← Back to Patent Explorer
US4451818A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Miniature connector for a circuit board edge

Assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
•
Filing: 1982-07-06
•
Granted: 1984-05-29
•
Expires: 2002-07-06
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A miniature circuit board edge connector assembly includes an insulative housing 2, electrical spring blades 12A in the housing, conductor portions 12B pivotally interlocked with the spring blades 12A and pivotally impinged against corresponding conductive post portions 11, a cam 30 resiliently flexes the spring blades 12A, causing the conductor portions to pivot and engage circuit conductors 37 of a circuit board 38, and to provide circuit paths, from the circuit conductors 37 to the post portions 11, that are shorter than the lengths of the spring blades 12A.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dimitry Grabbe
  • 👤 Johannes C. W. Bakermans
  • 👤 Nicola Cosmo
  • 👤 Iosif Korsunsky

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 20:04
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/82; H01R12/85; H01R12/89

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 127 words
A miniature circuit board edge connector assembly comprises an insulative housing, conductive posts projecting from the housing, spring contacts received by the housing and connected with the posts and adapted for resilient flexure toward corresponding circuit conductors on a circuit board that is received by the housing, and a moveable cam received by the housing and adapted for flexing resiliently the spring contacts, characterized in that; the spring contacts include conductor portions, pivot connections between the conductor portions and corresponding posts and the conductor portions being pivotal about the pivot connections toward and into engagement with corresponding circuit conductors, and circuit paths are established along the conductor portions from the circuit conductors to corresponding posts, the circuit paths being shorter than the lengths of the spring contacts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 127 words
A miniature circuit board edge connector assembly comprises an insulative housing, conductive posts projecting from the housing, spring contacts received by the housing and connected with the posts and adapted for resilient flexure toward corresponding circuit conductors on a circuit board that is received by the housing, and a moveable cam received by the housing and adapted for flexing resiliently the spring contacts, characterized in that; the spring contacts include conductor portions, pivot connections between the conductor portions and corresponding posts and the conductor portions being pivotal about the pivot connections toward and into engagement with corresponding circuit conductors, and circuit paths are established along the conductor portions from the circuit conductors to corresponding posts, the circuit paths being shorter than the lengths of the spring contacts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
A connector assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that; the contacts include resiliently flexible spring blades, the conductor portions are pivotally interlocked with the spring blades, and the spring blades are adapted for resilient flexure by the cam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 57 words
The connector assembly according to claim 2, further characterized in that; the housing has a series of compartments, the spring blades are removably assembled in corresponding compartments, the cam intersects the compartments and impinges the spring blades, and upon movement of the cam against the spring blades, the conductor portions pivot toward and engage corresponding circuit conductors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2 further characterized in that; each spring blade has a bowed and recurved form obtained by having been cut from and lifted out from a flat sheet of metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 82 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2 further characterized in that; each spring blade has a form obtained by having been cut from and lifted out from a flat sheet of metal, each spring blade form includes a socket pivotally interlocked with corresponding conductor portions, a brace in registration against the housing, and a curvilinear portion integral with the socket and the brace, the curvilinear portion engaging the cam and being adapted for resilient flexure by movement of the cam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that; the housing comprises a plurality of housing sections mounted along the cam and insertable as a unit on the circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 42 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that; the housing comprises a plurality of housing sections that are mounted on the circuit board for complaint movement in response to thermal expansion or contraction of the circuit board.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that; the contacts are individually removable from associated compartments and associated posts to facilitate repair.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that; the contacts are nonconductive portions of nonmetallic material that does not exhibit cold flow characteristics.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The connector assembly according to claims 1 or 2, further characterized in that; each contact has self-inductance of less than 2 mH and capacitance under 0.15 pF.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4077688A Cited
US4268102A Cited
US4354729A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-05-29 1987-11-28 1988-05-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-05-29 1991-11-28 1992-05-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-05-29 1995-11-28 1996-05-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag