Floating polarized electrical connector assembly

Details Floating polarized electrical connector assembly Floating polarized electrical connector assembly

1999-10-26

2001-02-20

Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

C439S532000, C439S954000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06190197

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to an electrical connector assembly for mounting between a frame and a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A fairly wide variety of electrical components or electronic devices are mounted on substrates such as a printed circuit board within a computer. Such items can range from sophisticated computer chips to electro-mechanical components such as cooling fans. Although varying in sophistication or complexity, such items are electrically connected or interfaced with circuit traces on the printed circuit board.
With an electrical component such as a cooling fan, the fan/motor is mounted in a component frame. The frame is independently mechanically mounted to the printed circuit board. The fan/motor has electrical lead wires terminated to a component connector which hangs freely or “dangles” from the fan assembly. The component connector is mated with a header connector mounted on a surface of the printed circuit board independently of the mounting of the component frame on the board. Such a system not only requires multiple assembly steps, but the freely hanging connector which is terminated to the fan lead wires causes entanglement problems during shipping, handling and assembly. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing an electrical connector assembly wherein the component connector is integrated directly with the component frame.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector assembly of the character described.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly for interfacing between a component frame and a printed circuit board.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the assembly includes a board connector for mounting on a surface of the printed circuit board. A frame connector is provided for mounting on the component frame and for mating with the board connector in a mating direction generally perpendicular to the printed circuit board. Complementary interengaging tongue-and-groove means are provided between the frame connector and the frame and extends generally perpendicular to the mating direction for interengaging the frame connector with the frame. Complementary interengaging polarizing means are provided between the frame connector and the frame. Complementary interengaging latch means are provided between the frame connector and the frame for holding the connector interengaged with the frame.
As disclosed herein, the latch means is provided by at least one latch projection on the frame connector for snapping into a latch recess in the component frame. The latch projection is provided as a circular boss for engaging a circular recess in the frame, the boss having an oblique end face defining a lead-in ramp.
The polarizing means are provided by projections of different sizes on opposite sides of the frame connector for receipt in complementarily sized grooves in the component frame. The invention contemplates that the polarizing means be included directly in the tongue-and-groove means by variably sizing the respective tongues and grooves.
The component frame includes a receptacle for receiving thereinto the frame connector in a direction generally perpendicular to the mating direction. The tongue-and-groove means are disposed between opposite side walls of the receptacle and opposite sides of the frame connector.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3456231 (1969-07-01), Paullus et al.
patent: 4032209 (1977-06-01), Rutkowski
patent: 5297929 (1994-03-01), Horng
patent: 5330360 (1994-07-01), Marsh et al.
patent: 5344332 (1994-09-01), Lopez et al.
patent: 5457606 (1995-10-01), Young et al.
patent: 5460530 (1995-10-01), Toba et al.
patent: 5466171 (1995-11-01), Bixler et al.

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