US 5,181,853 AGranted

Fluid pressure actuated electrical connector

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsKarl B. Van Brunt, Jr., James R. Petrozello

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Abstract

An electrical connector wherein fluid pressure (pneumatics or hydraulics) is used to actuate an expandable bladder located within the housing of the connector to exert force against two flexible circuit members also located substantially within the connector's housing to cause these members to move toward each other and for highly dense arrays of electrical contacts thereon to engage each other in a predetermined manner. A first alignment means (e.g., pin and corresponding aperture) is used to provide initial alignment of the two flexible circuit members perior to contact being made. Once such contact occurs, and the expandable bladder is expanded further, the bladder is able to provide additional alignment for the engaged contacts so as to prevent movement thereof relative to each other. Such precise alignment is critical in highly dense arrays of large numbers of small contacts as required in many of today's information handling systems (computers). In another embodiment of the invention, the two flexible circuit members are actuated to contact arrays of contacts located on the surfaces of a circuit board located within the connector housing between the two flexible circuits. Once connection is initially made, and expansion of the expandable bladders continues, movement of the engaged flexible circuit electrical contacts is substantially prevented, thus assuring precisioned alignment between these contacts in the overall connector assembly. To prevent abrasion of the expandable bladder during actuation thereof, an interface member (e.g., a thin layer of polyimide) is used between the bladder and flexible circuit members, the interface having a smooth, abrasion resistant surface for this purpose.

An electrical connector for providing electrical connection between an array of electrical contacts located on a first flexible circuit member and a first array of contacts located on a circuit board and between an array of contacts located on a second flexible circuit member and a second array of contacts located on said circuit board, said connector comprising:

a housing having first and second internal walls, said circuit board and said first and second flexible circuit members being positioned within said housing so that said arrays of electrical contacts on said circuit members are oriented in a facing manner and said circuit board is located therebetween;
first alignment means engaged with said circuit members and said circuit board for aligning said first and second flexible circuit members relative to said first and second arrays of contacts on said circuit board, respectively, before and during insertion of said circuit members and said circuit board into said housing;
an expandable bladder located substantially within said housing and including first and second portions in contact with said first and second internal walls of said housing, respectively, said first and second portions of said expandable bladder exerting force against said first and second flexible circuit members, respectively, to cause said circuit members to move toward said circuit board such that said arrays of electrical contacts thereon physically engage said arrays of contacts on said circuit board in a predetermined manner, said expandable bladder being sufficiently resilient during said engagement with said first and second flexible circuit members to substantially prevent lateral movement of said electrical contacts relative to said contacts on said circuit board and thereby provide enhanced alignment of said contacts;
and
fluid pressure means operatively coupled to said expandable bladder for expanding said bladder to effect said engagement between said first and second flexible circuit members and said circuit board.

2 more elements

Facts

Application

07/666,159Filed 7 Mar 1991 · division

Priority

18 Apr 1990

Granted

26 Jan 1993

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H01R 12/78
For flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures: connecting to other flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or…
H01R 13/193
Contact members: means for increasing contact pressure at the end of engagement of coupling part , e.g. zero insertion force or no friction
H01R 12/79
For flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures: connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
H01R 12/82
Coupling devices: connected with low or zero insertion force

Abstract

Claims17