Electrical connectors

Claim 1

A multi-contact electrical connector for making connection to an edge of a printed circuit board having a plurality of surface contacts on a first surface thereof, said connector comprising a housing having a first end adapted to receive a mating connector having electrical contacts and a second end adapted to receive said edge of said circuit board, said first end having a forward face and said second end having a back face, a plurality of contact receiving cavities in said housing, each of said cavities comprising a first slot extending in an inner wall of said housing and a second slot connected to said first slot and arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of said first slot, both said first and second slots extending from said forward face of said first end of said housing to said back face of said second end of said housing, a connector receiving cavity extending inwardly from said forward face to receive said mating connector, a plurality of side-by-side spaced strip-like resilient contact elements received in said housing with respective elements being received in respect ones of said contact receiving cavities, each of said contact elements having an innermost end, an inner portion connected to and being narrower than said innermost end, an intermediate portion connected to and being wider than said inner portion, and an outer portion connected to said intermediate portion and adapted to bear against respective ones of said surface contacts of said circuit board, said contact elements being mounted in said contact receiving cavities such that said innermost end is slidingly located in said first slot adjacent to said forward face of said housing, said inner portion being slidingly acceptable in said second slot and extending downwardly from said innermost end, said inner portion having a substantially U-shape and extending into said connector receiving cavity and engageable with said contacts of said mating connector, said intermediate portion of said contact element being received in said first slot, retaining means on said intermediate portion to retain said contact element in its respective contact receiving cavity, a part of said intermediate portion extending outwardly of said housing and being in abutment with said back face of said housing, and said outward portion of said contact element extending downwardly from said part of said intermediate portion and having a substantially U-shape for engagement with a respective one of said surface contacts of said circuit board.