Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-13
2003-02-25
Feild, Lynn D. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
C439S579000, C439S497000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06524119
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a connector comprising a plurality of conductive contacts arranged in a coupling portion held by an insulator.
For example, an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer
10
illustrated in
FIG. 1
transmits and receives various kinds of signals. For input and output of these signals, the personal computer
10
is provided with a plurality of connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
different in shape and typically formed on its rear side.
The connector
11
is intended to be connected to a connector
15
of a docking station
14
or a connector
17
of a port replicator
16
. Each of the connectors
12
and
13
is adapted to be connected to a connector
19
of a peripheral device
18
such as a CD (Compact Disk) drive and a DVD (Digital Video Disk) drive. The docking station
14
and the port replicator
16
have connectors
21
and
22
, respectively, which can be connected to the connector
19
of the peripheral device
18
.
Thus, the personal computer
10
is adapted to be connected to various types of peripheral devices. Therefore, the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
are supplied with various kinds of signals. These signals are different in speed and include a so-called high-speed signal. As well known, a line for transmission and reception of the high-speed signal is typically provided with a shield.
However, the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
of the personal computer
10
are not classified in accordance with the kinds of the signals supplied thereto. Therefore, each of the connector
11
,
12
, and
13
may be supplied with the various kinds of signals. In this case, wiring for the connectors
11
,
12
, and
13
is complicated and therefore difficult.
In case where personal computers manufactured by different manufacturers are selectively connected, connection to the common peripheral device or the common docking station may be defective even if connectors of a same kind are used in the personal computers. This is because pin assignment of the connector is often different for each manufacturer as known in the art.
Furthermore, if connection to a particular circuit block alone is desired, a special connector for the particular circuit block must be separately equipped in the personal computer. This requires the connector cost and the mounting cost for the special connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a connector in which a number of contacts are grouped into a plurality of groups in a manner adapted to handle various kinds of signals including high-speed signals.
It is another object of this invention to provide an information processing apparatus equipped with the above-mentioned connector.
Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to this invention, there is provided a connector comprising an insulator and a number of conductive contacts held by the insulator, the contacts being grouped into a plurality of contact groups corresponding to intended uses, respectively, and adjacent to one another in a first direction, the contacts in each contact group being arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the contact groups including a specific contact group which is located outermost in the first direction and assigned to high-speed signals.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4484792 (1984-11-01), Tengler et al.
patent: 4762500 (1988-08-01), Dola et al.
patent: 4917616 (1990-04-01), Dember, Jr. et al.
patent: 5116239 (1992-05-01), Siwinski
patent: 5199880 (1993-04-01), Arai
patent: 5709557 (1998-01-01), Martin et al.
patent: 5738537 (1998-04-01), Setoguchi et al.
patent: 6027345 (2000-02-01), McHugh et al.
patent: 6183301 (2001-02-01), Paagman
patent: 6247969 (2001-06-01), Niitsu
patent: 6261107 (2001-07-01), Takase et al.
patent: 0 523 491 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 0 908 977 (1999-04-01), None
Kato Nobukazu
Nakatomi Yuko
Tamada Tomohiko
Duverne J. F.
Feild Lynn D.
Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
Michael Best & Friedrich LLC
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