CA2291380A1 - Connector with prestressed contacts and its use - Google Patents
Connector with prestressed contacts and its use Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2291380A1 CA2291380A1 CA002291380A CA2291380A CA2291380A1 CA 2291380 A1 CA2291380 A1 CA 2291380A1 CA 002291380 A CA002291380 A CA 002291380A CA 2291380 A CA2291380 A CA 2291380A CA 2291380 A1 CA2291380 A1 CA 2291380A1
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- contact
- soldered
- connector
- elastic conductive
- insulating structure
- 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.)
- Abandoned
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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
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/02—Contact members
- H01R13/22—Contacts for co-operating by abutting
- H01R13/24—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted
- H01R13/2442—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted with a single cantilevered beam
-
- 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
- H01R12/712—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit
- H01R12/714—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
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- Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
- Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
Abstract
In order to increase the precision of the definition of a contact by pressure between a connector (1), designed to be surface-mounted, and a smart card, one assures a support plane for the connector, this latter on a flat printed circuit. This support plane is created by means of prestresses on elastic conductive strips (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) of the connector. This prestress consists of pressing one end (11, 12, 13) of the elastic conductive strips onto fixed pieces (14, 15, 16, 17) aligned in a plane.
This improvement makes such a connector easy to use and makes it possible to have a statistical inspection of the quality of the connectors thus made.
This improvement makes such a connector easy to use and makes it possible to have a statistical inspection of the quality of the connectors thus made.
Description
CONNECTOR WITH PRESTRESSED CONTACTS AND ITS USE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has for a subject a connector with prestressed contacts and its use. Such a connector has elastic conductive strips provided with contact pins to be soldered, and an insulating stnucturc in which the elastic conductive strips are supported. The invention most particularly finds application in mounting connectors on a printed circuit, notably in the surface mounting of connectors designed to assure an electrical connection between microcircuits of a smart card and of electronic systems. These electronic systems are, in a preferred example, those of smart card readers or mobile telephones. This type of connector has elastic conductive strips designed to assure electrical contacts by pressure with metallic surfaces or contact areas present on the smart card. Moreover, the contact between the contact pins to be soldered of the connector and the surface of the printed circuit on which these pins must be soldered roust be a fiat contact. The invention finds interest due to the improvement of the coplaneity [inherent flatness) of the electrical contact between any contact pin to be soldered whatever and the surface of the printed circuit.
Connectors designed for surface mounting that are currently manufactured have contact pins to be soldered, one free end of which is chamtcred to form a contact plane with the printed circuit Each contact pin to be soldered defines a local contact plane designed to come into contact with the printed circuit. Taking into account all the planes of local contact defines a distribution, in the direction of the thickness, of connector contacts with retard to the plane of the printed circuit. In Z~ fact, during the manufacture of a connector, the chamfering of the elastic conductive strips is produced according to processes which do not easily permit obtaining a good repeatability with regard to the cvplaneity of the contact pins to be soldered (surface mounting). That is to say, appreciable differences of form andlor dimensions may exist between two elastic conductive strips Qn the one hand, one contact pin of a strip to be soldered may not be perfectly planar. On the other hand, two contact pins to be soldered, each one of which stay be planar, may have different contact planes andlor contact planes that are not parallel to one another.
This type of connector thus presents problems.
In a s~eneral manner, this type of connector is comprised ofa thermoplastic I O insulating structure and a certain number of bronze contacts, six in one example.
'these contacts are treated and receive a triple coating of nickel, then tin-lead, arid finally a layer of gold for the part in contact with a smart card. The pins of these contacts are designed to be surface-mounted on a printed circuit. Now, in this type of design, during the use of the product, surface mounting of the connector, as well I5 as throughout the fife of the device on which it is mounted, sometimes under conditions of severe handling, the contact assembly of the connector must adequately assure a sut~icient contact pressure for good electrical transmission.
In fact, a smart card connector, for example, belonging to a mobile telephone or any other electronic system likely to be subjected to vibrations, will transmit these ZO vibrations to the smart card as well as to the connector. In this case, a lowering of the contact pressure on the smart card is problematic, since, if a vibration is too strong, a Contact between the Smart card and the connector can be interrupted or defective, even for a brief instant, which can lead to reading or writing errors of data in the smart card.
Thus, it was observed that in order for the contact with the smart card to be judged satisfactory, it is necessary that the support plane of the connector's contact pins to be soldered are mersed or at least quasi-merged with the contact plane of the printed circuit. In fact, this coplanarity thus permits etlcctively conforming to a requirement called coplaneity [inherent flatness] necessary for implementing the process for surlaee mounting, CMS, a requirement which implies that any cantaet whatever must be found within a maximum tolerance range, which is desirably small, retative to a support plane of the connector's contact pins to be soldered on the printed circuit, a support plane that defines a reference plane for said coplaneity.
Moreover, the size constraints of the connector do not permit a sufficiently precise guidance of the contact pins to be soldered. All this implies that this support plane evidently cannot be determined in a precise and reproducible manner and therefore, a significant dispersion with regard to coplaneity is brought about.
More precisely, in order to assure an effective CMS soldering, the outlets of the components, i e., flue contact pins to be soldered must be designed to permit guaranteeing a coplaneity of less than 0.1 mm. This is translated in reality by a dimension X. representing a distance between the support face of the insulator of the component and the face to be soldered of the CMS outlets, whose tolerance range is 0.1 mnt (X ~ 0.05 nun).
?0 This dimension X results from a double chamfering of an elastic conductive strip (the contact zone with the smart card must be elastic) and it is the elasticity of this elastic conductive strip which is the cause of mast of the problems encountered, notably those defined previously. This elasticity varies as a function ofthe material used to create an elastic conductive strip, its thickness, or even the surface treatment 2S applied. Thus, there are too many influences to assure obtaining, by mass production, elastic conductive strips with a tolerance of less than approximately 0.05 millimeter.
Moreover, this problem leads to another problem. In fact, knowing that the copianeity of the printed circuit with the contact plane has a high probability of being imperfect, each connector must be inspected. In addition to the number of rejections this entails, this piece-by-piece inspection is as lengthy as the number of connectors is large, which creates a loss of time and therefore an increase in the overall cost of such a connector The present invention has for a subject to remedy the problems cited by proposing a connector havin5 an insulatin 5 structure and a multiple number of elastic conductive strips, held in this structure, each strip being provided with a contact pin to be soldered. The insulating structure has fixed pieces aligned in a plane. The contact pins to be soldered are supposed on these fixed pieces in this plane by effect of a prestress applied to them. Thus, the contact surface of the contact pins to be soldered is found pressed into the plane ofthe fixed pieces, with a precision of the order of 0.02 mm, given that molding of insulators with such precision is known. As a result, the contact between the connector's contact pins to ZO be soldered and the printed circuit surface is a perfectly flat contact Thus, the contact cones of the elastic strips with the smart card is also found in a plane perfectly parallel to the contact plane of the smart card.
The invention therefore concerns a connector laving an insulating structure and a multiple number of elastic conductive strips, held in this insulating structure, ?5 each elastic conductive strip being provided with a contact pin to be soldered, characterized in that the contact pins to be soldered are prestres5ed and that the insulating structure has fixed pieces aligned in a plane on which the prestrcsscd contact pms press.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood upon reading the description that follows and by examination of the figures that accompany it. The latter are presented only by way of example arid are not at all limiting for the invention. The figures show:
- Figure I : a perspective view of the connector according to the invention;
- Figure 2: a perspective view of an elastic conductive strip of the connector according to the invention;
- Figure 3: a plan view of an anchoring plate of the elastic conductive strip with its two Lateral arms;
- Figure 4~ a sectional view of the connector according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TI-fE EMBODIM.ENI'S
Figure 1 shows a connector 1 according to the invention. -This connector I ' has an insulating structure 2 and, in a preferred example, six elastic conductive strips 3 to 8. They ace distributed by groups of three, symmetrically and regularly, along the two sides 9 and 10 of insulating structure 2, these two sides 9 and 10 being opposed. 1n the following, we will limit the description to the elements situated on side 9, the elements of side 10 beins~ deduced tTOn l side 9 by symmetry.
The conductive elastic strips 3, 4, 5, respectively, are provided with contact pins to be Soldered 11. 12, 13, respectively. In a preferred example, these contact ,.
pins to be soldered are in the form of flat plates and situated at the first ends of strips 3, 4 and 5, respectively. In addition, these contact pins to be soldered I 1, 12 and I3 are arranged perpendicularly to side 9 of insulating structure 2 In addition, insulating structure 2 has fixed pieces !4, iS, 16 and 1? regularly aligned in a plane.
This plane is perpendicular to side 9. The contact pins t0 be soldered I i, 12, I3 have a generally "T"-shaped widening These T-shaped widenings, coming from contact pins to be soldered ! l, 12, 13 are supported under tixed pieces !4, 15, l6 and I7. To do this, each contact pin to be soldered is situated between two fixed pieces. In a preferred example, fixed pieces 14 to I~ are stntcturcs rising I0 perpendicularly to side 9 and have at least one flat face. 'these flat faces are those under which the contact pins to be soldered are supported These fixsd pieces are substantially rigid, so that the pressures applied by the contact pins to be soldered are insuff cient to deform the support planes of the fixed pieces. Thus, the widcnings of the contact pin to be soldered I I are supported by two fixed pieces 14 1 ~ and 15, the contact pin to be soldered 12 is supported by two fixed pieces I 5 and 16 and so on The plane of fixed pieces 14 to 17 is by design (molding) obtained within the tolerance sought.
Figure 2 shows conductive elastic strip ~ outside connector 1 It has an anchoring plate 18 placed in intermediate position. 'This intermediate position is a 20 position in which anchoring plate 18 is closer to the end having the eomact pin to be soldered 11 than the other end of conductive elastic strip 3 This anchorinu~
plate l 8 is inserted forcefully into a housing 19 provided for this purpose in insulating structure 2 lnsulatins structure 2 also has housings fgr the other elastic conductive strips. In the example shown, insulating stnacture 2, therefore, has six housings 19 25 to 24. This forceful insertion of anchoring plate l8 permits assuring a fixed bond between anchoring plate ! 8 and insulating structure Z. This anchoring plate projects laterally with two lateral arms 25 and 26. The forceful insertion of anchoring plate t8 into housing 19 provided for this purpose in insulating structure 2 has for an effect the inserting of the two lateral arms 25 and 26 into two lateral grooves made in each housing Contact pin 1 I is prestressed so as to come to be pressed onto fixed pieces and 15 once the strip is inserted.
