Card edge connector
AssigneeAMP Incorporated
InventorsHoward W. Andrews, Jr., Clifford F. Bobb, Attalee S. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to zero insertion force card edge connectors with flexible film providing the interconnecting medium and with improvements to cam means so as to obtain accurate alignment and keying capabilities required in such high density connectors.
Claims47
A zero insertion force, card edge connector for interconnecting circuits on a circuit board and on a circuit card by means of circuits on a flexible film where some circuits thereon are attached to circuits on the circuit board and where a free edge of the flexible film extends away from the board, comprising:
- a. a housing for mounting on a circuit board with a card receiving space adjacent thereto, and having cam support means thereon;
- b. an elongated cam slidably mounted on the cam support means for longitudinal travel parallel to the housing and card receiving space;
- c. cooperating means on the housing and on the cam for causing the cam to move laterally towards and away from the card receiving space as the cam moves parallel thereto;
- d. a cam follower having one surface for receiving an edge of a flexible film, the cam follower being mounted on the cam in a sliding relation and with the one surface facing the card receiving space;
- e. cooperating means on the cam and on the cam follower for moving the cam follower away from the circuit board on which the housing may be mounted as the cam moves along the cam support means;
- and
- f. cooperating means on the housing and on the cam follower to prevent the cam follower from moving parallel to the card receiving space as the cam moves longitudinally but which permits the cam follower to move laterally as the cam moves laterally towards and away from the card receiving space so that circuits on an edge of a flexible film which may be attached to the one surface will engage and disengage with circuits on a circuit card which may be positioned in the card receiving space.
A zero insertion force, card edge connector for interconnecting circuits on a circuit board and on a circuit card by means of circuits on a flexible film where some circuits on one film edge are attached to circuits on the circuit board, and another film edge extends away from the board, comprising:
- a. a channel shaped housing for mounting on a circuit board with the channel opening laterally toward a circuit card receiving space adjacent and extending parallel to the housing;
- b. an elongated cam slidably mounted in the channel for travel parallel to the card receiving space, said cam having a rail attached to one side thereof and projecting laterally towards the card receiving space;
- c. cooperating means on the housing and cam for causing the cam to move laterally towards and away from the card receiving space as it moves parallel thereto;
- d. a channel-shaped cam follower having one surface for receiving an edge on a flexible film, the cam follower being mounted on the cam rail and through which the rail sides and with the one surface of the cam follower facing the card receiving space;
- e. cooperating means on the rail and on the cam follower to move the cam follower towards and away from the circuit board on which the housing is mounted so that circuits on an edge of a flexible film mounted on the one surface wipes and back wipes across circuits on a circuit card which may be in the card receiving space as the cam moves in the housing channel;
- and
- f. cooperating means on the housing and on the cam follower to prevent the cam follower from moving parallel to the card receiving space so that as the cam moves in the housing channel, the cam follower moves laterally towards and away from the card receiving space whereupon circuits on an edge of a flexible film which may be attached to the one surface will be pressed against and withdrawn from circuits on a circuit card which may be in the card receiving space.
A zero insertion force, card edge connector for interconnecting circuits on a circuit board and on both sides of a circuit card by means of circuits on two flexible film strips with some circuits thereon being attached to circuits on the circuit board and with at least one edge of each strip extending away from the board, comprising:
- a. a pair of elongated housings for mounting on a circuit board with one parallel to the other and with a circuit card slot therebetween;
- b. cam support means on each housing;
- c. cams slidably mounted on each cam support means for longitudinal travel parallel to the card slot;
- d. cooperating means on each of the housings and on the cams for causing the cams to move laterally towards and away from the card slot as the cams move parallel thereto;
- e. a cam follower for each cam having one surface for receiving an edge of a flexible film strip, said cam followers being slidably mounted on the cams with the one surface facing the card slot;
- f. cooperating means on the cams and on the cam followers for causing the cam followers to move away from the circuit board on which the housings may be mounted as the cams move longitudinally;
- and
- g. cooperating means on each housing and each cam follower for preventing longitudinal travel by the cam followers but which permits them to move laterally as the cams move laterally towards and away from the card slot so that circuits on the edges of flexible film strips which may be attached to the one surface will engage and disengage circuits on a circuit card which may be positioned in the card slot.
An electrical connector for electrically connecting conductive members of a first circuit board to conductive members of a second circuit board, comprising:
- housing means for mounting onto the first circuit board and having a board-receiving space;
- cam means movably mounted in said housing means;
- means provided by said housing means and said cam means enabling said cam means to move parallel to said board-receiving space and laterally relative to said board-receiving space;
- cam follower means mounted on said cam means;
- means provided by said cam follower means and said housing means permitting said cam follower means to move towards and away from said board-receiving space but preventing said cam follower means from moving parallel along said board-receiving space as said cam means moves parallel and laterally with respect to said board-receiving space;
- cooperating means on said cam means and on said cam follower means for moving said cam follower means away from the circuit board on which said housing means may be mounted as said cam means moves in said housing means;
- and
- flexible circuit means having a first section including first contact means for electrical engagement with the conductive members of the first circuit board and a second section mounted on said cam follower means and including second contact means for electrical engagement with the conductive members of the second circuit board when an edge of the second circuit board is inserted into the board-receiving space and said cam means moves said cam follower means towards said board-receiving space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.