Fluidly actuated electrical connector

Claim 2

An electrical connection between two multi-conductors, comprising: a first multi-conductor having a first side including a plurality of first electrical contacts, and a substantially rigidly supported other side; a second multi-conductor having a plurality of second electrical contacts overlapping the first contacts; rigid backing means defining a recess spaced from and spanning all the second contacts; bladder means filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid, the bladder means filling the recess and being confined between the backing means and the second multi-conductor; and a latch lever secured in a predetermined locked position relative to the backing means and having a cam surface acting on the exterior surface of the confined bladder means for urging a portion of the bladder means against the second multi-conductor whereby an intimate electrical connection is established between all the first and second contacts.

Claim 3

The electrical connection of claim 1, wherein said cam surface is spring loaded against the bladder when the latch is in the locked position.

Claim 4

An electrical connector comprising: a housing including two, rigid, spaced apart housing shells having opposed inner ends defining a slot; a bladder member filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid located within each shell; a plurality of contact members arranged on both sides of the slot and in contact with a bladder; rigid gland means cooperating with the shell for confining a respective bladder member within each respective shell; and latch means securable in a predetermined locked position relative to the housing and having a cam surface for selectively transmitting and maintaining a connector locking force against an external portion of a bladder member for pressurizing the fluid in the bladder member so that at least a portion of the bladder urges the contact members into the slot when the latch means is in the locked position.

Claim 5

An electrical connector comprising: a housing including two, rigid, spaced apart housing shells having opposed inner ends defining a slot; a bladder member filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid located within each shell; a plurality of contact members arranged on both sides of the slot and in contact with a bladder; rigid gland means cooperating with the shell for confining a respective bladder member within each respective shell; and latch means securable in a predetermined locked position relative to the housing and having a cam surface for selectively transmitting and maintaining a connector locking force against an external portion of a bladder member for pressurizing the fluid in the bladder member so that at least a portion of the bladder urges the contact members into the slot when the latch means is in the locked position.

Claim 6

The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein each bladder member is elongated and of generally rectangular cross-section defining upper, lower, outer and inner surfaces, the inner surfaces facing said slot and being adjacent to said contacts, the upper and outer surfaces being confined by said gland means.

Claim 7

The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein each of said contact members is elongated and has a foot portion abutting the bladder lower surface, an intermediate portion abutting the bladder inner surface, and a pad portion located in said slot.

Claim 8

The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said means for confining include a backing plate between the bladder outer surface and the shell, and a spacer member abutting the shell, the backing plate, and the upper surface of the bladder.

Claim 9

The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein said pad portion extends above the bladder upper surface adjacent said spacer member.

Claim 10

The electrical connector of claim 4, further including a stop member positioned in said slot adjacent the lower surface of the bladder, for defining a stop limit of an edge of a circuit board to be inserted in said slot.

Claim 11

The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein said cam surface is spring loaded against the bladder when the latch is in the locked position.

Claim 12

An electrical connection between two conductors comprising: a first conductor in the form of a pin; a second conductor in the form of a cylindrical segment substantially coaxial with and partially circumferentially surrounding the pin; a tubular backing member coaxially spaced from and surrounding the second conductor; a fluid filled, torroidal membrane coaxial with the pin and interposed between and in contact with the second conductor and the backing member; and means for pressurizing the membrane to radially compress the second conductor, thereby establishing a compliant, intimate electrical contact between the first and second conductors.

Claim 13

An electrical connection between two conductors comprising: a first conductor in the form of a pin; a second conductor in the form of a cylindrical segment substantially coaxial with and partially circumferentially surrounding the pin; a tubular backing member coaxially spaced from and surrounding the second conductor; a fluid filled, torroidal membrane coaxial with the pin and interposed between and in contact with the second conductor and the backing member; and means for pressurizing the membrane to radially compress the second conductor, thereby establishing a compliant, intimate electrical contact between the first and second conductors.

Claim 14

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: stop means for receiving the second member in a predetermined position within the connector so that the first conductor is spaced from the second conductor; means for relatively positioning the second conductor in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported behind the first conductor and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first conductor; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first conductor, the bladder member being filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid at a first pressure; and means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor at the location of said substantially pressureless contact to form an intimate, compliant connector.