This opposition of lixed pieces i4 and IS therefore maintains the deformation of elastic conductive strip 3, which, while bein' permanent, remains an I O elastic deformation The prestress permits assuring the contact of the contact pin tv be soldered 11 on fixed pieces 14 and 15. In the connector of the invention, it is fixed pieces 14, l5, 16 and l 7 of side 9 of insulating structure ? that are opposed to the reaction forces applied by contact pins to be soldered I 1, ! 2 and I 3.
Insulating structure 2 is obtained, in a preferred example, by molding. The molding processes used currently permit obtaining flat surfaces and dimensions with a precision ofthc orderof0 02 mrn (i.e., one can obtain surfaces whose relief variations are contained in a space whose thickness can be reduced to approximately 0 02 mm).
The elastic properties ofthe strip are thus used In fact, during support of the contact pins to be soldered on the fixed pieces, the reaction force is sufficient to obtain a deformation of the contact pins to be soldered, so that a contact between a contact pin to be soldered and a fxed piece is flat. Thus, the planeity obtained in the case ofthe invention for contact pins to be soldered I I, I2 and 13 i~ greater than the planeity obtained in the state of the art. "
_ CA 02291380 1999-12-O1 Figure 3 shows anchoring plate 18 provided with two lateral anus 25 and 26 The two attachment arms 25 and 26 are extended, in parallel to a plane passing through anchoring plate 18, by two lateral attachment catches 27 and 28, respectively. A lateral attachment catch 27 or 28 has a form of a harpoon or wedge, a first side 29 or 30 of which is perpendicular to an end 31 or 32 of one of lateral arms 25 or 2G, respectively. A second side 33 or 34 is oblique with regard to end 3 I
or 32, respectively. Catches 27 and 28 are arranged such that, with regard to the direction of insertion of anchoring plate t 8, it is oblique sides 33 and 34 of catches 27 and 28 which first penetrate into grooves 35 and 36, respecaively, provided for this purpose in walls 37 and 38 of a housing 39. Sides 29 and 30 of catches 27 and 28 penetrate in second place.
At the beginning of insertion of lateral arms 25 and 26 into grooves 35 and 35, catches 27 and 28 penetrate into walls 40 and 4 i of grooves 35 and 36 respectively, facing one another. Thus the two catches 27 and 28 deform walls I5 and 41 under the effect ofan insertion force applied to anchoring plate 18.
This deformation of walls 40 and 4 t has for an efl''tct producing a compression stress on catches 27 and 28 and therefore attaching anchoring plate 18. At the end of insertion, anchoring plate ! 8 comes to abut walls 42 and 43 constituting a termination ofgrooves 35 and 3f, respectively. In this state, anchoring plate l8 cannot advance further because of walls 42 and 43, nor can it laterally budge, because of the compression stresses applied by walls 40 and 41, nor can it go backwards, because of perpendicular sides 29 and 30 of catches 27 and 28 which oppose any translation movement in this direction of anchorinJ plate 18.
Anchoring plate 18 is therefore fixed and daes~not possess any degree of freedom. In addition, the two front corners 44 and 45 of anchoring plate 18 are chamfered. These two corners 44 and 45 are the anbles that are formed by ends 3 l and 32 of lateral arms 25 arid 26 with sides 46 and 47, respectively. These sides 46 and 47 are those which, at the end of insenion of anchoring plate t 8, enter into contact with walls 42 and 43 of grooves 35 and 3G, respectively. These chamfered corners 44 and 45 permit favoring the engagement of anchorage 18 in grooves 35 and 36, respectively.
Figure 4 shows a section of connector I along a sectional plane passing through elastic conductive strips 3 and 8 (conductive elastic strip 8 is not shown). In a preferred example, a housing t9 receiving conductive strip 3 has a first opening on side 9 of insulating structure 2, as well as a second opening on a side 48 perpendicular to side 9 but parallel to the contact plane of the fixed pieces Thus, elastic conductive strip 3, introduced in side 9 is compressed in housing 19. For this, conductive elastic strip 3 has a folded-back form and has a second end 49, which is found in a parallel plane, and not merged, with the plane passing through anchoring plate J 8. A part of elastic conductive strip 3, situated between end 49 and anchoring plate 18, is chamfered in such a way that a piece of this part projects from the second opening of side 48, with a saddle-back shape 50.
It is this portion ofcondurtive elastic strip 3 which is designed to produce an electrical contact between the smart card and connector t This contact zone of saddle-back shape 50 with the smart card is mobile with regard to the anchoring plate.
