GB1598308A - Electric socket connectors - Google Patents

Electric socket connectors Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB1598308A
GB1598308A GB10676/77A GB1067677A GB1598308A GB 1598308 A GB1598308 A GB 1598308A GB 10676/77 A GB10676/77 A GB 10676/77A GB 1067677 A GB1067677 A GB 1067677A GB 1598308 A GB1598308 A GB 1598308A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
connector
contact members
housing
rows
contact
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB10676/77A
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.)
General Electric Co PLC
Original Assignee
General Electric Co PLC
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
Application filed by General Electric Co PLC filed Critical General Electric Co PLC
Priority to GB10676/77A priority Critical patent/GB1598308A/en
Publication of GB1598308A publication Critical patent/GB1598308A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
    • H01R12/82—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
    • H01R12/853—Fluid activated
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
    • H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/72—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/721—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
    • 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
    • H01R13/64—Means for preventing incorrect coupling
    • H01R13/641—Means for preventing incorrect coupling by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ELECTRIC SOCKET CONNECTORS (71) We, THE GENERAL ELEC TRIC COMPANY LIMITED, of 1 Stanhope Gate, London W1A 1EH, a British company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to electric socket connectors.
In particular, the invention is concerned with electric socket connectors for use with edge connectors.
When a conventional socket is used for example in test equipment considerable wear takes place due to repeated insertion and withdrawal of printed circuit boards.
According to one aspect of the present invention an electric socket connector for use with an edge connector comprises a housing, at least one row of contact members within said housing, electrical insulator means to define an insertion position in said housing for an edge connector such that part of said edge connector lies adjacent said row or rows of contact members, but substantially not in electrical contact with said contact members, and expandible means within said housing which is operable to urge said edge connector and said contact members into electrical contact with one another.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an electric socket connector for use with an edge connector comprises a housing, two rows of cantilever spring contact members within said housing, electrical insulator means to define an insertion position in said housing for an edge connector such that part of said edge connector lies between said row of contact members, but substantially not in electrical contact with said contact members, and respective expandible means which lie between each of said rows of contact members and a respective part of said housing and which are operable to urge contact members of said rows into electrical contact with said edge connector.
Preferably each said expandible means comprises an elongated inflatable bladder or bag of plastics material such as polyvinyl chloride. Stop means, such as a bar of electrically insulating material, may be provided between said rows of contact members to prevent direct contact between directly opposed contact members in said rows.
An electric socket connector in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawing accompanying the provisional specification, which shows the connector in cross section.
Referring to the drawing the connector comprises an elongate box-like housing 1 of electrically insulating material enclosing two straight rows of contact springs 2. Between each row of contact springs 2 and the adjacent inner wall of the housing 1 lies an elongate inflatable bag of bladder 3 of polyvinyl chloride enclosed in a fold of plastics sheet material 4 such as polyethylene pteraphthalate. An edge connector (not shown) of a printed circuit board (not shown), or a plug connector of similar contact configuration may be inserted into a longitudinal slot 5 in the housing 1 to butt against an insulating strip or bar 6 which lies between the two rows of contacts.
When air or gas under pressure is admitted to the two bags 3 the contacts 2 are urged by the consequent expansion of the bags 3 into contact with the surfaces of the edge connector whereby electrical connections may be made to conductors of the edge connector. If the edge connector is shorter than the socket connector, along the length of the rows of contacts 2, the bar 6 will prevent the unused contacts of the two rows from coming into direct contact with one another when the bags 3 are inflated, while allowing sufficient movement of those contacts that are opposite the edge connector.
At one end of the socket connector a conductive plate (not shown) may be inserted so as to interconnect an opposed pair of contacts when the bags 3 are inflated to indicate that the connector has been operated.
Since the contacts 2 make "point" connections to a printed circuit board contact area, at a different position on that contact area to that which will be used in service, no wear takes place and the tested board appears "unused".
The connector can be used with any width of printed circuit board of the designed pitch, since any unused contacts will be prevented by the bar 6 from shorting across.
Because of the complete isolation between the contacts 2 and a printed circuit board when the bags 3 are deflated, the connector can be used as a switch, and a number of socket connectors can be wired in parallel, allowing loading and unloading while testing is in progress. The shorting contacts will then signal which connector is in use.
The connectors may be banked together in any multiple without the usual problem of increasing insertion and withdrawal forces.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An electric socket connector for use with an edge connector comprising a housing, at least one row of contact members within said housing, electrical insulator means to define an insertion position in said housing for an edge connector such that part of said edge connector lies adjacent said row or rows of contact members, but substantially not in electrical contact within said contact members, and expandible means with said housing which is operable to urge said edge connector and said contact members into electrical contact with one another.
2. An electrical socket connector for use with an edge connector comprising a housing, two rows of cantilever spring contact members within said housing, electrical insulator means to define an insertion position in said housing for an edge connector such that part of said edge connector lies between said rows of contact members, but substantially not in electrical contact with said contact members, and respective expandible means which lie between each of said rows of contact members and a respective part of said housing and which are operable to urge contact members of said rows into electrical contact with said edge connector.
3. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 2 wherein each said expandible means comprises a elongate inflatable bladder or bag of flexible plastics material.
4. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 3 wherein said flexible plastics material is polyvinyl chloride.
5. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 2, Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein stop means is provided between said rows of contact members to prevent direct contact between opposed contact members in said rows.
6. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 5, wherein said stop means comprises a bar of electrically insulating material.
7. An electric socket connector in accordance with any one of Claims 3 to 6 wherein each inflatable bladder or bag is at least partly enclosed in a folded sheet of polyethylene pteraphthalate.
8. An electric socket connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing accompanying the provisional specification.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. allowing sufficient movement of those contacts that are opposite the edge connector. At one end of the socket connector a conductive plate (not shown) may be inserted so as to interconnect an opposed pair of contacts when the bags 3 are inflated to indicate that the connector has been operated. Since the contacts 2 make "point" connections to a printed circuit board contact area, at a different position on that contact area to that which will be used in service, no wear takes place and the tested board appears "unused". The connector can be used with any width of printed circuit board of the designed pitch, since any unused contacts will be prevented by the bar 6 from shorting across. Because of the complete isolation between the contacts 2 and a printed circuit board when the bags 3 are deflated, the connector can be used as a switch, and a number of socket connectors can be wired in parallel, allowing loading and unloading while testing is in progress. The shorting contacts will then signal which connector is in use. The connectors may be banked together in any multiple without the usual problem of increasing insertion and withdrawal forces. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. An electric socket connector for use with an edge connector comprising a housing, at least one row of contact members within said housing, electrical insulator means to define an insertion position in said housing for an edge connector such that part of said edge connector lies adjacent said row or rows of contact members, but substantially not in electrical contact within said contact members, and expandible means with said housing which is operable to urge said edge connector and said contact members into electrical contact with one another.
2. An electrical socket connector for use with an edge connector comprising a housing, two rows of cantilever spring contact members within said housing, electrical insulator means to define an insertion position in said housing for an edge connector such that part of said edge connector lies between said rows of contact members, but substantially not in electrical contact with said contact members, and respective expandible means which lie between each of said rows of contact members and a respective part of said housing and which are operable to urge contact members of said rows into electrical contact with said edge connector.
3. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 2 wherein each said expandible means comprises a elongate inflatable bladder or bag of flexible plastics material.
4. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 3 wherein said flexible plastics material is polyvinyl chloride.
5. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 2, Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein stop means is provided between said rows of contact members to prevent direct contact between opposed contact members in said rows.
6. An electric socket connector in accordance with Claim 5, wherein said stop means comprises a bar of electrically insulating material.
7. An electric socket connector in accordance with any one of Claims 3 to 6 wherein each inflatable bladder or bag is at least partly enclosed in a folded sheet of polyethylene pteraphthalate.
8. An electric socket connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing accompanying the provisional specification.
GB10676/77A 1977-03-14 1977-03-14 Electric socket connectors Expired GB1598308A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB10676/77A GB1598308A (en) 1977-03-14 1977-03-14 Electric socket connectors

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB10676/77A GB1598308A (en) 1977-03-14 1977-03-14 Electric socket connectors

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1598308A true GB1598308A (en) 1981-09-16

Family

ID=9972227

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB10676/77A Expired GB1598308A (en) 1977-03-14 1977-03-14 Electric socket connectors

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB1598308A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4968265A (en) * 1988-08-01 1990-11-06 Middleburg Corporation Fluidly actuated electrical connector
US5102343A (en) * 1991-02-22 1992-04-07 International Business Machines Corporation Fluid pressure actuated electrical connector
EP0479898A1 (en) * 1989-06-29 1992-04-15 Middleburg Corp Cam actuated electrical connector.

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4968265A (en) * 1988-08-01 1990-11-06 Middleburg Corporation Fluidly actuated electrical connector
EP0479898A1 (en) * 1989-06-29 1992-04-15 Middleburg Corp Cam actuated electrical connector.
EP0479898A4 (en) * 1989-06-29 1993-08-18 Middleburg Corporation Cam actuated electrical connector
US5102343A (en) * 1991-02-22 1992-04-07 International Business Machines Corporation Fluid pressure actuated electrical connector

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed [section 19, patents act 1949]
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee