Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-08-28
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280260
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a connector and also to a method of assembling said connector. More specifically, the invention relates to a male connector.
BACKGROUND ART
Connectors typically comprise a contact element support made of an insulating material. Thus the contact element support is also called an insulating body. Said contact element support can be designed such that one contact element, preferably a plurality of contact elements forming a contact element comb, can be mounted at or in said contact element support. The contact elements are frequently fixedly mounted in or at said contact element support by embedding said contact elements in the contact element support at the time it is formed by injection molding of a plastic material.
When mounting contact elements in the contact element support by injection molding, various problems occur. For instance, the injection molding process is complicated because the contact elements have to be held in the proper location at the time the injection molding operation occurs.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems encountered in the prior art.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector in general and in particular to a connector comprising a plurality of contact elements located in a common plane. Such a connector is preferably suitable for so-called cell phones. Cell phones require small size components and thus, the connector of the invention is designed such that it has a small size, in particular a small height. The connector of the invention uses for instance ten adjacently located contact elements covering a width of approximately 14 millimeters
In one aspect of the present invention, the contact element support comprises on one of its sides, in particular at its upper surface, a comb-like design. Said comb is formed by a plurality of ribs. A comb of contact elements (contact element comb) can be inserted into the spaces or recesses between said ribs. Narrower sections of said contact elements are inserted in said recesses.
In accordance with the invention, the contact elements are formed such that they comprise besides said narrower sections wider sections which come into engagement with said ribs when the contact elements, preferably a complete comb of contact elements, is horizontally moved with respect to the contact element support. In this manner, the contact elements are fixedly mounted at an upper surface of said contact element support.
In another aspect of the present invention, each of said contact elements comprises an angled or off-set portion (shaped like a hammer). Said portion is moved during said horizontal movement of the comb of contact elements at the bottom surface of the contact element support into contact with abutment surfaces provided by the lower surface of said contact element support. Thus, each of the contact elements is secured with respect to a release of the contact element in vertical direction.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the assembly of the contact elements on the contact element support provides for an insertion of the comb of contact elements from above into the spaces between the ribs into the contact element support. After said insertion, the comb of contact elements is moved, as mentioned above, in a horizontal direction such that laterally extending wider sections (also called laterally extending claws) of said contact elements penetrate into the material forming said contact element support. Thus, said contact elements are fixedly mounted between said ribs at said contact element support.
Preferably, during the process of assembly, the contact elements are still connected at opposite sides to pilot strips. During said horizontal movement, said off-set or angled portions come into engagement with said contact element support (such that the contact elements are secured with respect to vertically applied forces) at the same time the lateral claws become engaged with the side walls of said ribs.
It is an advantage of the assembly method of the invention that the contact elements can remain connected with both their sides with respective pilot strips so that a good stability is achieved during assembly. Such stability is particularly important for small contact elements arranged with small pitch.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4425015 (1984-01-01), Rizzo
patent: 4780098 (1988-10-01), Seidler
patent: 5009614 (1991-04-01), Fogg et al.
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patent: 5727957 (1998-03-01), Hashimoto et al.
patent: 5816841 (1998-10-01), Grant
patent: 6004160 (1999-12-01), Korsunsky et al.
patent: 6083051 (2000-06-01), Chang
patent: 36 23 549 A1 (1988-01-01), None
patent: WO 93 14537 (1993-07-01), None
patent: 44 39 262 (1996-05-01), None
Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics GmbH
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley LLP
Nguyen P.
Paumen Gary F.
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