Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
Patent
1991-12-12
1996-11-12
Abrams, Neil
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
439 67, H01R 3106
Patent
active
055734090
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A common type of connector that has opposite faces and rows of contacts at each face, is a gender reversal connector. Such connector can be used to connect the ends of two cables that cannot be connected together either because they are both male or both female or their ends do not fit one another. Connectors with rows of contacts at opposite faces, can also be used to connect selected contacts at one end to selected contacts at the other end, with or without signal processing components in between. Older gender reversal connectors with two rows of contacts have used flexible circuit boards with conductors on a board surface connecting together pairs of contacts at the opposite faces of the connector. A more recent gender reversal contact, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,196 entitled "Gender Reversal Connector" by Muzslay has described a simplified gender reversal connector which does not require a circuit board. However, more recent requirements for connectors with at least three rows of contacts have prevented the use of such simplified gender reversal connector without a circuit board.
A connector with rows of contacts at its opposite faces, wherein there were at least three rows of contacts at each face, which enabled interconnection of the contact despite their close spacing along each row, would be of considerable value. A connector with rows of contacts at its opposite faces, which used a flexible circuit board to connect the two sets of rows of contacts, which enable the connector to be compact and the circuit board to be securely held in place, would also be of considerable value.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a connector is provided of the type that has rows of contacts at its opposite faces, which is compact and versatile. Where a gender reversal connector is required, that has at least three rows of contacts at its opposite faces, a flexible circuit board is used which has conductors connecting terminations at its opposite board end portions. The conductors on one face of the circuit board extend in zig-zag patterns around the terminations of other rows, to enable the terminations to be closely spaced along each row. Another group of conductors extends along the opposite second face of the flexible circuit board, with each termination including a plated-through hole.
A flexible circuit board assembly is securely held in position, in a compact arrangement, by the use of a spacer about which the flexible circuit board is wrapped. The circuit board assembly has first and second opposite end portions, and has a middle that is wrapped in a substantially 180.degree. cylindrical loop around one edge of the spacer. The flexible circuit board can be held to the spacer by adhesive. Each end of the flexible circuit board can have a stiffener plate thereon which securely holds a contact that is electrically connected to a termination on the board. Where complex interconnections are provided along the board, additional room is provided along the flexible circuit board by wrapping it in an S-shape that includes two U-shaped loops each extending about a separate spacer.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the connector of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged sectional view of the connector of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first face of the flexible circuit board of the circuit board assembly of FIG. 2, prior to wrapping of the board about the spacer.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the second face of the board of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an edge view of the circuit board assembly which includes the board of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a portion o
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Bethurum Gary C.
Shiley Robert J.
Abrams Neil
ITT Corporation
Peterson Thomas L.
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