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AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsKeith L. Volz, Frederick R. Deak, Robert M. Renn, Robert D. Irlbeck, David C. Johnson, Warren A. Bates
Estimating the term…
A docking station (10) slidably receives a device (12) to provide make, break or tap functions, respectively, in a circuit interface. The circuit interface includes a pair of connector housings (17, 18) provided with flexible (or compressible) electrical connectors (19, 20), respectively. A camming member (28, 29; 31, 32; 44) separates the connector housings (17, 18) as the device (12) is slidably inserted into the docking station (10), thereby assuring a substantially zero insertion force on the circuit interface. Preferably, the circuit interface is between the flexible electrical connectors (19, 20), a printed circuit board (13), and a flexible etched circuit (15). The flexible etched circuit (15) is provided with a stiffener (24) resiliently biased by springs (27).
A docking connector comprising, in combination, a flexible etched circuit having at least one circuit element thereon, an electrical member having at least one contact pad thereon, a pair of connector housings disposed between the flexible etched circuit and the electrical member and including a first connector housing and a second connector housing, a first compressible electrical connector in the first connector housing and engaging the circuit element on the flexible etched circuit, a second compressible electrical connector in the second connector housing and engaging the first compressible electrical connector and the contact pad on the electrical member, respectively, a device slidably inserted between the connector housings and having at least one circuit element thereon, thereby establishing a circuit interface having make and break and tap functions, and camming means between the device and at least one of the connector housings, thereby separating the connector housings and hence the respective compressible electrical connectors therein relative to each other and in a direction transverse to the direction in which the device is slidably inserted, and thereby assuring that the device is slidably inserted with a zero insertion force on the circuit interface.
In a docking connector, the combination of a printed circuit board, a lower housing secured on top of the printed circuit board, an upper housing on top of the lower housing, means for accurately aligning the upper and lower housings laterally with respect to each other, a stiffener on top of the upper housing, a flexible etched circuit sandwiched between the stiffener and the top of the upper housing, a flexible electrical connector in each of the upper and lower housings and providing a circuit interface with the flexible etched circuit and the printed circuit board, respectively, fastening means passing through the stiffener, the upper and lower housings, and the printed circuit board, and a device inserted between the upper and lower housings to provide a make and break and tap function with the circuit interface, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.