Low insertion force printed board connector

Claim 2

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; and actuation means insertable into the slot in cooperative relationship with the contact means and the gate means and operable to retract the contact means from the slot, the actuation means being cooperative with the gate means and the contact means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means becomes retracted.

Claim 3

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said contact means is biased to its normally closed position and the actuation means retracts the contact means in opposition to such bias.

Claim 4

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the actuation means becomes disposed in cooperative relationship with the contact means and the gate means only upon insertion of the actuating means to a limit position in the socket assembly; and in which the actuation means includes normally disabled means to open the gate means when enabled; and in which the gate means includes means to enable said normally disabled means in response to insertion of the actuation means to said limit position.

Claim 5

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which operation of said actuation means includes insertion of the actuation means to a limit position in the socket assembly; and which includes means operably connecting the actuation means to the gate means in response to insertion of the actuation means to said limit position thereby to make the gate means operable by rotation of the actuation means.

Claim 6

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said actuation means becomes operative upon insertion of the actuation means to a limit position in the socket assembly; and in which the gate means is responsive, upon insertion of the actuation means to the limit position, to open in response to rotation Of the actuation means when the actuation means is inserted to said limit position.

Claim 7

A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes means to prevent insertion of the edge portion of a printed circuit board into the slot of the socket assembly in any manner except endwise of the slot.

Claim 8

A combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes detent means to yieldingly hold the gate means in its closed position.

Claim 9

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with an entrance at one end of the slot to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; normally closed gate means blocking the entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion thereinto of a printed circuit board; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; and actuation means normally separate from the socket assembly and insertable into the socket assembly to retract the contact means and to open the normally closed gate means.

Claim 10

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with an entrance at one end of the slot to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; normally closed gate means blocking the entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion thereinto of a printed circuit board; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; and actuation means normally separate from the socket assembly and insertable into the socket assembly to retract the contact means and to open the normally closed gate means.

Claim 11

A combination as set forth in claim 8 in which said gate means is responsive to the actuating means to open in response to rotation of the actuating means on its longitudinal axis when the actuating means is completely inserted into the socket assembly.

Claim 12

A combination as set forth in claim 8 in which said contact means is responsive to the actuating means to retract in response to insertion of the actuating means into the socket assembly.

Claim 13

A combination as set forth in claim 10 which includes cam means unitary with said actuating means to retract the contact means in response to longitudinal movement of the actuating means into the socket assembly.

Claim 14

A combination as set forth in claim 11 in which the leading end of the actuating means is tapered to retract the actuating means in response to insertion of the actuating means.

Claim 15

A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which said contact means includes two rows of contacts and in which the leading end of the actuating means is tapered to retract the two rows of contacts by wedging action between the two rows.

Claim 16

A combination as set forth in claim 8 in which cam means unitary with the actuation means is operable to retract the contact means in response to rotation of the actuating means but only when the actuating means is completely inserted into the socket assembly.

Claim 17

A combination as set forth in claim 8 in which said slot has two entrances respectively at its two opposite ends; which includes two normally closed gate means at the two entrances respectively; in which the actuation means is insertable into the opposite ends selectively of the socket assembly to retract the contact means; and in which the actuation means controls that one of of the two gate means which corresponds to that end of the socket assembly into which the actuation means is inserted.

Claim 18

A combination as set forth in claim 8, in which the socket assembly has a plurality of slots to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of printed circuit boards; in which the socket assembly has a corresponding plurality of contact means respectively associated with the slots respectively; in which the socket assembly has a corresponding plurality of gate means respectively associated with the slots respectively; in which the socket assembly has a corresponding plurality of passages respectively adjacent the slots respectively to receive said actuation means selectively to retract the corresponding contact means and to open the corresponding gate means.

Claim 19

A combination as set forth in claim 16, in which each of said slots haS two entrances respectively at its opposite ends, which includes two gate means at the opposite entrances respectively of each slot; in which the actuation means is insertible selectively into the opposite ends of each of the passages, and in which the actuation means controls that one of the two gates of each slot which corresponds to the end of the corresponding passage into which the actuation means is inserted.

Claim 20

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the actuation means is movable in a first respect to retract the contact means and is movable in a second respect to open the gate means; and which includes means to prevent movement of the actuation means in the second respect until completion of its movement in the first respect.

Claim 21

A combination as set forth in claim 8 which includes stop means to limit the insertion of the board at the correct position to register contact means in the socket assembly with the terminals on the board.

