Overtravel protection for ZIF electrical connector

A zero insertion force electrical connector for mounting on a circuit member and receiving a device having a pin terminal array, said electrical connector comprising:

• a dielectric generally planar base housing, said base housing having an upper surface and a lower surface, an axle bearing hole and a plurality of individual terminal receiving cavities extending between said base housing upper surface and said base housing lower surface and arranged in a terminal-receiving cavity array generally corresponding to the pin terminal array;
• a generally planar cover mounted on said base housing upper surface, said cover being movable relative to the base housing between a first insertion position and a second engagement position, said cover having an upper surface and a lower surface and including an insulative molded plate, a metal upper cam plate and a metal stiffener;
• said molded plate defining an array of through holes generally corresponding to the pin terminal array for receiving said pin terminals in said through holes, said metal upper cam plate being adjacent one end of said cover, said metal upper cam plate having an upper follower surface which defines an upper cam hole;
• a plurality of conductive terminals, at least one of said terminals being mounted in one of said cavities, each said terminal including a contact area configured for engaging a portion of a respective one of said pin terminals;
• and
• an actuator including a rotary axle configured to engage the axle hole and an upper cam surface configured to engage the upper follower surface in order to slide the cover relative to the base housing between said first insertion position and said second engagement position;
• and
• an overtravel preventor including two side walls and a recessed portion defined by one of the cover and the base housing, and a protruded portion formed by the other of the cover and the base housing, the protruded portion being movably accommodated within the recessed portion over a range of motion having at least two end points which correspond to the first insertion position and the second engagement position, respectively.

A zero insertion force electrical connector for mounting on a circuit member and receiving a device having a pin terminal array, said electrical connector comprising:

• a dielectric generally planar base housing, said base housing having an upper surface and a lower surface, an axle bearing hole and a plurality of individual terminal receiving cavities extending between said base housing upper surface and said base housing lower surface and arranged in a terminal-receiving cavity array generally corresponding to the pin terminal array;
• a generally planar cover mounted on said base housing upper surface, said cover being movable relative to the base housing between a first insertion position and a second engagement position, said cover having an upper surface and a lower surface and including an insulative molded plate, a metal upper cam plate and a metal stiffener;
• said molded plate defining an array of through holes generally corresponding to the pin terminal array for receiving said pin terminals in said through holes, said metal upper cam plate being adjacent one end of said cover and spaced from said through holes, said metal upper cam plate having an upper follower surface which defines an upper cam hole, and said metal stiffener having a lower follower surface which defines a lower cam hole;
• a plurality of conductive terminals, at least one of said terminals being mounted in one of said cavities, each said terminal including a contact area configured for engaging a portion of a respective one of said pin terminals;
• an actuator including a rotary axle configured to engage the axle hole and a cam surface configured to engage the upper follower surface in order to slide the cover relative to the base housing between said first insertion position and said second engagement position, the cam surface having an upper portion and a lower portion, the rotary axle attached to a retaining member and including positioning means for positioning the retaining member relative to the rotary axle, and at least one of the cam surface upper portion, the cam surface lower portion and the metal upper cam plate including engagement means for limiting movement of the cover perpendicularly away from the base housing upper surface which permit the actuator to rotate about the rotary axle and the cover to move between said first insertion position and said second engagement position;
• and
• an overtravel preventor including two side walls formed by the molded plate, and a recessed portion defined by the side walls and the lower cam plate, and a protruded portion which is formed by the cover and movably accommodated within the recessed portion over a range of motion having at least two end points which correspond to the first insertion position and the second engagement position, respectively;
• the protruded portion including a base portion which is attached to the upper cam plate.

A zero insertion force electrical connector for mounting on a circuit member and receiving a device having a pin terminal array, said electrical connector comprising:

• a base housing having a plurality of individual terminal-receiving cavities arranged in a terminal receiving cavity array generally corresponding to the pin terminal array;
• a generally planar cover mounted on said base housing, said cover being movable relative to the base housing between a first insertion position and a second engagement position, and said cover defining an array of through holes generally corresponding to the pin terminal array for receiving said pin terminals in said through holes;
• a plurality of conductive terminals, at least one of said terminals being mounted in one of said cavities, each said terminal including a contact area configured for engaging a portion of a respective one of said pin terminals;
• an actuator which includes an eccentric cam member having an axis of rotation which is generally transverse to the plane of the cover, the eccentric cam member mating with the cover and with the base housing so that rotation of the eccentric cam member causes the cover to move relative to the base housing between the first insertion position and the second engagement position;
• and
• a guide mechanism including a grooved portion which is defined by one of the cover and the base housing, and a tongue portion which is formed by the other of the cover and the base housing, the tongue portion being movably accommodated throughout a predetermined range of lateral travel within the grooved portion, the lateral travel being generally transverse to the direction of cover movement relative to the base housing between the first insertion position and the second engagement position.