US3486163A - Printed circuit connector spring contact device - Google Patents

Printed circuit connector spring contact device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3486163A
US3486163A US700450A US3486163DA US3486163A US 3486163 A US3486163 A US 3486163A US 700450 A US700450 A US 700450A US 3486163D A US3486163D A US 3486163DA US 3486163 A US3486163 A US 3486163A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
arms
printed circuit
contact
contact device
spring 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 - Lifetime
Application number
US700450A
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English (en)
Inventor
Hugo Richard Natalis De Vuyst
Joseph Julien Dereymaeker
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
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Publication of US3486163A publication Critical patent/US3486163A/en
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    • 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

Definitions

  • a fork-shaped contact element to be used in electrical connectors of the type which engage the conduct r-bearing edge of printed circuit boards.
  • the contact includes a resilient fork-shaped forward end which straddles the edge of a circuit board, and an integral rear tail portion which serves as an anchor and as a terminal post for securing external conductors to the contact.
  • An integral weakened portion between the tail and the forward end acts as a resilient hinge to permit alignment motion of the forward end relative to a connector housing when the tail portion has been anchored to the housing.
  • This invention relates, in general, to electrical connectors of the edge-engaging type for printed circuit boards. More specifically, it relates to fork-shaped contact elements for use in such electrical connectors, wherein provision is made for accommodating variations in alignment of parts without affecting the contact pressure between mating conductive surfaces.
  • the prior art contains examples of connectors for printed circuit boards in which individual contact elements have fork-shaped forward ends for straddling inserted circuit boards, and rearward tail portions for anchoring the contacts within a connector housing.
  • the two arms of the forked ends generally are of resilient structure, so as to provide a springy pincer grip on opposite sides of an inserted board.
  • a further object of this invention is the provision of a contact element of the type described which can be fabricated easily and inexpensively from a unitary piece of blank stock.
  • a feature of this invention is the provision of an integral weakened portion between the forward forked end of the contact and the rearward anchor portion so that the fork may change position as a unit relative to the anchor.
  • FIGURES 1 and 2 are transverse sectional views through a connector for printed circuit boards, constructed in accordance with this invention, and showing insertion of a circuit board in aligned and misaligned positions, respectively;
  • FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a blank from which a contact element may be formed in accordance with this invention.
  • FIGURE 4 is a section view taken along line IVIV of FIGURE 3;
  • FIGURE 5 is a section view taken long line V--V of FIGURE 3;
  • FIGURES 6 through 9 are perspective representations of progressive stages in the formation of a contact element from the blank illustrated in FIGURE 3.
  • FIGURE 1 illustrates a contact element 2 disposed within a connector housing 1 of insulating material.
  • the contact element comprises: a forked forward end formed of fork arms 4 and connecting base portion 10, a rearward tail or terminal post 3, and an integral connecting portion 8 of weakened structure formed between post 3 and base 10.
  • the forward ends 5 of fork arms 4 are bent so as to form a pair of opposed contact surfaces 6.
  • contact surfaces 6 will be urged into engagement with opposite sides of a printed circuit board 7 inserted between them.
  • the resilience of arms 4 and base 10 provides the force for engagement of surfaces 6 with a board 7.
  • arms 4 and base 10 form a unit in which the pincer gripping force exerted by the arms is substantially independent of any external structure.
  • This unit, formed of arms 4 and base 10, is integrally coupled to terminal anchor post 3 by weakened connecting portion 8.
  • the weakened portion acts in the manner of a flexible hinge to permit the forked forward end to be deflected as a unit relative to a fixed position of post 3.
  • FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings circuit board 7 has been inserted between fork arms 4 along the center line which is defined by the undefiected position of contact 2 within housing 1.
  • circuit board 7 has been inserted between arms 4 along a plane which is displaced from the at rest center line described above.
  • a contact element capable of performing in the manher which has been described may be constructed readily from a blank shaped as shown in FIGURE 3.
  • the weakened hinge portion 8 may be formed by means of a stamping or swaging operation to change the cross-sectional configuration of that portion of terminal post 3 from the shape shown in FIGURE 5 to that shown in FIGURE 4.
  • the reduced thickness of portion 8, produced by this operation readily permits flexure of the contact element at this point as has been described.
  • the blank of FIGURE 3 may be bent first at the ends of arms 4 and 4 as shown in FIGURE 6. Then, arm 4 may be twisted 90 degrees about its axis over the length 1 relative to hooked portion 12 as shown in FIGURE 7. This step is necessary so as to bring arm 4 into proper position for ultimate opposition to arm 4
  • the blank shown in FIGURE 3 may be formed preferably by having leg 4 initially disposed substantially perpendicularly to leg 4 and then bending the leg first as shown at reference point 11 and then as shown at reference point 12 to achieve the hooked step 13. This procedure enhances the resilience of the fork which is eventually defined by these two arms.
  • the extention portion 12 on leg 4 may be bent up out of the plane of the blank, as shown at 11 in FIGURE 8, and connecting portion may be further bent at right angles to the initial plane of the blank so as to bring arms 4 and 4 into the opposed position illustrated at FIGURE 9.
  • An electrical contact device for an electrical connector for printed circuit boards and the like, integrally formed of a unitary piece of blank stock having a given surface and comprising:
  • a forward forked end having a pair of opposed contact arms and a base element resiliently coupling said arms together for engaging a flat circuit conductor therebetween;
  • a rearward tail portion capable of being securely anchored to a connector housing
  • one of said pair of opposed contact arms is initially disposed substantially perpendicularly to the other of said arms in a common plane, and the said one of said arms is rotated about its own longitudinal axis and is bent out of the plane of said fiat blank so as to bring the given surface of said blank stock on said one arm into substantially opposed relationship with the same given surface of said blank stock on the other of said arms.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Multi-Conductor Connections (AREA)
US700450A 1967-01-31 1968-01-25 Printed circuit connector spring contact device Expired - Lifetime US3486163A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE693430 1967-01-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3486163A true US3486163A (en) 1969-12-23

