Electrical connectors – Self aligning contact – Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-06-12
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Self aligning contact
Contact mounted in floating nonconductive holder
C439S660000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244883
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to an electrical connector assembly which provides for floating movement between a pair of mating connectors, such as connectors which are mounted to printed circuit boards or other substrates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are a wide variety of electrical connector assemblies which include male and female or plug and receptacle connectors which are designed to be mated in confronting relation. The connectors are movably mated together and, when mated, the connectors are rigidly coupled and cannot move relative to each other. Therefore, any vibrations or extraneous impacts applied to one of the connectors is transmitted to the other connector.
There are various applications wherein rigidly coupled connectors are undesirable and create problems. In other words, it is highly undesirable for vibrations or impacts to be transmitted from one connector to the mated connector. This is particularly true when the connectors are mounted to various other electronic components such as circuit boards or other substrates.
For instance, in a portable telephone assembly, the telephone may be coupled to an associated battery through a pair of mating connectors, and the telephone and battery, in turn, may be mounted to a pair of circuit boards or substrates. If the telephone is inadvertently dropped and strikes the floor or ground, the impact may cause a malfunction or damage to electronic components mounted on the circuit boards on which the mating connectors are fixed. Therefore, it is desirable to provide some form of relative floating movement between the mating connectors, and this has become increasingly difficult with the increase in miniaturization or down-sizing of such electronic devices. The present invention is directed to solving these problems in a new construction of a pair of mating connectors having floating movement therebetween.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector assembly which provides for floating movement between a pair of mated connectors.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the assembly is a board-to-board electrical connector assembly. A plug connector is adapted for mounting on a first circuit board and includes a dielectric housing have a mating plug portion. A plurality of conductive terminals are mounted on the housing and have flexible contact portions located at the mating plug portion. A receptacle connector is adapted for mounting on a second circuit board and includes a dielectric housing having a mating receptacle portion for receiving the plug portion of the plug connector in a mating direction. A plurality of conductive terminals are mounted on the housing and have contact portions located in the receptacle portion for engaging the flexible contact portions of the terminals of the plug connector.
The invention contemplates that the receptacle portion of the receptacle connector be larger than the plug portion of the plug connector in “x” and “y” directions transverse to the mating direction. This provides for floating movement between the connectors and, thereby, the circuit boards in the “x” and “y” directions. In addition, an open end of the receptacle portion is spaced from an abutment wall of the housing of the plug portion when the connectors are in mated positions. This provides floating movement between the connectors and, thereby, the circuit boards in the mating or “z” direction.
As disclosed herein, at least one of the terminals of the plug connector includes a cantilevered spring beam extending generally in the mating direction of the plug connector toward the receptacle connector. A contact beam extends obliquely from a distal end of the cantilevered spring beam back over the spring beam. The contact beam extends at an angle to the mating direction such that a force vector from the contact beam against a terminal of the receptacle connector opposite the mating direction automatically causes the open end of the receptacle portion to be spaced from the abutment wall of the plug connector to allow for floating movement therebetween.
Other objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5192232 (1993-03-01), Lenz et al.
patent: 5679010 (1997-10-01), Hotea et al.
Ito Naotoshi
Yamaguchi Shigetoshi
Molex Incorporated
Nguyen Phuongchi
Paumen Gary F.
Weiss Stephen Z.
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