Improvements in or relating to an adaptor for a printed circuit board connector

Claim 2

An adaptor for a printed circuit board connector of the kind having a grid array of contacts characterised in that the adaptor (10) comprises a plurality of electrical conductors (12, 20, 22, 24) a terminal end (20', 22', 24') of each of which is adapted for attachment to a respective contact (4) of the grid array of contacts (4) of the connector (2), the other ends of the electrical conductors of the adaptor (10) being arranged to define an in-line array of contacts, the adaptor (10) thereby serving to convert a grid array contact arrangement into an in-line contact arrangement.

Claim 3

An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the adaptor is provided with a location member (32) for holding the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) in equispaced alignment during the assembly of the connector (2) and the adaptor to the printed circuit board (PCB).

Claim 4

An adaptor as claimed in claim 2 characterised in that the location member (32) is formed integrally with the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24).

Claim 5

An adaptor as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the location member (32) is a carrier strip formed integrally with the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) at their said other ends.

Claim 6

An adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) comprise strips of metal foil or wires embedded in an insulating laminate material (40), the material (40) being provided with a grid array of holes, each hole being in alignment with a terminal end (20', 22', 24') of a respective conductor (20, 22, 24) thereby providing a grid array of holes for matching and assembly to the corresponding grid array of contacts (4) on the connector (2).

Claim 7

An adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the plurality of electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) have their terminals (20', 22', 24') arranged in adjacent equispaced groups, at least one electrical conductor (20, 22, 24) in each group having a cranked terminal such that the ends of the terminals in each group are arranged to define a line which when assembled to the connector contacts (4) is substantially orthogonal to the rows of contacts (4), whereby one terminal (20 1 , 22', 24') of each group is provided for each row of connector contacts (4) and whereby the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) extend substantially orthogonally to the rows of connector contacts (4) to define an in-line array of contacts on the adaptor (10).

Claim 8

An adaptor for a printed circuit board connector of the kind having contacts arranged in three rows equispaced by approximately 0.1 inch to define a 0.1 inch grid array, characterised in that the adaptor (10) comprises a strip of conductors (20, 22, 24) formed from sheet metal material at a spacing of approximately 0.3 inch, which prior to assembly of the connector (2) and the adaptor (10) to the printed circuit board (PCB) are held at one end in equispaced alignment by a location member (32), and which at the other end are formed to define terminal ends (20', 22', 24') in similar equispaced groups of three, on a 0.1 inch grid to match the connector contacts (4), and wherein two conductors (22, 24) of each group of three have cranked terminals such that the terminal ends (20', 22', 24') in each group define a line which when assembled to the connector contacts (4) is substantially orthogonal to the rows of contacts (4), whereby one terminal (20', 22', 24') of each group is provided for each row of connector contacts (4) and whereby the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) extend substantially orthogonally to the rows of connector contacts (4) to define an in-line array of contacts on the adaptor (10).

Claim 9

An adaptor for a printed circuit board connector of the kind having contacts arranged in three rows equispaced by approximately 0.1 inch to define a 0.1 inch grid array, characterised in that the adaptor (10) comprises a strip of conductors (20, 22, 24) formed from sheet metal material at a spacing of approximately 0.3 inch, which prior to assembly of the connector (2) and the adaptor (10) to the printed circuit board (PCB) are held at one end in equispaced alignment by a location member (32), and which at the other end are formed to define terminal ends (20', 22', 24') in similar equispaced groups of three, on a 0.1 inch grid to match the connector contacts (4), and wherein two conductors (22, 24) of each group of three have cranked terminals such that the terminal ends (20', 22', 24') in each group define a line which when assembled to the connector contacts (4) is substantially orthogonal to the rows of contacts (4), whereby one terminal (20', 22', 24') of each group is provided for each row of connector contacts (4) and whereby the electrical conductors (20, 22, 24) extend substantially orthogonally to the rows of connector contacts (4) to define an in-line array of contacts on the adaptor (10).

Claim 10

An assembly comprising a printed circuit board, a printed circuit board connector of the king having contacts arranged in equispaced rows to define a grid array and an adaptor, characterised in that the adaptor (10) is as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 for converting the grid array contact arrangement into an in-line array of contacts.