US3397381A - Printed circuit edge connector - Google Patents

Printed circuit edge connector Download PDF

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Publication number
US3397381A
US3397381A US561942A US56194266A US3397381A US 3397381 A US3397381 A US 3397381A US 561942 A US561942 A US 561942A US 56194266 A US56194266 A US 56194266A US 3397381 A US3397381 A US 3397381A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
channel
pocket
panel
loop
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 - Lifetime
Application number
US561942A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Gilissen Hermanus Pet Johannes
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
Application filed by AMP Inc filed Critical AMP Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3397381A publication Critical patent/US3397381A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • H01R13/26—Pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only
    • 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
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/428—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members
    • H01R13/432—Securing in a demountable manner by resilient locking means on the contact members; by locking means on resilient contact members by stamped-out resilient tongue snapping behind shoulder in base or case

Definitions

  • An electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing having a channel and -a pocket in communication with the channel so that a spring contact section of an electrical contact in the pocket extends within the channel and the electrical contact has a leg portion provided with a bowed area that resiliently and slidably engages a wall of the pocket to permit the spring contact section to remain substantially constant and to be substantially independent from the deflection of a bight of the spring contact sec tion while the spring contact section is under electricalengaging tension.
  • This invention relates to electrical connectors, and in particular to a printed circuit edge connector with constant contact pressure.
  • Electrical connector assemblies for connecting electrical leads to printed conductors on printed circuit panels comprise an insulating housing defining a channel for receiving an edge of the printed circuit panel, a pocket defined by the housing and communicating with the channel, and an electrical contact element in the pocket.
  • the contact element has a contact spring portion formed as a loop, the bight of which is directed outwardly of the channel, one side of the loop engaging one Wall of the pocket adjacent the channel and having a contact portion protruding into the channel for making electrical contact with the printed conductor when the panel is inserted into the channel.
  • the contact element normally has a connecting portion for connection to the lead.
  • the other side of the loop is rigidly connected to the housing to act as a cantilever providing the contact pressure exerted by the contact portion against the printed conductor.
  • the contact pressure thus varies continuously according to the relative positions of the printed conductor and the contact spring portion. When the panel is fully inserted in the channel, the contact pressure is therefore subject to variation as a result of irregularities in the thickness of the panel or panel vibration.
  • an electrical connector assembly for connecting an electrical lead to a printed conductor on a printed circuit panel
  • the assembly comprises an insulating housing defining a channel for receiving an edge of the printed circuit panel, a pocket defined by the housing and communicating with the channel, and an electrical contact element in the pocket, the contact element having a contact spring portion formed as a loop, the bight of which is directed outwardly of the channel, one side of the loop engaging one wall of the pocket adjacent the channel and having a contact portion protruding into the channel for making electrical contact with the printed conductor when the panel is inserted into the channel, the contact element having a connecting portion for connection to the lead, the other side of the loop has according to the invention a bowed portion resiliently engaging the opposite wall of the pocket and terminating in a free end on the side of the bowed portion remote from the bight of the loop, the loop being spring loaded between the one wall of the pocket and the opposite wall of the pocket.
  • the loop Upon initial deflection of the loop as a result of a short initial inser- 3,397,381 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 tion of the panel, the loop is spring loaded between the panel and the opposite wall of the pocket instead of between the one wall and the opposite wall whereby the bowed portion slides relative to the opposite Wall upon further insertion of the panel into the channel so that the contact pressure exerted by the contact portion against the printed conductor remains substantially constant and is thus substantially independent of the extent to which the loop is finally deflected.
  • the contact pressure is accordingly substantially uninfluenced by irregularities in the thickness of the panel or panel vibration.
  • Another object is to provide a printed circuit connector in which the contact pressure is substantially uninfluenced by irregularities in the printed circuit panel thickness.
  • Still another object is to provide a printed circuit connector which is substantially uninfluenced by vibration of the printed circuit panel.
  • FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of an electrical connector assembly according to the invention
  • FIGURE 2 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 of an electrical connector assembly showing the printed conductor partially inserted into the channel;
  • FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to FIGURES l and 2 of an electrical connector assembly showing the printed conductor fully inserted into the channel;
  • FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of a detail of the assembly.
  • FIGURE 5 is a graph illustrating the operation of the assembly.
  • the assembly comprises an elongated insulating housing 1 defining a channel 2 for receiving the edge 3 of a printed circuit panel having thereon printed conductors 4.
  • the housing 1 defines pockets 5 (only two of which are shown) communicating with the channel 2 and each containing a sheet metal contact element 6.
  • Each element 6 comprises a contact spring portion formed as a loop, the bight 7 of which is directed outwardly of the pocket 5, on side of the loop having a rectangularly bent portion 8 engaging one wall 9 of the pocket 5 adjacent the channel 2 and a contact portion 10 protruding into the channel 2, the portion 10 being connected to the bight 7 by an inclined panel guiding portion 11 of the element 6.
  • the other side of the loop has a bowed portion 12 resiliently engaging the opposite wall 9a of the pocket 5 and terminates in a free end 13 on that side of the portion 12 which is remote from the bight 7.
  • the portion 3 is connected by a straight portion 14 to a further rectangularly bent portion 15 engaging a lower wall of the pocket 5 and from which extends through a hole 16 in the housing a tab 17 for connection to an electrical lead, the tab 17 having a struck out lance 18 engaging the lower (as seen in FIGURE 1) wall of the housing 1 to lock the element 6 in the housing in cooperation with the portion 15.
  • the element 6 is longitudinally divided into two equal portions between points a and a on the length of the element 6.
  • FIGURE 4 shows one of the elements 6 prior to insertion in the housing 1.
  • the portion 12 is cammed towards the portion 14 by an inclined guiding Wall 19 of the housing, so that the element 6 is spring loaded after insertion into the housing, between the wall 9 and the opposite wall 9a of the pocket.
  • the portions 11 engage the printed conductors 4 thereby causing the looped shaped contact spring portions initially to be deflected away from the walls 9 by a small amount (refer to FIG- URE 2).
  • Each contact spring portion is thus now loaded between the panel and the opposite wall 9a of the pocket 5.
  • the contact pressure exerted by the portions 10 against the conductors 4 accordingly increases rapidly during this initial deflection, e.g. up to 140 grams.
  • the portions 12 slide downwardly (as seen in FIGURE 3) relative to the walls 9a so that the contact pressure remains substantially constant while the panel 3 is pushed home into the channel 2.
  • the final contact pressure is accordingly substantially the same regardless of irregularities in the thickness of the panel 3 whilst at the same time the contact pressure is substantially uninfluenced by panel vibration.
  • FIGURE 5 which is a graph of which the ordinate represents the contact pressure expressed in grams and the abscissa the deflect-ion of each contact spring portion expressed in thousandths of an inch (.0254 mm)
  • the contact pressure rises to 140 grams during the initial deflection of the contact spring portion by .006 inch (.1525 mm.) thereafter rising only to 160 grams after final deflection of the contact spring portion by .030 inch (.7350 mm.).
  • each contact spring portion In the event one of the two portions into which each contact spring portion is devided is deflected to a greater extent than the other portion due for example to dirt on the panel, the other portion of the spring still maintains eflective contact pressure against the printed conductor, as indicated by lines 0, P, and Q in FIGURE 3 which indicate the contact pressure exerted by the other portion. According to FIG- URE 3, the contact pressure falls only by grams per extra .001 inch (.0245 mm.) of deflection of the one portion.
  • one side of the loop has an extension projecting from the housing to form a lug for connection to the lead, the lug having a detent engaging the outer surface of the housing, the one side of the loop having a rectangularly bent portion engaging a shoulder formed by the pocket.
  • An electrical connector comprising a dielectric housing having a channel therein and a pocket in communication with said channel, an electrical contact member in said pocket and including a spring contact section in said pocket and a conductor-engaging section extending outwardly from one end of said housing, means provided by said housing and said contact member securing said contact member in position in said housing, said spring contact section having a first leg portion and 'a second leg portion, a bight connecting said leg portions together, said first leg portion extending along one wall of said pocket and including a contact-engaging area extending within said channel, said second leg portion extending along another wall of said pocket and having a bowed area for resilient and sliding engagement with said another wall upon said spring contact section being placed under electrical-engaging tension to thereby cause said spring contact section to remain substantially constant and to be substantially independent from the deflection of said bight while being under the electrical-engaging tension, and said second leg portion having a free end lying within said pocket and spaced from the walls thereof.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
US561942A 1965-07-05 1966-06-30 Printed circuit edge connector Expired - Lifetime US3397381A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL6508627A NL6508627A (is") 1965-07-05 1965-07-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3397381A true US3397381A (en) 1968-08-13