Family

ID=3850162

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US700450A Expired - Lifetime US3486163A (en) 1967-01-31 1968-01-25 Printed circuit connector spring contact device

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3486163A (es)
BE (1) BE693430A (es)
FR (1) FR1553325A (es)
GB (1) GB1195473A (es)
NL (1) NL142562B (es)
SE (1) SE347416B (es)

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3876274A (en) * 1972-09-13 1975-04-08 Elco Corp Receptacles employing high density array of overlapping self-adjustable contacts
US3915537A (en) * 1972-07-03 1975-10-28 Ibm Universal electrical connector
US3923365A (en) * 1974-11-05 1975-12-02 Amp Inc Press fitted terminal post
US4334732A (en) * 1979-04-12 1982-06-15 Nixdorf Computer Ag Electrical connector unit
US4558912A (en) * 1983-12-14 1985-12-17 Amp Incorporated Edge connector for chip carrier
US4720276A (en) * 1985-03-25 1988-01-19 Yamaichi Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd. Clamp type contact and method of manufacture thereof
US4753617A (en) * 1986-11-17 1988-06-28 Raychem Corporation Electrical device having flexible electrical contacts
EP0305597A2 (en) * 1983-12-14 1989-03-08 Amp Incorporated Strip contacts
US4820199A (en) * 1987-12-21 1989-04-11 Itt Corporation Electrical connector adapter
US4966557A (en) * 1987-12-04 1990-10-30 Amp Incorporated Electrical contact element
US5207598A (en) * 1992-02-24 1993-05-04 Molex Incorporated Edge card connector
US5676571A (en) * 1996-08-08 1997-10-14 Elcon Products International Socket contact with integrally formed hood and arc-arresting portion
EP0902510A2 (en) * 1997-09-09 1999-03-17 Thomas & Betts International, Inc. Contacts having a realignment twist
US20050020134A1 (en) * 2003-07-24 2005-01-27 Winings Clifford L. Modular electrical connector
US20120072047A1 (en) * 2010-09-20 2012-03-22 Autoliv Asp. Inc. Enhanced electronic assembly
US20130079675A1 (en) * 2011-09-23 2013-03-28 Orthosensor Insert measuring system having an internal sensor assembly
US20160074784A1 (en) * 2013-04-17 2016-03-17 Outotec (Finland) Oy Filter plate, filter disc apparatus, and a method for controlling a disc filter
US20170287627A1 (en) * 2016-03-29 2017-10-05 Eaton Corporation Current transformer apparatus that is mountable to a circuit board

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3864000A (en) * 1973-06-07 1975-02-04 Amp Inc Mating contact connector housing assembly
ES257552Y (es) * 1979-04-05 1982-05-01 Conectador de clavija,por ejemplo para cuadros de circuitos impresos

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2755450A (en) * 1949-12-01 1956-07-17 British Insulated Callenders Multiple-pin plug and socket couplings
US2911609A (en) * 1955-09-29 1959-11-03 Horatio H Burtt Printed circuit card connector
US3172718A (en) * 1963-03-20 1965-03-09 Electronic Fittings Corp Multiple contact receptacle for printed circuit boards and the like
US3192498A (en) * 1962-05-17 1965-06-29 Elco Corp Contact adapted to receive pin or plate
US3231848A (en) * 1961-03-20 1966-01-25 Elco Corp Contact for direct reception of printed circuit board

