Patent EP0356156A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0356156A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Circuit card edge connector and terminal therefor
Assignee: Molex LLC
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Filing: 1989-08-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-08-17
Abstract
Abstract The edge connector housing (10) houses a plurality of stamped and formed terminals (60) (see Fig. 5) mounted therein. The housing (10) includes a plurality of terminal receiving cavities (42, 44), each of which includes an internally disposed latch wall (48, 50). The terminals (60) each include a base (62), a solder tail (64) extending from one side of the base and a contact beam (66) and mounting beam (69) cantilevered from the opposite side of the base. The mounting beams (68) includes a mounting arm (76) and a latch arm (78) cantilevered from the mounting arm and disposed intermediate the mounting arm (76) and the contact beam (66). The latch arm (78) is resiliently deflectable to lockingly engage the centrally disposed latch wall (48, 50) of the housing, and to thereby minimize outwardly directed pressure on the external walls (14, 16) of the housing (10) that could otherwise bow the housing (10) and minimize the effectiveness of the connector.
Inventors
- 👤 John Edward Lopata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:18
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/721
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
An edge connector comprising a nonconductive housing having a pair of opposed external side walls, a top and a bottom, a slot extending into said top and dimensioned to receive an edge of a circuit card, a plurality of terminal receiving cavities disposed in said housing and extending to said slot, each said terminal receiving cavity comprising a latch wall spaced from the external side walls, said edge connector further comprising a terminal mounted in each said cavity, each said terminal comprising a base dimensioned for mounting in said cavity, a connecting means connected to said base of said terminal and extending from said housing for electrically connecting said terminal to a circuit, a resilient deflectable contact beam extending from said base and into the slot of said housing, and a resilient deflectable mounting beam extending from said base and extending intermediate one said external side wall of said housing and the latch wail of said cavity, said mounting beam comprising a generally U-shaped portion comprising a mounting arm and a latch arm connected to one another at a bight, the bight defining the location on said mounting beam most distant from said base of said terminal, the mounting arm of said mounting beam being adjacent the external side wall of said cavity, and the latch arm of said mounting beam being lockingly engaged with the latch wall of said cavity to lockingly retain said terminal in said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
An edge connector comprising a nonconductive housing having a pair of opposed external side walls, a top and a bottom, a slot extending into said top and dimensioned to receive an edge of a circuit card, a plurality of terminal receiving cavities disposed in said housing and extending to said slot, each said terminal receiving cavity comprising a latch wall spaced from the external side walls, said edge connector further comprising a terminal mounted in each said cavity, each said terminal comprising a base dimensioned for mounting in said cavity, a connecting means connected to said base of said terminal and extending from said housing for electrically connecting said terminal to a circuit, a resilient deflectable contact beam extending from said base and into the slot of said housing, and a resilient deflectable mounting beam extending from said base and extending intermediate one said external side wall of said housing and the latch wail of said cavity, said mounting beam comprising a generally U-shaped portion comprising a mounting arm and a latch arm connected to one another at a bight, the bight defining the location on said mounting beam most distant from said base of said terminal, the mounting arm of said mounting beam being adjacent the external side wall of said cavity, and the latch arm of said mounting beam being lockingly engaged with the latch wall of said cavity to lockingly retain said terminal in said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the latch arm comprises an end defining the portion thereof most distant from said bight, said end of said latch arm being lockingly engaged with the latch wall of said cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the latch arm of said mounting beam comprises a cam surface disposed for engagement with said latch wall for deflecting said latch arm about said bight during insertion of said terminal into said cavity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bight of said mounting beam defines a generally arcuate leading edge of said mounting beam for guiding said terminal into said cavity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
An edge connector as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said housing comprises a central wall with said cavities being defined on opposite sides of said central wall, said central wall being spaced from the latch walls of said cavities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 5 wherein the maximum width defined across the contact beam and mounting beam of said terminal exceeds the distance between said external wall and said central wall of said housing by a predetermined amount, such that said terminal achieves a controlled force fit engagement in said cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the contact beam is disposed intermediate the central wall and the respective latch wall.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
An edge connector as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said contact beam and said mounting beam are disposed in generally parallel relationship, with a slot therebetween, said latch arm defining one side of said slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 8 wherein the end of said latch arm most distant from said bight defines the narrowest portion of the slot between said contact beam and said mounting beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
76 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 9 wherein the latch wall of said housing defines a width measured generally orthogonal to said external side wall and said central wall, the minimum distance of said slot defined between said contact beam and the end of said latch arm being less than the width of said latch wall, such that said latch arm is deflected by said latch wall upon insertion of said terminal into said cavity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
An edge connector as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bottom of said housing comprises a plurality of deflectable mounting pegs, said mounting pegs being constructed for deflection about angularly aligned axes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
An edge connector as claimed in claim 11 wherein the mounting pegs comprise latching ledges angularly aligned to a central plane extending through said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An edge connector as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the connecting means of said terminal defines a solder tail extending from a side of said base generally opposite the contact beam and the mounting beam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
170 words
An electrical terminal for an edge connector as claimed in claim 1, said terminal being stamped from a unitary piece of metallic material and comprising: a base, a connecting means extending from said base for connecting said terminal to a selected circuit component, a contact beam extending from said base and being resiliently deflectable relative thereto, said contact beam comprising a contact portion at a location thereon spaced from said base; and a mounting beam extending from said base and disposed in spaced relationship to said contact beam, said mounting beam being generally U-shaped and comprising a mounting arm extending unitarily from said base, a bight disposed at an end of said mounting arm remote from said base and a latch arm extending from said bight generally back toward the base, said latch arm being disposed intermediate the mounting arm and the contact beam, said latch arm being resiliently deflectable about said bight and defining a latch surface at a location thereon spaced from both said bight and said base.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A terminal as claimed in claim 14 wherein the mounting beam and the contact beam are disposed in generally parallel relationship to one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A terminal as claimed in claim 15 wherein the latch arm comprises a latch surface disposed on said latch arm at a location thereon remote from said bight, said latch surface being aligned generally orthogonal to the parallel mounting beam and contact beam of said terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A terminal as claimed in claim 16 wherein said latch arm comprises a cam surface intermediate the latch surface and the bight, and disposed on a side of said latch arm generally facing the contact beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A terminal as claimed in claim 17 wherein the cam surface is generally convexly arcuate and defines the portion of said latch arm closest to said contact edge.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A terminal as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18 wherein said bight defines a generally arcuate leading surface of said mounting beam for guiding the terminal into a housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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