Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-14
2001-12-11
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S630000, C439S059000, C439S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328605
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to circuit board connectors and more particularly to circuit board connectors along which module cards are received and electrically connected to electrical contacts thereof and to an operating circuit card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional solution to allow computer equipment to remain in continuous operation has been to add electronic switches to motherboard circuitry. These switches allow adapter cards that contain processors, memory or I/O ports, to be added or replaced without the need to turn power off to the equipment.
Motherboard circuit designers have been faced with the problem of designing circuitry that incorporates these switches in a manner that does not affect the electrical signal integrity and performance of the adapter cards. Variations in circuit design from one circuit design to another may be significant enough to cause certain adapter cards to operate improperly.
Therefore it would be beneficial to transfer the switch capability off the motherboard and place it into the adapter connector component. This will allow for uniform circuit design as well as minimal circuit path length to be utilized. It will also allow equipment manufacturers to incorporate desired switch technology without extensive motherboard circuitry design and development.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An important feature of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector along which module cards are received and electrically connected to electrical contacts thereof and electrically connected to operating circuit cards inserted into the electrical connector.
The present invention is directed to an electrical connector for electrical connection to a circuit board and for receiving a module card and an operating circuit card comprising a dielectric housing having adjacent card-receiving areas, first electrical contacts mounted in the dielectric housing and having termination sections for electrical connection with conductive members of the circuit board and contact sections extending into one of the card-receiving areas for electrical connection to first conductive members on the module card when disposed along the one of the card-receiving areas, and second electrical contacts mounted in the dielectric housing and having contact portions extending into the one of the card-receiving areas for electrical connection with second conductive members on the module card and extending into the other of the card-receiving areas for electrical connection with conductive members on the operating circuit card when disposed along the other of the card-receiving areas.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3932016 (1976-01-01), Ammenheuser
patent: 3955875 (1976-05-01), Petiot
patent: 4223968 (1980-09-01), Kawabata et al.
patent: 4623207 (1986-11-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 4747790 (1988-05-01), Masuda et al.
patent: 5876214 (1999-03-01), McHugh et al.
patent: 6053757 (2000-04-01), Turnbull
Spink, Jr. William E.
Trout David A.
Walker Kevin E.
Gilman Alexander
Paumen Gary
The Whitaker Corporation
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