Thus, this chamfered form of this part ofeiastic conductive strip 3 permits, obtaining a spring eflcct ot~a portion oftitis part along an axis perpendicular to side 48, when pressure is applied. This spring effect assures, in a preferred example. an electrical contact by pressure between elastic conductive strip 3 and a metal contact ..
area on the smart card. Moreover, end 49 of elastic conductive strip 3 is subjected to a second prestress. For this, it is held, by fixed pieces between walls 37 and 38 of housing 19, at a height such that a deviation between a fixed piece 5 I, made in wall 38, and the plant passing through anchoring plate 18 is less than the deviation S between this same plane and end 49, when it is not subjected to any stress End 49 can therefore only move in a housing 32 in a single direction, which is opposite fixed piece 51. A T-shaped wideninly of end 49 of elastic conductive strip 3 permits taking support on this fixed piece 5 I The latter prestress has ter an objective notably to assure approximately the same contact plane for all the contact zones, this t0 contact plane being parallel to the contact plane of the contact pins to be soldered.
The deviation between a peak 53 of the saddle-back and side 48 is such that a forcing of saddle-back 50 into housing I9, resulting from pressure applied by the smart card during the connection, always leaves at least end 53 outside of housing 19. Thus the resulting rcactian force assures a sufficient pressing together of the 15 contact zones of connector t un the contact areas of the smart card so as to have an electrical contact by pressure according to the criteria disclosed above.
During the insertion of an elastic conductive strip 3 in housing 19 of insulating structure 2, it is necessary to resiliently bend end 49 towards anchoring plate t8. This pcrrnits end 49 to be inserted into housing 52. After release of the ?0 bending force, end 49 comes to abut fixed piece 51. Moreover, during insertion, contact pin l 1 of elastic conductive strip 3 is placed as defined previously.
In this case, elastic conductive strip 3 is subjected to two reaction prestresses with anchoring plate I 8. The first prestress is that of contact pins to be soldered t 1, t 2 and 13 on fixed pieces 14, I5, 16 and 17. In the example, two fixed pieces are used ?: to create a prestress on one contact pin to be soldered Thus each contact pin to be soldered is found between two fixed pieces. A consequence of this placement of the contact pins to be soldered between the fixed pieces is that the strips arc no longer mobile. Thus the risks of catching an attachment strip during the mounting operations is limited.
S Insulating structure 2 is made, in a preferred example, by molding an insulating thermoplastic material. Such materials have properties of elasticity and deformation used notably Burins insertion of the anchorin's for the conductive elastic strips as explained above. Elastic conductive strips 3 to 8 arc bronze, in a preferred example, bronze being an elastic and easy-to-shape material. That is to I O say, it can be deformed easily. This is one of the objectives sought when the contact strips come to be supported on the fixed pieces of the insulating structure.
The contact strips thus mate with the relief shape formed by the faxed pieces.
Moreover, the saddle-back structure of the elastic conductive strip, assuring contact with a smart Card, is coated with nickel, a tin-lead alloy and/or gold, in order to improve the 15 contact characteristics of the elastic conductive strip and thus to favor a good electrical contact between connector l and a smart card.
It is also to be noted teat, in general, the contact pins of CMS outlets are easily deformable and that, consequently, the tixed piece permits also assuring protection of said pins during any manipulation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has for a subject a connector with prestressed contacts and its use. Such a connector has elastic conductive strips provided with contact pins to be soldered, and an insulating stnucturc in which the elastic conductive strips are supported. The invention most particularly finds application in mounting connectors on a printed circuit, notably in the surface mounting of connectors designed to assure an electrical connection between microcircuits of a smart card and of electronic systems. These electronic systems are, in a preferred example, those of smart card readers or mobile telephones. This type of connector has elastic conductive strips designed to assure electrical contacts by pressure with metallic surfaces or contact areas present on the smart card. Moreover, the contact between the contact pins to be soldered of the connector and the surface of the printed circuit on which these pins must be soldered roust be a fiat contact. The invention finds interest due to the improvement of the coplaneity [inherent flatness) of the electrical contact between any contact pin to be soldered whatever and the surface of the printed circuit.
Connectors designed for surface mounting that are currently manufactured have contact pins to be soldered, one free end of which is chamtcred to form a contact plane with the printed circuit Each contact pin to be soldered defines a local contact plane designed to come into contact with the printed circuit. Taking into account all the planes of local contact defines a distribution, in the direction of the thickness, of connector contacts with retard to the plane of the printed circuit. In Z~ fact, during the manufacture of a connector, the chamfering of the elastic conductive strips is produced according to processes which do not easily permit obtaining a good repeatability with regard to the cvplaneity of the contact pins to be soldered (surface mounting). That is to say, appreciable differences of form andlor dimensions may exist between two elastic conductive strips Qn the one hand, one contact pin of a strip to be soldered may not be perfectly planar. On the other hand, two contact pins to be soldered, each one of which stay be planar, may have different contact planes andlor contact planes that are not parallel to one another.
This type of connector thus presents problems.
In a s~eneral manner, this type of connector is comprised ofa thermoplastic I O insulating structure and a certain number of bronze contacts, six in one example.
