertion therein without interfering with the electrical contact area of the contact members.
According to the present invention in an electrical 25 connector assembly of the kind comprising a male connec-tor and a female connector each of which has at least one respective contact member and which are detachably connec-table one to the other, the or each contact member of a first of the connectors has at least one displacement 30 member associated therewith, said displacement member being disposed to one side of the contact member and being arranged to provide an inclined surface longitudinally of the direction of insertion of one connector in the other, the or each contact member of the other one of the connec-35 tors has a portion arranged to co-operate with said dis placement member, and said portion and said displacement ~7~
member are adapted to co-operate with each other as mating of the connectors proceeds such that initially contact between the or each pair of corresponding contact members is prevented and subsequently contact between the 5 or each pair of corresponding contact members is permitted so that, during mating of the connectors, leading edges of each of the contact members are prevented from scraping contact areas of the corresponding opposite contact member~
Preferably, contact between the or each pair of 10 corresponding contact members is permitted after the leading edges of each of the contact members have passed over the contact areas of the corresponding opposite con-tact member and before completion of mating of the connec-tors so that the contact areas wipe across each other to 15 assist displacement of any disruptive film which may be present.
The displacement member may have a second inclined surface sloping in the opposed ~rections to said inclined surface so as to cause the contact members to come into 20 contact gradually. The two inclined surfaces of the displacement member may be mechanically linked by a plateau such that the displaced contact member traverses apart from and substantially parallel to the corresponding opposite contact member for part of the distance traversed during 25 mating of the connectors.
~ he displacement member may be associated with the male connector which connector l~ay be either attached to or integral with a printed circuit board.
According to a feature of the present invention an 30 attachment for a male connector or a circuit board arran~ed to provide a displaceMent member for the or each contact member of such a connector or board for the purpose of converting the connector or board for use in a connector assembly in accordance with the invention comprises a 35 moulding having a forward ramp member and an integral - ~207~
oppositely inclined rearward ramp member arranged when attached to a male connector or a circuit board during mating of such a male connector or board with a female connector initially to displace a contact member of a 5 said female connector laterally of the direction of insertion, a~.d subsequently to permit that contact member to return substantially to its non-displaced position.
Preferably the attachment provides a plurality of . displacement members integrall7 formed in the shape of 10 a comb.
A connector assembly in accordance with the inven-tion will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawingsof which:-Figure 1 shows a view of the assembly with the male and female connectors fully disconnected;
Figure 2 shows a fragmentary view on the line II-II.of Figure 1;
Figures 3 and 4 show a similar view to Figure 2 with the two connectors at different stages of mating;
Figure 5 shows a similar view to Figure 2 with the two connectors fully mated;
Fi~ure 6 shows a fragmentary view at right angles to the view of Figure 2 of part of a female connector of the assembly;
Figure 7 shows an isometric view of a part of the circuit board of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings the assembly has a male connector 1 which is shown as integral with a printed circuit board 2 (only a part of which is shown) and a 35 female connector 3.
, ~0~048 ~ he female connector 3 is similar in construction to man~ known connectors, and comprises an insulated housing holding a number of female contact 5 members 5 in alignment and in pairs. ~ach female contact member 5 is connected to a respective further member 4 to which connection may be made by soldering or wire wrapping for example. For the purposes of description the ~ace of the female connector 3 at the same end as 10 that at which the contact member 5 is not connected to the further member 4 is referred to as the front of the female connector 3. It is here noted that the term mating face as used herein relates to the front end when applied to the female connector.
Referring particularly to ~igures 2 and 6 each of the contact members 5 has a contact area 6 (shown shaded in Figure 6) which is the part of the contact most sus-ceptible to having its plating removed by the edge of an inserted male connector. ~he contact members 5 are of 20 resilient material for example phosphor bronze.
the contact area 6 being spot plated with a precious ~etal for example gold.
At the front of each contact member 6 a semicircular portion 7 is provided which is wider than the contact 25 areas 6 each that, referring alao to ~igure 7, when the male connector 1 is presented for insertion a respective displacement member 8 of each corresponding male contact member 9 causes the contact member 5 to open.
It is here noted that each of the displacement 30 members 8 forms an upper displacement member for one of the male contact members 9 and a lower displacement member for an adjacent male contact member.
