US3596230A - Connector with load sharing contacts - Google Patents

Connector with load sharing contacts Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3596230A
US3596230A US866560A US3596230DA US3596230A US 3596230 A US3596230 A US 3596230A US 866560 A US866560 A US 866560A US 3596230D A US3596230D A US 3596230DA US 3596230 A US3596230 A US 3596230A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
members
contact
force
connector
helper
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
US866560A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Mario E Ecker
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.)
International Business Machines Corp
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
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 International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3596230A publication Critical patent/US3596230A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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

  • the members are positioned against the board while the helper members are spaced away from the board so that helper members and contact members form channels between them on both sides of the board.
  • These channels each contain a floating force member which transfers a portion of the force exerted on the contact carrying members by the lands to the helper members.
  • This invention relates to connectors and more particularly to connectors for making electrical contacts to circuit boards or cards.
  • contact members can be placed on very close centers while at the same time obtaining high contact pressure and assuring the electrical integrity of adjacent contacts. This is accomplished by using flexible U-shaped contact elements each with one of the arms of the U forming a contact carrying member for making contact with lands mounted on the circuit board inserted into the U and the other of the arms of the U forming a helping member for aiding in exerting the contact force on the lands.
  • the position of the contact members is alternated with respect to the circuit board so that the contacts engage lands on both sides of the circuit board.
  • the contact members are positioned against the board while the helper members are spaced away from the board so that the contact members and helping members on any one side of the circuit board form a channel between them on both sides of the board.
  • a floating force member is positioned on each of these channels.
  • the floating force members are free to move in the channel relative to both the contact carrying and helping members to transfer a portionof the force exerted on the contact carrying members by the lands on the circuit board to the helping members whereby the helping and contact members share the contact load.
  • the contact members can be made thinner and placed on closer centers since the helping members form an additional set of force bearing members positioned behind the contacts leaving the extra room along the contact line.
  • the electrical integrity of the adjacent contact member is increased since larger spaces can be placed between the contacts and still maintain the same connection density.
  • variations in board thickness and contact orientation or position are compensated for since the floating force members through their load sharing characteristics tend to redistribute any inequalities in contact force.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a connector having contacts that can be used with small contact to contact spacings.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a connector with contact that may be altered to adjust its characteristic impedance to fit the application for the connector.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a zero insertion force connector.
  • Another object is to provide a zero insertion force con'nector having contacts with a wiping action.
  • FIG. 1 is a section through a connector fabric'ated in ad cordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a section taken along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3a, b and c are plan views of U-shaped elements with alternative configurations that can be used to vary the characteristic impedance of the connector; I
  • FIGS. 3d and e are plan views of alternative contact member configurations which provide a connection with improved wiping action and contact force distribution, respectively.
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of a mechanism for opening and closing contacts of connectors fabricated in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5-6 in FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 1 The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 is an interface connector for making connections between a card 10 immersed in liquid and a card 12 open to the atmosphere.
  • a barrier wall 14 separates the liquid from the atmosphere.
  • Conductors 16 of the connector pass through a barrier wall to provide an electrical path from the board 10 to the board 12.
  • These conductors each consist of two U- or V-shaped elements 18 joined by a body portion 20.
  • each U-shaped element 18 is a contact carrying member and it carries at its tip a contact 24 which engages a conductive land 26 on the cards 10 or 12. Each such tip has a slot 28 in it. On one side of the slot is a contact carrying head 30 and the other side is an arm 32. The purpose of the slot defined by the arm 32 and the head 30 shall be discussed in detail later in this specification.
  • the other arm of each U- shaped member is a force bearing member 34. This force bearing member 34 is shaped like a contact bearing member 22 with contact bearing head 30 missing. However it does have an arm 36 closely resembling the arm 32 of the contact bearing member 22.
  • FIG. 2 where the board 12 is shown having conductive pads 26 on both sides. These pads 26 are each contacted by contact 24 mounted on the head 30.
  • the contact member 22 varies from side to side of the board 12. At one time the contact member 22 is on the righthand side of the board. In the next position the contact member 22 is on the left-hand side of the board.
  • this force bearing member is a flange 40 forming a portion of a zero insertion force actuation mechanism on the liquid side of the wall and a rod 42 for the section of the connector open to the air.
  • the U- shaped elements can be made quite thin permitting the contacts to be placed close together while obtaining a high contact force. Furthermore, the contacts can be placed closer together without fear of destroying the electrical integrity of any one contact.
  • a chemical milling may be employed to manufacture these members since they are thinner than the normal contact members. By chemical milling costs are reduced. Also the locked-in stresses which occur when parts are stamped are eliminated and the parts may be processed, heat treated in sheet form prior to milling.
  • the most important advantage of the configuration is that variation in the thickness of the board 12 or variations in the position and orientation of the contacts 24 are compensated on by the load sharing characteristics of the floating force members.
  • the load bearing members are in the form of flanges 40 on two clam shell-shaped lever members 44 which pivot around pivot points 46.
  • the pivot points 46 are located at each end of the row contacts 24 and the flanges 44 extend between them.
  • camming sections 48 are also extending between the pivot points 46. These camming sections 48 bear against cams 50 which cause the lever members 44 to pivot about point 46 thereby changing the relative positions of the flanges 40. In one position the flanges 40 allow the contacts to bear against the lands 26 located on printed circuit card 12.
  • the camming members 50 are rectangular with the irregular camming surface 52 located in their interior.
  • This surface 52 is the surface that bears against the camming sections 48 of the clam shell lever members 44 to vary the force exerted on the arms and thereby cause the lever member 44 to move the contacts 24 between the zero insertion force position and the position in which the card 12 is electrically connected to the contacts 24.
  • Each of the cam members 50 has an arm 54 extending therefrom. At the end of this arm 54 is a knob 56 with a groove 58 therein. This groove 58 rides in guide groove 60 of an actuation member 62.
  • the actuation member 62 travels along a rail 64 and engages the knob 56 in the guide groove 60.
  • the knob 56 rides up the groove 60 and in so doing causes the cam member 50 to move in the direction of the arrows.
  • This causes the camming surface 52 to engage the contact member in the open contact position thus allowing the card 12 to be inserted into the connector without any difficulty.
  • the actuation member 62 is moved in the opposite direction causing the cam member 50 to move back to its initial position where the contacts 24 are closed on the circuit board 12.
  • the actuation member 62 contains an upstanding member 66 which is grasped to cause a movement along the guide bar 64.
  • the actuation member 62 and the rail 64 have canted edges 68' and 70 which enables the actuation member to be pivoted on the rail 64 to avoid the knobs 56 of unselected cam members 50 in the movement of the actuation member 62 from position to position.
  • the configuration of the conductor 16 can be changed to vary the characteristic impedance of the connection through the connector. In this way contact members can be altered to match the transmission line characteristics of the conductors on the cards 10 and 12.
  • the body portion of the conductor 16 contains an aperture 72.
  • the capacitive coupling between this conductor and the two adjacent connectors depends on the size and position of this aperture 72. As shown in FIGS. 3b and 3c the position and size of the aperture 72 can be changed and a large variation in the mentioned capacitive coupling can be accomplished by these changes. If every other conductor 16 is grounded, this means that the intermediate conductor 16 then can be selected with a selected impedance coupling it to ground.
  • the characteristic impedance of the intermediate conductor can be changed by changing the size. and position of the aperture 72.
  • Other ways of changing the characteristic impedance of a conductor would be to change the position and orientation of the contact carry member 22 and the helper members 34. These members 22 and 34 can be skewed relative to such members or adjacent conductors to vary the capacitive coupling adjacent conductors and thereby change the characteristic impedance of a conductor.
  • the contact 24 is mounted on a curved portion of the head 30.
  • a zero insertion force connector such as the liquid immersed one for card 10
  • the configuration shown in FIG. 3d can be employed.
  • the contact 24 is mounted on a flexible arm 74 which when contact is made with the card 10 it pivots about point 76 causing the contact 24 to move along the plane of the card 10 and thereby obtain the wiping action.
  • a preferable form for the head 30 is shown in FIG. 3e.
  • an arm 78 bends around point 80 and makes contact with the rod 42. This way variations in loading caused by variations in thickness of the card 12 or by differences in the position and orientation of the contacts 24 can be compensated for by the flexing of the member 78 around 80.
  • a connector comprising:
  • a force exerting member inserted in said channel, in physical contact with both contact carrying and helper members and mechanically floating with respect to both the contact carrying and helper members so that a portion of the force exerted on the contact carrying members by the lands is passed on by the force exerting members to the helper members whereby the helper and contact members share the contact force load.
  • the connector of claim 1 including:
  • the connector of claim 1 including:
  • a flexible arm mounted on the arm carry members for engagement with the force exerting member to compensate for contact to contact differences in contact force.
  • the connector of claim 1 including:
  • the connector of claim 5 including:
  • cam means for exerting a force on the lever arms means to cause the lever arm-means to pivot and move the force exerting members.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
US866560A 1969-10-15 1969-10-15 Connector with load sharing contacts Expired - Lifetime US3596230A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US86656069A 1969-10-15 1969-10-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3596230A true US3596230A (en) 1971-07-27

Family

ID=25347873

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US866560A Expired - Lifetime US3596230A (en) 1969-10-15 1969-10-15 Connector with load sharing contacts

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3596230A (fr)
JP (1) JPS5015311B1 (fr)
BE (1) BE755040A (fr)
FR (1) FR2065883A5 (fr)
GB (1) GB1284038A (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3897991A (en) * 1974-02-15 1975-08-05 Amp Inc Zero insertion force connector
DE2612022A1 (de) * 1975-03-21 1976-09-30 Amp Inc Leiterplatten-randverbinder
USRE29223E (en) * 1974-02-15 1977-05-17 Amp Incorporated Zero insertion force connector
US4085990A (en) * 1977-03-25 1978-04-25 Gte Sylvania, Incorporated Longitudinally actuated zero force connector
US4119357A (en) * 1975-07-04 1978-10-10 Bonhomme F R Connector for printed circuit boards
US5135408A (en) * 1990-10-31 1992-08-04 Yazaki Corporation Connector assembly

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3897991A (en) * 1974-02-15 1975-08-05 Amp Inc Zero insertion force connector
USRE29223E (en) * 1974-02-15 1977-05-17 Amp Incorporated Zero insertion force connector
DE2612022A1 (de) * 1975-03-21 1976-09-30 Amp Inc Leiterplatten-randverbinder
US4077688A (en) * 1975-03-21 1978-03-07 Amp Incorporated Zero force connector for circuit boards
US4119357A (en) * 1975-07-04 1978-10-10 Bonhomme F R Connector for printed circuit boards
US4085990A (en) * 1977-03-25 1978-04-25 Gte Sylvania, Incorporated Longitudinally actuated zero force connector
US5135408A (en) * 1990-10-31 1992-08-04 Yazaki Corporation Connector assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE755040A (fr) 1971-02-01
FR2065883A5 (fr) 1971-08-06
GB1284038A (en) 1972-08-02
JPS5015311B1 (fr) 1975-06-04

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US12218462B2 (en) High-frequency electrical connector
DE68918992T2 (de) Platte an Platte-Zusammenschaltungssystem mit hoher Kontaktdichte.
EP0752740B1 (fr) Connecteur pour carte PC
US5026292A (en) Card edge connector
JP4643879B2 (ja) 差分信号電気コネクタ
US3333225A (en) Connector
US5055069A (en) Connectors with ground structure
EP0520283B1 (fr) Connecteur avec structure de mise à la masse
US6379188B1 (en) Differential signal electrical connectors
US4902236A (en) Flex circuit and cable assembly
US4548452A (en) High-density electrical contact pad pattern
US20060105636A1 (en) Modular coaxial electrical interconnect system and method of making the same
US4631637A (en) Dual backplane interconnect system
US6866518B1 (en) Electrical interconnection between multiple printed circuit boards
DE69307217T2 (de) Geschlechtlose Signal-Knoteneinheit mit zwei Enden
JPS5873976A (ja) 電気コネクタ
US20080318455A1 (en) Backplane connector with high density broadside differential signaling conductors
DE69305544T2 (de) Beidseitig ausgestattete Verlängerungsfassung für Ausleseplatinen
US6918775B2 (en) Method for interconnecting multiple printed circuit boards
GB1590458A (en) Electric connectors
US20080045044A1 (en) Electrical interconnection between multiple printed circuit boards
US6184460B1 (en) Modular box shield for forming a coaxial header
US4598966A (en) Non-shorting pin system
CN111463600A (zh) 具有带柔性部分的插头连接器的电气装置
US20050064736A1 (en) Electrical connector for interconnecting two intersected printed circuit boards