Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
Patent
1996-04-16
1997-09-23
Paumen, Gary F.
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
H01R 1362
Patent
active
056697821
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and, in particular, to a connector for board-to-board interconnection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As a connector for electrically connecting a daughter board to a mother board, a zero insertion force type connector is known which allows the daughter board to be inserted therein with a low insertion force. This type of connector is disclosed in JPN UM Appln. No. 1-4128 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,765.
The zero insertion force type connector includes a housing of a resin mounted on a mother board. The housing has a recess for receiving one edge of a daughter board with male contact terminals arranged therein and a plurality of female contact terminals are arranged in the recess so as to electrically connect the mother board to the daughter board. The female contact terminals are comprised of C-shaped terminals having two contacts to be contacted with the daughter board.
When the daughter board is to be connected to the mother board, one edge of the daughter board is first inserted into the recess of the housing in an oblique relation to the surface of the mother board. Then the daughter board is rotated so that the daughter board is oriented at a vertical attitude relative to the surface of the mother board. The male contact terminals of the daughter board thus oriented are held under the spring action of the female contact terminals in the recess to electrically connect the male contact terminals to the female contact terminals.
When one edge of the daughter board is to be obliquely inserted into the recess of the housing, the daughter board can be inserted therein with a zero insertion force because the distance between the two opposed contacts of each contact terminal is greater than the thickness of the daughter board.
In order to fix the daughter board at a vertical attitude, a metal latch is provided at each end of the housing. During the rotation of the daughter board the respective metal latches are flexed away from the outer sides of the housing. When the daughter board reaches a vertical attitude, the metal latches are returned back to their initial configuration and the daughter board is sandwiched between the metal latches. At the same time, the respective metal latches support the surfaces of the daughter board and hence the daughter board is fixedly held at the vertical attitude. When the daughter board thus held is to be detached from the connector, the paired metal latches are flexed away from their outer sides and the daughter board is withdrawn.
It is true that, on the above connector, the daughter board can be inserted into the recess with a zero insertion force, but a force enough great to cause the metal latch to be flexed is required upon detachment and, further, inconvenient handling is involved. The user has to use both hands so as to flex the right and left metal latches simultaneously.
This type of connector is often used in a narrow space in a relatively small electronic device such as a personal computer and associated peripheral devices. Upon detachment of the daughter board an operation space is limited and, moreover, the user's field of vision is obstructed. It is also difficult to perform efficient operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide a connector which can be readily detached from a circuit board.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided which electrically connects a first circuit board to a second circuit board through a plurality of contact terminals. The electrical connector includes a housing having a recess for receiving the second circuit board and a plurality of contact terminals located in the recess and mountable on the first circuit board, latching means for elastically latching, on at least one end of the recess, the second circuit board as it is received in the recess of the housing, and lever means, located near the latching means, for imparting a force, which resists an ela
REFERENCES:
patent: 4986765 (1991-01-01), Korsunsky
patent: 5112242 (1992-05-01), Choy et al.
patent: 5161994 (1992-11-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5203714 (1993-04-01), Tuan
patent: 5302133 (1994-04-01), Tondreault
Berg Technology Inc.
Paumen Gary F.
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