EP0959535A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High-speed edge connector
Assignee: Molex LLC
•
Filing: 1998-08-14
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-08-14
Abstract
Abstract An electrical edge connector and a terminal therefore for connecting a first electrical circuit board to a second electrical circuit board, the first electrical circuit board having an insertion edge and two sides, the connector comprising an elongated dielectric housing having therein a longitudinal slot for receiving the insertion edge of the first electrical circuit board and a plurality of transverse terminal receiving cavities adjoining the slot on each side of the slot, and a plurality of signal terminals disposed within some of the terminal retention cavities on each side of the slot and a plurality of ground terminals disposed within others of the terminal retention cavities on each side of the slot, the signal and ground terminals each having a base portion, a retention portion extending from the base portion and retaining the terminal in one of the retention cavities, a tail portion extending from the base portion for electrically connecting the terminal to the second electrical circuit, and a spring arm connected to the base portion for electrically connecting the terminal to the first electrical circuit board, the ground terminals including a generally tapered, enlarged surface area portion for enhancing electrical coupling between the ground terminal and an adjacent signal terminal.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard A. Nelson
- 👤 David L. Brunker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/721; H01R13/00; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6585
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
An electrical edge connector for
electrically and mechanically connecting a first
electrical circuit board to a second electrical circuit
board, said first electrical circuit having an insertion
edge and two generally planar faces, said connector
comprising: an elongated dielectric housing having therein a
longitudinal slot for receiving said insertion edge of
said first electrical circuit board and a plurality of
transverse terminal receiving cavities adjoining said
slot on each side of said slot; and a plurality of signal terminals disposed within
some of said terminal receiving cavities on each side of
said slot and a plurality of ground terminals disposed
within others of said terminal receiving cavities on each
side of said slot, said signal and ground terminals each
having a base portion, a retention portion extending from
said base portion and retaining said terminal in one of
said retention cavities, a tail portion extending from
said base portion for electrically connecting said
terminal to said second electrical circuit board, and a
spring arm connected to said base portion for
electrically connecting said terminal to said first
electrical circuit board; each said ground terminal including a generally
tapered, enlarged surface area portion extending from its
base portion adjacent said spring arm for enhancing
electrical coupling between said ground terminal and an
adjacent signal terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 1 wherein said spring arm of each said ground
terminal includes an upwardly and inwardly inclined
portion spaced generally along said tapered, enlarged
surface area portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 1 wherein said enlarged surface area portion
includes a generally rectangular portion and a generally
triangularly shaped portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 1 wherein each said ground terminal includes
two tail portions extending from said base portion for
electrically connecting said terminal to said second
electrical circuit board.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 4 wherein one of said two terminal portions is
for surface mounting to said second electrical circuit
board and another one of said two terminal portions is
for mounting to said second electrical circuit board in
through-hole fashion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 4 wherein said ground terminal has exactly two
tail portions, and said contact portion meets said base
portion approximately equidistantly from where said two
tail portions meet said base portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 1 wherein each base portion of said ground
terminals includes a first generally rectangular section
extending generally along a lower surface of said
housing, a second generally rectangular section extending
up from said first generally rectangular section, a
portion of second generally rectangular section extending
along a portion of said slot, a generally triangularly
shaped portion extending up from said second generally
rectangular section and wherein said spring arm of said
ground terminal includes an upwardly and inwardly
inclined portion spaced generally along said generally
triangularly shaped portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
165 words
A terminal for an electrical edge connector
for connecting a first electrical circuit board to a
second electrical circuit board, wherein said first
electrical circuit board has an insertion edge and two
generally planar faces and said connector has an
elongated dielectric housing having therein a
longitudinal slot for receiving said insertion edge of
said first electrical circuit board and a plurality of
transverse terminal receiving cavities adjoining said
slot on each side of said slot, said terminal comprising: a base portion; a retention portion extending from said base
portion for retaining said terminal in one of said
receiving cavities; a tail portion extending from said base portion
for electrically connecting said terminal to said second
electrical circuit board; a spring arm connected to said base portion for
electrically connecting said terminal to said first
electrical circuit board; and a tapered, enlarged surface area portion
extending from said base portion adjacent said spring arm
for enhancing electrical coupling between said terminal
and an adjacent terminal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A terminal in accordance with claim 8
wherein said spring arm includes an upwardly and inwardly
inclined portion spaced generally along said tapered,
enlarged surface area portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A terminal in accordance with claim 8
wherein said enlarged surface area portion includes a
generally rectangular portion and a generally
triangularly shaped portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A terminal in accordance with claim 8
wherein said terminal comprises two tail portions
extending from said base portion for electrically
connecting said terminal to said second electrical
circuit board.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A terminal in accordance with claim 11
wherein one of said two terminal portions is for surface
mounting to said second electrical circuit board and
another one of said two terminal portions is for mounting
to said second electrical circuit board in through-hole
fashion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
A terminal in accordance with claim 11
having exactly two tail portions, said spring arm meeting
said base portion approximately equidistantly from where
said two tail portions meet said base portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
218 words
An electrical edge connector for
electrically and mechanically connecting a first
electrical circuit board to a second electrical circuit
board, said first electrical circuit board having an
insertion edge and two generally planar faces, said
connector comprising: an elongated dielectric housing having therein a
longitudinal slot for receiving said insertion edge of
said first electrical circuit board and a plurality of
transverse terminal receiving cavities adjoining said
slot on each side of said slot; and a plurality of first terminals disposed within
some of said terminal receiving cavities on each side of
said slot, a plurality of second terminals disposed
within others of said terminal receiving cavities on
each side of said slot, and a plurality of third
terminals disposed within some of said terminal receiving
cavities on each side of said slot, said first, second
and third terminals each having a shape distinct from the
other two, each of said first, second and third terminals
having a base portion, a retention portion extending from
said base portion and retaining said terminal in one of
said terminal receiving cavities, a tail portion
extending from said base portion for electrically
connecting said terminal to said second electrical
circuit board, and a spring arm connected to said base
portion for electrically connecting said terminal to said
first electrical circuit board.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 14 wherein said first terminals and said
second terminals contact said first electrical circuit
board at different heights.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 15 wherein said third terminals contact said
first electrical circuit board at a height different from
where either of said first and second terminals contact
said first electrical circuit board.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 16 wherein each said third terminals includes
a generally tapered, enlarged surface area portion
extending from its base portion adjacent said spring arm
for enhancing electrical coupling between said third
terminal and an adjacent terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with Claim 14 wherein on at least one side of said
longitudinal slot said terminal receiving cavities
receive individual first terminals, second terminals, and
third terminals therein in a repeating three-terminal
sequence such that each of said terminals appears exactly
once in each such sequence.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 18 wherein on both sides of said longitudinal
slot said terminal receiving cavities receive individual
first terminals, second terminals, and third terminals
therein in a repeating three-terminal sequence such that
each of said terminals appears exactly once in each such
sequence.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 19 wherein for every terminal receiving cavity
receiving one of said first terminals on one side of said
longitudinal slot, there is another terminal receiving
cavity receiving one of said first terminals directly
across said longitudinal slot.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electrical edge connector in accordance
with claim 19 wherein said first and second terminals
carry signal current and said third terminal carries
return ground current.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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