Connector for printed circuit boards

Claim 2

A connector for establishing a respective electrical connection to each of a plurality of spaced contacts carried by and adjacent one edge of a printed circuit board comprising: a body member having a groove extending longitudinally along said body member for receiving said spaced contacts and the one edge of said printed circuit board; a ball contact for each spaced contact; a carrier member for each ball contact carrying the respective ball contact for rotation about the center of the respective ball contact and for movement with the respective carrier member transversely to said groove for enabling each ball contact to be moved into said groove for engaging a respective spaced contact on said printed circuit board; and means for biasing each carrier member and the respective ball contact carried by each carrier member toward said groove with the spherical configuration of each ball contact projecting into said groove for engaging a respective one of the spaced contacts on the printed circuit board in response to the receipt of said spaced contacts and the one edge of said printed circuit board in said groove.

Claim 3

The connector as claimed in claim 1, including: an electrical terminal fixed in said body member, and wherein said biasing means comprises a conductive coil spring with one end of said coil spring engaging said carrier member and the other end of said spring engaging said electrical terminal whereby said spring electrically couples said one ball contact to said electrical terminal without solder and biases the respective carrier member and said one ball contact toward said groove.

Claim 4

The connector as claimed in claim 2, in which said terminal has a passageway and the respective carrier member has a portion received into said passageway for guiding the movement of the respective carrier member transversely to said groove.

Claim 5

A connector for establishing an electrical connection to a contact carried by and adjacent one edge of a printed circuit board; a body member having a groove for receiving the one edge and the spaced contacts carried by said printed circuit board; at least, one contact member mounted in said body member to resiliently project into said groove, said contact member having a spherical configuration for engaging said board and said contact in response to the receipt of said board and said contact in said groove; a resilient element formed separately from and coupled to said contact member for biasing said contact member against said board and contact; an electrical terminal; said resilient element including a conductive spring electrically coupling said contact member to said electrical tErminal; and a carrier for said contact member and positioned adjacent said groove, said contact member being carried on one end of said carrier for lateral movement with said carrier in a direction into and out of said groove; said one end of said carrier including a forked seat embracing a portion of said contact member.

Claim 6

A connector for establishing an electrical connection to a contact carried by and adjacent one edge of a printed circuit board; a body member having a groove for receiving the one edge and the spaced contacts carried by said printed circuit board; at least, one contact member mounted in said body member to resiliently project into said groove, said contact member having a spherical configuration for engaging said board and said contact in response to the receipt of said board and said contact in said groove; a resilient element formed separately from and coupled to said contact member for biasing said contact member against said board and contact; an electrical terminal; said resilient element including a conductive spring electrically coupling said contact member to said electrical tErminal; and a carrier for said contact member and positioned adjacent said groove, said contact member being carried on one end of said carrier for lateral movement with said carrier in a direction into and out of said groove; said one end of said carrier including a forked seat embracing a portion of said contact member.

Claim 7

A connector for establishing an electrical connection to a contact carried by and adjacent one edge of a printed circuit board, comprising: a body member having a groove for receiving the one edge and contact of said printed circuit board; at least, one contact member mounted in said body member to resiliently project into said groove, said contact member having a spherical configuration from engaging said board and the contact carried by said board in response to the receipt of said board and contact in said groove; a resilient element formed separately from and coupled to said contact member for biasing said contact member against said board and contact; an electrical terminal; said resilient element including a conductive spring electrically coupling said contact member to said electrical terminal; a carrier for said contact member and positioned adjacent said groove, said contact member being carried on an end of said carrier for lateral movement with said carrier in a direction into and out of said groove; said electrical terminal including an extension adjacent an end opposite said first mentioned end of said carrier, and said spring comprises a compression spring located between said carrier and said extension; said body member including a chamber intersecting said groove, said carrier being located in and guided by the walls of said chamber; and the lateral movement of said carrier in one direction is limited by said opposite end of said carrier abutting against a wall protion of said chamber and the lateral movement of said carrier in the opposite direction is limited by the abutting of a portion of said opposite end of said carrier against said extension of said terminal.

Claim 8

A connector for establishing an electrical connection to a contact carried by and adjacent one edge of a printed circuit board, comprising: a body member having a groove for receiving the one edge and contact of said printed circuit board; at least, one contact member mounted in said body member to resiliently project into said groove, said contact member having a spherical configuration from engaging said board and the contact carried by said board in response to the receipt of said board and contact in said groove; a resilient element formed separately from and coupled to said contact member for biasing said contact member against said board and contact; an electrical terminal; said resilient element including a conductive spring electrically coupling said contact member to said electrical terminal; a carrier for said contact member and positioned adjacent said groove, said contact member being carried on an end of said carrier for lateral movement with said carrier in a direction into and out of said groove; said electrical terminal including an extension adjacent an end opposite said first mentioned end of said carrier, and said spring comprises a compression spring located between said carrier and said extension; said body member including a chamber intersecting said groove, said carrier being located in and guided by the walls of said chamber; and the lateral movement of said carrier in one direction is limited by said opposite end of said carrier abutting against a wall protion of said chamber and the lateral movement of said carrier in the opposite direction is limited by the abutting of a portion of said opposite end of said carrier against said extension of said terminal.