Claim 22

A combination as set forth in claim 19 which includes two gate means at opposite ends respectively of the slot; in which the actuation means is insertable into the opposite ends of the socket assembly selectively; and in which the actuation means opens the gate means corresponding to the end of the socket assembly into which the actuation means is inserted, the other gate means remaining closed to serve as said stop means for the board.

Claim 23

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot that is open at its opposite ends to provide opposite entrances to receive the edge portion of the board; two normally closed gate means at the two entrances respectively of the slot blocking the two entrances; contact means adjacent the slot and normally extending into the slot to cooperate with the terminal on the board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means movable into the socket past an adjacent one of the gate means to a limit position and disposed in cooperative relationship with the adjacent one of the gate means and the contact means in the limit position and operable in the limit position to insure the retraction of the contact means and to open at least the adjacent one of the gate means.

Claim 24

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot that is open at its opposite ends to provide opposite entrances to receive the edge portion of the board; two normally closed gate means at the two entrances respectively of the slot blocking the two entrances; contact means adjacent the slot and normally extending into the slot to cooperate with the terminal on the board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means movable into the socket past an adjacent one of the gate means to a limit position and disposed in cooperative relationship with the adjacent one of the gate means and the contact means in the limit position and operable in the limit position to insure the retraction of the contact means and to open at least the adjacent one of the gate means.

Claim 25

A combination as set forth in claim 21 in which the actuation means retracts the contact means and substantially simultaneously opens the adjacent one of the two gate means in the limit position of the actuation means.

Claim 26

A combination as set forth in claim 21 in which the length of the board is substantially equal to the distance between the two gate means to cause the board to block closing of one of the gate means if the board is not positioned centrally of the two gate means.

Claim 27

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot that is open at its opposite ends to provide opposite entrances to receive the edge portion of the board; two normally closed gate means at the two entrances respectively of the slot blocking the two entrances; contact means adjacent the slot normally extending into the slot to cooperate with the terminal or terminals on the board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means and to open both of the gates, the actuation means retracting the contact means during insertion of the actuation means to the limit position and opens the adjacent one of the two gate means in the limit position.

Claim 28

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot that is open at its opposite ends to provide opposite entrances to receive the edge portion of the board; two normally closed gate means at the two entrances respectively of the slot blocking the two entrances; contact means adjacent the slot normally extending into the slot to cooperate with the terminal or terminals on the board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means and to open both of the gates, the actuation means retracting the contact means during insertion of the actuation means to the limit position and opens the adjacent one of the two gate means in the limit position.

Claim 29

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a soCket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means from the slot; and means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means is retracted, the actuation means is movable in a first respect into the slot in the socket assembly and is movable in a second respect, after the completion of the movement in the first respect, to retract the contact means and open the gate means.

Claim 30

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a soCket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means from the slot; and means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means is retracted, the actuation means is movable in a first respect into the slot in the socket assembly and is movable in a second respect, after the completion of the movement in the first respect, to retract the contact means and open the gate means.

Claim 31

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means from the slot; and means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means is retracted, the actuation means is movable in a first respect into the slot in the socket assembly and is movable in a second respect, after the completion of the movement in the first respect, to retract the contact means and open the gate means, the movement of the actuation means in the first respect is linear and the movement of the actuation means in the second respect is rotary.

Claim 32

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means from the slot; and means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means is retracted, the actuation means is movable in a first respect into the slot in the socket assembly and is movable in a second respect, after the completion of the movement in the first respect, to retract the contact means and open the gate means, the movement of the actuation means in the first respect is linear and the movement of the actuation means in the second respect is rotary.

Claim 33

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means from the slot; and means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means is retracted, the actuation means is movable in a first respect to retract the contact means and is movable in a second respect to open the gate means, the movement of the actuation means in the first respect is linear and the movement of the actuation means in the second respect is rotary.

Claim 34

In a low insertion force electrical socket to receive an edge portion of a printed circuit board having at least one electrical terminal thereon, the combination of: a socket assembly having a socket in the form of a slot with one end of the slot open to provide an entrance to permit the edge portion of the printed circuit board to be inserted into the slot longitudinally of the slot; gate means having a normally closed position blocking entrance to the slot to prevent the insertion of a printed circuit board, said gate means being movable to an open position; contact means included in the socket assembly adjacent the slot, said contact means normally extending to the slot for cooperation with said terminal or terminals on the printed circuit board, said contact means being retractable from the slot; actuation means operable to retract the contact means from the slot; and means to prevent opening of the gate means unless the contact means is retracted, the actuation means is movable in a first respect to retract the contact means and is movable in a second respect to open the gate means, the movement of the actuation means in the first respect is linear and the movement of the actuation means in the second respect is rotary.