Family

ID=19793573

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US561942A Expired - Lifetime US3397381A (en) 1965-07-05 1966-06-30 Printed circuit edge connector

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3397381A (is")
DE (2) DE1590006C3 (is")
ES (1) ES328382A1 (is")
GB (1) GB1096839A (is")
NL (2) NL6508627A (is")
SE (1) SE322569B (is")

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4089581A (en) * 1977-05-03 1978-05-16 Litton Systems, Inc. Printed circuit board connector
US4390224A (en) * 1981-05-14 1983-06-28 Amp Incorporated Two piece zero insertion force connector
US4392700A (en) * 1981-09-08 1983-07-12 Amp Incorporated Cam actuated zero insertion force mother/daughter board connector
US20050124223A1 (en) * 2003-12-03 2005-06-09 Chi Zhang Electrical contact
US20090068897A1 (en) * 2007-09-06 2009-03-12 Zuofeng Jin Slot connector

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU541432B2 (en) * 1980-06-23 1985-01-10 Amp Incorporated Circuit board edge connector
DE3224933C2 (de) * 1982-07-03 1985-04-18 ELCO Elektronik GmbH, 5241 Niederdreisbach Federkontakt für elektrische Steckverbindungen
WO1993002491A1 (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-02-04 E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Low profile, surface-mounted connector having curved cantilevered spring contacts
US5273456A (en) * 1992-04-09 1993-12-28 Itt Corporation Mate sensing connector system
US5401185A (en) * 1993-11-22 1995-03-28 Wang; Kuo-Long Edge connector
CN108539459B (zh) * 2018-05-02 2019-06-04 安徽江淮汽车集团股份有限公司 一种汽车线束连接器

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE624089A (is") * 1961-10-27
US3120988A (en) * 1962-05-25 1964-02-11 Continental Connector Corp Bellows-type contact construction
US3289148A (en) * 1964-07-29 1966-11-29 Litton Systems Inc Connectors

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE624089A (is") * 1961-10-27
US3120988A (en) * 1962-05-25 1964-02-11 Continental Connector Corp Bellows-type contact construction
US3289148A (en) * 1964-07-29 1966-11-29 Litton Systems Inc Connectors

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4089581A (en) * 1977-05-03 1978-05-16 Litton Systems, Inc. Printed circuit board connector
US4390224A (en) * 1981-05-14 1983-06-28 Amp Incorporated Two piece zero insertion force connector
US4392700A (en) * 1981-09-08 1983-07-12 Amp Incorporated Cam actuated zero insertion force mother/daughter board connector
US20050124223A1 (en) * 2003-12-03 2005-06-09 Chi Zhang Electrical contact
US6988913B2 (en) * 2003-12-03 2006-01-24 Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd. Electrical contact
US20090068897A1 (en) * 2007-09-06 2009-03-12 Zuofeng Jin Slot connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE322569B (is") 1970-04-13
DE1590006B2 (de) 1972-05-18
DE1979183U (de) 1968-02-22
GB1096839A (en) 1967-12-29
DE1590006C3 (de) 1974-08-22
ES328382A1 (es) 1967-04-01
DE1590006A1 (de) 1970-05-14
NL132009C (is")
NL6508627A (is") 1967-01-06

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