EP0052973A2 - Elektrische Kontaktklemme und Mehrfachkontaktverbinder - Google Patents

Elektrische Kontaktklemme und Mehrfachkontaktverbinder Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0052973A2
EP0052973A2 EP81305304A EP81305304A EP0052973A2 EP 0052973 A2 EP0052973 A2 EP 0052973A2 EP 81305304 A EP81305304 A EP 81305304A EP 81305304 A EP81305304 A EP 81305304A EP 0052973 A2 EP0052973 A2 EP 0052973A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
terminal
contact
arm
housing
contact arm
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP81305304A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0052973A3 (en
EP0052973B1 (de
Inventor
Dimitry G. Grabbe
Iosif Korsunsky
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TE Connectivity Corp
Original Assignee
AMP Inc
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/208,734 external-priority patent/US4370012A/en
Priority claimed from US06/208,724 external-priority patent/US4370017A/en
Application filed by AMP Inc filed Critical AMP Inc
Publication of EP0052973A2 publication Critical patent/EP0052973A2/de
Publication of EP0052973A3 publication Critical patent/EP0052973A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0052973B1 publication Critical patent/EP0052973B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • H01R12/82—Coupling devices connected with low or zero insertion force
    • H01R12/85—Coupling devices connected with low or zero insertion force contact pressure producing means, contacts activated after insertion of printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/88—Coupling devices connected with low or zero insertion force contact pressure producing means, contacts activated after insertion of printed circuits or like structures acting manually by rotating or pivoting connector housing parts

