Connector assembly for a piezoelectric transducer

Claim 2

A connector assembly for supporting a piezoelectric transducer disc in a position generally parallel to and spaced above a surface of a printed circuit board, said connector assembly comprising: a unitary formed conductive body having a base structure; first tab means extending downwardly from said base structure for connection to the printed circuit board and for positioning said base structure adjacent said printed circuit board surface; a plurality of disc holding means extending upwardly from said base structure engageable with the periphery of the disc at spaced locations around the disc periphery for releasably supporting the disc above the base means and for electrically contacting the disc periphery; a contact supporting portion; additional tab means extending downwardly from said contact supporting portion for connection to the printed circuit board and for positioning said contact supporting portion adjacent said printed circuit board surface; a resilient contact extending upwardly from said contact supporting portion and adapted to electrically and resiliently engage said disc at a region spaced inwardly from the disc periphery; and a frangible portion interconnecting said base structure and said contact supporting portion, said frangible portion being separable from said conductive body for electrically isolating said contact supporting portion from said base structure.

Claim 3

The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein most of said base structure, said contact supporting portion and all of said tab means are beneath a disc supported by said holding means.

Claim 4

The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein two of said holding means are movable toward and away from one another in a plane generally parallel to the printed circuit board surface for selectively holding or releasing the disc.

Claim 5

The connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a preformed break-away line between said frangible portion and said base structure.

Claim 6

The connector assembly of claim 1, said base structure including a pair of support portions generally parallel to one another and each supporting a pair of said holding means at opposite ends of said support portions.

Claim 7

The connector assembly of claim 5, said base structure further including tie means extending between said support portions.

Claim 8

The connector assembly of claim 6, said first tab means comprising a pair of tabs spaced apart from one another.

Claim 9

The connector assembly of claim 7, said pair of tabs each extending from one of said support portions.

Claim 10

The connector assembly of claim 5, said frangible portion extending between said support portions, and said contact supporting portion extending from a region of said frangible portion between said support portions.

Claim 11

A connector assembly for holding a thin, wafer-like transducer including a piezoelectric element mounted on a first side of a conductive substrate and for making electrical connections between the transducer and a circuit member, said connector assembly comprising: a unitary, one-piece base member including transducer supporting structure engageable with the first side of said transducer to support said transducer on the base member, a pair of spaced apart terminal supporting surfaces facing toward said first side of the transducer and being aligned respectively with the piezoelectric element and the conductive substrate of the transducer, and opening means extending away from said terminal supporting surfaces to the exterior of said base member; a pair of spaced-apart one-piece, metal resiliently formed terminals mounted in said base member, each terminal including a first portion abutting one said terminal supporting surface, a second portion extending in the direction of the transducer initially beyond the transducer supporting structure, and electrical connecting means extending from said first portions through said opening means for connection to the circuit member; and holding means engageable with the transducer supporting structure for holding the transducer against the transducer supporting structure and for resiliently compressing said terminals between the transducer and said terminal supporting surfaces.

Claim 12

A connector assembly for holding a thin, wafer-like transducer including a piezoelectric element mounted on a first side of a conductive substrate and for making electrical connections between the transducer and a circuit member, said connector assembly comprising: a unitary, one-piece base member including transducer supporting structure engageable with the first side of said transducer to support said transducer on the base member, a pair of spaced apart terminal supporting surfaces facing toward said first side of the transducer and being aligned respectively with the piezoelectric element and the conductive substrate of the transducer, and opening means extending away from said terminal supporting surfaces to the exterior of said base member; a pair of spaced-apart one-piece, metal resiliently formed terminals mounted in said base member, each terminal including a first portion abutting one said terminal supporting surface, a second portion extending in the direction of the transducer initially beyond the transducer supporting structure, and electrical connecting means extending from said first portions through said opening means for connection to the circuit member; and holding means engageable with the transducer supporting structure for holding the transducer against the transducer supporting structure and for resiliently compressing said terminals between the transducer and said terminal supporting surfaces.

Claim 13

The connector assembly of claim 10 wherein said transducer supporting structure comprises a circular support corresponding with a nodal region of the transducer and wherein said holding means comprises a cover engageable with said base member and having a circular ridge engageable with a second side of the transducer opposite said circular support.

Claim 14

The connector assembly of claim 11 further comprising snap latch means defined on said cover and base member for releaseably securing said cover to said base member.

Claim 15

The connector assembly claim 10 wherein said transducer supporting structure comprises a plurality of upstanding support members defining a platform for said first side of the transducer, and wherein said holding means comprises a plurality of clamp members defined by said base member and engageable with edge regions of the transducer.

Claim 16

The connector assembly of claim 10 wherein said opening means comprises a pair of terminal receiving cavities, and said electrical conducting means comprises integral segments of said terminals extending to the exterior of said base member.

Claim 17

A connector assembly for mounting a thin, wafer-like transducer on a circuit board member and for electrically interconnecting the transducer and the circuit board member, said connector assembly comprising: a base member including depending mounting elements engageable with the circuit board member for attaching said base member to the circuit board member, transducer supporting structure for engaging a first surface of the transducer, a pair of terminal receiving cavities extending in the direction of said mounting elements to the exterior of said base member, and a terminal support surface adjacent each said terminal receiving cavity, said support surfaces facing toward said first surface of the transducer; a one-piece conductive terminal received in each said terminal receiving cavity and including a resiliently formed portion initially extending from said terminal support surface beyond said transducer supporting structure which is adapted to be resiliently compressed between the transducer and said terminal support surface when the transducer is held against the transducer supporting structure, and an electrical connecting portion extending through the corresponding terminal receiving cavity to the exterior of said base member and adapted to electrically contact the circuit board member; and releaseable holding means selectively engageable with said transducer for releaseably holding said transducer against said transducer supporting structure.

Claim 18

A connector assembly for mounting a thin, wafer-like transducer on a circuit board member and for electrically interconnecting the transducer and the circuit board member, said connector assembly comprising: a base member including depending mounting elements engageable with the circuit board member for attaching said base member to the circuit board member, transducer supporting structure for engaging a first surface of the transducer, a pair of terminal receiving cavities extending in the direction of said mounting elements to the exterior of said base member, and a terminal support surface adjacent each said terminal receiving cavity, said support surfaces facing toward said first surface of the transducer; a one-piece conductive terminal received in each said terminal receiving cavity and including a resiliently formed portion initially extending from said terminal support surface beyond said transducer supporting structure which is adapted to be resiliently compressed between the transducer and said terminal support surface when the transducer is held against the transducer supporting structure, and an electrical connecting portion extending through the corresponding terminal receiving cavity to the exterior of said base member and adapted to electrically contact the circuit board member; and releaseable holding means selectively engageable with said transducer for releaseably holding said transducer against said transducer supporting structure.

Claim 19

The connector assembly of claim 15 wherein said transducer supporting structure comprises a circular support corresponding with a nodal region of the transducer and wherein said holding means comprises a cover engageable with said base member and having a circular ridge engageable with the second side of the transducer opposite said circular support.

Claim 20

The connector assembly of claim 15 wherein said transducer supporting structure comprises a plurality of upstanding support members defining a platform for said first side of the transducer, and wherein said holding means comprises a plurality of clamp members defined by said base member and engageable with edge regions of the transducer.