Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
Patent
1996-11-25
1998-10-20
Abrams, Neil
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Distinct contact secured to panel circuit
H01R 909
Patent
active
058238000
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND ART
It is known to provide a set of apertures on a printed circuit board to serve as an electrical socket. The inside of each aperture is coated with metal and is connected electrically to a respective conductor on the board. However, such known socket arrangements are suitable only for small, low power, devices or fittings, such as IC chips, discrete transistors and the like. Furthermore, such devices are normally inserted permanently into the socket apertures by soldering.
In order to provide a removable connection facility between a standard 240 volt three pin plug and a circuit board, a conventional general purpose outlet (GPO) socket is normally used. The wires from the GPO socket are soldered to the printed circuit board (PCB). The plug is then able to be connected electrically to the PCB via the GPO socket. However, such a construction requires additional manufacturing time and cost, and the bulky socket permanently connected to the PCB interferes with the mounting of the PCB, or is otherwise an unwanted appendage.
It is also known to construct a conventional GPO socket on a pre-formed PCB, using separate metal terminals. However, the known PCB-mounted socket is relatively expensive to manufacture due to its intricately formed components and their associated assembly costs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printed circuit board socket which overcomes or ameliorates the abovedescribed disadvantages.
It is a preferred object of this invention to provide a circuit board socket having an isolation switch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one broad form, the present invention provides an electrical socket on a board, comprising at least one aperture in the board, at least a portion of the board defining an edge of the aperture being resiliently moveable to enable the aperture to receive and frictionally retain therein a pin member.
The board is typically a printed circuit board.
In a preferred embodiment, the circuit board comprises a pair of cantilevered portions defining a slot therebetween. The portions splay outwardly to receive the pin when the pin is inserted in the slot. The inherent resiliency of the circuit board material causes the two cantilevered portions to grasp and frictionally retain the pin between them. Yet, the pin can be removed by applying sufficient manual force.
Suitably, the edges of the cantilevered portions adjacent the slot are bevelled to facilitate the entry of the pin into the slot.
Preferably, the slot defined between the edges of the cantilevered portions is of tapered width.
The inside opposing edges of the cantilevered portions at the slot are coated with a suitable metal coating to provide contact terminals for the pin. The contact terminals are normally connected to conductors on the board, thereby providing secure electrical connection between the pin and the board circuitry.
The socket is designed to receive an associated (male) plug. Each aperture of the socket is shaped, positioned and orientated to correspond to its respective pin on the plug.
The socket of this invention can be manufactured as an integrated part of the circuit board using automated PCB techniques, yet still meet prescribed standards relating to electrical connections. Manufacturing time and costs are therefore reduced considerably.
In a further form of the invention, the electrical socket is provided with an associated switch, which may suitably function an isolation switch. In this form of the invention, the portion of the board which is resiliently moveable has a contact terminal thereon such that when that portion moves outwardly to accommodate the pin member in the aperture, the terminal makes contact with an adjacent associated terminal to form a switch connection.
In one preferred embodiment, the aperture is defined by two cantilevered portions of the circuit board. A contact terminal is provided on at least one of the cantilevered portions, and an associated terminal is provided on an adjacent portion of the circuit board. When a pin is inserted in the apertu
REFERENCES:
patent: 2958064 (1960-10-01), Swengel
Lovisa Noel Wilhelmus
Suehrcke Harry
Abrams Neil
James Cook University of North Queensland
Patel T. C.
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