US 4,907,976 A · Connector

Abstract

A connector provides electrical connection between a component and another device such as a circuit board or an input/output connector. The connector has a non-conductive base and adjacent sides extending in a direction away from the base, forming a cavity. The shape and size of the cavity formed physically mates with the component when the connector is placed over the component. Conductive contacts provide the electrical connection between the component pins and the other device. The lower portion of each contact is located inside the cavity and positioned such that it aligns with and touches one of the component pins when the device is placed over the component. The upper portion of each contact is located on the outside surface of base and has a size and shape to physically and electrically mate with individual contacts of the other device.

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Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for providing electrical connections to an integrated circuit having conductive input/output pins extending in a first direction away from the integrated circuit comprising:

a non-conductive base having a primary surface and adjacent sides around the perimeter of the primary surface extending in a direction away from the primary surface thereby forming a cavity, said cavity of a size and shape to physically mate with the integrated circuit when the base is placed over the integrated circuit such that the sides extend in the same direction as the input/output pins;
at least one conductive contact to provide electrical connection to the input/output pins, comprising:
a lower portion located inside the cavity having a bias toward the center of the cavity and positioned such that it aligns with and touches one of said input/output pins when the apparatus is placed over the integrated circuit;
and
an upper portion located on the primary surface of the base and electrically connected to the lower portion, said upper portion having a size and shape to electrically and physically mate with a contact of another device;
whereby electrical connection is provided between the integrated circuit and said other device;
and
a first clamping means to lock the apparatus over the integrated circuit, said clamping means comprising at least one flange located on the inside of the cavity, said flange engaging with an edge of the integrated circuit to lock the apparatus over the integrated circuit.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description1,847 words

Summary691 words

#This relates to a connector for electronic components, such as integrated circuits and, in particular, to a device for providing additional connections to such components while they are mounted on circuit boards, cards or the like.

#Such electronic components typically comprise a body containing the circuitry of the component and a plurality of legs or pins which extend out of the body (see FIG. 1). The pins provide the means for supplying power to the component, input signals to the component and output signals from the component. The components are inserted or mounted on a circuit board which provides the electrical interconnection to still other components on the same or different circuit boards or even in other devices. Connections between circuit boards are often made by providing along one edge of each circuit board flat-conductive contacts called "fingers". The fingers act as male connectors for insertion into slots and the interconnection between the circuit boards is provided by interconnecting the slots in which the individual circuit boards are mounted. Another way for providing electrical input/output connections is to physically provide input/output contacts along an edge of the circuit board and permanently attach a connector to the circuit board so that the connector makes electrical contact with the input/output contacts on the circuit board. For example, one-half of a ribbon cable connector can be permanently mounted, such as by soldering, in conductive through-holes along the edge of the circuit board. The other half of the ribbon cable connector which is attached to the ribbon cable can then be mated with the half of the connector permanently mounted on the board so as to provide a connection to another circuit board or device.

#Sometimes after the components have been assembled on a circuit board, the functionality of the circuit is corrected, modified, added to or reduced by adding and/or removing components, connections to components, other circuit boards and/or connections to other circuit boards. For example, the functionality of the device using the circuit board may be changed as when a personal computer is upgraded or additional peripherals are added. In such circumstances, there is a need for a means to easily modify connections to components which have been mounted on a circuit board. As will be appreciated, it is often found that once the circuit board has been placed inside the device in which it is to operate it is not practical to access the input/output connectors to make such modifications. In addition, it often is desirable to be able to mount additional circuit boards in the device even though all the circuit board mounting slots are occupied.

Brief description of the drawings10 figures

#These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which:

#FIG. 1 is an example of an integrated circuit component;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the connector of the present invention;

Detailed description967 words

#Referring to FIG. 1, an integrated circuit component 10 is exemplary of a component that may be used with the apparatus of the present invention. The component illustrated contains a body 12 having a plurality of legs or pins 14 extending out the sides of the body and making a 90 degree turn 15 so that the ends of the pins all point downward. As shown in FIG. 1, the ends of the pins form two parallel lines that are inserted into two corresponding lines of holes in a circuit board (not shown) to mount the component on the board and connect it to circuitry thereon.

#The connector of the present invention is constructed to fit over the component and provide a simple accessible means for connecting to other components, circuit boards or devices. Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, a connector 20 comprises a non-conductive base 22 having a primary or outside surface 24. Adjacent non-conductive side portions 26 extend in a direction away from the primary surface 24 of the base 22 forming a cavity 28. The cavity 28 is of a size and shape to physically cover and mate with the component. In other words, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the connector should fit snuggly over the component. In the illustrated embodiment, the cavity formed is rectangular in shape. However, the cavity formed may be of any shape that is compatible with the shape of the component.

#Connector 20 contains at least one conductive contact 30 to provide an electrical connection to a pin 14 of the component. Preferably there is one contact 30 for each pin of the component as shown in FIG. 5.

Connector

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Connector

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Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description1,847 words

Drawings

Classification6 codes

Life of this patent

Description1,847 words