Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-23
2002-02-12
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06345987
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for connecting terminals on, for example, two substrates (elements).
2. Description of the Related Art
For instance, a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board or a flexible flat cable (FFC) is used to interconnect terminals of different substrates. However, the FPC board or FFC requires a separate connector to establish an electrical connection to the substrate, thus resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector which can easily connect terminals of different substrates (elements) without using an FPC board or FFC, etc.
To achieve the object, according to an aspect of the present invention, a connector is provided, which includes a connector body made of an electrically insulating material, having a contact support wall whose one end defines a contact mount portion, and a contact made of an electrically conductive material, having a pair of resilient contact elements located on upper and lower sides of the contact support wall, and a resilient support portion which connects the resilient contact elements, and which is elastically supported by the contact mount portion. The resilient support portion of the contact is engaged with the contact support wall so that the entire the contact can swing about the contact mount portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a connector is provided, which includes a substantially rectangular connector body made of an electrically insulating material; an array of contact grooves having pairs of adjacent contact grooves formed on upper and lower surfaces of the substantially rectangular connector body, wherein contact support walls are formed between the adjacent contact grooves; and contacts made of an electrically conductive material, corresponding to the contact support walls. Each of the contacts are provided with a pair of resilient contact elements which extend from the upper and lower surfaces of the contact support walls in opposite directions, and each of the contacts includes a resilient support portion which connects the resilient contact elements and which are elastically supported by a contact mount portion of the substantially rectangular connector body. The resilient support portions of the contacts being each engaged with the corresponding contact support wall so that the entire the contact can swing about the corresponding contact mount portion thereof.
In the above aspects of the present invention, preferably, the connector can be connected to a first substrate having a terminal, wherein in the case where the connector is connected to the first substrate, one of the pair of resilient contact elements contacts the terminal to be depressed thereby. Furthermore, the connector can be connected to a second substrate having a terminal, wherein in the case where the connector is connected to the second substrate, the other of the pair of resilient contact elements contacts the terminal of the second substrate to be depressed thereby.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No.11-179892 (filed on Jun. 25, 1999) which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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Mori Teruyuki
Narita Kenji
Takano Hirohisa
Kyocera Elco Corporation
McCormick Paulding & Huber LLP
Patel Tulsidas
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