Electrical connector for visual display and method of making same

Claim 1

An electrical connector for making electrical connections to a generally rectangular large-area substrate having a plurality of spaced-apart contact pads arranged in parallel rows along the edges on one surface of the substrate and positioned with respect to substrate index means provided on a first end of the substrate, comprising: a base in the form of a generally rectangular frame each side of which includes a support surface for supporting a respective edge on the one surface of the substrate, and having multiple rows of cavities formed below the support surface along each side of the base, each row including a plurality of spaced-apart cavities; a plurality of generally rectangular contact assemblies, each including an insulator body for supporting multiple spaced-apart electrically conductive elements positioned to form a row of resilient electrical contacts which project from a first surface of the assembly body, and a row of corresponding electrical terminals which project from a second surface of the assembly body, each contact assembly body designed to be removably insertable within a respective one of the cavities so that the electrical contacts extend in multiple rows adjacent the support surface on each side of the base; alignment means including a contact assembly alignment element formed as part of each contact assembly body and a cavity alignment element formed as part of each cavity for both aligning and retaining each contact assembly in the respective cavity so that the electrical contacts are maintained in aligned relation to the base; registration means formed as part of the base for positioning the substrate with respect to the electrical contacts so that the substrate contact pads are aligned with the electrical contacts when the substrate is placed onto the base; a cover in the form of a generally rectangular frame designed to fit over the edges on the other side of the substrate and to fasten to the base, and having means for applying pressure to the edges on the other surface of the substrate to maintain connection between the contact pads and the electrical contacts; fastening means for fastening the cover to the base; and in which the base further comprises base stiffening means including base stiffening bars, each bar embedded in and extending substantially the length of each side of the base and formed of a material sufficiently stiff to prevent the sides of the base from bending when the cover is fastened to the base.

Claim 9

A method of making an electrical connector for making electrical connections to a generally rectangular large-area substrate having a plurality of spaced-apart contact pads arranged in parallel rows along the edges of one surface thereof, comprising the steps of: forming a base in the shape of a generally rectangular frame each side of which includes a support surface for supporting a respective edge on the one surface of the substrate, and including forming index projections which extend above the support surface on a first side of the base and which are designed to mate with corresponding index recesses provided on a first end of the substrate and with respect to which the contact pads have been positioned, and further including forming multiple rows of cavities, each row including a plurality of spaced-apart cavities, below the support surface along each side of the base, and forming in accurately aligned relation to the index projections a cavity alignment element within each cavity; forming a plurality of generally rectangular contact assemblies, each having an insulator body designed to be removably insertable within a respective one of the cavities, and including positioning a plurality of spaced-apart, resilient, electrically conductive elements in each assembly body in aligned relation to a contact assembly alignment element formed as part of each assembly body; shaping the elements to provide a row of resilient electrical contacts which project from a first surface of the assembly body, and to provide a row of corresponding electrical terminals which project from a second surface of the assembly body; inserting one contact assembly in each cavity so that the electrical contacts extend in multiple rows adjacent the top surface on each side of the base, where each assembly alignment element cooperates with a respective cavity alignment element both to align and retain the assembly in the cavity so that the electrical contacts are aligned with respect to the index projections; and forming a cover in the shape of a generally rectangular frame designed to fit over the edges on the other side of the substrate and to fasten to the base, and including a portion on each side of the cover for applying pressure to the edges on the other surface of the substrate to maintain connection between the contact pads and the electrical contacts when the cover is fastened to the base, and further including the steps of providing base stiffening bars substantially the length of each side of the base and formed of a material sufficiently stiff to prevent the sides of the base from bending when the cover is fastened to the base; and embedding one base stiffening bar in each side of the base so that the bar extends substantially the length of the respective side.

Claim 10

A method of making an electrical connector for making electrical connections to a generally rectangular large-area substrate having a plurality of spaced-apart contact pads arranged in parallel rows along the edges of one surface thereof, comprising the steps of: forming a base in the shape of a generally rectangular frame each side of which includes a support surface for supporting a respective edge on the one surface of the substrate, and including forming index projections which extend above the support surface on a first side of the base and which are designed to mate with corresponding index recesses provided on a first end of the substrate and with respect to which the contact pads have been positioned, and further including forming multiple rows of cavities, each row including a plurality of spaced-apart cavities, below the support surface along each side of the base, and forming in accurately aligned relation to the index projections a cavity alignment element within each cavity; forming a plurality of generally rectangular contact assemblies, each having an insulator body designed to be removably insertable within a respective one of the cavities, and including positioning a plurality of spaced-apart, resilient, electrically conductive elements in each assembly body in aligned relation to a contact assembly alignment element formed as part of each assembly body; shaping the elements to provide a row of resilient electrical contacts which project from a first surface of the assembly body, and to provide a row of corresponding electrical terminals which project from a second surface of the assembly body; inserting one contact assembly in each cavity so that the electrical contacts extend in multiple rows adjacent the top surface on each side of the base, where each assembly alignment element cooperates with a respective cavity alignment element both to align and retain the assembly in the cavity so that the electrical contacts are aligned with respect to the index projections; and forming a cover in the shape of a generally rectangular frame designed to fit over the edges on the other side of the substrate and to fasten to the base, and including a portion on each side of the cover for applying pressure to the edges on the other surface of the substrate to maintain connection between the contact pads and the electrical contacts when the cover is fastened to the base, and further including the steps of providing base stiffening bars substantially the length of each side of the base and formed of a material sufficiently stiff to prevent the sides of the base from bending when the cover is fastened to the base; and embedding one base stiffening bar in each side of the base so that the bar extends substantially the length of the respective side.