2001-11-27
2002-12-17
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494781
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and to a method for mounting such a connector.
2. Detailed Description of the Related Art
A card edge connector is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56(SHO)-136480 and also is identified by the numeral
100
in
FIGS. 22 and 23
herein. The card edge connector
100
is constructed to receive an end of a substrate
101
. Terminals
102
in the form of a thin film are provided at the end of the substrate
101
. The card edge connector
100
has upper and lower terminal fittings
104
for holding the terminals
102
from opposite sides along the thickness direction of the substrate
101
. The terminal fittings
104
are formed with elastic contact pieces
103
that can elastically contact the terminals
102
. A spacing L between the contact pieces
103
is less than thickness M of the substrate
101
. Thus, the elastic contact pieces
103
hold the substrate
101
at a suitable contact pressure when the substrate
101
is mounted into the card edge connector
100
.
The card edge connector
100
has several drawbacks. For example, corners
105
at the end of the substrate
101
may damage the contact pieces
103
while the substrate
101
is being mounted into the connector
100
.
Further, the contact pressure between the elastic contact pieces
103
and the terminals
102
needs to be sufficiently high to stabilize contact resistance between the terminal fittings
104
and the terminals
102
. This requires a large elastic deformation of the contact pieces
103
and a corresponding short spacing L. Circuits (not shown) in the card edge connector
100
may be shorted by the contact of the upper and lower elastic contact pieces
103
before the substrate
101
is mounted. Additionally, the elastic contact pieces
103
may be deformed.
In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide a connector and a mounting method to hold a substrate and elastic contact pieces stably in contact with each other while avoiding a short circuit and a deformation of the contact pieces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a connector with a first housing surrounding one or more terminals on an outer end surface of a substrate, and a second housing connectable with the first housing. The second housing has one or more terminal fittings that can be brought into contact with the terminals on the substrate. Each terminal fitting comprises a contact piece that is elastically or resiliently deformable along a thickness direction of the substrate. Thus, the contact piece can be brought elastically or resiliently into contact with a corresponding terminal on the substrate. The first housing comprises at least one pressing portion for pressing the corresponding contact pieces toward the terminals on the substrate when the first and second housings are mated.
The terminals may be provided on only one of the opposite surfaces of the substrate. However, it is preferable to provide the terminals on both opposite surfaces of the substrate to follow the conventional construction of substrates and terminals and to shorten the width of the substrate.
The contact pieces preferably are provided to conform to the location of the terminals of the substrate. Thus, the contact pieces preferably elastically or resiliently contact and hold the substrate from its opposite sides, and contact pressure can be stabilized.
The pressing portions preferably contact the contact pieces directly and are inserted into pressing portion insertion spaces provided in the second housing at a side of the contact pieces opposite from the substrate. The contact pieces can deform elastically or resiliently in the pressing portion insertion spaces and in a direction away from the substrate. Thus, even if the substrate contacts the elastic contact pieces during connection of the two housings, the contact pieces can be deformed elastically or resiliently into the pressing portion insertion spaces. Therefore, the substrate is not likely to damage the contact pieces. Alternatively, second pressing portions may be provided in the second housing for pressing the contact pieces, and the first pressing portions may press the second pressing portions to press the contact pieces indirectly.
The contact pieces preferably are at retracted positions away from the outer surface of the substrate along the thickness direction before the two housings are connected with each other. The pressing portions move the contact pieces into the contact with the terminals after contact portions of the contact pieces pass the corner of the substrate during a connecting operation of the two housings. Thus, the contact pieces are not likely to be deformed by contact with a corner of the substrate when the two housings are being connected.
The contact portion of each contact piece preferably is closer to the front end of the second housing than the distal end of the contact piece is. Additionally, a base portion of the contact piece is more backward than the contact portion. Accordingly, the contact piece has a turned construction and the position where the corresponding pressing portion acts and the position of the contact portion can be proximate to each other along forward and backward direction. Thus, pressing forces from the pressing portions act substantially along the thickness direction of the substrate, and contact pressures acting between the substrate and the contact pieces can be stabilized more easily. Additionally, the distal ends of the contact pieces are not caught by the substrate even if the contact portions are pulled backward by the contact with the substrate during the connecting operation of the two housings.
The second housing preferably comprises one or more cavities for accommodating the respective terminal fittings. Engaging pieces extend into the respective cavities and elastically engage the terminal fittings when the terminal fittings are mounted in proper positions in the cavities. The contact portions preferably are spaced sufficiently from the engaging pieces to avoid contact with the engaging pieces while the terminal fittings are being mounted into the cavities.
The pressing portions preferably contact corresponding press receiving portions of the terminal fittings. The press receiving portions are arranged at an angle different from 0° or 180° with respect to a mating direction of the connector housings.
The second housing preferably is provided with one or more pressing portion insertion openings for inserting corresponding pressing portions into pressing portions insertion spaces in the second housing near the resilient contact pieces. The resilient contact pieces preferably can be deflected into the corresponding pressing portions insertion space in case of an interaction with the substrate.
The invention also is directed to a method of connecting a connector. The connector has a first housing surrounding one or more terminals on outer end surfaces of a substrate, and a second housing connectable with the first housing and provided with one or more terminal fittings that can be brought into contact with the terminals of the substrate. The method comprises providing a contact piece on each terminal fitting which is resiliently deformable towards or away from the substrate. The method also comprises providing one or more pressing portions on the first housing and pressing by means of the pressing portions the corresponding resilient contact pieces substantially toward the terminal portions when the first and second housings are fitted to each other. Thus, the resilient contact pieces of the terminal fittings are brought resiliently into contact with the corresponding terminal portions of the substrate.
The pressing portions preferably press the resilient contact pieces substantially toward the substrate after contact portions of the resilient contact pieces pass a corner of the substrate during a connecting operation of the two housings.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present
Fujita Shinya
Ichida Kiyofumi
Bradley P. Austin
Casella Anthony J.
Hespos Gerald E.
Nguyen Truc
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
LandOfFree
Card edge connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Card edge connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Card edge connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2994398