Electrical interconnection system for stackable electronic modules
AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsWerner Boeck, Franz Mueller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical interconnection system for electronic modules that are mountable on a support and stackable against other similar modules where the interconnection system allows for pivotable attachment of the modules to the support and electrical contacting with adjacent modules, such that power and data transmissions can occur therebetween, through an interconnection that protects the contacts during pivoting attachment of the module to the support and assures a reliable and easily established interconnection therebetween.
Claims19
An electronic module mounting and electrical interconnection system having an electronic module comprising a mounting section, an electrical interconnection section, an electronic or electrical component section, and an interface section, the module further comprising a housing having opposed side walls and opposed top and bottom walls forming an enclosure receiving the electrical component section therein, the electrical interconnection section comprising a plurality of contacts projecting beyond at least one side wall for contacting contacts of an adjacent module such that data and/or power signals can traverse the module from one side to the other, wherein the interconnection section comprises contacts having a resiliently biasable contact section with a contact surface protrudable beyond one of the side walls of the housing for contacting complementary contacts of an adjacent module and a fixed contact section, the fixed contact section having a contact surface exposed to the exterior of the module by a slot through the side wall opposed to the biasable contact, the fixed contact section being substantially immovable with respect to the side wall, the fixed and biasable contact section being integrally joined by a spring section extending therebetween.
An electronic module mounting and electrical interconnection system having an electronic module comprising a mounting section, an electrical interconnection section, an electronic or electrical component section, and an interface section, the module further comprising a housing having opposed side walls and opposed top and bottom walls forming an enclosure receiving the electrical component section therein, the electrical interconnection section comprising a plurality of contacts projecting beyond at least one side wall for contacting contacts of an adjacent module such that data and/or power signals can traverse the module from one side to the other, where the interface section comprises terminals for connection to external conductors to be interconnected to the electrical component section, characterized in that the interface section includes a connector housing with cavities for the terminals and the connector housing is pluggably inserted into a main body of the module that comprises the electrical or electronic component section and retained therein by latches.
An electrical interconnection section comprising a plurality of contacts in a housing having a side wall through which contact surfaces of the contacts project, wherein the interconnection section further comprises a contact guard having at least one protrusion extending beyond the contact surfaces and a base section engageable with a biasable portion of the contacts such that when the guard is depressed towards the housing side wall the contacts are depressed therewith.
An electronic module mounting and electrical interconnection system having an electrical interconnection section according to any one of claims 18-25, further comprising an electronic module comprising a mounting section, an electronic or electrical component section, and an interface section, the module further comprising said housing which has opposed side walls and opposed top and bottom walls forming an enclosure receiving the electrical component section therein, the electrical interconnection section comprising a plurality of said contacts projecting beyond at least one side wall for contacting contacts of an adjacent module.
The electronic module mounting and electrical interconnection system interconnection system of claim 26 wherein the contacts have a fixed contact section, the fixed contact section having a contact surface exposed to the exterior of the module by a slot through the side wall opposed to the biasable contact section, the fixed contact section being substantially immovable with respect to the side wall, the fixed and biasable contact sections being integrally joined by a spring section extending therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.