US6884117B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector having circuit board modules positioned between metal stiffener and a housing
Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
•
Filing: 2003-12-05
•
Granted: 2005-04-26
•
Expires: 2023-12-05
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector ( 100 ) includes a unitary insulative housing ( 1 ) including a base ( 10 ) defining a number of parallel slots ( 13 ) and a first shroud ( 11 ) extending forwardly from the base, a number of parallelly arranged circuit board modules ( 3 ) and a metal stiffener ( 2 ) attached to the housing. The circuit board modules are retained by and between the metal stiffener and the housing. Each circuit board module includes a dielectric spacer ( 30 ), a circuit board ( 36 ) attached to the dielectric spacer and received in a corresponding slot of the housing, and a row of press-fit contacts ( 38 ) mechanically and electrically connecting with the circuit board. The metal stiffener includes a second shroud ( 201 ) vertically spaced from the first shroud. The circuit boards have mating portions ( 362 ) disposed between the first and the second shrouds.
Inventors
- 👤 Iosif R. Korsunsky
- 👤 Chong H. Yi
- 👤 Tod M. Harlan
- 👤 Eric D. Juntwait
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:21
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/648; H01R13/658; H01R13/6581; H01R13/6585; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/722; H01R12/724; H01R13/46; H01R13/516; H01R13/518
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
An electrical connector comprising: a unitary insulative housing including a base and a first shroud extending forwardly from the base, the base defining a plurality of parallel slots therein; a plurality of parallelly arranged circuit boards, each circuit board having a mating portion for mating with a complementary connector and a contact attaching section with conductive traces thereon, the contact attaching sections being at least partially received in corresponding ones of the slots of the housing; plural rows of contacts disposed communicatively around the slots, respectively, the contacts each having a section electrically and mechanically attached to corresponding ones of the conductive traces on the circuit boards; and a metal stiffener attached to the housing and comprising a second shroud vertically spaced from the first shroud, the circuit boards being retained by and between the metal stiffener and the housing, the mating portions of the circuit boards being disposed between the first shroud and the second shroud.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
An electrical connector comprising: a unitary insulative housing including a base and a first shroud extending forwardly from the base, the base defining a plurality of parallel slots therein; a plurality of parallelly arranged circuit boards, each circuit board having a mating portion for mating with a complementary connector and a contact attaching section with conductive traces thereon, the contact attaching sections being at least partially received in corresponding ones of the slots of the housing; plural rows of contacts disposed communicatively around the slots, respectively, the contacts each having a section electrically and mechanically attached to corresponding ones of the conductive traces on the circuit boards; and a metal stiffener attached to the housing and comprising a second shroud vertically spaced from the first shroud, the circuit boards being retained by and between the metal stiffener and the housing, the mating portions of the circuit boards being disposed between the first shroud and the second shroud.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first shroud defines a plurality of grooves aligned with corresponding slots, and wherein the mating portions of the circuit boards have lower edges received in corresponding grooves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second shroud is parallel to the first shroud.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the metal stiffener comprises a top plate covering a top of the parallelly arranged circuit boards, the top plate including a main body with the second shroud extending forwardly therefrom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second shroud includes an upper section extending forwardly from the main body and a lower section bending rearwardly from a front edge of the upper section, the upper and the lower sections being arranged to overlap with each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the metal stiffener comprises a rear plate covering a rear of the housing and the circuit boards, the rear plate including positioning fingers for insertion into corresponding through holes of a printed circuit board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising plural dielectric spacers, and wherein each circuit board is assembled with a corresponding dielectric spacer to form a circuit board module.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the metal stiffener defines a plurality of slots in the top plate adjacent the second shroud, and the dielectric spacers comprise a plurality of protrusions received in the slots to retain upper portions of the circuit board modules.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the housing is vertically spaced from the top plate of the metal stiffener and retains lower portions of the circuit board modules.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein every two adjacent circuit board modules are side to side stackable with use of an extended post on one of the two adjacent dielectric spacers and a recessed hole in another of the two adjacent dielectric spacers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the dielectric spacer of each circuit board module includes a recess and a plurality of laterally extending posts in the recess, and the circuit board is received in the recess of the dielectric spacer and defines a corresponding number of holes receiving the posts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein opposite outermost circuit board modules are arranged in such a manner that the dielectric spacers are located at outermost positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the housing defines a row of holes adjacent a rear end thereof, and the dielectric spacers of the circuit board modules comprise a plurality of downwardly extending pins received in the holes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising an alignment pin, and wherein each of the circuit boards defines a through hole, and each of the dielectric spacers defines an opening aligned with the through hole, the alignment pin inserting through the housing, the through holes of the circuit boards and the openings of the dielectric spacers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a plurality of passageways at opposite sides of each slot and extending through a bottom thereof, and the contacts are soldered to the lower portions of the corresponding circuit boards and extend beyond a bottom of the housing through the passageways.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the contacts are attached to the contact attaching section of the circuit board before they are disposed in the slots of the insulative housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the contacts are attached to the contact attaching section of the circuit board after they are disposed in the slots of the insulative housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
