Electrical connectors – Contact comprising cutter – Insulation cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-16
2002-03-12
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Contact comprising cutter
Insulation cutter
C439S266000, C439S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06354862
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical connector wherein a pair of support plates are relatively moved to bring the male contact elements into contact with the female contact elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of such conventional electrical connectors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,247.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, male and female contact elements
51
and
61
are supported at regular intervals by first plate
50
, such as an IC package, and second support plate
6
O, respectively. Each male contact element
51
has a pin-like form and extending downwardly from the first support plate
50
and passes through an aperture
53
formed in an intermediate plate
52
. Each female contact element
61
has narrow and wide sections
61
A and
61
B, respectively, and placed in a window
62
of the second support plate
60
.
The intermediate plate
52
is provided with an elongated hole
54
, and the second support plate
60
has a bearing hole
63
in which an eccentric cam or driving shaft
70
is fitted for rotation. The driving shaft
70
has a shaft section
71
supported by the bearing hole
63
for rotation, a driving section
72
situated in the elongated hole
54
, and a flange section
73
situated above the driving section
72
. The driving section
72
has a generally cylindrical surface which is eccentric relative to the shaft section
71
and has a diameter larger than that of the shaft section
71
. The driving section
72
is provided with a flat portion
72
A to form a gap (d) between the driving section
72
and the elongated hole
54
in the direction of minor diameter of the elongated hole
54
. A groove
73
A is provided in the top of the flange section
73
to receive a screwdriver or the like to produce a torque.
In operation, as shown in FIGS.
5
(A)-(C), when the driving shaft
70
is turned clockwise by a predetermined angle from FIG.
5
(A) to FIG.
5
(B) to move both of the intermediate and first support plates
52
and
50
relative to the second support plate
60
by a difference (R—r), wherein the R and r are the largest and smallest radii, respectively, of the driving section
72
from the axis of the shaft section
71
, pushing the male contact elements
51
into the narrow sections
61
A of the female contact elements
61
under contact pressures, thus providing connection between the contact elements.
When the driving section
72
is moved from FIG. (B) to FIG. (C), the flat portion
72
A is opposed to a major wall of the elongated hole
54
, forming the gap (d). Consequently, the necessary torque for rotation abruptly becomes zero at the connection position as shown in FIG.
5
(C), providing the operator with a sense of a click indicating the connection. The gap (d), however, forms a play and changes the contact pressure under the influence of an impact or vibration. As a result, not only the contact resistance of contact elements becomes unstable, but also the position of the eccentric cam is difficult to control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector capable of not only providing a sense of click upon connection of the contact elements but also making the connection kept stable.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector for connecting a first support plate having at least one male contact element, a second support plate having at least one female contact element, and a drive mechanism for moving the first support plate relative to the second support plate in a first direction between a lock position where the male contact element is brought into contact with the female contact element and a release position where the male contact element is disengaged from the female contact element.
The drive mechanism comprises a bearing hole provided in either of the intermediate or first plate and the second support plate; an elongated hole provided in the other member and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a driving shaft having a shaft section in sliding relation to the bearing hole and a driving section provided in the elongated hole and having a small-diameter portion, a large-diameter portion, and a pair of transitional portions between them. The elongated hole has a minor diameter substantially equal to a sum of radii of the small- and large diameter portions and a major diameter greater than the minor diameter so that when the driving shaft is rotated, the large-diameter or transitional portion engages a major side of the elongated hole to bring the first plate to the lock position or disengages the major side to bring the first plate to the release position.
The spring contact between the contact elements may be made by the large-diameter portion pushing the minor diameter side of the elongated hole. Since the large-diameter portion has a constant radius, there is no play produced and a sense of click is generated when the pushing point moves from the transitional portion to the large-diameter portion. However, a small torque is generated by the reactive force due to the spring contact between the contact elements, making the position stable. The large-diameter and transitional portions may have bottom faces in sliding relation to the second support plate so that rotation of the driving shaft is made smooth. The bottom faces and the second support may be provided with stoppers to prevent the driving shaft from being rotated beyond the connection position. The first support plate may be part of an integrated circuit package.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3858959 (1975-01-01), Arnold
patent: 5489218 (1996-02-01), McHugh
patent: 5611705 (1997-03-01), Pfaff
patent: 6206715 (2001-03-01), Liu et al.
Bradley P. Austin
Gilman Alexander
Hirose Electric Co. Ltd.
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
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