EP0377984A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High density zif edge card connector
Assignee: TDK Micronas GmbH
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Filing: 1989-12-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-20
Abstract
Abstract A zero insertion force edge card connector is described, for connecting to cards with closely-spaced conductive pads, which is rugged and reliable. The connector includes numerous elongated contacts, each having a middle portion embedded in a dielectric frame element, a terminal end portion extending from the frame towards a card-receiving region, and a tail portion extending from the frame element to a base. The frame element is movably supported on the base by the flexible tail portions of the contacts, and can move towards and away from the card-receiving region by bending of the tail portions. The multiple contacts avoid uncontrolled rotation of the frame element. A spring urges a pair of frame elements together, and a cam controls movement of the frame elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Kerslake Cabourne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/721; H01R12/82; H01R12/85; H01R12/89
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
An electrical connector for connecting to a removable module comprising a dielectric housing having a module-receiving region therein, a plurality of elongated, electrically conductive contacts mounted in the housing each contact having a module contacting portion directed toward the module-receiving region, and having a tail portion extending from the bottom of the housing, characterised in that the housing comprises a base (32,32A) and one or more frame elements (22,24), the or each element being movable substantially in a lateral direction towards and away from the module-receiving region (34) in that each contact (20) has a middle portion (25) held in the or one of the frame elements (22,24) and has a flexible elongated tail portion (30) extending between the frame element (22,24) and the base (32) and supporting the frame element (22,24) in movement towards and away from the module-receiving region (34) by bending of the flexible tail portion (30), in that each of the frame elements holds the middle portions (25) of a group of the contacts (20) having their tail portions extending primarily parallel to one another but spaced apart, and in that a device (46,36) is coupled to the frame elements and actuatable to cause the frame elements to move towards and away from the module-receiving region (34).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
An electrical connector for connecting to a removable module comprising a dielectric housing having a module-receiving region therein, a plurality of elongated, electrically conductive contacts mounted in the housing each contact having a module contacting portion directed toward the module-receiving region, and having a tail portion extending from the bottom of the housing, characterised in that the housing comprises a base (32,32A) and one or more frame elements (22,24), the or each element being movable substantially in a lateral direction towards and away from the module-receiving region (34) in that each contact (20) has a middle portion (25) held in the or one of the frame elements (22,24) and has a flexible elongated tail portion (30) extending between the frame element (22,24) and the base (32) and supporting the frame element (22,24) in movement towards and away from the module-receiving region (34) by bending of the flexible tail portion (30), in that each of the frame elements holds the middle portions (25) of a group of the contacts (20) having their tail portions extending primarily parallel to one another but spaced apart, and in that a device (46,36) is coupled to the frame elements and actuatable to cause the frame elements to move towards and away from the module-receiving region (34).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the module-receiving region (34) lies substantially in a plane and the tail portions (30) extend primarily perpendicularly to the lateral direction and lie at different distances from the plane, whereby to resist frame element pivoting about an axis extending perpendicular to the lateral directions and to the length of the tail portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, or claim 2, characterised in that the or each frame element (22,24) holds the middle portions (25) of a plurality of contacts (20), with the tail portions (30) of at least two of the contacts (20) lying at different distances from an imaginary extension of the module-receiving region (34), and in that the tail portions (30) of at least two of the contacts (20) are preferably spaced at least partially along a direction perpendicular to both the lateral direction and to the lengths of the tail portions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the device includes a spring (36) coupled to a pair of frame elements (22,24) and urging the elements towards the module-receiving region (34), and a cam (46) coupled to the frame elements (22,24) and operable to move the elements apart against the force of the spring (36).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
129 words
An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the device includes a spring (36) with end portions (40,42) that are engaged with two frame elements (22,24) so as to urge the elements together towards the module-receiving region (34), the spring being movable between open-connector and closed-connector positions wherein the frame elements are respectively furthest apart and closest together, in that the spring (36) has a middle portion (44) which can lie between the frame elements in the open-connector position to prevent the frame elements from moving towards each other, and in that the device includes a cam member (46) which is actuatable to force the spring middle portion (44) from between the frame elements to allow the frame elements to move towards the closed-connector position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the middle portions (25) of the contacts are embedded in the frame element or elements (22,24) to fix their relative positions and orientations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim for connecting to multiple electrically conductive pads on the module, characterised in that the contacts (20) have terminal portions (28) that make and break contact with the conductive pads on the module when the module is inserted into the module-receiving region (34) and the frame element or elements (22,24) are moved towards the region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the device comprises a spring (36) with opposite frame-engaging portions (40,42) engaging with a pair of frame elements (22,24) and urging them towards the module-receiving region (34), means that includes a frame-separating portion (44) which can move between a connector open condition when the portion (44) has between the frame elements (22,24) to keep them separated and away from the module-receiving region (34) and which is deflectable away from the connector open position to a connector closed position where it allows the frame elements (22,24) to be moved towards one another by the spring (36) and in that a cam (46) which is movable between an open position where it allows the frame-separating portion (44) to lie between the frame elements and a closed position where it holds the frame supporting portion (44) away from between the frame elements (22,24) to allow the frame-engaging portions (40,42) to move the frame elements towards each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the cam (46) is movable from the open position to a second position where the cam holds the frame elements further apart than in the open position and to a third position at which the cam continues to hold the frame elements further apart than in the open position while pressing the frame separating portion away from the open position to the closing position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electrical connector as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the frame-separating portion (44) is a part of the spring (36).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
95 words
An electrical connector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by a plurality of pairs of frame elements, each pair being substantially the same and the elements of each pair of frame elements lying on opposite sides of the module-receiving region (34) and having associated pluralities of contacts; by spring means for urging each of the pairs of frame elements toward the module receiving region, and by an elongated cam having a plurality of portions of different cross sections (46a-46e) that sequentially engage the pairs of frame elements as the cam moves along its length.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for contacting conductive pads on a module, characterised by establishing first and second groups of elongated contacts (20) that have elongated flexible tail portions (30), terminal portions (26), and middle portions (25) between the tail and terminal portions, with the tail portions held to a base (14) and with the terminal portions of each group lying on a different side of a module-receiving region (34), by capturing the middle portions of each of the groups of contacts to a dielectric frame elements (22,24), so that the middle portions of each group are held at fixed distances from each other and by applying forces to the frame elements (22,24) to move them toward the module-receiving region (34), while supporting each of the frame elements on the flexible tail portions of the corresponding group of contacts.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for contacting conductive pads on a module, characterised by establishing first and second groups of elongated contacts (20) that have elongated flexible tail portions (30), terminal portions (26), and middle portions (25) between the tail and terminal portions, with the tail portions held to a base (14) and with the terminal portions of each group lying on a different side of a module-receiving region (34), by capturing the middle portions of each of the groups of contacts to a dielectric frame elements (22,24), so that the middle portions of each group are held at fixed distances from each other and by applying forces to the frame elements (22,24) to move them toward the module-receiving region (34), while supporting each of the frame elements on the flexible tail portions of the corresponding group of contacts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the step of applying forces includes establishing a spring device (36) between the frame elements (22,24) that urges them together, including establishing a portion (44) of the spring device between the frame elements to keep the frame elements apart and by deflecting the spring device portion (44) from between the frame elements, to allow the spring device to move the frame elements and the terminal portions of the contacts toward the module-receiving region (34).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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