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2755450A (en) * 1949-12-01 1956-07-17 British Insulated Callenders Multiple-pin plug and socket couplings
US2911609A (en) * 1955-09-29 1959-11-03 Horatio H Burtt Printed circuit card connector
US3231848A (en) * 1961-03-20 1966-01-25 Elco Corp Contact for direct reception of printed circuit board
US3192498A (en) * 1962-05-17 1965-06-29 Elco Corp Contact adapted to receive pin or plate
US3172718A (en) * 1963-03-20 1965-03-09 Electronic Fittings Corp Multiple contact receptacle for printed circuit boards and the like

Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3915537A (en) * 1972-07-03 1975-10-28 Ibm Universal electrical connector
US3876274A (en) * 1972-09-13 1975-04-08 Elco Corp Receptacles employing high density array of overlapping self-adjustable contacts
US3923365A (en) * 1974-11-05 1975-12-02 Amp Inc Press fitted terminal post
US4334732A (en) * 1979-04-12 1982-06-15 Nixdorf Computer Ag Electrical connector unit
US4558912A (en) * 1983-12-14 1985-12-17 Amp Incorporated Edge connector for chip carrier
EP0305597A2 (en) * 1983-12-14 1989-03-08 Amp Incorporated Strip contacts
EP0305597A3 (en) * 1983-12-14 1989-03-22 Amp Incorporated Improvements in strip contacts
US4720276A (en) * 1985-03-25 1988-01-19 Yamaichi Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd. Clamp type contact and method of manufacture thereof
US4753617A (en) * 1986-11-17 1988-06-28 Raychem Corporation Electrical device having flexible electrical contacts
US4966557A (en) * 1987-12-04 1990-10-30 Amp Incorporated Electrical contact element
US4820199A (en) * 1987-12-21 1989-04-11 Itt Corporation Electrical connector adapter
US5207598A (en) * 1992-02-24 1993-05-04 Molex Incorporated Edge card connector
US5676571A (en) * 1996-08-08 1997-10-14 Elcon Products International Socket contact with integrally formed hood and arc-arresting portion
EP0902510A2 (en) * 1997-09-09 1999-03-17 Thomas & Betts International, Inc. Contacts having a realignment twist
EP0902510A3 (en) * 1997-09-09 2000-11-22 Thomas & Betts International, Inc. Contacts having a realignment twist
US20050020134A1 (en) * 2003-07-24 2005-01-27 Winings Clifford L. Modular electrical connector
US7059907B2 (en) * 2003-07-24 2006-06-13 Fci Americas Technology, Inc. Modular electrical connector
US8914183B2 (en) * 2010-09-20 2014-12-16 Joshua Forwerck Enhanced electronic assembly
WO2012039950A1 (en) 2010-09-20 2012-03-29 Autoliv Asp, Inc. An enhanced electronic assembly
EP2619538A1 (en) * 2010-09-20 2013-07-31 Autoliv ASP, Inc. An enhanced electronic assembly
EP2619538A4 (en) * 2010-09-20 2014-12-03 Autoliv Asp Inc ENHANCED ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY
US20120072047A1 (en) * 2010-09-20 2012-03-22 Autoliv Asp. Inc. Enhanced electronic assembly
US20130079675A1 (en) * 2011-09-23 2013-03-28 Orthosensor Insert measuring system having an internal sensor assembly
US20160074784A1 (en) * 2013-04-17 2016-03-17 Outotec (Finland) Oy Filter plate, filter disc apparatus, and a method for controlling a disc filter
US10286342B2 (en) * 2013-04-17 2019-05-14 Outotec (Finland) Oy Filter plate, filter disc apparatus, and a method for controlling a disc filter
US20170287627A1 (en) * 2016-03-29 2017-10-05 Eaton Corporation Current transformer apparatus that is mountable to a circuit board
US11120938B2 (en) * 2016-03-29 2021-09-14 Eaton Intelligent Power Limited Current transformer apparatus that is mountable to a circuit board

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE693430A (es) 1967-07-03
FR1553325A (es) 1969-01-10
NL6800918A (es) 1968-08-01
DE1615846B2 (de) 1972-12-21
DE1615846A1 (de) 1970-06-04
NL142562B (nl) 1974-06-17
SE347416B (es) 1972-07-31
GB1195473A (en) 1970-06-17

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