Definitions

  • This invention relates to sheet metal electrical contact terminals and to multi-contact electrical connectors which contain sheet metal terminals.
  • a flat terminal which has all of its parts lying in the plane of the sheet metal stock from which it was formed is comparatively stiff, or rigid, as compared with a terminal manufactured by forming the sheet metal normally or at right angles to the sheet metal stock.
  • the latter type of contact terminal which is more widely used than flat terminals, can be provided with flexible contact members having a high degree of flexibility.
  • a flat terminal which has all of its parts lying in the plane of the sheet metal stock will have relatively stiff flexible contact members which are capable of only limited movement when they are flexed. This problem may be overcome to some extent by designig the flat terminal with an extremely long contact arm, as shown in U.S. Patent 4,176,895.
  • the present invention in accordance with one aspect thereof, is directed to the achievement of a flat terminal having all of its parts lying in the plane of the metal from which the terminal was produced and which has minimal snlf-inductance effects when it is used under circuimstances of rapid switching.
  • the invention is directed to the achievement of a flat terminal capable of developing relatively high contact forces when desired, and which has a flexible contact arm capable of flexure to the extent required in an electrical connector.
  • the invention is directed to the achievement of a multi-contact electrical connector having flat extremely thin contact terminals therein on closely spaced centers.
  • An electrical terminal in accordance with the invention is formed from sheet metal stock by stamping or etching and has all of its parts if a single flat plane which is defined by the thickness of the metal from which the terminal was produced.
  • the terminal has a contact arm having a fixed end and a free end, a portion of the edge adjacent to the free end being a contact portion of the terminal which engages a complementary terminal device.
  • the terminal is characterized in that it has a yoke section from which the contact arm extends and which has a spring arm extending from the yoke section beside the contact arm.
  • the contact arm and the spring arm have opposed bearing edge portions which are against each other when the contact arm is flexed towards the spring arm so that the spring arm supports the contact arm.
  • the contact force which is developed when the terminal is put to use is imposed by the spring arm which is flexed by the contact arm.
  • the current passing through the terminal passes from the contact portion of the contact arm to the yoke portion through the contact arm and not through the relatively long spring arm.
  • a terminal in accordance with the invention can be used in a multi-contact electrical connector having a housing in which there are provided a plurality of side-by-side cavities each of which has a contact terminal therein.
  • the contact portions of the spring arms project through openings in the housing past one surface of the housing so that a circuit board clamped against that surface is engaged by the contact portions of the terminals.
  • a channel-shaped frame assembly is provided in which the housing is positioned and which also receives a circuit board.
  • a clamp is provided on this frame assembly for clamping the circuit board against the one surface of the housing thereby to engage the conductors on the circuit board with the contact portions of the terminals in the housing.
  • a terminal 2 serves to connect conductors 18 on the underside of one printed circuit board 14 to conductors 20 on a surface 22 of a smaller printed circuit board 24.
  • the terminal is contained in a housing 46 of a connector 3 mounted on the upper surface 12 of circuit board 14 and the terminal has a solder post 10 which extends through an opening 16 in the circuit board and is soldered to the conductor 18, as shown.
  • the connector 3 contains a plurality of terminals on closely spaced centers.
  • the terminal 2 comprises a yoke section 4 having extending therefrom, a contact arm 6 and a spring arm 8 in side-by-side spaced-apart relationship. These arms extend from the upper edge of the yoke and the previously identified solder tab or post 10 extends from the the lower edge of the yoke.
  • the contact arm has a fixed end 26 which is integral with the yoke and extends obliquely away from the spring arm to a generally circular free end portion 28. At the end of this circular portion, there is provided an extension 30 which is directed towards the spring arm and edge 32 of this extension serves as a bearing portion for cooperation with a bearing portion 44 on the spring arm 8.
  • the edge of the circular portion which is outwardly directed, as shown at 34, serves as a contact portion of the terminal and engages the conductor 20 on the circuit board 24.
  • An ear 36 is provided on the circular portion 28 and has an edge which bears against the inside surface of the housing cavity 48 so that the contact arm cannot move leftwardly in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 1.
  • the spring arm 8 has a lower portion which is of substantially uniform width and which extends normally of the yoke 4 of the terminal. This lower portion merges with a spring portion 38 which is reversely curved, as shown at 40, and which merges with a depending portion 41.
  • the free end 42 of the spring arm is adjacent to the extension 30 of the contact arm 6.
  • the rightwardly facing edge 43 of the free end of the spring arm serves as a stop to prevent overstressing.
  • the leftwardly facing edge 44 is normally against the bearing surface edge 32 of the contact arm 6.
  • the connector comprises an insulating housing 46 having a plurality of side-by-side cavities 48 therein extending upwardly from the lower end of the connector as viewed in the drawing. These cavities are dimensioned snugly to receive the terminals as shown, and the lefthand wall 50 of the housing 46 has an opening therein 52, through which parts of the circular free end portion 28 of the contact arm project.
  • the insulating housing has a leftwardly extending flange 54 which serves as a support for the circuit board 24, as shown in Figure 2, and this flange also supports, in part, a frame assembly 56 which is assembled to the housing.
  • the frame assembly is of stamped and formed sheet metal, preferably steel, and is generally channel-shaped having sidewalls 58, 62 and a base 60.
  • the sidewall 58 is disposed against the rightwardly facing surface of the housing as viewed in Figure 1, and has a lance 64 struck from its upper end portion which is received in a recess in the housing.
  • the frame assembly is also retained on the housing by ears 57 on the frame which are received in openings 59 in the housing.
  • the sidewall 62 is reversely bent, as shown at 66, at its upper end to provide a depending arm as shown at 68, which is spaced from the sidewall 62.
  • a cam shaft 70 is supported between the arm 68 and the sidewall 62 and has spaced-apart eccentric cams 72 mounted thereon. Openings are provided in the sidewall 62, the depending arm 68, and in a U-shaped spring member 74 to provide clearance for these cams.
  • the housing 46 has an extension 69 on its lefthand end as viewed in Figure 10, and a recess 67 in this housing receives the end portion of the U-shaped spring member 74 and the end portion of the shaft 70.
  • the channel-shaped spring member 74 has an integral biasing spring 71 thereon which bears against the lefthand end of the shaft 70 and stabilizes it in the frame assembly 56.
  • Shaft 70 is supported adjacent to its righthand end between ears 73, 75 on the sidewall 62 and on the depending portion 68 of the frame assembly 56.
  • the .shaft 70 is movable in a horizontal direction towards the wall 50 so that circuit boards of varying thicknesses can be received in the trough 76 defined by the sidewall 62 and the housing wall 50.
  • the U-shaped spring 74 is mounted on the sidewall 62 and the depending arm 68 of the frame 56. This spring 74 may not be required under all the circumstances but can be used when it is desired to have extremely high forces at the electrical interfaces between the contact portions 34 of the terminals and the terminal pads on the circuit board 24.
  • edge portions of the circuit board are inserted into the trough 76 as shown in Figure 2, and the shaft 70 is thereafter rotated through an angle of substantially 190° to the position shown in Figure 2.
  • the cams 72 will progressively push the circuit board 24 against the contact terminals 2 and the spring 74 will be flexed as shown, so that it will develop the required clamping force.
  • the contact arm 6 is flexed in a generally clockwise direction as the cam is rotated so that the contact arm pushes the spring arm 8 to the position in Figure 2.
  • the manner in which the contact arm is flexed and the spring arm 8 is stressed when the parts are in the positions of Figure 2 is discussed more fully below.
  • Terminals in accordance with the invention can be produced of any suitable material by simply removing material from flat stock metal. The removal of the material will ordinarily be carried out by a simple stamping operation to produce terminals in strip form, as shown in Figure 3, however, such terminals might under some circumstances, be manufactured by chemical etching of the strip. In any event, the finished terminal will have all of its parts lying in the plane of the original stock metal so that the cantilever beams, the contact arm, and the spring arm, are relatively stiff, although they are flexible.
  • the terminals as stamped are integral with a continuous carrier strip 78 and in the as-stamped condition, differ from the terminals as installed in the housing in that each terminal has an extension 84 of the yoke 4 and an additional solder post 86.
  • the end of the contact arm is integral with the end of the spring arm, as shown at 80, and the short lower portion on the end of the contact arm extends through a complete circle, as shown at 82.
  • the material indicated at 80 and 82 is removed prior to insertion of the terminal into the housing cavity 48 as shown at 80', 82' Figure 4.
  • the yoke extension 84 and the second solder post 86 may also be removed, as indicated in Figure 4.
  • the yoke extension and second solder leg may remain on the terminal and the tab 10 may be removed.
  • alternate terminals may thus have the leg 10 removed and the remaining terminals have the leg 86 removed so that a grid hole pattern in the circuit board can be provided for more convenient spacing and location of the conductors on the circuit board.
  • Terminals 2 are installed in the housing 46 in the general manner shown in Figures 4 - 6, and preferably by means of insertion machinery having the elements described below for guiding and inserting the terminals.
  • the housing 46 is supported in a housing support 88 that has a recess 90 in which the housing is supported with the open lower end of a cavity 48 disposed above the leading terminal on the strip 78.
  • a contact arm flexing and guiding tool 92 moves against the contact portion 34 of the contact arm 6 and an inserter 94 moves into surrounding relationship with the solder tab 10 of the terminal.
  • Tlle upper surface 95 of thisi inserter thus bears against the lower edge of the yoke portion 4 of the terminal so that when the inserter 94 moves upwardly, the terminal will be pushed into the cavity 48.
  • the flexing and guiding tool 92 moves rightwardly from the position of Figure 4 to the position of Figure 5, in which the righthand surface 91 of this tool is coplanar with the adjacent internal surface 97 of the housing 46.
  • the terminal 2 When the terminal 2 is held in the insertion tooling as shown in Figure 5, the terminal is sheared from the carrier strip 78 by a shearing means and thereafter the inserter 94 moves upwardly from the position of Figure 6.
  • a guide means 96 is provided against the righthand edge of the terminal and in alignment with the surface 99 of the cavity so that the terminal will move smoothly into the cavity 48.
  • the electrical function of the terminal is performed primarily by the contact arm 6 in that the current will flow from the contact portion 34 along this arm to the yoke 4 and through the solder post 10 to the conductor 18.
  • the contact arm is substantially straight and extremely short, so that inductance effects will be minimized. Current will not tend to flow across the bearing portions 32, 44 and through the spring arm because of the fact that this current path would present would present a higher resistance.
  • the contact arm is flexed when the circuit board 24 positioned against the surface of the wall 50 of the housing 46 but its flexure makes only a minor contribution to the contact force developed in the electrical interface of the terminal and the circuit board in Figure 2.
  • the spring arm can, of course, be designed to provide optimum properties and characteristics for the particular use to which the connector will be put. If extremely high contact forces are desired, this spring arm 8 can be made relatively stiff so that it will develop such high forces. Alternatively, if a contact force of limited magnitude is desired, the contact force can be reduced by redesigning the spring arm of the terminal.
  • Figure 7 is a diagram which shows the relative positions of the upper end of the contact arm at different stages of the assembly operation in which the terminal is inserted into the cavity 48.
  • the line 98 indicates the position of the contact arm 6 prior to flexing of this arm inwardly towards the spring arm, in other words, the position of the arm, as it appears in Figure 4 of the drawing.
  • the line 100 denotes the position of the contact arm when the parts are in the position of Figure 6 or Figure 2, that is, when the contact arm is flexed rightwardly to its extreme position.
  • the spring arm 8 pushes the contact arm leftwardly beyond its normal position 102 to the position 104.
  • the spring arm is of course flexed rightwardly when the parts are moved to the position of Figure 5 and it has a tendency to return to its normal position, and it is this tendency of the spring arm to return to its normal position that pushes the contact arm to the position indicated by the line 104.
  • Figure 8 is a force travel diagram showing the position of the upper end of the contact arm during the assembly process.
  • the reference numerals 98, 100, 102, 104 have been applied to Figure 8, with prime marks, so that the curve shown in Figure 8 can be correlated with the arm positions shown in Figure 7.
  • the upper end of the arm 6 is moved a total of 0.97mm when it is flexed from the position of Figure 4 to the position of Figure and during such flexure, the load remains substantially constant after it has risen to a plateau value.
  • the upper end of the contact arm 6 moves leftwardly past the condition of no load, as shown at 102', and is flexed in a manner such that it is loaded in the opposite direction, as indicated at 104'.
  • the contact arm and the spring arm are both in a flexed condition and are resiliently biased towards each other results in the capability in the contact arm for an increased amount of travel in normal usage, as compared in the amount which would be obtainable if the contact arm were not flexed leftwardly when it is in its Figure 1 position and, therefore preloaded against the lower end of the spring arm.
  • the spring arm can, of course, withstand the flexure which it must undergo in the ordinary use of the connector by virtue of its substantial mass and its dimensions.
  • the specific terminal in accordance with the invention which has been described above has a circular free end 2S on the contact arm 6 which is capable of rotation relative to the shank portion of the contact arm when the load, the contact force, is applied against the contact portion 34 and the reaction force is applied against the bearing portion 32 by the spring arm.
  • the capability for this rotation increases the overall range of movement of the contact area 34 rightwardly, as viewed in the drawing, when the circuit board is mated with the connector.
  • the shank portion of the contact arm 6 which extends from the base portion 26 to the free end undergoes flexure when the contact arm is stressed and this flexure of the arm results in some movement of the contact zone 34 rightwardly from the position of Figure 1.
  • This characteristic of the disclosed embodiment is highly advantageous in that it permits the designer of a specific terminal to achieve a greater amount of movement of the contact portion 34 than would be obtainable if all of the movement were simply a result of flexure of the shank portion of the contact arm. Additionally, the rotation of the circular upper portion 28 of the contact arm contributes to the achievement of a wiping motion on the contact surfaces since the actual zone of contact moves relatively over the zone of contact on the circuit board 24 as the circuit board is clapped in the connector.
  • Terminals in accordance with the invention can be plated with a conductive metal as desired and as indicated by the environment of the intended use. Tin plating or plating with a tin-lead alloy may be satisfactory under many circumstances,partlcularly in view of the fact that high contact forces can be obtained from the terminal if desired. Gold plating may be used if an extremely low resistance is required. If terminals in accordance with the invention are used under cryogenic conditions, a plating of indium or pure tin may be used.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
EP19810305304 1980-11-20 1981-11-09 Elektrische Kontaktklemme und Mehrfachkontaktverbinder Expired EP0052973B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/208,734 US4370012A (en) 1980-11-20 1980-11-20 Electrical connector for circuit board or substrate
US208724 1980-11-20
US06/208,724 US4370017A (en) 1980-11-20 1980-11-20 Complanate contact terminal
US208734 1980-11-20

