US5679009A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connector for a printed circuit board
Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1995-08-17
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Granted: 1997-10-21
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Expires: 2015-08-17
Abstract
Abstract A connector for a printed circuit board which minimizes the deformation of the positioning member for aligning terminals. The engaging members are located at the outside of guide surfaces formed on the outer surfaces of the housing of the connector. The spacing between the engaging members is longer than if they were located inwardly of the guide walls projecting from the front surface of the housing. Accordingly, the deformation per unit length of the positioning member is small. Such a small deformation of the positioning member minimizes the misalignment of the holes into which the terminals are to enter. Thus, the terminals can be aligned with great accuracy.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Okumura
- 👤 Koichiro Tokuwa
- 👤 Heiji Kuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:09
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/7005; H01R12/71; H01R12/712; H01R12/716; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/724; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/301; H05K3/306
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
A connector comprising a housing, a plurality of terminals extending in an inserting direction therefrom and substantially parallel to each other, a positioning member having a plurality of insertion holes corresponding to said terminals and adapted to receive said terminals in said inserting direction, at least one guide surface on said housing substantially parallel to said insertion direction and facing outwardly in a lateral direction perpendicular to said insertion direction, said positioning member comprising at least one engaging member, adapted to contact said guide surface, resiliently outwardly deformable in said lateral direction, and adapted to be guided by said guide surface from a detached position, wherein said positioning member is spaced apart from said housing, to a partially mounted position, wherein said positioning means is attached to said housing and leading ends of said terminals extend into but not through said insertion holes, to a locked position, wherein said leading ends extend through said insertion holes and project out of said holes in said insertion direction, said housing having a pair of guide grooves spaced apart in a guide direction perpendicular to said lateral direction and parallel to said inserting direction, said guide grooves facing each other and extending parallel to said inserting direction, said guide grooves having a width in said lateral direction at least equal to a corresponding dimension of said engaging member, said engaging member adapted to slide in said guide grooves.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
235 words
A connector comprising a housing, a plurality of terminals extending in an inserting direction therefrom and substantially parallel to each other, a positioning member having a plurality of insertion holes corresponding to said terminals and adapted to receive said terminals in said inserting direction, at least one guide surface on said housing substantially parallel to said insertion direction and facing outwardly in a lateral direction perpendicular to said insertion direction, said positioning member comprising at least one engaging member, adapted to contact said guide surface, resiliently outwardly deformable in said lateral direction, and adapted to be guided by said guide surface from a detached position, wherein said positioning member is spaced apart from said housing, to a partially mounted position, wherein said positioning means is attached to said housing and leading ends of said terminals extend into but not through said insertion holes, to a locked position, wherein said leading ends extend through said insertion holes and project out of said holes in said insertion direction, said housing having a pair of guide grooves spaced apart in a guide direction perpendicular to said lateral direction and parallel to said inserting direction, said guide grooves facing each other and extending parallel to said inserting direction, said guide grooves having a width in said lateral direction at least equal to a corresponding dimension of said engaging member, said engaging member adapted to slide in said guide grooves.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein there are two guide surfaces, spaced apart from and substantially parallel to, each other, said positioning member comprising two engaging members, said terminals being between said guide surfaces and said insertion holes being between said engaging members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein said guide surface is provided with a retainer, said engaging member being adapted to be retained by said retainer in at least one of said partially mounted position and said locked position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector of claim 2 wherein each of said guide faces is provided with a retainer and each of said engaging members is adapted to be retained by said retainer in at least one of said partially mounted position and said locked position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The connector of claim 3 wherein said retainer comprises at least one partial projection adapted to engage said engaging member in said partially mounted position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The connector of claim 4 wherein each said retainer comprises at least one partial projection adapted to engage one of said engaging members in said partially mounted position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The connector of claim 3 wherein said retainer comprises a locking projection adapted to engage said engaging member in said locked position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The connector of claim 4 wherein each said retainer comprises a locking projection adapted to engage one said engaging member in said locked position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The connector of claim 6 wherein there are two partial projections on each of said guide faces, said partial projections being at a height from a bottom of said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The connector of claim 9 wherein each said locking projection has a length in said inserting direction, said length exceeding a distance between said leading ends, when said positioning member is in its partially mounted position, and a bottom of said positioning member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The connector of claim 10 wherein a vertical distance between upper faces of said partially mounted projections and a lower face of said locking projection is substantially equal to a vertical thickness of said engaging member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
The connector of claim 1 comprising a retainer, said engaging member being adapted to be retained by said retainer in at least one of said partially mounted position and said locked position, said retainer including at least one partial projection or a locking projection, said partially mounted projection or said locking projection protruding a projecting distance from said guide face, said width of said guide grooves being at least as large as said projecting distance plus said corresponding dimension, whereby said engaging member is adapted to slide in said guide grooves and pass over said partially mounted projection or said locking projection while in said guide grooves.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The connector of claim 1 which is adapted to be fixed to a circuit board by a screw.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The connector of claim 13 wherein said screw is inserted from beneath said circuit board and threadedly engages at least one of said positioning member and said housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The connector of claim 14 wherein said screw fits closely within said circuit board and said positioning member or said housing whereby said screw acts to locate said positioning member relative to said housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The connector of claim 1 comprising a tapered area surrounding each of said insertion holes and having an inclined surface slanting to each of said insertion holes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
203 words
A connector comprising a housing, a plurality of terminals extending in an inserting direction therefrom and substantially parallel to each other, a positioning member having a plurality of insertion holes corresponding to said terminals and adapted to receive said terminals in said insertion direction, at least one guide surface on said housing substantially parallel to said insertion direction and facing outwardly in a lateral direction perpendicular to said insertion direction, said positioning member comprising at least one engaging member, adapted to contact said guide surface, resiliently outwardly deformable in said lateral direction, and adapted to be guided by said guide surface from a detached position, wherein said positioning member is spaced apart from said housing, to a partially mounted position, wherein said positioning means is attached to said housing and leading ends of said terminals extend into but not through said insertion holes, to a locked position, wherein said leading ends extend through said insertion holes and project out of said holes in said insertion direction, a positioning element is provided on said positioning member to locate said positioning member relative to a circuit board; said positioning element constituting a positioning projection extending toward said circuit board and entering a positioning opening therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
203 words
A connector comprising a housing, a plurality of terminals extending in an inserting direction therefrom and substantially parallel to each other, a positioning member having a plurality of insertion holes corresponding to said terminals and adapted to receive said terminals in said insertion direction, at least one guide surface on said housing substantially parallel to said insertion direction and facing outwardly in a lateral direction perpendicular to said insertion direction, said positioning member comprising at least one engaging member, adapted to contact said guide surface, resiliently outwardly deformable in said lateral direction, and adapted to be guided by said guide surface from a detached position, wherein said positioning member is spaced apart from said housing, to a partially mounted position, wherein said positioning means is attached to said housing and leading ends of said terminals extend into but not through said insertion holes, to a locked position, wherein said leading ends extend through said insertion holes and project out of said holes in said insertion direction, a positioning element is provided on said positioning member to locate said positioning member relative to a circuit board; said positioning element constituting a positioning projection extending toward said circuit board and entering a positioning opening therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The connector of claim 17 wherein said positioning element comprises a device which retains said positioning element in said opening.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-10-20 | 2001-04-21 | 2001-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-20 | 2005-04-21 | 2005-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-20 | 2009-04-21 | 2009-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |