US5090927A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connectors including lead alignment strips
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
•
Filing: 1991-06-27
•
Granted: 1992-02-25
•
Expires: 2011-06-27
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a means for aligning contact leads in electrical connectors. An alignment strip includes a pair of slidably mounted sheets, each defining an array of openings having wide and narrow portions. The sheets are initially positioned so that the wide portions of corresponding openings in the two arrays overlap to permit easy insertion of the leads. The sheets are then shifted to align the narrower portions of the corresponding openings so that the leads are held in place in their proper location.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E. McAnany
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:28
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K13/00; H05K13/0015; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/20; H01R43/205; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/53174
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
An electrical connector comprising: a plurality of leads; and an alignment strip comprising two sheets each with an array of openings therein, each opening including relatively wide and narrow portions, the two sheets being aligned so that the narrow portions of corresponding openings in the arrays overlap to form narrow apertures through the two sheets with leads inserted and held therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electrical connector comprising: a plurality of leads; and an alignment strip comprising two sheets each with an array of openings therein, each opening including relatively wide and narrow portions, the two sheets being aligned so that the narrow portions of corresponding openings in the arrays overlap to form narrow apertures through the two sheets with leads inserted and held therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein the connector is an edge card connector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein the openings are tear shaped, and the narrow and wide portions of the openings in one sheet are oriented in a direction opposite to the openings in the other sheet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein the sheets comprise plastic with thicknesses in the range of 0.05-0.25 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein the sheets are heat staked together.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein the wide portions of the openings have widths in the range 2.0-5.0 mm and the narrow portions have widths in the range 0.25-1.50 mm.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for aligning a plurality of leads in an electrical connector comprising the steps of: providing an alignment strip comprising two slidably mounted sheets, each defining an array of openings, and each opening having a relatively wide and narrow portion, aligning the sheets so that the wide portions of corresponding openings in the two arrays overlap to form wide apertures through the two sheets; inserting each lead into a corresponding aperture; and re-aligning the sheets so that the narrow portions of corresponding openings in the two arrays overlap to form narrow apertures through the two sheets which hold the leads in place.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for aligning a plurality of leads in an electrical connector comprising the steps of: providing an alignment strip comprising two slidably mounted sheets, each defining an array of openings, and each opening having a relatively wide and narrow portion, aligning the sheets so that the wide portions of corresponding openings in the two arrays overlap to form wide apertures through the two sheets; inserting each lead into a corresponding aperture; and re-aligning the sheets so that the narrow portions of corresponding openings in the two arrays overlap to form narrow apertures through the two sheets which hold the leads in place.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the sheets are heat staked together with the leads held in place in the narrow apertures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the sheets are re-aligned by sliding the sheets in opposite directions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the alignment strip is mounted on a positioning block which includes an array of holes corresponding in number and position to the leads, and the leads are inserted through the wide apertures and into the holes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein the holes in the positioning block are chamfered at a surface of the block.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE2008342A1
Cited
US4427249A
Cited
US4394795A
Cited
US4533188A
Cited
US4776804A
Cited
GB2208759A
Cited
US4872845A
Cited
US4894031A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-02-24 | 1995-08-26 | 1996-02-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-24 | 1999-08-26 | 2000-02-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-24 | 2003-08-26 | 2004-02-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |