# US 2014/0154892 A1 · Electrical connectors for use with printed circuit boards > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154892 A1 - Document ID: US20140154892A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/922,890 - Filed: 2013-06-20 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-21 - Assignees: IDEAL Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Ideal Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Alan E. Zantout; Dennis M. Breen, IV; Benjamin D. Swedberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154892A1 ## CPC - H01R 12/716: {Coupling device provided on the PCB} - H01R 12/732: {Printed circuits being in the same plane} - H01R 12/89: acting manually by moving connector housing parts linearly, e.g. slider - H01R 12/7088: {Arrangements for power supply} - H01R 12/75: connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables - H01R 31/08: Short-circuiting members for bridging contacts in a counterpart - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A connector for electrically connecting a conductor to a first printed circuit board (PCB) or for electrically connecting a first and second PCB together. A housing is adapted to be slidably moveable relative to a mounting structure to allow the mounting of the PCB to the surface and moveable over the PCB to contact pads located on the top side of the PCB. In another example, a bridging connector for electrically connecting a first PCB with a second PCB includes a resilient holding element, such as for example a spring clip, engageable with at least one of the PCBs and/or a surface supporting the PCB(s) to releasably retain the housing and the terminals in the correct location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connector for electrically connecting a first printed circuit board (PCB) with a second PCB, comprising: a housing moveably mountable proximate to a first and second PCB; and at least one connecting terminal carried by the housing having at least partially exposed opposed ends each of which are moveable with the housing to selectively electrically engage or disengage an electrical contact pad formed on each respective PCB, wherein the housing at least one of slides or rotates relative to the first and second PCB to engage the electrical contact pad thereon. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector is directly mountable to a mounting structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A connector as recited in claim 2, wherein the connector is adapted to be at least one of snap fit or twist fit to a mounting structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector is adapted to be attached to a mounting structure using one or more fasteners. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the connecting terminal is adapted to accept a conductor and to thereby electrically couple the conductor to the first and second PCBs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A connector as recited in claim 5, wherein the connecting terminal comprises a first connecting terminal and a second connecting terminal arranged to electrically engage the conductor when inserted therebetween. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A connector as recited in claim 5, wherein the connecting terminal is arranged to provide a push-in type connector for the conductor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the edges of the first and second PCB may be placed in direct contact with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing is removably mountable proximate the first and second PCB. ### Claim 10 (depends on 10) A connector as recited in claim 10, wherein the housing is removably mountable without use of a tool. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing has a keyed feature adapted to mate with a correspondingly keyed feature provided to at least one of the first or second PCB. ### Claim 12 A connector for electrically connecting a PCB with a conductor, comprising: a movable housing mountable proximate to the PCB; and at least one connecting terminal carried by the housing having an at least partially exposed end which is moveable with the housing to selectively electrically engage or disengage a contact pad formed on the PCB, wherein a portion of the connecting terminal is arranged to engage a conductor, and, wherein the housing at least one of slides or rotates relative to the PCB to engage the electrical contact pad thereon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector is directly mountable to mounting structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector is further adapted to be at least one of snap fit or twist fit to a mounting structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector is adapted to be attached to a mounting structure using one or more fasteners. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the housing has a keyed feature adapted to mate with a correspondingly keyed feature provided to the PCB. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the housing is removably mountable proximate the PCB. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the housing is removably mountable without use of a tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the connector is removable from a mounting structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) A connector as recited in claim 12, wherein the connecting terminal is a push-in style connecting terminal. ### Claim 21 A connector for electrically connecting a first printed circuit board (PCB) with a second PCB, comprising: a housing mountable proximate to a first and second PCB; at least one connecting terminal carried by the housing having opposed ends each of which are moveable with the housing to selectively electrically engage or disengage a contact pad formed on each respective PCB; and a resilient holding element engageable with at least one of a mounting structure supporting the first and second PCBs or at least one of the first or second PCBs to retain the housing and the connecting terminal in electrical engagement with the contact pad. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the resilient holding element is directly mountable to the mounting structure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the resilient holding element is adapted to be attached to the mounting structure using one or more apertures defined in the mounting structure. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the connecting terminal is further adapted to accept a conductor and to thereby electrically couple the conductor to the first and second PCBs. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A connector as recited in claim 24, wherein the connecting terminal is arranged to provide a push-in type connector for the conductor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the edges of the first and second PCB may be placed in direct contact with each other. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the housing has a keyed feature adapted to mate with a correspondingly keyed feature provided to at least one of the first or second PCB. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the resilient holding element at least one of slides or rotates relative to the first and second PCB to engage the electrical contact pad thereon. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the resilient holding element is integrally formed with the housing. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the housing is removably mountable proximate the first and second PCB. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) A connector as recited in claim 21, wherein the housing is removably mountable without use of a tool. ### Claim 32 A connector for electrically connecting a PCB with a conductor, comprising: a housing mountable proximate to the PCB; at least one connecting terminal carried by the housing having a portion which is moveable with the housing to selectively electrically engage or disengage a contact pad formed on the PCB, and a portion of the connecting terminal is arranged to engage a conductor; and a resilient holding element engageable with at least one of a mounting structure supporting the PCB or the PCB to retain the housing and the connecting terminal in electrical engagement with the contact pad. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the resilient holding element is directly mountable to the mounting structure. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the resilient holding element is adapted to be attached to the mounting structure using one or more apertures defined in the mounting structure. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the connecting terminal is arranged to provide a push-in type connector for the conductor. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the housing has a keyed feature adapted to mate with a correspondingly keyed feature provided to the PCB. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the resilient holding element is integrally formed with the housing. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the resilient holding element at least one of slides or rotates relative to the PCB to engage the electrical contact pad thereon. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the housing is removably mountable proximate the first and second PCB. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) A connector as recited in claim 32, wherein the housing is removably mountable without use of a tool.