Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Patent
1997-12-08
1999-10-19
Abrams, Neil
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
439 66, H01R 909
Patent
active
059678003
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to electrical connectors used to interconnect electronic assemblies such as, for example, printed circuit boards, which are required to he mounted one adjacent another, often, but not necessarily, in a vertically-arranged stack. Such electronic assemblies will be referred to herein as "boards".
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Apart from hard wiring the boards one to another, prior art methods of interconnecting the boards include the use of edge connectors carried by the boards which engage with complementary fixed connectors carried within a frame mounting the boards, interconnection being required between the complementary fixed connectors to provide the necessary connections from one board to another.
Such systems are inconvenient and costly, requiring numerous individual component parts, and the assembly of those parts into an interconnection system. In addition, removal or replacement of individual boards of an assembly is likely to difficult and thus introduce further cost in service and maintenance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means of interconnecting boards as herein defined.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention electrical connection means for interconnecting two physically adjacent boards, as herein defined, comprises an electrically insulating body which mounts one or more electrically conducting elements, each such conducting element having a first portion adapted to electrically contact an electrically conducting part of one board, and a second portion adapted to contact an electrically conducting part of an adjacent board, to provide electrical connection therebetween.
One of said portions may be adapted to be physically attached to the electrically conducting part of its respective board, and the other of said portions to form a pressure contact with the electrically conducting part of the other board.
Alternatively the body of the connector may be physically attached to, or located upon, one or other of the two boards and pressure contact made by both portions of the connector element to the respective conducting parts of the two boards.
In one form of connector in accordance with the invention, the insulating body of the connector may lie between the boards to be interconnected, and connection may be made between contacts carried respectively by the opposed faces of the two boards.
In a further form, the boards to be interconnected may lie one upon the other, and connection may be made between contacts carried respectively upon the upper faces of the two boards.
Employing a series of connectors in accordance with the invention, a series of boards may be interconnected in stack without the need for an external mechanical framework or associated interconnections.
It will be apparent that connectors in accordance with the invention provide a more ready and less expensive means of interconnecting adjacent boards one to another, and of creating an interconnected stack of a series of such boards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In order that features and advantages of the present invention may be further appreciated, two embodiments thereof will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show respectively views from the top, side and below of an electrical connector in accordance with the invention:
FIG. 4 is a transverse section through the connector of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, taken along the line A--A, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 5 is a transverse section of another form of connector in accordance with the invention;
FIGS. 6 & 7 are views or the connector of FIG. 5 from one side and below respectively, on a different scale; and
FIG. 8 is a further transverse view of the connector of FIG. 5 assembled with, and interconnecting two boards.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the first electrical connector comprises a body 10 of electrically
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Abrams Neil
AVX Limited
Patel T C
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