'these contacts are treated and receive a triple coating of nickel, then tin-lead, arid finally a layer of gold for the part in contact with a smart card. The pins of these contacts are designed to be surface-mounted on a printed circuit. Now, in this type of design, during the use of the product, surface mounting of the connector, as well I5 as throughout the fife of the device on which it is mounted, sometimes under conditions of severe handling, the contact assembly of the connector must adequately assure a sut~icient contact pressure for good electrical transmission.
In fact, a smart card connector, for example, belonging to a mobile telephone or any other electronic system likely to be subjected to vibrations, will transmit these ZO vibrations to the smart card as well as to the connector. In this case, a lowering of the contact pressure on the smart card is problematic, since, if a vibration is too strong, a Contact between the Smart card and the connector can be interrupted or defective, even for a brief instant, which can lead to reading or writing errors of data in the smart card.
Thus, it was observed that in order for the contact with the smart card to be judged satisfactory, it is necessary that the support plane of the connector's contact pins to be soldered are mersed or at least quasi-merged with the contact plane of the printed circuit. In fact, this coplanarity thus permits etlcctively conforming to a requirement called coplaneity [inherent flatness] necessary for implementing the process for surlaee mounting, CMS, a requirement which implies that any cantaet whatever must be found within a maximum tolerance range, which is desirably small, retative to a support plane of the connector's contact pins to be soldered on the printed circuit, a support plane that defines a reference plane for said coplaneity.
Moreover, the size constraints of the connector do not permit a sufficiently precise guidance of the contact pins to be soldered. All this implies that this support plane evidently cannot be determined in a precise and reproducible manner and therefore, a significant dispersion with regard to coplaneity is brought about.
More precisely, in order to assure an effective CMS soldering, the outlets of the components, i e., flue contact pins to be soldered must be designed to permit guaranteeing a coplaneity of less than 0.1 mm. This is translated in reality by a dimension X. representing a distance between the support face of the insulator of the component and the face to be soldered of the CMS outlets, whose tolerance range is 0.1 mnt (X ~ 0.05 nun).
?0 This dimension X results from a double chamfering of an elastic conductive strip (the contact zone with the smart card must be elastic) and it is the elasticity of this elastic conductive strip which is the cause of mast of the problems encountered, notably those defined previously. This elasticity varies as a function ofthe material used to create an elastic conductive strip, its thickness, or even the surface treatment 2S applied. Thus, there are too many influences to assure obtaining, by mass production, elastic conductive strips with a tolerance of less than approximately 0.05 millimeter.
Moreover, this problem leads to another problem. In fact, knowing that the copianeity of the printed circuit with the contact plane has a high probability of being imperfect, each connector must be inspected. In addition to the number of rejections this entails, this piece-by-piece inspection is as lengthy as the number of connectors is large, which creates a loss of time and therefore an increase in the overall cost of such a connector The present invention has for a subject to remedy the problems cited by proposing a connector havin5 an insulatin 5 structure and a multiple number of elastic conductive strips, held in this structure, each strip being provided with a contact pin to be soldered. The insulating structure has fixed pieces aligned in a plane. The contact pins to be soldered are supposed on these fixed pieces in this plane by effect of a prestress applied to them. Thus, the contact surface of the contact pins to be soldered is found pressed into the plane ofthe fixed pieces, with a precision of the order of 0.02 mm, given that molding of insulators with such precision is known. As a result, the contact between the connector's contact pins to ZO be soldered and the printed circuit surface is a perfectly flat contact Thus, the contact cones of the elastic strips with the smart card is also found in a plane perfectly parallel to the contact plane of the smart card.
The invention therefore concerns a connector laving an insulating structure and a multiple number of elastic conductive strips, held in this insulating structure, ?5 each elastic conductive strip being provided with a contact pin to be soldered, characterized in that the contact pins to be soldered are prestres5ed and that the insulating structure has fixed pieces aligned in a plane on which the prestrcsscd contact pms press.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood upon reading the description that follows and by examination of the figures that accompany it. The latter are presented only by way of example arid are not at all limiting for the invention. The figures show:
- Figure I : a perspective view of the connector according to the invention;
- Figure 2: a perspective view of an elastic conductive strip of the connector according to the invention;
- Figure 3: a plan view of an anchoring plate of the elastic conductive strip with its two Lateral arms;
- Figure 4~ a sectional view of the connector according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TI-fE EMBODIM.ENI'S
Figure 1 shows a connector 1 according to the invention. -This connector I ' has an insulating structure 2 and, in a preferred example, six elastic conductive strips 3 to 8. They ace distributed by groups of three, symmetrically and regularly, along the two sides 9 and 10 of insulating structure 2, these two sides 9 and 10 being opposed. 1n the following, we will limit the description to the elements situated on side 9, the elements of side 10 beins~ deduced tTOn l side 9 by symmetry.
The conductive elastic strips 3, 4, 5, respectively, are provided with contact pins to be Soldered 11. 12, 13, respectively. In a preferred example, these contact ,.
pins to be soldered are in the form of flat plates and situated at the first ends of strips 3, 4 and 5, respectively. In addition, these contact pins to be soldered I 1, 12 and I3 are arranged perpendicularly to side 9 of insulating structure 2 In addition, insulating structure 2 has fixed pieces !4, iS, 16 and 1? regularly aligned in a plane.
