Electrical connectors – Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-14
2001-01-16
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Having circuit interrupting provision effected by mating or...
C439S488000, C439S681000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174184
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card edge connector, and particularly to a card edge connector adaptable for different operating configurations and voltages.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,106,841 and 5,366,382 each disclose a conventional card edge connector comprising an insulative housing and a plurality of conductive contacts secured in the housing. Each contact comprises an engaging portion having a connecting portion. The engaging portions of opposite contacts are interconnected at free ends thereof before a daughter card is mated with the connector. When the daughter card is mated with the connector, the daughter card abuts against the engaging portions of the contacts to separate the engaging portions of the opposite contacts from each other.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, which illustrate the conventional card edge connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,382, the card edge connector
100
comprises an insulative housing
90
and a plurality of contacts
91
received in the housing. Each contact
91
comprises an engaging portion
92
. The engaging portion
92
forms a connecting portion
93
projecting toward an opposite contact
91
and a wedge
94
at a free end thereof. The wedges
94
of the opposite contacts
91
are laterally interconnected before a daughter card is mated with the card edge connector
100
. However, since the engaging portions
92
are interconnected at free ends thereof, the contacts
91
must be manufactured with a high precision or else the engaging portions
92
cannot properly interconnect. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a universal card edge connector having switch terminals and an insert adapted for enabling the connector to have different working configurations and voltages whereby the connector can receive different kinds of daughter board. Another object of the present invention is to provide a card edge connector having switch terminals that are easily interconnected to reliably position at a normal close state.
An electrical connector comprises an insulative housing defining a slot and a number of cavities, a number of conductive contacts and two pairs of switch terminals received in the corresponding cavities of the housing, a pair of metal sheets received in the housing, and an insert. Each contact forms an engaging portion extending into the slot. Each switch terminal forms a connecting portion adapted for electrically connecting with the metal sheet. The insert is configured to disengage the connecting portions of one pair of the switch terminals from the corresponding metal sheet.
The housing defines two pairs of cutouts in a top face thereof and recesses communicated with the corresponding cutouts in inner faces of walls thereof. The insert comprises a main portion and a pair of wings laterally extending from an end of the main portion. Each wing comprises a neck and an expanding portion. The main portion defines a pair of recessed surfaces in opposite faces thereof. The necks are secured in the corresponding cutouts of the housing and the expanding portions abut against opposite outside surfaces of the housing to secure the insert to the housing. The recessed surfaces of the insert abut against the spring arms of the switch terminals to disengage the connecting portions from the corresponding metal sheet, whereby the switch terminals are shifted from a normal close state to an open state.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3576519 (1971-04-01), Janye et al.
patent: 3634816 (1972-01-01), Zell
patent: 4106841 (1978-08-01), Vladic
patent: 4307927 (1981-12-01), Mollman
patent: 5019947 (1991-05-01), Pelzl
patent: 5366382 (1994-11-01), Thumma
patent: 5387132 (1995-02-01), Sarver et al.
patent: 5688147 (1997-11-01), Coteus et al.
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary F.
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