Power and guidance connector

Details Power and guidance connector Power and guidance connector

2000-06-29

2002-08-13

Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

With circuit conductors and safety grounding provision

Direct grounding of coupling part member passing into aperture

C439S378000, C439S947000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06431886

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electrical connectors and more specifically relates to electrical connectors providing power between a motherboard and daughtercard and providing for proper alignment of the daughtercard relative to the motherboard.
It is well known to fabricate electronic devices, especially computers, with a main printed circuit board called a motherboard, having sites for connection of secondary printed circuit boards (“daughtercards”) thereto. These sites are often simply holes through the motherboard adjacent to traces connected to power lines and to communication lines. Motherboards typically contain circuitry printed thereon which is connected to a main power supply and provides communication between the main power supply and components on the motherboard as well as sites for connection of a daughtercard. Thus the motherboard is arranged to distribute power from the main power supply to properly connected components and daughtercards so that the components and daughtercards do not need their own dedicated power supply.
Proper distribution of the power from a motherboard to a daughtercard requires that the daughtercard be properly aligned when connected to the motherboard. One type of connecter commonly used for distributing power from a motherboard to a daughtercard is commonly referred to as a right angle power connecter. Right angle power connectors include a motherboard component having pins or the like for connection to the motherboard and a daughtercard component having pins or the like for connection to the daughtercard. The motherboard component and daughtercard component are designed to mate with each other so that when properly aligned signals present on the circuitry of the motherboard are communicated to appropriate circuitry on the daughtercard.
Daughtercards may be swapped to reconfigure the device containing the motherboard. It is often desirable to accomplish this reconfiguration without turning off the power to the device. Reconfiguration of a device by replacing one daughtercard with another without turning off the power is referred to as “hot swapping.” Electronic device users who wish to reconfigure the device without powering down would appreciate an electrical connector which does not expose live contacts on the motherboard.
In accordance with the present invention, an electrical connector for coupling a motherboard having a power supply to a daughter card having power consuming components includes a board portion and a card portion configured to mate with the board portion. The board portion includes board contacts for coupling to the mother board, a guide pin, and electrical contacts electrically coupled to the board contacts. The card portion includes card contacts for coupling to the daughter card, a guide pin-receiving aperture, and electrical contacts electrically coupled to the card contacts and configured to couple to the electrical contacts of the board portion when the card portion is mated to the board portion.
An electrically connector in accordance with the present invention for coupling a first board having power consuming components to a second board having a power supply includes a first board component and a second board component configured to mate with the first board component. The first board component includes board contacts for coupling to the first board, a first alignment portion, and electrical contacts electrically coupled to the board contacts. The second board component includes board contacts for coupling to the second board, electrical contacts electrically coupled to the board contacts and configured to couple to the electrical contacts of the first board component when the first and second board components are properly aligned and mated, and a second alignment portion. The second alignment portion is configured to mate with the first alignment portion to properly align the first and second board components for mating.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5055055 (1991-10-01), Bakker
patent: 5139426 (1992-08-01), Barkus et al.
patent: 5158471 (1992-10-01), Fedder et al.
patent: 5443398 (1995-08-01), Ortega
patent: 5535100 (1996-07-01), Lubahn et al.
patent: 5542851 (1996-08-01), Chikano
patent: 5667392 (1997-09-01), Kocher et al.
patent: 0 560 551 (1993-09-01), None

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