Low profile electrical connector
AssigneeAVX Corporation
InventorsPeter G. Bishop, David E. Rippington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thin profile electrical connector includes an insulating body member having a longitudinally extending leg defined between opposite ends. A plurality of adjacently disposed and spaced apart connector elements are mounted on the longitudinal leg, for example within recesses or grooves defined transversely to the longitudinal leg. Each connector element includes a closed end and an open end defined by extending arms. The closed end wraps around the longitudinal leg at each connector position. Each connector element includes outwardly facing contact surfaces defined on each of the extending arms for mating contact with respective pads of separate facing circuit boards.
Claims37
A thin profile electrical connector assembly for interconnecting conductive members, including circuit boards, in a stacked configuration, comprising:
- at least one insulating body member having opposite ends and at least one longitudinally extending leg defined between said ends;
- a plurality of adjacently disposed spaced apart connector positions defined along said leg;
- a connector element disposed transverse to said leg at each said connector position, said connector elements comprising a closed end wrapping around and fitted onto said leg, and an open end defined by extending arms with each said arm having an outwardly facing contact surface defined thereon for mating contact with respective pads of separate facing conductive members;
- and
- wherein at least one of said arms is a resilient arm member angled away from and out of contact with said leg for pressing mating contact with a respective pad of one of the conductive members;
- wherein at least a portion of one of said arms adjacent said closed end is in engaging contact with said leg in an unconnected state of said electrical connector to aid in securely positioning said connector element relative to said leg;
- further wherein a retention device is provided upon said body member, said retention device having a configuration so as to engage and retain said closed end of said connector element around said leg while allowing said connector element to be slid onto said leg.
A thin profile electrical connector assembly for interconnecting circuit boards in a stacked configuration, comprising:
- an insulating body member having opposite ends and at least one longitudinally extending leg defined between said ends;
- a plurality of open-ended connector elements disposed transverse to and spaced apart along said leg, said connector elements comprising a closed end wrapping around and engaged in contact with said leg;
- and
- an open end defined by arms extending transversely across said leg wherein at least one of said arms is a resilient arm angled away from said leg;
- an outwardly facing contact surface defined on each of said arms for mating contact with respective pads of separate facing circuit boards;
- and
- wherein at least said resilient arm has a length so as to extend along said leg in the transverse direction when pressed in mating contact against a circuit board;
- wherein a retention device is configured with said connector assembly so as to engage and retain the closed end of the connector element around the leg while allowing the connector element to be slid onto the leg.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.