Abstract A new connector assembly provides improved electrical and mechanical contact between a pin of a circuit board and two connector forks that form part of the connector assembly. The assembly includes a plastic housing in which the tines of the two connector forks are skewed so that one of the two tines of each fork makes substantially full contact with one of two opposite sides of the pin and the other tine makes a cooperating partial contact on the other side. In the preferred connector assembly, the housing has two projections that each extend along one of two diagonally opposite edges of the pin and along the adjacent noncontact making sides of the pin so that the tines nearest the projections are held in substantially full contact with the pin. The other two tines are allowed to extend somewhat beyond the other edges of the pin. The housing is also able to hold a single contact fork. A single unskewed contact fork is approximately centered on the pin between the diagonally opposing projections of the housing.
A connector assembly having a housing adapted to fit over a pin having a generally rectangular cross section, said housing having a cavity to hold up to a predetermined number of connector forks in a position for tines on said forks to grip opposite contact making surfaces of the pin, the plurality of tines being wider than the contact making surfaces of the pin, wherein the improvement comprises, means mounted on said housing for engaging two diagonally opposite outside ones of said tines and skewing the tines on one of said opposite contact making surfaces of said pin with respect to the tines on the other contact making surface of said pin to maintain said two diagonally opposite ones of said tines in substantially full electrical contact with said contact making surfaces of said pin and to maintain the other two diagonally opposite ones of said outside tines in partial but effective contact with the pin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A connector assembly having a housing adapted to fit over a pin having a generally rectangular cross section, said housing having a cavity to hold up to a predetermined number of connector forks in a position for tines on said forks to grip opposite contact making surfaces of the pin, the plurality of tines being wider than the contact making surfaces of the pin, wherein the improvement comprises, means mounted on said housing for engaging two diagonally opposite outside ones of said tines and skewing the tines on one of said opposite contact making surfaces of said pin with respect to the tines on the other contact making surface of said pin to maintain said two diagonally opposite ones of said tines in substantially full electrical contact with said contact making surfaces of said pin and to maintain the other two diagonally opposite ones of said outside tines in partial but effective contact with the pin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The assembly of claim 1 in which said skewing means comprises projections from the surfaces of said cavity to engage said two diagonally opposite tines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The assembly of claim 2 in which said cavity is of a size to hold at most two of said connector forks.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The assembly of claim 3 in which said housing cavity is open in the region of said other two diagonally opposite tines to provide clearance for sliding the connector forks in the housing during an assembly or disassembly operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The assembly of claim 4 in which said projections extend partially along the non-contact making sides of said pin for locating said tines with respect to said pin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The assembly of claim 5 in which said projections are ramp shaped for ease of assembly of said connector forks in said cavity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The assembly of claim 6 in which said tines are sufficiently resilient for said tines near said other diagonally opposite edges to be urged by the action of skewing the contact forks toward a position of maximum electrical contact with said pin.