Header assembly having a quick connect filter pack

A filtered header assembly for connection to a printed circuit board having a plurality of circuit traces thereon comprising a connector housing for carrying a row of spaced pin terminals whose ends remote from the connector housing are adapted to be electrically connected to said circuit traces on said printed circuit board, means for connecting said header assembly to said printed circuit board and filter means including capacitors operatively connected with said pins and a ground for filtering electrical noise passing through said pins, the improvement being that said filter means comprises a filter pack subassembly which is simultaneously slidably connected to each of said row of pins, said filter pack subassembly including a housing means having a row of spaced openings therethrough through which said row of pins extend, a capacitor array comprising an elongated dielectric member supported by said housing means and having a first side covered with metal to provide a ground and a second opposite side which is coated with metal at longitudinally spaced locations so that a plurality of longitudinally spaced capacitors are formed as a unitary capacitor array, said capacitor array being located adjacent to and having its second side facing said pins, an elongated, elastomeric strip having alternate sections of electrically conducting and non-conducting polymer material located between said capacitor array and said pin terminals and with the conducting sections engaging said capacitor array at said longitudinally spaced locations on its other side and said pin terminals, and biasing means for biasing said second side of said array of capacitors and said elastomeric strip into engagement with said pins.

A filtered header assembly for connection to a printed circuit board having a plurality of circuit traces thereon comprising a connector housing for carrying a plurality of spaced pin terminals whose ends remote from the connector housing are adapted to be connected to said circuit traces on said printed circuit board, means for connecting said header assembly to said printed circuit board and filter means including capacitors operatively connected with said pins and a ground for filtering electrical noise passing through said pins, the improvement being that said filter means comprises a filter pack subassembly which is simultaneously slidably connected to each of said plurality of pins, said filter pack subassembly including a housing member having a side wall, a bottom and an open top, said housing having a plurality of spaced openings extending through its bottom for receiving said pins, said side wall and bottom defining a first elongated channel and said bottom having a second elongated channel adjacent said first channel and a ledge adjacent to and extending transversely from said second channel to said openings in said bottom, biasing means including an elongated resilient metal strip in contact with said side wall of said housing and having reversely bent, downwardly extending leaf spring portions disposed in said first channel,

• a capacitor array comprising an elongated dielectric member of rectangular cross sectional shape and having a first side which is plated with metal for engagement with said leaf spring portions and a second opposite side which is plated at longitudinally spaced locations so that a plurality of capacitors are formed at longitudinally spaced locations to provide a capacitor array, said capacitor array being slidably received within said second channel of said housing member and being movable laterally of said channel a limited extent,
• an elongated strip of rectangular cross sectional shape on said ledge of said bottom of said housing member, said strip being resilient and comprising alternate sections of electrically conducting and non-conducting polymer material, the electrical conducting sections being aligned with the spaced plated locations of said capacitor array and said pin terminals, and a cover having a plurality of through openings for receiving said pin terminals and which are aligned with the openings in the bottom of said housing member, said cover overlying said open top of said housing member and being snap fittingly connected to said housing member to retain the biasing means, capacitor array and elongated strip in place,
• said strip being compressed between said pins and said capacitor array when said filter pack subassembly is attached to said pins due to leaf spring portions exerting a biasing force against said capacitor array and said strip, said electrically conductive sections of said strip being electrically conductive only in the direction between said pin and said capacitor array.