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US 5,176,530 AGranted
Miniature multiple conductor electrical connector
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsRobert S. Reylek, Kenneth C. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Two electronic components having fine pitch arrays of terminals can be disconnectably interconnected by a multiple electrical connector that includes a pair of intermeshable members. Each of those members has an electrically insulative body with a structured surface including a plurality of tapered elements. Tapered sides of those elements fit flush against each other when the two members intermesh, and the members become strongly adhered to each other when the tangent of the half angle of said tapered sides is no greater than the coefficient of friction of the material of the contacting surfaces. Each of the members has a plurality of electrically conductive segments in position to make good electrical contact when the members intermesh.
Claims21
A multiple conductor electrical connector comprising:
- first and second members, each having a connecting means provided on a major surface thereof for engagement with one another so as to physically fasten said first and second members together, said connecting means for each member comprising a structured surface including a plurality of tapered elements, said tapered elements each having a tapered side inclined relative to a common plane in each of said members so that when the connecting means of said members are engaged with one another said tapered elements of said first member intermesh with tapered elements of said second member while contact surfaces of said tapered sides of said tapered elements are engaged with one another without interlocking of said tapered elements, said first and second members each comprising an electrically insulative body and a plurality of electrically conductive segments, wherein an electrically conductive segment is provided as the contact surface of a plurality of said tapered sides of said tapered elements of each of said members with an electrically conductive segment on one of said tapered sides of one member insulated from an electrically conductive segment of another of said tapered sides of the same member so that electrically conductive segments of said first member engage with electrically conductive segments of said second member when said first and second members are fastened together to provide a plurality of electrical connections, and the engagement between electrically conductive segments at each electrical connection also provides the only physical fastening that is needed in order to provide each electrical connection with a sufficient force to ensure such electrical connection.
An electrical connector comprising:
- firs and second members, each having a connecting means provided on a major surface thereof for engagement with one another so as to physically fasten said first and second members together, said connecting means for each member comprising a structured surface including a plurality of tapered elements, said tapered elements each having a tapered side inclined relative to a common plane in each of said members so that when the connecting means of said members are engaged with one another said tapered elements of said first member intermesh with tapered elements of said second member while contact surfaces of said tapered sides of said tapered elements are engaged with one another without interlocking of said tapered elements, said first and second members each comprising an electrically insulative body and an electrically conductive segment, wherein an electrically conductive segment is provided as the contact surface of at least one of said tapered sides of said tapered elements of each of said members so that an electrically conductive segment of said first member engages with an electrically conductive segment of said second member when said first and second members are fastened together to provide an electrical connection, and the contact surfaces of at least one of said tapered sides of a tapered element of each member are free of electrically conductive segments.
A multiple conductor electrical connector comprising:
- first and second members, each having a connecting means for engagement with one another so as to physically fasten said first and second members together, said connecting means for each member comprising a tapered side inclined relative to a common plane in each of said members so that when the connecting means of said members are engaged with one another contact surfaces of said tapered sides are engaged with one another without interlocking of said tapered sides of said members, said first and second members each comprising an electrically insulative body and a plurality of electrically conductive segments, wherein a plurality of electrically conductive segments which are insulated from one another are provided as the contact surface of a tapered side of each of said members so that electrically conductive segments of said first member engage with electrically conductive segments of said second member when said first and second members are fastened together to provide a plurality of electrical connections, and the engagement between electrically conductive segments at each electrical connection also provides the only physical fastening that is needed in order to provide each electrical connection with sufficient force t ensure such electrical connection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.