Referring now to Figures 2 to 5 as the circuit board ; 2 is presented to the female connector 3, the respective 35 displacement ~embers 8 engage with the edges of the semi-~Z07048 circular portions 7 which as mating of the connectorscontinues are displaced so as to cause the contact member~
5 to provide an opening which is wider than the circuit board 2. ~hus the semi-circular portions 7 ride up a 5 forward ramp and as the edge of the male connector 1 reaches the respective contact areas 6 so the portions 7 reach (Figure 3) a plateau which is substantially of the same width as the contact area.
As insertion of the male connector 1 continues 10 (Figure 4) so the portions 7 ride down a rearward ramp of the displacement members 8 which permits the contact area 6 of the female contact membeI~5 to come into contact with the male contact members 9.
It will be appreciated that some wiping of the 15 contact areas 6 on the male co~act members9 is desirable to remove disruptive film and the like. This wiping occurs once the semi-circular portions 7 have reached the end of the rearward ramp of the displacement members 8 as the circuit board 2 and the male connector 1 are pushed 20 fully home in the female connector 3.
Referring again to Figure 1 the displacement member~
8 may be suitably provided by a moulding of plastics mater-ial which may be in the form of a comb having a continuous rear strip for attachment to the male connector 1 or the 25 circuit board 2 by rivetting for example.
It is noted that whilst as described herein the invention is realised by attachment of a moulding to the circuit board 2, the invention may be similarly implemented by attachment of a suitable moulding to a male connector of 30 the kind arranged for subsequent attachment to tracks of a circuit board or for wiring connections~
In the case of a male connector it will also be realised that displacement members sould be integrally moulded with the insulating material of the connector 35 housing.
~ itherto when a circuit board housing an edge connector (i.e. a'~ale connector") has been inserted into its socket (i.e. a "female connector") it has been usual for the edge of the board to be used to displace 10 the contacts of the socket to permit the insertion~
Thus each time the board is inserted the edge thereof scrapes the electrical contact area. Whilst some wiping action of the electrical contact Prea on insertion is desirable to remove any film which may have built up, 15 the scraping action causes some damage to the contact area and may, if several insertions and removals of a particular board are required result in the removal of the precious metal plating of the contact area.
It is an object of the present invention to provide 20 an electrical connector assembly in which one connector causes displacement of the contact members of the other connector on insertion therein without interfering with the electrical contact area of the contact members.
According to the present invention in an electrical 25 connector assembly of the kind comprising a male connec-tor and a female connector each of which has at least one respective contact member and which are detachably connec-table one to the other, the or each contact member of a first of the connectors has at least one displacement 30 member associated therewith, said displacement member being disposed to one side of the contact member and being arranged to provide an inclined surface longitudinally of the direction of insertion of one connector in the other, the or each contact member of the other one of the connec-35 tors has a portion arranged to co-operate with said dis placement member, and said portion and said displacement ~7~
member are adapted to co-operate with each other as mating of the connectors proceeds such that initially contact between the or each pair of corresponding contact members is prevented and subsequently contact between the 5 or each pair of corresponding contact members is permitted so that, during mating of the connectors, leading edges of each of the contact members are prevented from scraping contact areas of the corresponding opposite contact member~
Preferably, contact between the or each pair of 10 corresponding contact members is permitted after the leading edges of each of the contact members have passed over the contact areas of the corresponding opposite con-tact member and before completion of mating of the connec-tors so that the contact areas wipe across each other to 15 assist displacement of any disruptive film which may be present.
The displacement member may have a second inclined surface sloping in the opposed ~rections to said inclined surface so as to cause the contact members to come into 20 contact gradually. The two inclined surfaces of the displacement member may be mechanically linked by a plateau such that the displaced contact member traverses apart from and substantially parallel to the corresponding opposite contact member for part of the distance traversed during 25 mating of the connectors.
~ he displacement member may be associated with the male connector which connector l~ay be either attached to or integral with a printed circuit board.
According to a feature of the present invention an 30 attachment for a male connector or a circuit board arran~ed to provide a displaceMent member for the or each contact member of such a connector or board for the purpose of converting the connector or board for use in a connector assembly in accordance with the invention comprises a 35 moulding having a forward ramp member and an integral - ~207~
oppositely inclined rearward ramp member arranged when attached to a male connector or a circuit board during mating of such a male connector or board with a female connector initially to displace a contact member of a 5 said female connector laterally of the direction of insertion, a~.d subsequently to permit that contact member to return substantially to its non-displaced position.
Preferably the attachment provides a plurality of . displacement members integrall7 formed in the shape of 10 a comb.
A connector assembly in accordance with the inven-tion will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawingsof which:-Figure 1 shows a view of the assembly with the male and female connectors fully disconnected;
Figure 2 shows a fragmentary view on the line II-II.of Figure 1;
Figures 3 and 4 show a similar view to Figure 2 with the two connectors at different stages of mating;
Figure 5 shows a similar view to Figure 2 with the two connectors fully mated;
Fi~ure 6 shows a fragmentary view at right angles to the view of Figure 2 of part of a female connector of the assembly;
Figure 7 shows an isometric view of a part of the circuit board of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings the assembly has a male connector 1 which is shown as integral with a printed circuit board 2 (only a part of which is shown) and a 35 female connector 3.
, ~0~048 ~ he female connector 3 is similar in construction to man~ known connectors, and comprises an insulated housing holding a number of female contact 5 members 5 in alignment and in pairs. ~ach female contact member 5 is connected to a respective further member 4 to which connection may be made by soldering or wire wrapping for example. For the purposes of description the ~ace of the female connector 3 at the same end as 10 that at which the contact member 5 is not connected to the further member 4 is referred to as the front of the female connector 3. It is here noted that the term mating face as used herein relates to the front end when applied to the female connector.
Referring particularly to ~igures 2 and 6 each of the contact members 5 has a contact area 6 (shown shaded in Figure 6) which is the part of the contact most sus-ceptible to having its plating removed by the edge of an inserted male connector. ~he contact members 5 are of 20 resilient material for example phosphor bronze.
the contact area 6 being spot plated with a precious ~etal for example gold.
At the front of each contact member 6 a semicircular portion 7 is provided which is wider than the contact 25 areas 6 each that, referring alao to ~igure 7, when the male connector 1 is presented for insertion a respective displacement member 8 of each corresponding male contact member 9 causes the contact member 5 to open.
It is here noted that each of the displacement 30 members 8 forms an upper displacement member for one of the male contact members 9 and a lower displacement member for an adjacent male contact member.
Referring now to Figures 2 to 5 as the circuit board ; 2 is presented to the female connector 3, the respective 35 displacement ~embers 8 engage with the edges of the semi-~Z07048 circular portions 7 which as mating of the connectorscontinues are displaced so as to cause the contact member~
5 to provide an opening which is wider than the circuit board 2. ~hus the semi-circular portions 7 ride up a 5 forward ramp and as the edge of the male connector 1 reaches the respective contact areas 6 so the portions 7 reach (Figure 3) a plateau which is substantially of the same width as the contact area.
As insertion of the male connector 1 continues 10 (Figure 4) so the portions 7 ride down a rearward ramp of the displacement members 8 which permits the contact area 6 of the female contact membeI~5 to come into contact with the male contact members 9.
It will be appreciated that some wiping of the 15 contact areas 6 on the male co~act members9 is desirable to remove disruptive film and the like. This wiping occurs once the semi-circular portions 7 have reached the end of the rearward ramp of the displacement members 8 as the circuit board 2 and the male connector 1 are pushed 20 fully home in the female connector 3.
Referring again to Figure 1 the displacement member~
8 may be suitably provided by a moulding of plastics mater-ial which may be in the form of a comb having a continuous rear strip for attachment to the male connector 1 or the 25 circuit board 2 by rivetting for example.
It is noted that whilst as described herein the invention is realised by attachment of a moulding to the circuit board 2, the invention may be similarly implemented by attachment of a suitable moulding to a male connector of 30 the kind arranged for subsequent attachment to tracks of a circuit board or for wiring connections~
In the case of a male connector it will also be realised that displacement members sould be integrally moulded with the insulating material of the connector 35 housing.
Claims (9)
1. An electrical connector assembly of the kind comprising a male connector and a female connector each of which has at least one respective contact member and which are detachably connectable one to the other wherein the or each contact member of a first of the connectors has at least one displacement member associated therewith and disposed to one side thereof, said displacement member being arranged to provide an inclined surface longitudinally of the direction of insertion of one connector in the other the or each contact member of the other one of the connectors has a portion arranged to cooperate with said displacement member and said portion and said displacement member are adapted to cooperate with each other as mating of the connectors proceeds such that initially contact between the or each pair of corresponding contact members is prevented and subsequently contact between the or each pair of contact members is permitted such that during mating of the connectors leading edges of each of the contact members are prevented from scraping contact areas of the corresponding opposite contact member.
2. An electrical connector assembly according to Claim 1 wherein contact between the or each pair of corresponding contact members during mating is permitted after the leading edges of each of the contact members have passed over the contact areas of the corresponding opposite contact member and before completion of the mating of the connectors such that the contact areas wipe across each other to assist displacement of any film or debris which may be present.
3. An electrical connector assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the displacement member has a second inclined surface sloping in the opposed direction to the first said inclined surface such as to cause the contact members to come into contact gradually.
4. An electrical connector assembly according to Claim 3 wherein said first and second inclined surfaces of the displacement member are mechanically linked by a plateau such that the displaced contact member traverses apart from and substantially parallel to the corres-ponding opposite contact member for part of the distance traversed during mating of the connectors.
5. An electrical connector assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the displacement member is associated with the male connector.
6. An electrical connector assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the displacement member is associated with the male connector and the male connector is either attached to or integral with a printed circuit board.
7. An attachment for a male connector or a printed circuit board arranged to provide a displacement member for a or each contact member of such a connector or board so as to convert the connector or board for use in a connector assembly according to Claim 1 the attachment comprising a moulding which has a forward ramp member and an integral oppositely-inclined rear-ward ramp member arranged when attached to a male connector or circuit board during mating of such a male connector or board within a female connector initially to displace a contact member of a said female connector laterally of the direction of insertion, and subsequently to permit that contact member to return substantially to its non-displaced position.
8. An attachment as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said ramp members are integrally linked by a plateau.
9. An attachment as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein a plurality of displacement members are integrally formed in the shape of a comb.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB8310001 | 1983-04-13 | ||
GB8310001A GB8310001D0 (en) | 1983-04-13 | 1983-04-13 | Electrical connector assembly |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
CA1207048A true CA1207048A (en) | 1986-07-02 |
Family
ID=10541037
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
CA000451600A Expired CA1207048A (en) | 1983-04-13 | 1984-04-10 | Electrical connector assembly |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0122758B1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA1207048A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3462643D1 (en) |
GB (2) | GB8310001D0 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4941830A (en) * | 1988-08-01 | 1990-07-17 | International Business Machines Corp. | Edge design for printed circuit board connector |
GB2236217A (en) * | 1989-08-23 | 1991-03-27 | Itt Ind Ltd | Improvement relating to electrical connectors |
WO1995019650A1 (en) * | 1994-01-12 | 1995-07-20 | Berg Technology, Inc. | Improved contact element for an electrical connector |
DE19625398C1 (en) * | 1996-06-25 | 1997-12-11 | Siemens Ag | Printed circuit board with conductor-like plug contact points |
DE102011081243A1 (en) * | 2011-08-19 | 2013-02-21 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Electrical arrangement for producing electric contact with direct plug connections, has direct plug-in element whose guide portion is arranged such that contact between contact point and counter part is avoided during plug-in operation |
US8613626B1 (en) | 2012-06-21 | 2013-12-24 | International Business Machines Corporation | Dual level contact design for an interconnect system in power applications |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR1295024A (en) * | 1960-06-03 | 1962-06-01 | Int Standard Electric Corp | Connection device for electrical parts such as wiring plates |
GB1201067A (en) * | 1967-08-30 | 1970-08-05 | Bicc Burndy Ltd | Improvements in electric contacts |
IL38839A (en) * | 1971-03-19 | 1976-01-30 | Elco Corp | Card-edge connector employing snap-on insulator |
US3858957A (en) * | 1973-08-27 | 1975-01-07 | Amp Inc | Electrical connecting members requiring lower insertion and retraction forces and providing for low contact wear |
FR2321784A1 (en) * | 1975-08-22 | 1977-03-18 | Siemens Ag | CONTACT DEVICE |
US4279459A (en) * | 1979-12-20 | 1981-07-21 | Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated | Printed wiring board and connector apparatus |
-
1983
- 1983-04-13 GB GB8310001A patent/GB8310001D0/en active Pending
-
1984
- 1984-04-06 DE DE8484302367T patent/DE3462643D1/en not_active Expired
- 1984-04-06 EP EP19840302367 patent/EP0122758B1/en not_active Expired
- 1984-04-10 CA CA000451600A patent/CA1207048A/en not_active Expired
- 1984-04-11 GB GB8409311A patent/GB2138222B/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB8310001D0 (en) | 1983-05-18 |
EP0122758A1 (en) | 1984-10-24 |
GB2138222B (en) | 1986-10-29 |
EP0122758B1 (en) | 1987-03-11 |
GB8409311D0 (en) | 1984-05-23 |
GB2138222A (en) | 1984-10-17 |
DE3462643D1 (en) | 1987-04-16 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
MKEX | Expiry |