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0052973A2 true EP0052973A2 (de) 1982-06-02
EP0052973A3 EP0052973A3 (en) 1982-12-29
EP0052973B1 EP0052973B1 (de) 1986-02-12

Family

ID=26903441

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19810305304 Expired EP0052973B1 (de) 1980-11-20 1981-11-09 Elektrische Kontaktklemme und Mehrfachkontaktverbinder

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0052973B1 (de)
CA (1) CA1170323A (de)
DE (1) DE3173783D1 (de)
MY (1) MY8800058A (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0197623A2 (de) * 1985-04-04 1986-10-15 Molex Incorporated Elektrische Mehrleiterverbinder und Verfahren zu deren Herstellung
US4959029A (en) * 1989-08-18 1990-09-25 Amp Incorporated Electrical contact
US5015196A (en) * 1989-01-18 1991-05-14 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Low insertion force connector and electrical contact therefor

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3871736A (en) * 1973-09-20 1975-03-18 Amp Inc Connectors providing interconnection between closely spaced conductors and widely spaced terminals
US4188085A (en) * 1978-09-27 1980-02-12 Burroughs Corporation High density solder tail connector assembly for leadless integrated circuit packages
DE2838557A1 (de) * 1978-09-04 1980-03-06 Siemens Ag Anordnung zum anschluss von in rahmenartigen baugruppentraegern einschiebbaren elektronischen baugruppen
EP0018422A1 (de) * 1977-11-08 1980-11-12 COMPAGNIE INDUSTRIELLE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIT-ALCATEL S.A. dite: Verbinder für eine gedruckte Leiterplatte
US4268102A (en) * 1979-10-04 1981-05-19 Amp Incorporated Low impedance electrical connecting means for spaced-apart conductors

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3871736A (en) * 1973-09-20 1975-03-18 Amp Inc Connectors providing interconnection between closely spaced conductors and widely spaced terminals
EP0018422A1 (de) * 1977-11-08 1980-11-12 COMPAGNIE INDUSTRIELLE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIT-ALCATEL S.A. dite: Verbinder für eine gedruckte Leiterplatte
DE2838557A1 (de) * 1978-09-04 1980-03-06 Siemens Ag Anordnung zum anschluss von in rahmenartigen baugruppentraegern einschiebbaren elektronischen baugruppen
US4188085A (en) * 1978-09-27 1980-02-12 Burroughs Corporation High density solder tail connector assembly for leadless integrated circuit packages
US4268102A (en) * 1979-10-04 1981-05-19 Amp Incorporated Low impedance electrical connecting means for spaced-apart conductors

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0197623A2 (de) * 1985-04-04 1986-10-15 Molex Incorporated Elektrische Mehrleiterverbinder und Verfahren zu deren Herstellung
EP0197623A3 (de) * 1985-04-04 1988-07-06 Molex Incorporated Elektrische Mehrleiterverbinder und Verfahren zu deren Herstellung
US5015196A (en) * 1989-01-18 1991-05-14 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Low insertion force connector and electrical contact therefor
US4959029A (en) * 1989-08-18 1990-09-25 Amp Incorporated Electrical contact

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0052973A3 (en) 1982-12-29
MY8800058A (en) 1988-12-31
EP0052973B1 (de) 1986-02-12
CA1170323A (en) 1984-07-03
DE3173783D1 (en) 1986-03-27

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4370017A (en) Complanate contact terminal
US4354729A (en) Preloaded electrical contact terminal
CN109687197B (zh) 电连接器
US5240430A (en) Electrical connector for cable to circit board application
JP3477640B2 (ja) コネクタ
US4547031A (en) Chip carrier socket and contact
EP0337632B1 (de) Elektrische Einrichtung mit verbesserten Leitern für die Oberflächenmontage von gedruckten Schaltungen
IE56446B1 (en) Contact for chip carriers and method of inserting same into a housing
US6325655B1 (en) Electrical connector for a PGA package
US5129832A (en) Surface mount electrical connector and method of making the same
KR20020000004U (ko) 표면 장착 전기 커넥터
US6957987B2 (en) Socket connector for integrated circuit
EP0407531B1 (de) Chipträger-sockel niedriger bauhöhe
EP0540260B1 (de) Elektrischer Verbinder zur Verbindung einer Leiterplatte mit einem Kabel
US7445461B1 (en) Composite electrical contact with elastic wire contact part and separate rigid part
US4872851A (en) Electrical connector with torsional contacts
EP0140473A1 (de) Lötfreier elektrischer Leiter für gedruckte Schaltungen und Steckvorrichtung, die diesen verwendet
US4370012A (en) Electrical connector for circuit board or substrate
US5791929A (en) Zero insertion force electrical connector and terminal
JPH01315976A (ja) 無挿入力電気コネクタ
US6152766A (en) Electrical connector
CA1084564A (en) Unitary fuse clip having a wire wrap terminal
EP0052973B1 (de) Elektrische Kontaktklemme und Mehrfachkontaktverbinder
EP0471219A2 (de) Auf der Oberfläche montierter elektrischer Steckverbinder und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung
US6471535B1 (en) Electrical socket

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT NL

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT NL

RHK1 Main classification (correction)

Ipc: H01R 23/72

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19830601

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed

Owner name: BARZANO' E ZANARDO MILANO S.P.A.

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT NL

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 3173783

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19860327

ET Fr: translation filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 19921006

Year of fee payment: 12

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 19921013

Year of fee payment: 12

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 19921016

Year of fee payment: 12

ITTA It: last paid annual fee
PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Effective date: 19931109

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: 732E

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19931109

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Effective date: 19940729

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Effective date: 19940802

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Payment date: 19951004

Year of fee payment: 15

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Effective date: 19970601

NLV4 Nl: lapsed or anulled due to non-payment of the annual fee

Effective date: 19970601