Claim 15

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: stop means for receiving the second member in a predetermined position within the connector so that the first conductor is spaced from the second conductor; means for relatively positioning the second conductor in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported behind the first conductor and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first conductor; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first conductor, the bladder member being filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid at a first pressure; and means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor at the location of said substantially pressureless contact to form an intimate, compliant connector.

Claim 16

The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein said means for applying pressure include a plug member displaceable between predetermined open and closed positions through said wall means against an exterior portion of the bladder remote from the active surface.

Claim 17

The electrical connector of claim 12, wherein said means for applying pressure includes a spring associated with the plug member and means for urging the spring against the plug member so that the total force applied by the plug member against the active surface is determined by the spring.

Claim 18

The electrical connector of claim 11 wherein the first conductor is a flexible wire segment secured at both free ends to the first member in the connector and the second conductor is a contact adjacent the edge of a card defining said second member.

Claim 19

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: stop means for receiving the second member in a predetermined position within the connector so that the first conductor is spaced from the second conductor; means for relatively positioning the second conductor in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported behind the first member and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first member; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first member, the bladder member being filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid at a first pressure; means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first member and first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor at the location of said substantially pressureless contact to form an intimate, compliant connection.

Claim 20

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: stop means for receiving the second member in a predetermined position within the connector so that the first conductor is spaced from the second conductor; means for relatively positioning the second conductor in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported behind the first member and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first member; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first member, the bladder member being filled with a substantially constant volume of incompressible fluid at a first pressure; means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first member and first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor at the location of said substantially pressureless contact to form an intimate, compliant connection.

Claim 21

The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein said means for applying pressure include a plug member displaceable between predetermined open and closed positions through said walls means against an exterior portion of the bladder remote from the active surface.

Claim 22

The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein said means for applying pressure includes a spring associated with the plug member and means for urging the spring against the plug member so that the total force applied by the plug member against the active surface is determined by the spring.

Claim 23

The electrical connector of claim 15 wherein the first conductor is a flexible wire segment secured at both free ends to the first member in the connector and the second conductor is a contact adjacent the edge of a card member.

Claim 26

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: means for relatively positioning the second member in front of the first member so that the second conductor is in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported in fixed position behind the first conductor and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first conductor; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first conductor, the bladder member being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid at a first pressure; and means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor to form an intimate, compliant connection, wherein said means for applying pressure includes spring means operable through said wall means against an exterior portion of the bladder remote from the active surface, so that the total of said pressure increased is determined by the spring means.

Claim 27

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: means for relatively positioning the second member in front of the first member so that the second conductor is in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported in fixed position behind the first conductor and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first conductor; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first conductor, the bladder member being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid at a first pressure; and means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor to form an intimate, compliant connection, wherein said means for applying pressure includes spring means operable through said wall means against an exterior portion of the bladder remote from the active surface, so that the total of said pressure increased is determined by the spring means.

Claim 28

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: means for relatively positioning the second member in front of the first member so that the second conductor is in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported in fixed position behind the first member and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first member; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first member, the bladder member being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid at a first pressure; means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first member and first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor to form an intimate, compliant connection, wherein said means for applying pressure includes spring means operable through said wall means against an exterior portion of the bladder remote from the active surface, so that the total of said pressure increase is determined by the spring means.

Claim 29

An electrical connector for two conductors, the first conductor carried by a first member in the connector and the second conductor carried by a second member to be inserted in the connector, comprising: means for relatively positioning the second member in front of the first member so that the second conductor is in substantially pressureless contact with the first conductor; a rigid gland supported in fixed position behind the first member and including wall means defining a recess spaced from the first member; a bladder located in the recess, the bladder being confined by the wall means except for an active exterior surface in contact with said first member, the bladder member being filled with a substantially incompressible fluid at a first pressure; means for applying a predetermined pressure increase to the bladder, whereby said exterior surface transmits the increase in pressure to the first member and first conductor such that the first conductor is urged against the second conductor to form an intimate, compliant connection, wherein said means for applying pressure includes spring means operable through said wall means against an exterior portion of the bladder remote from the active surface, so that the total of said pressure increase is determined by the spring means.