US3876274A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Receptacles employing high density array of overlapping self-adjustable contacts
Assignee: Elco Corp
•
Filing: 1974-04-15
•
Granted: 1975-04-08
•
Expires: 1994-04-15
Abstract
Abstract Connector receptacles for mating with a very high density array of male pins employ an insulating housing having female contacts mounted therein. The contacts have mating (nose) portions interconnected by relatively narrow neck portions to a mounting (body) portion. The contacts are spaced on plural levels in the direction of mating in an overlapping arrangement. In a two-level embodiment the contacts have a U-shaped nose portion with offset legs; the U-portion is formed by slotting and has contact areas comprising facing dimple bosses on opposite sides of the respective legs of the U. Alternatively the U-portion may comprise non-offset legs formed by folding. A three-level embodiment has two rows of contacts with U-shaped noses formed by bending. A four-level embodiment comprises three rows of contacts with two levels of contacts in each row and an offset-height center row. Adjacent contacts in each row have overlapping mating portions such that the neck of the upper contact passes through the U-portion of the lower contact and the mating male pin for the lower contact passes through the U-portion of the upper contact. The housings generally comprise an inner core into which the contacts are mounted; the core fits into an outer shell which has ribs for preloading the contacts. The body portion of each contact is rigidly mounted within the housing and the neck and mating portions are free to move, thereby enabling each contact to be self-adjusting to compensate for male pin misalignment.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert E Ruehlemann
- 👤 Jerzy R Sochor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:55
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716; H01R2107/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and two rows of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins arranged in two rows when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement the improvement comprising: positioning said female contacts in said insulator housing such that; adjacent contacts in each row are at different levels along said axis and overlap each other when viewed along said axis, the contacts of one row are at different levels along said axis and overlap corresponding contacts of the other row when viewed along said axis, whereby the contacts are spaced closer together than the minimum spacing required if said contacts were in the same level, each row having at least one contact at a higher level than some contact of the other row.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and two rows of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins arranged in two rows when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement the improvement comprising: positioning said female contacts in said insulator housing such that; adjacent contacts in each row are at different levels along said axis and overlap each other when viewed along said axis, the contacts of one row are at different levels along said axis and overlap corresponding contacts of the other row when viewed along said axis, whereby the contacts are spaced closer together than the minimum spacing required if said contacts were in the same level, each row having at least one contact at a higher level than some contact of the other row.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein each of said female contacts includes two opposing contacting members for engaging opposite sides of a male pin, said opposing contacting members being located at different levels along said axis thereby reducing insertion forces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein each of said female contacts includes a mating portion, a body portion, and a supporting neck portion extending between said mating and body portions, and is formed from sheet metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein said contacting members are formed by the legs of a U-shaped mating portion, which lies in a plane parallel to said axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said insulator housing includes an inner core having cavities into which said female contacts are positioned, and an outer shell surrounding said inner core.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement of claim 5 wherein said outer shell includes integral means for preloading said female contacts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and at least two aligned rows of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins arranged in two aligned rows when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement the improvement comprising: providing pairs of female contacts, each pair having a first contact from one of said rows and a second contact from another of said rows said first contact having a mating portion at a first level along said axis, and said second contact having a mating portion at a second level spaced from said first level, said pairs of contacts being positioned with said mating portions overlapping between aligned positions in said two rows when viewed along said axis, the mating portions of adjacent contacts within each row also being in different levels, and each of said mating portions including two opposing contact areas positioned at spaced levels along said axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and at least two aligned rows of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins arranged in two aligned rows when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement the improvement comprising: providing pairs of female contacts, each pair having a first contact from one of said rows and a second contact from another of said rows said first contact having a mating portion at a first level along said axis, and said second contact having a mating portion at a second level spaced from said first level, said pairs of contacts being positioned with said mating portions overlapping between aligned positions in said two rows when viewed along said axis, the mating portions of adjacent contacts within each row also being in different levels, and each of said mating portions including two opposing contact areas positioned at spaced levels along said axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement of claim 7 wherein said mating portions of adjacent contacts within each row also overlap when viewed along said axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improvement of claim 7 wherein each of said mating portions is U-shaped having two legs and a bight portion, said bight portion extending parallel to said axis, and said legs including said opposing contact making areas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The improvement of claim 7 wherein each of said female contacts further include neck means for flexibly supporting said mating portions, said neck means of said first and second contacts being made substantially the same length to provide the same flexibility by having said neck means extend diagonally on one of said contacts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 7 wherein said insulator housing includes an inner core having cavities into which said pairs of contacts are positioned and an outer shell surrounding said core.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein said outer shell includes integral means for preloading said female contacts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and a plurality of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement, each of said female contacts having a mating portion with two integral opposing contact making areas for engaging opposite sides of a male pin, the improvement comprising: providing said two opposing contact making areas at different levels along said axis by forming each of said mating portions in a U-shape having a bight portion extending parallel to said axis, and two legs extending transverse to said axis with said legs being said opposed contact making areas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and a plurality of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement, each of said female contacts having a mating portion with two integral opposing contact making areas for engaging opposite sides of a male pin, the improvement comprising: providing said two opposing contact making areas at different levels along said axis by forming each of said mating portions in a U-shape having a bight portion extending parallel to said axis, and two legs extending transverse to said axis with said legs being said opposed contact making areas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The improvement of claim 13 wherein each of said female contacts further includes a body portion and a supporting neck portion extending between said mating and body portions, and wherein said female contacts may be formed from sheet metal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The improvement of claim 13 wherein said female contacts are arranged in at least one row with adjacent contacts being disposed at different levels within said insulator housing along said axis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and a plurality of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement, each of said female contacts having a mating portion with two integral opposing contact making areas for engaging opposite sides of a male pin, the improvement comprising: providing said two opposing contact making areas at different levels along said axis, arranging said female contacts in at least one row with adjacent contacts being disposed at different levels within said insulator housing along said axis, and providing each of said female contacts with neck means for flexibly supporting said mating portions, said neck means of contacts disposed at different levels in said insulator housing along said axis being made substantially the same length to provide substantially the same flexibility by having said neck means extend diagonally on some of said contacts.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a receptacle including an insulator housing and a plurality of female contacts therein for receiving a plurality of male pins when said pins are moved along an axis of engagement, each of said female contacts having a mating portion with two integral opposing contact making areas for engaging opposite sides of a male pin, the improvement comprising: providing said two opposing contact making areas at different levels along said axis, arranging said female contacts in at least one row with adjacent contacts being disposed at different levels within said insulator housing along said axis, and providing each of said female contacts with neck means for flexibly supporting said mating portions, said neck means of contacts disposed at different levels in said insulator housing along said axis being made substantially the same length to provide substantially the same flexibility by having said neck means extend diagonally on some of said contacts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2480059A
Cited
US2669702A
Cited
US2757349A
Cited
US3086096A
Cited
US3016512A
Cited
US3160455A
Cited
US3226669A
Cited
US3486163A
Cited
US3663925A
Cited
US3808578A
Cited
US3761864A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-07 | 1978-10-07 | 1979-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-07 | 1982-10-07 | 1983-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-07 | 1986-10-07 | 1987-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |