EP0374904A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bi-level card edge connector
Assignee: FCI USA LLC
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Filing: 1989-12-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-20
Abstract
Abstract A bi-level connector for making mechanical and electrical contact between a mother printed circuit board and a daughter printed circuit board. The connector comprises lower level contacts with a varied spring rate when a daughter printed circuit board is inserted. The method of manufacturing the connector comprises forming a strip of two types of contacts, upper contacts and lower contacts, on a single carry strip in alternating fashion such that both the upper and lower contacts can be simultaneously inserted into a connector housing in a single insertion process.
Inventors
- 👤 Heinz Piorunneck
- 👤 Donald S. Eisenberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 14:37
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/721; H01R43/00; H01R43/16; H01R43/20; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49147; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/49222
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
An electrical connector for mechanically and electrically connecting a mother printed circuit board and a removable daughter printed circuit board of the edge card type, the connector comprising: housing means comprising an electrically insulating material and having at least two rows of contact chambers therein; first contact means comprising a plurality of a first type of electrically conductive contacts; and second contact means comprising a plurality of a second type of electrically conductive contacts, said first and second types of contacts being alternatingly positioned in each of said rows, said second type of contacts each comprising: (a) a first portion formed as a solder tail positionable to extend from said housing for coupling with a mother printed circuit board; (b) a second portion extending into said housing means from said first portion and having an angled portion therewith; (c) a third portion comprising a first bight with an outer face on a first side of said second type of contact; and (d) a fourth portion extending from said third portion and forming a second bight with an outer face on said first side of said second type of contact for contacting and supporting a received daughter printed circuit board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
An electrical connector for mechanically and electrically connecting a mother printed circuit board and a removable daughter printed circuit board of the edge card type, the connector comprising: housing means comprising an electrically insulating material and having at least two rows of contact chambers therein; first contact means comprising a plurality of a first type of electrically conductive contacts; and second contact means comprising a plurality of a second type of electrically conductive contacts, said first and second types of contacts being alternatingly positioned in each of said rows, said second type of contacts each comprising: (a) a first portion formed as a solder tail positionable to extend from said housing for coupling with a mother printed circuit board; (b) a second portion extending into said housing means from said first portion and having an angled portion therewith; (c) a third portion comprising a first bight with an outer face on a first side of said second type of contact; and (d) a fourth portion extending from said third portion and forming a second bight with an outer face on said first side of said second type of contact for contacting and supporting a received daughter printed circuit board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A connector as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said second type of contacts are fabricated of phosphor bronze.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A connector as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said second type of contacts are plated with nickel to a thickness of about between 0.000050 and 0.000150 inches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A connector as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said second bight outer faces are plated about 40 microinches or thicker PdNi flashed with gold to a thickness of about 0.000004 inches nominally.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A connector as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said first portions are plated with solder of about 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead to a thickness of about between 0.000100 and 0.000500 inches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said fourth portion outer faces are plated with about 30 microinches thick or thicker of gold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein said second contact fourth portions each comprise a compound radii comprised of said second bight and a crown on said outer face.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A connector as Claim 1 wherein said second contact first bights each has a radius of curvature of between about 0.033 to about 0.043 inches.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein said second contact second bights each has a radius of curvature of between about 0. 036 to about 0.040 inches.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein each of said first bights produce a bend in said second contacts of about 158 degrees.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A connector as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said second type of contacts each has a cross-sectional configuration which is generally rectangular except at said second bight whereat it has generally parallel side edges and a back face perpendicular with respect to said side edges and said outer face bows outwardly from said back face.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises contact pre-stress means for said second type of contacts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A connector as in Claim 12 wherein said second type of contacts each have said outer face of said first bight spatially separated from a wall in said contact chambers at a first position and are in contact with said wall in a second position, said second position comprising a daughter printed circuit board being at least partially inserted into said housing means thereby moving said second type of contacts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
A connector as in Claim 13 wherein upon insertion of a daughter printed circuit board into the connector said second type of contacts can each be displaced from the path of the daughter printed circuit board by first bending proximate said angled portion and said first bight and upon contact of said first bight outer face with said contact chamber wall bending proximate said first bight.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein said first type of contacts have solder tails aligned in rows parallel to said contact chamber rows and said second type of contacts each have their solder tail aligned in rows separate from but parallel to said first type of contacts solder tails.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein said first and second types of contacts are spaced apart in each row at a pitch of about 50 mils.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A connector as in Claim 1 wherein said second type of contacts are spring contacts with dual spring rates dependant upon the position of a daughter printed circuit board relative to said second type of contacts.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
185 words
An electrical connector for mechanically and electrically connecting a mother printed circuit board and a removable daughter printed circuit board of the edge card type, the connector comprising: housing means of an electrically insulating material, said housing means having at least two rows of separate contact housing chambers, each of said housing chambers having a rear wall and an opposite contact aperture communicating with a central aperture of the housing for receiving a daughter printed circuit board; and contact means comprising a plurality of a first type of electrically conductive contacts, each of said first type of contacts comprising a first portion formed as a solder tail positionable to extend from said housing for coupling with a mother printed circuit board, a contacting portion for contacting a daughter printed circuit board, said contacting portion being partially displaceable from a home position by the insertion of a daughter printed circuit board into the connector, and means for varying the amount of force necessary to displace said contacting portion during insertion of the daughter printed circuit board into the connector at a predetermined position during the insertion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
185 words
An electrical connector for mechanically and electrically connecting a mother printed circuit board and a removable daughter printed circuit board of the edge card type, the connector comprising: housing means of an electrically insulating material, said housing means having at least two rows of separate contact housing chambers, each of said housing chambers having a rear wall and an opposite contact aperture communicating with a central aperture of the housing for receiving a daughter printed circuit board; and contact means comprising a plurality of a first type of electrically conductive contacts, each of said first type of contacts comprising a first portion formed as a solder tail positionable to extend from said housing for coupling with a mother printed circuit board, a contacting portion for contacting a daughter printed circuit board, said contacting portion being partially displaceable from a home position by the insertion of a daughter printed circuit board into the connector, and means for varying the amount of force necessary to displace said contacting portion during insertion of the daughter printed circuit board into the connector at a predetermined position during the insertion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A connector as in Claim 18 wherein said contact means comprises a second type of electrically conductive contacts alternatingly intermixed with said first type of contacts in said rows.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
A connector as in Claim 18 wherein said means for varying the amount of force necessary to displace said contacting portion comprises said first type of contacts having at least two different spring rates during the insertion, a first relatively low spring rate and a second relatively high spring rate.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of fabricating an electrical contact strip comprising the steps of: providing an elongate strip of electrically conductive material; stamping the strip to substantially simultaneously produce a series of contacts connected at their lower portions by a carry strip, the series of contacts comprising alternating first and second types of contacts, the first type of contacts having a first length and shape and the second type of contact having a different second length and shape whereby both the first and second types of contacts can be inserted into a connector housing in their alternating orientations with one insertion operation.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of fabricating an electrical contact strip comprising the steps of: providing an elongate strip of electrically conductive material; stamping the strip to substantially simultaneously produce a series of contacts connected at their lower portions by a carry strip, the series of contacts comprising alternating first and second types of contacts, the first type of contacts having a first length and shape and the second type of contact having a different second length and shape whereby both the first and second types of contacts can be inserted into a connector housing in their alternating orientations with one insertion operation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in Claim 21 further comprising the step of bending each of the contacts proximate a contact area to form a bight with a radially exterior face.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in Claim 22 further comprising the step of coining each of the contacts proximate the contact areas to produce contact areas with compound radii.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in Claim 21 wherein the step of stamping is accomplished through the use of multiple stampings by progressive dies.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of fabricating an electrical connector comprising the steps of: providing a housing having at least two rows of a plurality of contact chambers for individually and separately housing individual contacts, providing a strip of electrical contacts, the strip comprising a carry strip having a plurality of contacts connected thereto, the contacts comprising a first type of contact and a second type of contact, the first and second types of contacts each having a contact portion for contacting a component to be electrically coupled with the contacts, the contact portions of the first type of contacts being located at a first distance from the carry strip and the contact portions of the second type of contacts being located at a second distance from the carry strip, the first and second types of contacts being alternatingly arranged on the carry strip; inserting the contacts into the housing contact chambers and securing them therein; and removing the carry strip from the contacts.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of fabricating an electrical connector comprising the steps of: providing a housing having at least two rows of a plurality of contact chambers for individually and separately housing individual contacts, providing a strip of electrical contacts, the strip comprising a carry strip having a plurality of contacts connected thereto, the contacts comprising a first type of contact and a second type of contact, the first and second types of contacts each having a contact portion for contacting a component to be electrically coupled with the contacts, the contact portions of the first type of contacts being located at a first distance from the carry strip and the contact portions of the second type of contacts being located at a second distance from the carry strip, the first and second types of contacts being alternatingly arranged on the carry strip; inserting the contacts into the housing contact chambers and securing them therein; and removing the carry strip from the contacts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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