US 5,707,241 AGranted

Slide locking connector

AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation

InventorsGary Joe Hamlin, Steven Arthur Musick

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Generally, the invention includes a connector system for making an electrical connection between a flexible circuit and a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board or semi-conductor device has contact pads for mating with the electrical traces of the flexible circuit. A mounting bar is provided and a leaf spring(s) secured thereto. The electrical traces of the flexible circuit that are aligned and overlie the leaf spring(s). Posts extend upward from the mounting bar, and the printed circuit board has slotted through holes formed therein for receiving the post. The posts of the mounting bar are inserted into the printed circuit board through holes and force is applied to the mounting bar to compress the spring(s). The flexible circuit/mounting bar assembly is then slid into the slots of the printed circuit board causing the flexible circuits contacts to wipe and come to rest in alignment with the printed circuit board contact pads.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An assembly comprising:

a flexible circuit having electrical traces as the sole element for making electrical connection between the flexible circuit and another device,
a mounting bar having at least two posts extending from a top surface and a plurality of nubs extending upwardly from the top surface,
a leaf spring having an elongated base portion having a plurality of holes formed therein for frictionally mounting the leaf spring over the nubs on the top surface of the mounting bar, said flexible circuit overlying said leaf spring so that said electrical traces are biased upward by said spring,
a printed circuit board having electrical contact pads overlying the flexible circuit and positioned so that the electrical traces are mated with the contact pads on the device,
and having a slide locking feature comprising slotted through holes having a slot for each post extending upwardly from the mounting bar for sliding around said post and locking said flexible circuit and said device in a mating relationship.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/674,296Filed 1 Jul 1996
Granted: 13 Jan 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H01R 12/62
For flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures: connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
H05K 3/365
Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits: by abutting, i.e. without alloying process
H05K 3/325
Electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits: by abutting or pinching; Mechanical auxiliary parts therefor
H01R
Electrically-conductive connections

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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