Connector receptacle

Claim 2

A receptacle for a flat circuit-bearing element having contact pads adjacent at least one edge thereof comprising: a one-piece body of insulating material having a slot for receiving the edge of the element having said contact pads, the slot having opposite ends and a pair of vertical uprights integral with the body and positioned adjacent the opposite ends of the slot, one of the uprights including reference means for receiving and locating the element in a predetermined position in the slot and the other upright including resilient means for receiving the element and forcibly positioning it against the reference means, said other upright including side means for laterally directing said element resiliently against said resilient means when said edge of said element is in said slot, said resilient means including a pair of spaced-apart arms and an upper bow joining said arms, one of said arms facing and resiliently restrained from movement towards said reference means, said resilient means including spring means having a lateral ear portion and said other vertical upright including a restraining abutment in juxtaposition with the ear portion for retaining the spring means in the upright.

Claim 3

A receptacle for a flat circuit-bearing element having a plurality of contact pads located between spaced edges of said element, the improvement comprising: a one-piece body of insulating material having a slot for receiving the element and said contact pads, and an integrally formed reference means on said body for engaging one edge of said element to locate the element in predetermined position in the slot, a plurality of contacts carried by said body with each contact having a predetermined position along said slot for engaging a respective contact pad, and resilient spring means carried by said body engaging the other spaced edge of said element and forcibly positioning the element in the slot against the reference means to align each contact pad with a respective contact of said plurality of contacts, said resilient spring means including a pair of spaced-apart arms and an upper bow joining said arms, one of said arms in facing engagement with said other edge of said element and resiliently restrained from movement past a selected position towards said reference means, the other arm engaged with said body and held against movement from said element.

Claim 4

A receptacle for a flat circuit-bearing element having a plurality of contact pads located between spaced edges of said element, the improvement comprising: a one-piece body of insulating material having a slot for receiving the element and said contact pads, and an integrally formed reference means on said body for engaging one edge of said element to locate the element in predetermined position in the slot, a plurality of contacts carried by said body with each contact having a predetermined position along said slot for engaging a respective contact pad, and resilient spring means carried by said body engaging the other spaced edge of said element and forcibly positioning the element in the slot against the reference means to align each contact pad with a respective contact of said plurality of contacts, said resilient spring means including a pair of spaced-apart arms and an upper bow joining said arms, one of said arms in facing engagement with said other edge of said element and resiliently restrained from movement past a selected position towards said reference means, the other arm engaged with said body and held against movement from said element.

Claim 5

The receptacle of claim 2 wherein said body includes a vertical shoulder providing an abutment engaging said one arm for resiliently restraining said one arm.

Claim 6

A recepTacle for a flat circuit bearing element having contact pads adjacent on at least one edge thereof comprising an elongated one-piece body of insulating material having a long, narrow slot extending vertically through the body with opposite longitudinal sides terminating at opposite ends of the slot and an upper inner surface extending laterally and generally horizontally from one of said sides as a protective cover and shaped to include a stop means, a pair of vertical uprights positioned integrally with the body at said ends of said slot and including reference means on one of said uprights to receive and locate the element in a predetermined position in the slot and the other said uprights including resilient means to receive the element and forcibly position it against the reference means with said reference and resilient means including opposed inner, vertically flat faces at said opposite ends of said slot, said resilient means includes spring means with a pair of spaced-apart arms joined at an upper bow with one of the arms facing and resiliently restrained from movement towards said reference means and a lateral ear portion on said spring means, said vertical upright including a restraining abutment in juxtaposition with the ear portion for retaining the spring means in the upright, at least one of said longitudinal sides of said slot sides laterally exposing a plurality of adjacently spaced contact-receiving pockets disposed along said side below said protective cover and open at the bottom of the body, with alternate pockets having oppositely directed T-shaped cross sections at the bottom thereof, barrier means with contact-mounting surfaces extending laterally from said one longitudinal side and separating said pockets, and contact means including a plurality of flat blade-like contacts of sheet metal mounted in said pockets between the surfaces of the barrier means with terminal portions extending downwardly from and beyond the body with terminal portions of adjacent contacts being separated both longitudinally and vertically, each T-shape having a cross member adapted for mounting said contacts, and each of said contacts including an engagement portion with a rounded bow partially extending inwardly into said slot for engagement with said contact pads, said bow including an upper arm positioned against said stop means in said pocket for limiting movement of said bow inwardly into said slot and a lower arm extending rearwardly away from said slot to an end spaced apart from said cross member of said T-shape, said each contact also including a barbed pair of coplanar flanges retaining the contact in said cross member of said T-shape and integrally connected with said end of said lower arm, said contact means being adapted to make physical and electrical contact with the contact pad of said element when said element is in said slot.

Claim 7

A recepTacle for a flat circuit bearing element having contact pads adjacent on at least one edge thereof comprising an elongated one-piece body of insulating material having a long, narrow slot extending vertically through the body with opposite longitudinal sides terminating at opposite ends of the slot and an upper inner surface extending laterally and generally horizontally from one of said sides as a protective cover and shaped to include a stop means, a pair of vertical uprights positioned integrally with the body at said ends of said slot and including reference means on one of said uprights to receive and locate the element in a predetermined position in the slot and the other said uprights including resilient means to receive the element and forcibly position it against the reference means with said reference and resilient means including opposed inner, vertically flat faces at said opposite ends of said slot, said resilient means includes spring means with a pair of spaced-apart arms joined at an upper bow with one of the arms facing and resiliently restrained from movement towards said reference means and a lateral ear portion on said spring means, said vertical upright including a restraining abutment in juxtaposition with the ear portion for retaining the spring means in the upright, at least one of said longitudinal sides of said slot sides laterally exposing a plurality of adjacently spaced contact-receiving pockets disposed along said side below said protective cover and open at the bottom of the body, with alternate pockets having oppositely directed T-shaped cross sections at the bottom thereof, barrier means with contact-mounting surfaces extending laterally from said one longitudinal side and separating said pockets, and contact means including a plurality of flat blade-like contacts of sheet metal mounted in said pockets between the surfaces of the barrier means with terminal portions extending downwardly from and beyond the body with terminal portions of adjacent contacts being separated both longitudinally and vertically, each T-shape having a cross member adapted for mounting said contacts, and each of said contacts including an engagement portion with a rounded bow partially extending inwardly into said slot for engagement with said contact pads, said bow including an upper arm positioned against said stop means in said pocket for limiting movement of said bow inwardly into said slot and a lower arm extending rearwardly away from said slot to an end spaced apart from said cross member of said T-shape, said each contact also including a barbed pair of coplanar flanges retaining the contact in said cross member of said T-shape and integrally connected with said end of said lower arm, said contact means being adapted to make physical and electrical contact with the contact pad of said element when said element is in said slot.

Claim 8

The receptacle of claim 4 wherein said body includes a vertical shoulder providing an abutment for resiliently restraining said one arm.