EP0228859A2

EP0228859A2 - Detachable electrical connector

Info

Publication number: EP0228859A2
Application number: EP86309789A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Haruo Hoshino
Original assignee: Thomas and Betts Corp
Current assignee: ABB Installation Products Inc
Priority date: 1985-12-16
Filing date: 1986-12-16
Publication date: 1987-07-15
Also published as: EP0228859A3; JPS62100684U

Abstract

An electrical connector includes detachable male and female connector members (10, 20). The male connector portion (10) includes two rows of electrical contacts (12,13) at the bottom surface thereof. The female member (20) defines a cavity (21) for receipt of the male connector member (10). A pair of shoulders (40) are disposed at opposite ends of the cavity (21), the shoulders (40) serving as a stop surface. Located at the bottom of the cavity (21) there are two rows of electrical spring contacts (22A, 23A) in the female connector member (20), the free ends of the spring contacts (22A, 23A) being higher than the shoulders (40) such that upon insertion of the male connector member (10), electrical interconnection is established between the respective contacts (12, 13; 22A, 23A) of the male and female members (10, 20) before the male member (10) strikes the shoulders (40). A pivot region is provided for pivoting the male member (10) in the cavity (21) to a latched position for securing the male and female members (10, 20) together.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electrical connector having satisfactory electric contact even after frequent detaching thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In modern industries, electronics are widely used by virtue of developing semiconductor technology. Various interconnections have also been developed between an electrical circuit, for example, a printed circuit board provided with electrical elements and another electrical circuit. An electrical connector for such interconnections must meet various mechanical and electrical requirements.
An electrical circuit, such as those provided with a memory, are often subjected to frequent detaching with a conventional connector mounted on a printed board. It is necessary for contacts of the circuit to make electric connection with the contacts of the connector, and also to hold the electrical circuit in a stable position. To this end, connectors of this type have a construction by which the electrical circuit is engaged from both sides thereof. This construction results in a problem such that after frequent detaching of the electrical circuit from the connector, the connector produces in many cases, a poor electric contact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector that is detachable and maintains good contact after frequent use.
In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, an electrical connector includes a male connector member and a female connector member. The male connector member has a plurality of electrical contacts aligned in an array of two, spaced substantially parallel rows. The female connector member comprises a housing defining a cavity which accommodates the male connector member therein. Engaging means is provided for engaging the male connector member with the female connector member by pivoting the male connector member within said concavity. A plurality of spring contacts are disposed in the female connector member in two, spaced parallel rows and in correspondence with the contacts of the male connector member to provide electrical interconnection with the contacts of the male connector member. Support means are included for supporting the male connector member within said cavity of the female connector member.
The construction of the present invention will be described in detail in connection with the embodiment shown in the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the electrical connector in exploded view.
Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views showing the coupling stages of the male and female members of the electrical connector of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawing figures, there is shown in Figure 1, an electrical connector according to the present invention, wherein a male connector member 10 is fixedly connected to a printed circuit board 11 at the lower end thereof. In this embodiment, the male connector member 10 is inserted slantwise into a cavity 21 formed in a female connector member 20, and is engaged therewith by pivoting the male connector member within the cavity, as will be detailed hereinafter. The present invention is not limited thereto as other engaging means may be employed. For instance, the male connector member may be inserted into the cavity in the vertical direction, engagement with the female connector member being established by slanting the male connector member.
Turning now to Figures 2 and 3, electrical contacts 12, 13 and 22, 23 of the male and female connector members are respectively aligned in two contact rows parallel to each other. The contacts 12, 13 of the male connector member 10 are provided at the bottom portion of the member, while the contacts 22, 23 of the female connector member 20 are provided at the bottom portion of the cavity 21 to serve also as spring contacts. The spring contacts 22 and 23 include terminal portions for connecting an external electrical circuit 50 thereto, and cantilevered portions 22A, 23A extending into the cavity 21 for connection to the contacts 12 and 13 of the male connector member 10.
Shoulders 40 are provided for stopping further insertion of the male connector member 10 into the female connector member and for supporting the male connector member within the concavity. In this embodiment, a shoulder 40 is constructed of a protrusion or step provided on opposite ends of the bottom of the cavity 21. Preferably, the protrusion or step is positioned lower than the free ends of the spring contacts 22A and 23A in order that the male connector member be supported within the cavity after it is inserted into the female connector member and after electrical interconnection is established between the spring contacts and the contacts of the male connector member.
Engaging means is provided for engaging the male connector member 10 with the female connector member by pivoting the male connector member 10 within the cavity 21. This engaging means comprises a pivot shaft region serving as a pivot when the male connector member is pivoted within the cavity 21 of the female connector member, and a latch for engaging the male connector member with the female connector member. In the preferred embodiment, the pivot shaft region is defined by an elongated bulge 31 of a generally circular arc cross section formed along the lower portion of the male connector member 10 on one outer side surface thereof. The latch is constructed of an engaging protrusion 32 formed in parallel with the pivot shaft region along the upper portion of the male connector member on the opposite side surface thereof, and an engaging groove 33 formed into one wall forming the cavity 21 and in correspondence with the engaging protrusion 32.
In the embodiment shown in the drawing figures, reference numeral 24 represents a wall surface defining the cavity 21 which surface serves as a guide for slantwise insertion of the male connector member into the female connector member. Reference numeral 14 represents a tapered portion of the male connector member 10 which portion is formed so as to ease the insertion of the male connector member into the female connector member.
As the male connector member is inserted into the cavity of the female connector member, electrical connection is first made between contacts 12 and 22 (see Fig. 2) and then electrical connection is made between contacts 13 and 23 upon further insertion. Over-insertion of the male connector member is prevented by the shoulders 40 provided near the bottom of the female connector member, with the contacts of the male connector member being in contact with the spring contacts of the female connector member. Thereafter, as the male connector member is pivoted to hold a vertical position, the engaging protrusion 32 and the engaging groove 33 are engaged with each other using the bulge 31 of the male connector member as a pivot shaft, so that the male connector member is held in position within the female connector member.
The construction of the electrical connector according to the present invention as described above affords the following advantages.
Specifically, electrical interconnection between the male and female connectors is provided by use of a spring contact, whereas mechanical coupling between the connectors is provided by use of engaging means. In addition, to further ensure electrical interconnection by the spring contact, there is provided support means formed in the female connector by the shoulders for supporting the male connector thereon. As a result, contact stress is minimized and an electrical connector is realized which can retain satisfactory electrical interconnection even after frequent detaching.
Having described the preferred embodiments herein, it should be appreciated that various modifications of the invention described herein may be made without departing from the contemplated scope. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments are intended in an illustrative rather than limiting sense. The true scope of the invention is set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising a male connector member (10) and a female connector member (20), said male connector member including a plurality of conductive contacts (12, 13) arranged in two, spaced substantially parallel rows, and said female connector member including a housing defining a cavity (21) for receiving said male connector member therein, engaging means for pivotally engaging said male connector member in said cavity, a plurality of spring contacts (22, 23) arranged in two, spaced substantially parallel rows and corresponding to the contacts of said male connector member to make electrical connection with the contacts thereof, and supporting means (40) for supporting said male connecting member in said cavity.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the contacts of said male connector member are provided at the bottom surface thereof.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the spring contacts of said female connector member are provided adjacent the bottom of said cavity thereof.

4. An electrical connector according to claim 3 wherein said supporting means includes a shoulder at the bottom of said cavity to interrupt said male connector member upon insertion into said female connector member and support said male connector member in said cavity.

5. An electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein said shoulder is disposed lower than free ends of said spring contacts so as to support said male connector member after electrical connection of said spring contacts is established with the contacts of said male connector member upon insertion of said male connector member into said female connector member.

6. An electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to'5, wherein said engaging means comprises a portion (31) being operable as a pivot surface and latch means for latching said male connector means upon pivoting said male connector member in the cavity of said female connector member on the spring contacts thereof.

7. An electric connector according to claim 6, wherein said portion operable as a pivot surface comprises a bulge (31) provided along a lower edge of said male connector member.

8. An electrical connector according to claim 7, wherein said bulge is defined by a generally circular section.

9. An electrical connector according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein said latch means comprises a latching projection (32) provided at an upper edge of said male connector member, said projection being substantially parallel to said pivot portion, and a latching recess (33) provided in said cavity correspondingly to said latching projection.