EP0083862A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Improvements in and relating to printed-circuit board edge connectors
Assignee: Unisys Corp
•
Filing: 1982-12-21
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2002-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing edge connection to printed-circuit boards 40 and the like has very low insertion force and almost no contact wear, so avoiding the disadvantages of conventional edge connection systems, by employing a connector comprising two mutually pivotable arms 10 and 12 or 72 and 74 having protrusions 14 and 16 or 76 and 78 at their distal ends which are separable in response to the board being introduced between the protrusions 14 and 16 or 76 and 78 to separate spring contact sections 32 34 far enough to allow insertion of the board 40 without rubbing thereagainst, the protrusions 14 and 16 or 76 and 78 falling into a void 48 94 at the end of insertion to allow the spring contact sections 32 34 to impinge upon pads 44 96 on the board 40 with the coming back together of the arms 10 and 12 or 72 and 74, the system working in reverse for the withdrawal of a board 40.
Inventors
- 👤 John Angus Robertson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:52
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/82; H01R12/85; H01R12/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A system wherein a connector provides electrical connection to an edge of a printed-circuit board, said connector comprising first and second elastically-opposed members respectively comprising first and second opposed protrusions and first and second opposed spring contacts, and said printed circuit board comprising a void and first and second contact pads on opposite sides of said printed-circuit board proximate to said edge, where said edge is insertable between said opposed protrusions for the seperation thereof to move apart said opposed members and thereby move apart said opposed spring contacts, where said printed-circuit board is insertable a predetermined distance between said opposed protrusions without said first and second spring contacts engaging said first and second contact pads, and where, when said printed-circuit board is inserted said predetermined distance, said protrusions can engage said void in said board to allow the elastic restoration of the unseperated positions of said protrusions for said first and second spring contacts, in the coming-together thereof, respectively to engage said first and second contact pads.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
168 words
A system wherein a connector provides electrical connection to an edge of a printed-circuit board, said connector comprising first and second elastically-opposed members respectively comprising first and second opposed protrusions and first and second opposed spring contacts, and said printed circuit board comprising a void and first and second contact pads on opposite sides of said printed-circuit board proximate to said edge, where said edge is insertable between said opposed protrusions for the seperation thereof to move apart said opposed members and thereby move apart said opposed spring contacts, where said printed-circuit board is insertable a predetermined distance between said opposed protrusions without said first and second spring contacts engaging said first and second contact pads, and where, when said printed-circuit board is inserted said predetermined distance, said protrusions can engage said void in said board to allow the elastic restoration of the unseperated positions of said protrusions for said first and second spring contacts, in the coming-together thereof, respectively to engage said first and second contact pads.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said first spring contact is coupled to said first opposed member for the urging thereof towards said second opposed member and wherein said second spring contact is coupled to said second opposed member for the urging thereof towards said first opposed member for said first and second spring contacts to provide said elastic opposition of said members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 . wherein said first opposed member comprises a first lever arm. wherein said second opposed member comprises a second lever arm, and wherein said connector comprises a pivot for allowing relative rotation between said first and second lever arms for the moving apart and coming together thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
122 words
A system according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said connector comprises a further set of said lever arms as third and fourth lever arms of third and fourth opposed members respectively having third and fourth opposed protrusions thereon, and wherein said printed-circuit board comprises a second void for engagement by said third and fourth protrusions, said connector further comprising a first contact-spacing bar intermediate between said first and said third lever arms and a second contact-spacing bar intermediate between said second and fourth lever arms, and a further plurality of opposed pairs of spring contacts for engaging said first and second contact-spacing bars and operable with the coming together thereof to engage a further plurality of pairs of contact pads.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
44 words
A system according to claims2, 3 or 4 wherein said first and second protrusions respectively comprise first and second entry ramps for pushing said lever arms apart with the insertion thereagainst'of said edge of said printed-circuit board for the insertion thereof into said connector.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
50 words
A system according to claims 2 to 5 wherein said first and second protrusions respectively comprise first and second exit ramps for pushing said lever arms apart in response to the urging thereagainst of the edge of said void in said printed-circuit board for the withdrawal thereof from said connector.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
49 words
A system according to claims 2.to 6 wherein said connector comprises a base, through-penetrated by said first and second spring contacts, and wherein said first lever arm is affixed to said base and said second lever arm is affixed to said pivot to rotate about said first lever arm.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
84 words
A system according to calims 2 to 6 wherein said connector comprises a base, through-penetrated by said first and second spring contacts, wherein said first and second lever arms comprise respectively first and second pegs at the basal end thereof, and wherein said base comprises first and second apertures for the loose but irremovable insertion of said first and second pegs respectively therein to allow a degree of movement between said first and second lever arms for the moving apart and coming together thereof.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
84 words
A system according to calims 2 to 6 wherein said connector comprises a base, through-penetrated by said first and second spring contacts, wherein said first and second lever arms comprise respectively first and second pegs at the basal end thereof, and wherein said base comprises first and second apertures for the loose but irremovable insertion of said first and second pegs respectively therein to allow a degree of movement between said first and second lever arms for the moving apart and coming together thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein said first opposed member.comprises a first flexible arm, wherein said second opposed member comprises a second flexible arm, and wherein said connector comprises a base for the support thereof, said flexible arms being movable towards and away from each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
116 words
A system according to claim 9 wherein said connector comprises a further set of said flexible arms as third and fourth opposed flexible arms having third and fourth opposed protrusions respectively thereon, and wherein said printed-circuit board comprises a second void for engagement by said third and fourth protrusions, said connector further comprising a first contact-spacing bar intermediate between said first and said third flexible arms and a second contact-spacing bar intermediate between said second and said fourth flexible arms, and a further plurality of pairs of opposed springs contacts for engaging said first and said second contact-spacing bars and operable with the coming together thereof to engage a further plurality of pairs of contact pads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein said first and second contact-spacing bars comprise a plurality of further opposed pairs of protrusions for engagement with a further plurality of voids in said printed-circuit board.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system according to claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein said base comprises first and second flexible-arm fitting apertures, wherein said first and second flexible arms comprise respectively first and second peg ends at the basal ends thereof, and wherein said first and second peg ends are affixed respectively within said first and said second apertures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system according to claim 12 wherein said first spring contact is affixed into said base by being wedged in said first aperture by said first peg end and wherein said second spring contact is affixed into said base by being wedged in said second aperture by said second peg end.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
51 words
A system according to claims 9 to 13 wherein said first and said second protrusions comprise respectively first and second entry ramps for pushing said first and second flexible arms apart in response to the urging thereagainst of said edge of said printed-circuit board for the insertion thereof into said connector.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
53 words
A system according to claims 9 to 14 wherein said first and said second protrusions comprise respectively first and second exit ramps for pushing said first and second flexible arms apart in response to the urging therebetween of the edge of said void for the withdrawal from said connector of said printed-circuit board.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
37 words
A system according to any of the preceding claims wherein said printed-circuit board comprises a tab including a part of said edge, and wherein said void consists in the space behind said tab remote from said edge.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
22 words
A system according to claims 1 to 15 wherein said void comprises a hole in said printed-circuit board proximate to said edge.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.