Hinged electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connector for hingedly and electrically connecting printed circuit boards together enabling the boards to be positioned at a right angle or to be positioned substantially coplanar, comprising: first and second dielectric housings, the first housing having first electrical contacts secured therein and the second housing having second electrical contacts secured therein, the first and the second electrical contacts having matable contact sections electrically connecting the electrical contacts together when the first and second dielectric housings are mounted to each other; a flexible arm spaced from and parallel to each end wall of the first housing, the flexible arm having a projection with an inclined surface which extends therefrom in the direction of the end wall; and a U-shaped recess provided on each end wall of the second housing, side walls of the recess being perpendicular to a circuit board mounting surface of the second housing, the recess having an inner surface, a portion of which is inclined, and a hole within the inner surface such that as mounting of the first housing to the second housing occurs, each projection of the first housing slides along the inner surface of the respective recess of the second housing causing the arm to bend outward allowing the projection to be snap-fitted into the hole, thereby hingedly connecting the first and second housings together enabling the first and second housings to be movable relative to each other when the first and second electrical contacts are electrically connected to respective printed circuit boards thereby enabling the printed circuit boards to be positioned at a ring angle or to be positioned in a substantially coplanar position.

Claim 3

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first electrical contacts have tongue sections and said second electrical contacts have U-shaped receptacle sections respectively receiving said tongue sections.

Claim 4

An electrical connector for hingedly and electrically connecting printed circuit boards together enabling the boards to be positioned at a right angle or to be positioned substantially coplanar, comprising: first and second dielectric housings, the first housing having first electrical contacts secured therein and the second housing having second electrical contacts secured therein, the contacts being in electrical contact with each other when the first and second dielectric housings are mounted to each other; a flexible arm spaced from and parallel to each end wall of the first housing, the flexible arm having a projection with an inclined surface which extends therefrom in the direction of the end wall; and a U-shaped recess provided on each end wall of the second housing, side walls of the recess being perpendicular to a circuit board mounting surface of the second housing, the recess having an inner surface, a portion of which is inclined, and a holw within the inner surface such that as mounting of the first housing to the second housing occurs, each projection of the first housing slides along the inner surface of the respective recess of the second housing causing the arm to bend outward, allowing the projection to be snap-fitted into the hole, thereby hingedly connecting the first housing and the second housing together enabling the first and second housings to be movable relative to each other when the electrical contacts are electrically connected to respective printed circuit boards thereby enabling the printed circuit boards to be at a right angle orientation which is reached when the first and second housings engage each other thereby defining a first stop position or to be in a substantially coplanar orientation which is reached when the printed circuit boards are disposed substantially coplanar defining a second stop position.

Claim 5

An electrical connector for hingedly and electrically connecting printed circuit boards together enabling the boards to be positioned at a right angle or to be positioned substantially coplanar, comprising: first and second dielectric housings, the first housing having first electrical contacts secured therein and the second housing having second electrical contacts secured therein, the contacts being in electrical contact with each other when the first and second dielectric housings are mounted to each other; a flexible arm spaced from and parallel to each end wall of the first housing, the flexible arm having a projection with an inclined surface which extends therefrom in the direction of the end wall; and a U-shaped recess provided on each end wall of the second housing, side walls of the recess being perpendicular to a circuit board mounting surface of the second housing, the recess having an inner surface, a portion of which is inclined, and a holw within the inner surface such that as mounting of the first housing to the second housing occurs, each projection of the first housing slides along the inner surface of the respective recess of the second housing causing the arm to bend outward, allowing the projection to be snap-fitted into the hole, thereby hingedly connecting the first housing and the second housing together enabling the first and second housings to be movable relative to each other when the electrical contacts are electrically connected to respective printed circuit boards thereby enabling the printed circuit boards to be at a right angle orientation which is reached when the first and second housings engage each other thereby defining a first stop position or to be in a substantially coplanar orientation which is reached when the printed circuit boards are disposed substantially coplanar defining a second stop position.

Claim 6

An electrical connector as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first electrical contacts have tongue sections disposed in respective U-shaped sections of said second electrical contacts.

Claim 7

An electrical connector for hingedly and electrically connecting printed circuit boards together enabling the boards to be positioned at a right angle or to be positioned substantially coplanar, comprising: first and second dielectric housings, the first housing having first electrical contacts secured therein and the second housing having second electrical contacts secured therein, the first and the second electrical contacts having matable contacts sections electrically connecting the electrical contacts together when the first and second dielectric housings are mounted to each other; flexible arm means provided by said first housing including inwardly directed projection means; recess means as part of end walls of the second housing and being oriented so as to receive said projection means, said recess means including hole means in which said projection means are disposed hingedly connecting the housings together; and means provided by said projection means and said recess means causing said flexible arm means to flex outwardly as said projection means moves along said recess means until said projection means are positioned within said hole means.

Claim 8

An electrical connector for hingedly and electrically connecting printed circuit boards together enabling the boards to be positioned at a right angle or to be positioned substantially coplanar, comprising: first and second dielectric housings, the first housing having first electrical contacts secured therein and the second housing having second electrical contacts secured therein, the first and the second electrical contacts having matable contacts sections electrically connecting the electrical contacts together when the first and second dielectric housings are mounted to each other; flexible arm means provided by said first housing including inwardly directed projection means; recess means as part of end walls of the second housing and being oriented so as to receive said projection means, said recess means including hole means in which said projection means are disposed hingedly connecting the housings together; and means provided by said projection means and said recess means causing said flexible arm means to flex outwardly as said projection means moves along said recess means until said projection means are positioned within said hole means.

Claim 9

An electrical connector as recited in claim 5, wherein the means provided by the projection means and the recess means are inclined surfaces provided on a bottom portion of the projection means and at a receiving edge of the recess means.

Claim 10

An electrical connector as recited in claim 6, wherein the recess means is a U-shaped recess.