Active connector assembly

Claim 1

An active connector assembly mountable to a circuit board and including a plurality of circuits concluding in a respective plurality of first contact sections defining a first contact array and engageable with corresponding contact means of corresponding electrical circuits of the board when mounted, and further concluding in a connector matable with a corresponding connector, for interconnecting the corresponding connector and the circuit board, the active connector assembly comprising: a receptacle housing having secured therein a like plurality of first contact elements including respective said first contact sections at least exposed along a mounting face of said receptacle, said receptacle housing including a second face substantially orthogonal to said mounting face, said second face defining a card edge receiving cavity extending thereinto with second contact sections of said first contact elements exposed within said cavity, said second contact sections being C-shaped with openings facing said second face and coaligned to define an array adapted to receive a card edge into said openings for electrically connecting said second contact sections with respective conductive pads along said first edge of said circuit card; a second connector including a plurality of second contact elements contained therewithin, said second connector including mounting means along a mounting face thereof enabling disconnectable fastening to the circuit board, and said second contact elements having third contact sections exposed along a mating face thereof for mating with corresponding contact means of a mating connector, said second contact elements extending to fourth contact sections exposed along a third face thereof; and a circuit card to interconnect said receptacle connector and said second connector and including an array of first circuits extending from conductive pads on at least one major surface along a first edge of said circuit card to an intermediate region and an array of second circuits extending to said intermediate region from a connector-proximate region remote from said first edge, said conductive pads being arrayed to become electrically connected with said C-shaped second contact sections of said receptacle upon insertion of said first edge thereinto, said circuit card being secured to said second connector at said connector-proximate region with said second circuits electrically connected to said fourth contact sections of said second contact elements of said second connector, and said circuit card being adapted to receive at least one electronic component mounted thereon at said intermediate region to electrically connect said first and second circuits for acting on electrical signals passing between said first and second circuits, whereby circuits between the mating connector and the circuit board are modifiable by an easily replaceable electronic component not mounted directly on the circuit board, by said electronic component being removably securable to said circuit card and said circuit card being removably securable to said circuit board upon unfastening of said second connector from said circuit board.