Circuit panel connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector for connecting external circuitry to terminal pads located along two opposite, generally parallel marginal edge portions of one face of a thin plate-like substrate, said connector comprising: an insulating housing having on at one face thereof a centrally located substrate-receiving zone adapted to receive said substrate upon movement thereof normally of its plane and into said zone, a plurality of electrical contact terminals mounted in, and extending through, said housing, said terminals being arranged in lines extending along two opposite sides of said substrate-receiving zone with spacings between adjacent terminals corresponding to the spacings between said terminal pads, and having end portions positioned adjacent said zone, each of said terminals having on its end portion a resilient cantilever arm extending laterally into said substrate-receiving zone in a position to engage one of said terminal pads on a substrate therein, said end portions of said terminals being generally channel-shaped with theiR upper end portions extending beyond, and generally perpendicularly of said substrate-receiving zone, said cantilever arms being struck from the bottom walls of said channels, each of said cantilever arms extending from said upper end portion of its respective terminal first laterally away from said substrate-receiving zone and then back through the opening formed in the bottom wall by striking out said arm, each of said arms then extending beyond its respective channel and toward said substrate-receiving zone, means on said housing for securing said substrate in said substrate-receiving zone with said terminal pads in resiliently compressive contact with said cantilever arms, and connecting means on said terminals extending beyond the opposite face of said housing for forming electrical connections with said external circuitry.

Claim 3

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the edges of the side walls of said terminals are serrated to provide a friction fit with the walls of passageways extending through said housing.

Claim 4

An electrical connector for connecting external circuitry to terminal pads located on one face of a thin rectangular substrate, said terminal pads being arranged in two parallel rows which extend along marginal opposed side portions of said substrate, said connector comprising: an open rectangular housing frame having parallel spaced-apart side rails and end rails extending between, and connecting, the ends of said side rails, said side rails being spaced apart by a distance which is substantially equal to, and slightly greater than, the width of said substrate as measured between said side pads, a plurality of electrical contact terminals mounted in, and extending through, said side rails, said terminals being spaced apart in each of said side rails by distances corresponding to the spacing between said terminal pads, said terminals having first end portions extending beyond one face of said frame, said first end portions defining a substrate receiving zone, each of said terminals having on said first end portion a resilient cantilever arm extending inwardly of said frame and into said substrate receiving zone for engagement with one of said terminal pads, each of said terminals having connecting means extending beyond the other face thereof for forming electrical connections with said external circuitry, substrate holding means on said end rails for engagement with end portions of said substrate to hold said substrate in said zone with said terminal pads in engagement with said cantilever arms, and locating means on said side rails for locating said substrate in said substrate receiving zone with said pads in contact with said cantilever arms, said locating means being engageable with edges portions of said substrate whereby, upon placement of said substrate in said zone and engagement of said holding means with said substrate, said terminal pads will be connected to said contact terminals and to said external circuitry by means of said connecting means.

Claim 5

An electrical connector for connecting external circuitry to terminal pads located on one face of a thin rectangular substrate, said terminal pads being arranged in two parallel rows which extend along marginal opposed side portions of said substrate, said connector comprising: an open rectangular housing frame having parallel spaced-apart side rails and end rails extending between, and connecting, the ends of said side rails, said side rails being spaced apart by a distance which is substantially equal to, and slightly greater than, the width of said substrate as measured between said side pads, a plurality of electrical contact terminals mounted in, and extending through, said side rails, said terminals being spaced apart in each of said side rails by distances corresponding to the spacing between said terminal pads, said terminals having first end portions extending beyond one face of said frame, said first end portions defining a substrate receiving zone, each of said terminals having on said first end portion a resilient cantilever arm extending inwardly of said frame and into said substrate receiving zone for engagement with one of said terminal pads, each of said terminals having connecting means extending beyond the other face thereof for forming electrical connections with said external circuitry, substrate holding means on said end rails for engagement with end portions of said substrate to hold said substrate in said zone with said terminal pads in engagement with said cantilever arms, and locating means on said side rails for locating said substrate in said substrate receiving zone with said pads in contact with said cantilever arms, said locating means being engageable with edges portions of said substrate whereby, upon placement of said substrate in said zone and engagement of said holding means with said substrate, said terminal pads will be connected to said contact terminals and to said external circuitry by means of said connecting means.

Claim 6

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 3, said first end portion of each of said terminals being channel-shaped in cross-section, said resilient cantilever arm being struck from the base of the channel of each of said terminals.