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US 5,961,350 AGranted
Modular side-by-side connectors
AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorLeung Man Shiu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A side-by-side arrangement (18) of at least two shielded connectors (20,22) interlocked to each other and manipulatable as a unit. Board-mounting legs (40,42) of adjacent shield side walls (52,54) are insertable in pairs into common mounting holes (16) of circuit board (12) to define a closely spaced arrangement (10). The connector shields (44,46) interlock with a locking tab (56,64) of a shield side wall (52,54) of each received into a tab-receiving pocket (60,66) of a shield side wall (54,52) of the other.
Claims14
An arrangement of at least two electrical connectors mounted on a circuit board side-by-side, comprising:
- at least a first and a second electrical connector each having an insulative housing containing at least one electrical contact having a board-connecting section extending from a mounting face of the housing, and each further having a shield generally surrounding the housing that is adapted to permit the board-connecting section to extend therebeyond, and
- a circuit board including at least two connector sites side-by-side with each site including a contact-connecting section associated with each said contact of a respective said connector,
- said shields of said first and second connectors when positioned adjacent each other, having first and second generally planar side walls opposite each other, and said shields having at least one board-mounting leg depending from a bottom edge of said first and second side walls extending beyond said board mounting faces such that said at least one board-mounting leg is adjacent a corresponding said board-mounting leg of the other shield when said connectors are positioned side-by-side,
- each said at least one board-mounting leg of one said shield being generally planar and parallel to said first and second side walls, and extends alongside said corresponding board-mounting leg of the other shield defining a pair of adjacent ones of said board-mounting legs, and
- said circuit board having a single mounting hole associated with each said pair of adjacent ones of said board-mounting legs of said first and second shields of adjacent side walls thereof,
- whereby said board-mounting legs of said first and second shields of adjacent side walls thereof are inserted into single mounting holes of the board when the connectors are mounted thereto side-by-side.
3 more elements
An arrangement of at least two connectors interlocked to each other, comprising:
- at least a first and second electrical connector interlocked to each other along facing side walls in a side-by-side arrangement and manipulatable as a unit,
- each said connector including an insulative housing having at least one electrical contact contained therewithin;
- said first connector including a first shield generally surrounding said housing thereof, said first shield having a first side wall and a second side wall, and said second connector including a second shield generally surrounding said housing thereof, said second shield having a first side wall and a second side wall with said first side wall of said first shield facing said second side wall of said second shield;
- said first side wall including a locking tab and a tab-receiving pocket at respective locations offset vertically and horizontally from each other in a first pattern with said locking tab offset outwardly from and extending parallel to said first side wall in a first direction and said tab-receiving pocket having an entrance facing in said first direction;
- and
- said second side wall including a locking tab and a tab-receiving pocket at respective locations offset vertically and horizontally from each other in a second pattern complementary to said first pattern, with said locking tab offset outwardly from and extending parallel to said second side wall in a second direction opposite said first direction and said tab-receiving pocket having an entrance facing in said second direction,
- whereby said first and second connectors are interlocked side-by-side with said locking tab of said first side wall received in said tab-receiving pocket of said second side wall and said locking tab of said second side wall received in said tab-receiving pocket of said first side wall.
4 more elements
An electrical connector comprising:
- an insulative housing containing at least one electrical contact, and further including a shield generally surrounding said housing, said shield including first and second side walls,
- said first side wall including a locking tab and a tab-receiving pocket at respective locations offset vertically and horizontally from each other in a first pattern with said locking tab offset outwardly from and extending parallel to said first side wall in a first direction and said tab-receiving pocket having an entrance facing in said first direction;
- and
- said second side wall including a locking tab and a tab-receiving pocket at respective locations offset vertically and horizontally from each other in a second pattern complementary to said first pattern, with said locking tab offset outwardly from and extending parallel to said second side wall in a second direction opposite said first direction and said tab-receiving pocket having an entrance facing in said second direction,
- whereby said connector is adapted to be interlocked side-by-side on either or both sides with a like connector with said locking tab of said first side wall of said connector received in said tab-receiving pocket of said second side wall of said like connector and said locking tab of said second side wall of said like connector received in said tab-receiving pocket of said first side wall of said connector.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.