Zero insertion force edge connector with wipe cycle

A zero insertion force type printed circuit board edge connector for establishing electrical contact between a plurality of opposing contact pads disposed on both sides of an edge of a printed circuit board and a plurality of electrical conductors disposed on a base, comprising:

• a lower housing mounted on the base, said lower housing defining a guideway having a plurality of upward-facing cam followers;
• a slider mounted for horizontal movement along said guideway of said lower housing, said slider having a plurality of downward-facing cam lobes;
• an upper housing mounted on said slider, said upper housing having an opening for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board;
• a plurality of contacts connected through said lower housing to the plurality of electrical conductors, said plurality of contacts being arranged into two opposing rows of contacts disposed within said opening in said upper housing, said two opposing rows of contacts being substantially parallel to one another;
• and
• first means mounted on said upper housing for moving said two opposing rows of contacts into simultaneous abutment with the plurality of opposing contact pads, said first means causing a majority of adjacent ones of said plurality of contacts on each of said opposing rows of contacts to perform sequential wipe cycles on respective adjacent ones of said plurality of opposing contact pads, and causing adjacent and opposing ones of said plurality of contacts to perform staggered wipe cycles on respective adjacent and opposing ones of said plurality of opposing contact pads,
• said first means comprising a plurality of cams arranged into two opposing rows of cams mounted on said upper housing on either side of said slot of said upper housing, each one of said plurality of cams abutting a respective one of said plurality of contacts.

A zero insertion force type printed circuit board edge connector for establishing electrical contact between a plurality of opposing contact pads disposed on both sides of an edge of a printed circuit board and a plurality of electrical conductors plated on a base, comprising:

• a lower housing mounted on the base, said lower housing defining a guideway having a plurality of upward-facing cam followers;
• a slider mounted for horizontal movement within said guideway of said lower housing, said slider having a plurality of downward-facing cam lobes which abut said upward facing cam followers;
• an upper housing mounted on said slider, said upper housing having an opening for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board;
• a plurality of contacts connected through said lower housing to the plurality of electrical conductors on the base and arranged into two opposing rows of contacts disposed within said opening, said two opposing rows of contacts being substantially parallel to one another and defining a plurality of opposing contact pairs, each of said plurality of opposing contact pairs having a first contact of a first length and a second contact of a second length greater than said first length, alternate ones of said plurality of contacts on each of said two opposing rows of contacts being of said first length;
• and
• first means mounted on said upper housing for moving said two opposing rows of contacts into simultaneous abutment with the plurality of opposing contact pads of the printed circuit board, said first means causing a majority of adjacent ones of said plurality of opposing contact pairs to perform sequential wipe cycles on respective adjacent ones of said plurality of opposing contact pads, and causing opposing and adjacent ones of said plurality of contacts within each of said plurality of opposing contact pairs to perform staggered wipe cycles on respective opposing and adjacent ones of said plurality of opposing contact pads, said first means comprising a plurality of cams arranged into two opposing rows mounted on said upper housing on either side of said slot, each one of said plurality of cams abutting a respective one of said plurality of contacts, wherein adjacent ones of said plurality of cams on each of said two opposing rows of cams have different surface profiles.

A zero insertion force type printed circuit board edge connector for establishing electrical contact between a plurality of electrical conductors, and a plurality of opposing contact pads disposed along both sides of an edge of a printed circuit board, comprising:

• an insulating housing having an elongated slot for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board;
• a plurality of contacts arranged into two substantially parallel rows of contacts connected through said housing to the plurality of electrical conductors and disposed within said slot on opposite sides thereof;
• first means for moving said plurality of contacts into simultaneous engagement with the plurality of opposing contact pads, opposing ones of said plurality of contacts having differing lengths, said first means subsequently causing said opposing ones of said plurality of contacts to perform staggered wipe cycles on said contact pads and causing a majority of adjacent ones of said plurality of contacts to perform sequential wipe cycles on said contact pads, said means comprising a plurality of cams arranged into two opposing rows of cams disposed behind said two opposing rows of contacts, respectively, adjacent ones of said plurality of cams having different surface profiles;
• and
• second means for actuating first means.

A zero insertion force type printed circuit board edge connector for establishing electrical contact between a plurality of opposing staggered contact pads disposed on both sides of an edge of a printed circuit board and a plurality of electrical conductors plated on a base, comprising:

• a lower housing mounted on the base, said lower housing defining a guideway having a plurality of upward-facing cam followers;
• a slider mounted for horizontal movement within said guideway of said lower housing, said slider having a plurality of downward-facing cam lobes which abut said plurality of upward-facing cam followers within said guideway when said slider is moved horizontally;
• an upper housing mounted for vertical movement on said slider, said upper housing having an opening for receiving the edge of the printed circuit board;
• a plurality of contacts connected through said lower housing to the plurality of electrical conductors on the base, said plurality of contacts being arranged into two opposing rows of contacts disposed within said opening, said two opposing rows of contacts being substantially parallel to one another;
• first means mounted on said upper housing for moving said two opposing rows of contacts into simultaneous abutment with the plurality of opposing contact pads, said first means causing a majority of adjacent ones of said plurality of contacts on each of said opposing rows of contacts to perform sequential wipe cycles on respective adjacent ones of said plurality of opposing contact pads, and causing opposing and adjacent ones of said plurality of contacts to perform staggered wipe cycles on respective opposing and adjacent ones of said plurality of opposing staggered contact pads,
• said first means comprising a plurality of cams arranged into two opposing rows of cams mounted on said upper housing and disposed behind said two opposing rows of contacts, respectively, each of said plurality of cams being disposed behind a respective one of said plurality of contacts, said plurality of cams having surface profiles defined by first, second, third, and fourth regions thereon, said cams comprising first and second types defined by said first regions thereon and first, second, third, fourth and fifth varieties defined by said second regions thereon, adjacent and opposing ones of said plurality of cams alternating between said first and second types,
• whereby the sequence of said sequential wipe cycles is defined by said variety of said plurality of cams and the stagger of said staggered wipe cycles is defined by said type of said plurality of cams.