138 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining an elongated base extending along a first direction with therein a plurality of parallel slots each extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; a plurality of parallel circuit boards respectively disposed in the corresponding slots; a plurality of contacts fastened to each corresponding circuit board and retained in corresponding passageways which communicate with the corresponding slot; said circuit boards defining aligned through holes, and the housing defining a through bore in alignment with said through holes in the second direction; and an alignment pin extending through said bore and said through holes in said second direction; wherein said bore is formed by alternately arranged upward and downward passages which communicate with an exterior in a third direction which is perpendicular to both said first and second directions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
138 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining an elongated base extending along a first direction with therein a plurality of parallel slots each extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; a plurality of parallel circuit boards respectively disposed in the corresponding slots; a plurality of contacts fastened to each corresponding circuit board and retained in corresponding passageways which communicate with the corresponding slot; said circuit boards defining aligned through holes, and the housing defining a through bore in alignment with said through holes in the second direction; and an alignment pin extending through said bore and said through holes in said second direction; wherein said bore is formed by alternately arranged upward and downward passages which communicate with an exterior in a third direction which is perpendicular to both said first and second directions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The connector as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said passages communicate with the corresponding neighboring slots in said second direction, respectively.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
144 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining an elongated base extending along a first direction with therein a plurality of parallel slots each extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; a plurality of parallel circuit boards respectively disposed in the corresponding slots, a front portion of each of said circuit boards exposed out of the corresponding slot in said second direction; a plurality of contacts fastened to each corresponding circuit board and retained in corresponding passageways which communicate with the corresponding slot; and a metallic stiffener located above the housing; wherein the housing further includes a first shroud and the stiffener further includes a second shroud opposite to said first shroud to commonly define a space receiving said front portions of the circuit boards in a third direction which is perpendicular to both said first direction and said second direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
144 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining an elongated base extending along a first direction with therein a plurality of parallel slots each extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction; a plurality of parallel circuit boards respectively disposed in the corresponding slots, a front portion of each of said circuit boards exposed out of the corresponding slot in said second direction; a plurality of contacts fastened to each corresponding circuit board and retained in corresponding passageways which communicate with the corresponding slot; and a metallic stiffener located above the housing; wherein the housing further includes a first shroud and the stiffener further includes a second shroud opposite to said first shroud to commonly define a space receiving said front portions of the circuit boards in a third direction which is perpendicular to both said first direction and said second direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The connector as claimed in claim 20 , wherein said first shroud defines a plurality of grooves in alignment with the corresponding slots, respectively, in said second direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US6540558B1
Cited
US5672064A
Cited
US5702258A
Cited
US6354877B1
Cited
US6554647B1
Cited
US6299483B1
Cited
US6607402B2
Cited
US5980321A
Cited
US6379188B1
Cited
US6503103B1
Cited
US6238245B1
Cited
US6764320B1
Cited
US6361366B1
Cited
US6475023B2
Cited
US6196853B1
Cited
US6146202A
Cited
US6371813B2
Cited
US6152747A
Cited
US6394822B1
Cited
US6537087B2
Cited
US6530790B1
Cited
US6174202B1
Cited
US6322379B1
Cited
US6328602B1
Cited
US6231391B1
Cited
US6579124B1
Cited
US6168469B1
Cited
US6471549B1
Cited
US6544046B1
Cited
US6517360B1
Cited
US6293827B1
Cited
US6267604B1
Cited
US6171115B1
Cited
US6506076B2
Cited
US6648687B2
Cited
US6371773B1
Cited
US6343955B2
Cited
US6364710B1
Cited
US6386924B2
Cited
US6315605B1
Cited
US6371788B1
Cited
US6676450B2
Cited
US6514103B2
Cited
US6478624B2
Cited
US6500029B2
Cited
US6780058B2
Cited
US6712646B2
Cited
US6672886B2
Cited
US6666692B2
Cited
US6663401B2
Cited
US6659808B2
Cited
US6390857B1
Cited
US6623302B2
Cited
US6685488B2
Cited
US6375508B1
Cited
US6592381B2
Cited
US6409543B1
Cited
US6602095B2
Cited
US6461202B2
Cited
US6347962B1
Cited
US6769935B2
Cited
US6776649B2
Cited
US6709298B2
Cited
US6540522B2
Cited
US6551140B2
Cited
US6431914B1
Cited
US6544072B2
Cited
US6435913B1
Cited
US6435914B1
Cited
US6695627B2
Cited
US6692272B2
Cited
US6749468B2
Cited
US6692305B2
Cited
US6746278B2
Cited
US6663426B2
Cited
US6520803B1
Cited
US6739918B2
Cited
US6572410B1
Cited
US6655966B2
Cited
US6743057B2
Cited
US6764349B2
Cited
US6790088B2
Cited
US6623310B1
Cited
US6638079B1
Cited
US6612869B1
Cited
US6652319B1
Cited
US6638110B1
Cited
US6663427B1
Cited
US6634908B1
Cited
US6645009B1
Cited
US6648689B1
Cited
US6641438B1
Cited
US6645010B1
Cited
US6776629B2
Cited
US6663429B1
Cited
US6682369B1
Cited
US6790089B2
Cited
US6699073B1
Cited
US6699072B1
Cited
US6773305B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-04-25 | 2008-10-25 | 2009-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-04-25 | 2012-10-25 | 2013-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-04-25 | 2016-10-25 | 2017-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |