Edge connector for flat circuitry

Details Edge connector for flat circuitry Edge connector for flat circuitry

1999-10-12

2001-05-29

Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Coupling part with actuating means urging contact to move...

Having open slot for receiving preformed panel circuit...

C439S636000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06238226

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to connectors which commonly are called “edge card connectors” for receiving the edges of flat circuitry such as printed circuit boards.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical connectors are well known in the art for interconnecting a primary printed circuit board (often called a “mother” board) and a secondary printed circuit board (often called a “daughter” board). The connections between the two circuit boards typically are made along an edge of the secondary circuit board which, therefore, commonly is referred to as an edge card.
Such edge card connectors typically include an insulating or dielectric housing mountable on the primary or mother board. The housing has a card-receiving slot for receiving the edge of the secondary or daughter board. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing along one or both sides of the slot, and the terminals have flexible contact portions projecting into the slot for engaging appropriate circuit traces on one or both sides of the secondary circuit board.
One of the problems with edge card connectors as described above is that the sharp edge of the inserted edge card engages and wipes the flexible contact portions of the terminals during insertion of the edge card into the card-receiving slot in the housing. At least the contact portions of the terminals typically are plated with a highly conductive precious metal. The substrate of the edge card typically is fabricated of abrasive material, such as glass fibers. If the lead-in edge of the card engages and wipes over the plated contact portions, degradation of the contact plating occurs.
In order to solve the above-identified problem, zero insertion force (ZIF) connectors have been designed such the edge card is inserted into the card-receiving slot of the connector with zero or minimum wiping action on the plated contact portions of the terminals. In some connectors, minimum wiping action still is afforded to remove oxidation at the contact surfaces, but the forces are not sufficient for the edge card to significantly damage the plating of the contact surfaces. Heretofore, such ZIF connectors have been fairly complicated because actuators, springs, cams and other devices are mounted on the connector housing to effect terminal or contact engagement after the edge card is fully inserted into the card-receiving slot of the housing. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by a very simple, efficient, cost-effective and unique system which employs a simple actuator mounted on and carried by the edge card, itself and allows at the same time to use a wide variety of daughter board thicknesses without degradation of the spring performance of the connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector system of the character described, for terminating a flat circuit, such as the edge of a printed circuit board.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the electrical connector system includes a dielectric housing having a pair of wings defining a circuit-receiving slot therebetween. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing, with contact portions of the terminals located at opposite sides of the slot. A flat circuit has an edge insertable into the slot. An actuator is mounted on and carried by the flat circuit. The actuator has actuator portions operatively associated with the terminals to bias the contact portions of the terminals into engagement with opposite sides of the flat circuit in response to inserting the edge of the circuit into the slot.
As disclosed herein, the actuator portions of the actuator comprise actuator arms projecting toward the edge and extending generally parallel to the flat circuit. The arms are located a distance from the edge of the flat circuit such that the edge of the circuit passes the contact portions of the terminals before the contact portions are biased into engagement with opposite sides of the flat circuit.
In one embodiment of the invention, the terminals are mounted such that the contact portions thereof are exposed within the slot. The contact portions are fixed relative to the wings of the housing. The actuator portions are engageable with the wings to bias the wings and, in turn, the contact portions toward the slot and the flat circuit. In the preferred embodiment, the wings comprise independent portions of the housing movable relative to a body portion of the housing. Complementary interengaging cams are provided between the wings of the housing and the actuator portions of the actuator.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the terminals are mounted such that the contact portions thereof are movable relative to the wings of the housing. The terminals include actuating portions coupled to the contact portions and engageable by the actuator portions of the actuator to bias the contact portions into engagement with opposite sides of the flat circuit. Each terminal is generally U-shaped to define a first leg forming the contact portion inside the wing at the slot, and a second leg forming the actuating portion exposed exteriorly of the slot.


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