This plane is perpendicular to side 9. The contact pins t0 be soldered I i, 12, I3 have a generally "T"-shaped widening These T-shaped widenings, coming from contact pins to be soldered ! l, 12, 13 are supported under tixed pieces !4, 15, l6 and I7. To do this, each contact pin to be soldered is situated between two fixed pieces. In a preferred example, fixed pieces 14 to I~ are stntcturcs rising I0 perpendicularly to side 9 and have at least one flat face. 'these flat faces are those under which the contact pins to be soldered are supported These fixsd pieces are substantially rigid, so that the pressures applied by the contact pins to be soldered are insuff cient to deform the support planes of the fixed pieces. Thus, the widcnings of the contact pin to be soldered I I are supported by two fixed pieces 14 1 ~ and 15, the contact pin to be soldered 12 is supported by two fixed pieces I 5 and 16 and so on The plane of fixed pieces 14 to 17 is by design (molding) obtained within the tolerance sought.
Figure 2 shows conductive elastic strip ~ outside connector 1 It has an anchoring plate 18 placed in intermediate position. 'This intermediate position is a 20 position in which anchoring plate 18 is closer to the end having the eomact pin to be soldered 11 than the other end of conductive elastic strip 3 This anchorinu~
plate l 8 is inserted forcefully into a housing 19 provided for this purpose in insulating structure 2 lnsulatins structure 2 also has housings fgr the other elastic conductive strips. In the example shown, insulating stnacture 2, therefore, has six housings 19 25 to 24. This forceful insertion of anchoring plate l8 permits assuring a fixed bond between anchoring plate ! 8 and insulating structure Z. This anchoring plate projects laterally with two lateral arms 25 and 26. The forceful insertion of anchoring plate t8 into housing 19 provided for this purpose in insulating structure 2 has for an effect the inserting of the two lateral arms 25 and 26 into two lateral grooves made in each housing Contact pin 1 I is prestressed so as to come to be pressed onto fixed pieces and 15 once the strip is inserted.
This opposition of lixed pieces i4 and IS therefore maintains the deformation of elastic conductive strip 3, which, while bein' permanent, remains an I O elastic deformation The prestress permits assuring the contact of the contact pin tv be soldered 11 on fixed pieces 14 and 15. In the connector of the invention, it is fixed pieces 14, l5, 16 and l 7 of side 9 of insulating structure ? that are opposed to the reaction forces applied by contact pins to be soldered I 1, ! 2 and I 3.
Insulating structure 2 is obtained, in a preferred example, by molding. The molding processes used currently permit obtaining flat surfaces and dimensions with a precision ofthc orderof0 02 mrn (i.e., one can obtain surfaces whose relief variations are contained in a space whose thickness can be reduced to approximately 0 02 mm).
The elastic properties ofthe strip are thus used In fact, during support of the contact pins to be soldered on the fixed pieces, the reaction force is sufficient to obtain a deformation of the contact pins to be soldered, so that a contact between a contact pin to be soldered and a fxed piece is flat. Thus, the planeity obtained in the case ofthe invention for contact pins to be soldered I I, I2 and 13 i~ greater than the planeity obtained in the state of the art. "
_ CA 02291380 1999-12-O1 Figure 3 shows anchoring plate 18 provided with two lateral anus 25 and 26 The two attachment arms 25 and 26 are extended, in parallel to a plane passing through anchoring plate 18, by two lateral attachment catches 27 and 28, respectively. A lateral attachment catch 27 or 28 has a form of a harpoon or wedge, a first side 29 or 30 of which is perpendicular to an end 31 or 32 of one of lateral arms 25 or 2G, respectively. A second side 33 or 34 is oblique with regard to end 3 I
or 32, respectively. Catches 27 and 28 are arranged such that, with regard to the direction of insertion of anchoring plate t 8, it is oblique sides 33 and 34 of catches 27 and 28 which first penetrate into grooves 35 and 36, respecaively, provided for this purpose in walls 37 and 38 of a housing 39. Sides 29 and 30 of catches 27 and 28 penetrate in second place.
At the beginning of insertion of lateral arms 25 and 26 into grooves 35 and 35, catches 27 and 28 penetrate into walls 40 and 4 i of grooves 35 and 36 respectively, facing one another. Thus the two catches 27 and 28 deform walls I5 and 41 under the effect ofan insertion force applied to anchoring plate 18.
This deformation of walls 40 and 4 t has for an efl''tct producing a compression stress on catches 27 and 28 and therefore attaching anchoring plate 18. At the end of insertion, anchoring plate ! 8 comes to abut walls 42 and 43 constituting a termination ofgrooves 35 and 3f, respectively. In this state, anchoring plate l8 cannot advance further because of walls 42 and 43, nor can it laterally budge, because of the compression stresses applied by walls 40 and 41, nor can it go backwards, because of perpendicular sides 29 and 30 of catches 27 and 28 which oppose any translation movement in this direction of anchorinJ plate 18.
Anchoring plate 18 is therefore fixed and daes~not possess any degree of freedom. In addition, the two front corners 44 and 45 of anchoring plate 18 are chamfered. These two corners 44 and 45 are the anbles that are formed by ends 3 l and 32 of lateral arms 25 arid 26 with sides 46 and 47, respectively. These sides 46 and 47 are those which, at the end of insenion of anchoring plate t 8, enter into contact with walls 42 and 43 of grooves 35 and 3G, respectively. These chamfered corners 44 and 45 permit favoring the engagement of anchorage 18 in grooves 35 and 36, respectively.
Figure 4 shows a section of connector I along a sectional plane passing through elastic conductive strips 3 and 8 (conductive elastic strip 8 is not shown). In a preferred example, a housing t9 receiving conductive strip 3 has a first opening on side 9 of insulating structure 2, as well as a second opening on a side 48 perpendicular to side 9 but parallel to the contact plane of the fixed pieces Thus, elastic conductive strip 3, introduced in side 9 is compressed in housing 19. For this, conductive elastic strip 3 has a folded-back form and has a second end 49, which is found in a parallel plane, and not merged, with the plane passing through anchoring plate J 8. A part of elastic conductive strip 3, situated between end 49 and anchoring plate 18, is chamfered in such a way that a piece of this part projects from the second opening of side 48, with a saddle-back shape 50.
It is this portion ofcondurtive elastic strip 3 which is designed to produce an electrical contact between the smart card and connector t This contact zone of saddle-back shape 50 with the smart card is mobile with regard to the anchoring plate.
Thus, this chamfered form of this part ofeiastic conductive strip 3 permits, obtaining a spring eflcct ot~a portion oftitis part along an axis perpendicular to side 48, when pressure is applied. This spring effect assures, in a preferred example. an electrical contact by pressure between elastic conductive strip 3 and a metal contact ..
area on the smart card. Moreover, end 49 of elastic conductive strip 3 is subjected to a second prestress. For this, it is held, by fixed pieces between walls 37 and 38 of housing 19, at a height such that a deviation between a fixed piece 5 I, made in wall 38, and the plant passing through anchoring plate 18 is less than the deviation S between this same plane and end 49, when it is not subjected to any stress End 49 can therefore only move in a housing 32 in a single direction, which is opposite fixed piece 51. A T-shaped wideninly of end 49 of elastic conductive strip 3 permits taking support on this fixed piece 5 I The latter prestress has ter an objective notably to assure approximately the same contact plane for all the contact zones, this t0 contact plane being parallel to the contact plane of the contact pins to be soldered.
The deviation between a peak 53 of the saddle-back and side 48 is such that a forcing of saddle-back 50 into housing I9, resulting from pressure applied by the smart card during the connection, always leaves at least end 53 outside of housing 19. Thus the resulting rcactian force assures a sufficient pressing together of the 15 contact zones of connector t un the contact areas of the smart card so as to have an electrical contact by pressure according to the criteria disclosed above.
During the insertion of an elastic conductive strip 3 in housing 19 of insulating structure 2, it is necessary to resiliently bend end 49 towards anchoring plate t8. This pcrrnits end 49 to be inserted into housing 52. After release of the ?0 bending force, end 49 comes to abut fixed piece 51. Moreover, during insertion, contact pin l 1 of elastic conductive strip 3 is placed as defined previously.
In this case, elastic conductive strip 3 is subjected to two reaction prestresses with anchoring plate I 8. The first prestress is that of contact pins to be soldered t 1, t 2 and 13 on fixed pieces 14, I5, 16 and 17. In the example, two fixed pieces are used ?: to create a prestress on one contact pin to be soldered Thus each contact pin to be soldered is found between two fixed pieces. A consequence of this placement of the contact pins to be soldered between the fixed pieces is that the strips arc no longer mobile. Thus the risks of catching an attachment strip during the mounting operations is limited.
S Insulating structure 2 is made, in a preferred example, by molding an insulating thermoplastic material. Such materials have properties of elasticity and deformation used notably Burins insertion of the anchorin's for the conductive elastic strips as explained above. Elastic conductive strips 3 to 8 arc bronze, in a preferred example, bronze being an elastic and easy-to-shape material. That is to I O say, it can be deformed easily. This is one of the objectives sought when the contact strips come to be supported on the fixed pieces of the insulating structure.
The contact strips thus mate with the relief shape formed by the faxed pieces.
Moreover, the saddle-back structure of the elastic conductive strip, assuring contact with a smart Card, is coated with nickel, a tin-lead alloy and/or gold, in order to improve the 15 contact characteristics of the elastic conductive strip and thus to favor a good electrical contact between connector l and a smart card.
It is also to be noted teat, in general, the contact pins of CMS outlets are easily deformable and that, consequently, the tixed piece permits also assuring protection of said pins during any manipulation.
Claims (9)
1. Connector (1) having an insulating structure (2) and a multiple number of elastic conductive strips (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), held in this insulating structure (2), each elastic conductive strip being provided with a contact pin to be soldered (11), characterized in that the contact pins to be soldered (11, 12, 13) are prestressed and that insulating structure (2) has fixed pieces (14, 15, 16, 17) aligned in one plane on which prestressed contact pins (11, 12, 13) press.
2. Connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the contact pins to be soldered are in the form of flat plates situated at the first ends of the strips.
3. Connector according to claim 2, further characterised in that the contact pins to be soldered under support of the fixed pieces have an enlarged part in the shape of a T.
4. Connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the elastic conductive strips are also provided with an anchoring plate (18) placed in intermediate position in insulating structure (2).
5. Connector according to claim 4, further characterized in that the anchoring plate has lateral attachment catches (27, 28) on the insulating structure, and in that the two lateral corners (44, 45) of this anchoring plate are chamfered.
6. Connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the elastic conductive strips have a chamfered form and are compressed in housings (19-24) of the insulating structure, a second end (49) of the elastic conductive strips being subjected to a second prestress in the housing of the insulating structure.
7. Connector according to claim 6, further characterized in that the elastic conductive strips have a width equal to a passage slot of the housing and a second end in the form of a T taking support on the edges of this passage slot.
8. Connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the elastic conductive strips are of bronze, and in that the contact zones are coated with nickel, a tin-lead alloy and gold, and that the insulating structure is made from a thermoplastic insulator.
9. Use of the connector according to claim 1 for its surface mounting, by the contact pins to be soldered, on a printed circuit
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR98/15618 | 1998-12-10 | ||
| FR9815618A FR2787245B1 (en) | 1998-12-10 | 1998-12-10 | CONNECTOR WITH PRESTRESSED CONTACTS AND ITS USE |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2291380A1 true CA2291380A1 (en) | 2000-06-10 |
Family
ID=9533831
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002291380A Abandoned CA2291380A1 (en) | 1998-12-10 | 1999-12-01 | Connector with prestressed contacts and its use |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP1017136B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2000200638A (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE224109T1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2291380A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69902865T2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2787245B1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11411348B2 (en) * | 2020-01-20 | 2022-08-09 | Tarng Yu Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Stress mechanism and connector including the same |
Families Citing this family (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP3477640B2 (en) * | 2000-08-10 | 2003-12-10 | 日本航空電子工業株式会社 | connector |
| FR2816767B1 (en) * | 2000-11-14 | 2005-04-01 | Fci Pontarlier | CHIP CARD CONNECTOR WITH MOUNTING BLOCK OF CONTACT BLADES SPRINGS |
| DE10064137A1 (en) * | 2000-12-21 | 2002-07-04 | Amphenol Tuchel Elect | Flat contact spring for a smart card connector and a Smar card connector using a flat contact spring |
| JP2002260759A (en) | 2001-03-05 | 2002-09-13 | Jst Mfg Co Ltd | Horizontal electric connector |
| JP3595939B2 (en) | 2002-03-29 | 2004-12-02 | 日本航空電子工業株式会社 | connector |
| JP4709502B2 (en) * | 2004-05-14 | 2011-06-22 | タイコエレクトロニクスジャパン合同会社 | Board mounted electrical connector |
| TWI255077B (en) * | 2005-06-27 | 2006-05-11 | Fci Asia Technology Pte Ltd | Housing, terminal and connector using the housing and the terminal |
| JP2009032440A (en) * | 2007-07-25 | 2009-02-12 | Jst Mfg Co Ltd | Electric connector |
| CN216850424U (en) * | 2022-03-18 | 2022-06-28 | 北京小米移动软件有限公司 | Contact module and electronic equipment |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE9407499U1 (en) * | 1994-05-05 | 1995-09-07 | Itt Composants Instr | Electrical contact element |
| FR2733358B1 (en) * | 1995-04-21 | 1997-05-30 | Itt Composants Instr | ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR, PARTICULARLY FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRONIC MEMORY CARD |
| FR2737352B1 (en) * | 1995-07-28 | 1997-08-29 | Itt Composants Instr | ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTION OF A CARD WITH AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (S) WITH CONTACT |
| US5746626A (en) * | 1996-10-11 | 1998-05-05 | Bourns, Inc. | Electrical connector assembly |
-
1998
- 1998-12-10 FR FR9815618A patent/FR2787245B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1999
- 1999-12-01 CA CA002291380A patent/CA2291380A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1999-12-09 EP EP99403083A patent/EP1017136B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-12-09 AT AT99403083T patent/ATE224109T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1999-12-09 DE DE69902865T patent/DE69902865T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1999-12-10 JP JP11351953A patent/JP2000200638A/en active Pending
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11411348B2 (en) * | 2020-01-20 | 2022-08-09 | Tarng Yu Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Stress mechanism and connector including the same |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JP2000200638A (en) | 2000-07-18 |
| FR2787245B1 (en) | 2001-02-23 |
| EP1017136A1 (en) | 2000-07-05 |
| EP1017136B1 (en) | 2002-09-11 |
| DE69902865T2 (en) | 2003-04-30 |
| FR2787245A1 (en) | 2000-06-16 |
| DE69902865D1 (en) | 2002-10-17 |
| ATE224109T1 (en) | 2002-09-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |