US3732531A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric contacts
Assignee: Amphenol Corp
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Filing: 1971-06-16
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Granted: 1973-05-08
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Expires: 1991-06-16
Abstract
Abstract This invention is an electrical connector for receiving and contacting a mating electrical connector such as a printed circuit board. The connector has a contact element including a terminal portion which is kept in a rigid, well-defined position and a contact portion which is moveable in order to provide proper contact with the mating electrical connector. The connector has a body of insulating material having an opening for the mating electrical connector and has a slot intersecting the opening with the contact element disposed therein. The contact element has a positioning portion which is engageable with the mating electrical connector for automatically positioning the contact portion of the contact element against the contact surface of the mating electrical connector. In one embodiment of the invention, the contact element can be held in one of two different positions for making contact with the mating connector in one of two different positions.
Inventors
- 👤 J Bouley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/721
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
An electrical connector device for receiving and contacting a mating electrical connector, comprising: a body of insulation material having front and rear ends, a connector opening extending longitudinally from the front end into said body with a longitudinal axis and a rearwardly disposed portion, and a slot intersecting said portion of said opening and extending through the rear end of said body; a contact element of electrically conductive material including disposed in said slot a base portion, a positioning portion, a contact portion, a U-shaped pair of arms frontwardly supporting said positioning and contact portions, and a long resilient blade portion resiliently coupling said pair of arms to said base portion and rigidly interconnected to said positioning portion, said positioning and contact portions being laterally spaced-apart and offset towards the contact portion from the axis of said opening so that said positioning portion is engageable with said mating electrical connector for positioning said contact portion within said opening to make electrical contact with said connector, said pair of arms including free-ended upper portions separately joined to said positioning and contact portions and a central resilient bridge, one of said arms rearwardly forming a junction with said resilient bridge and having said upper portion joined to said positioning portion, the other said arm including said bridge resiliently joined to said contact portions, said long resilient blade extending in a side - by - side generally parallel relationship with at least a section of said arms and beyond said section to said base portion providing a long coupling length at least as long as said bridge portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
An electrical connector device for receiving and contacting a mating electrical connector, comprising: a body of insulation material having front and rear ends, a connector opening extending longitudinally from the front end into said body with a longitudinal axis and a rearwardly disposed portion, and a slot intersecting said portion of said opening and extending through the rear end of said body; a contact element of electrically conductive material including disposed in said slot a base portion, a positioning portion, a contact portion, a U-shaped pair of arms frontwardly supporting said positioning and contact portions, and a long resilient blade portion resiliently coupling said pair of arms to said base portion and rigidly interconnected to said positioning portion, said positioning and contact portions being laterally spaced-apart and offset towards the contact portion from the axis of said opening so that said positioning portion is engageable with said mating electrical connector for positioning said contact portion within said opening to make electrical contact with said connector, said pair of arms including free-ended upper portions separately joined to said positioning and contact portions and a central resilient bridge, one of said arms rearwardly forming a junction with said resilient bridge and having said upper portion joined to said positioning portion, the other said arm including said bridge resiliently joined to said contact portions, said long resilient blade extending in a side - by - side generally parallel relationship with at least a section of said arms and beyond said section to said base portion providing a long coupling length at least as long as said bridge portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device in claim 1 wherein said means for holding comprises a pair of rigid blade portions projecting forwardly toward said front end with each blade portion including a stub, and front and rear pairs of recesses in said body for retaining said stubs in two different positions and thereby said contact element in corresponding front and rear positions in said body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device as claimed in claim 2 including a spacer coupled to said contact element and abutting a cooperating surface on said body to keep said contact element in one of said two different positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient blade portion joins said base with the upper portion of said one of said arms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said base has a rigid blade portion projecting forwardly toward said front end, and a second resilient blade portion joining said rigid blade portion with said one of said arms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second resilient blade is joined to said one of said arms adjacent the junction of said arms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base has a rigid blade portion projecting forwardly toward said front end and said resilient blade extends from adjacent the junction of said arms to said rigid blade portion
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-07 | 1976-11-06 | 1977-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-07 | 1980-11-06 | 1981-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-07 | 1984-11-06 | 1985-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |