Electrical connector with minimized non-target contact
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsScott D. Sturgeon, David C. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector configured for minimized contact with a non-target structure of a target circuit, and a printing mechanism that uses the electrical connector for conductive connection between circuit portions of the printing mechanism. The connector includes a housing for positioning the connector in conductive contact with the target circuit. An electrically conductive contact filament is mounted on the housing and includes a proximal portion extending from the housing and a contact portion for electrically contacting the target circuit. An intermediate portion is formed to circumnavigate the non-target structure and joins the proximal and distal portions.
Claims19
An electrical connector configured for minimized contact with a protruding non-target structure of a target circuit, the connector comprising:
- a housing adapted to position the connector for conductive contact with the target circuit;
- and
- an electrically conductive contact filament mounted on the housing, the contact filament including a proximal portion extending from the housing, a contact portion adapted to contact the target circuit, and an intermediate portion joining the proximal portion and the contact portion, the intermediate portion being formed to generally follow a contour of the protruding non-target structure when the contact portion contacts the target circuit.
A connector assembly configured to electrically connect a circuit component to a second circuit, the assembly comprising:
- a target circuit including the circuit component, a substrate, a non-target structure mounting the circuit component on the substrate and protruding from the substrate, and a conductive contact pad formed on the substrate in conductive connection with the circuit component;
- and
- an electrical connector including
- a housing adapted to position the connector for conductive contact with the contact pad, and
- an electrically conductive contact filament mounted on the housing, the contact filament including a proximal portion extending from the housing, a contact portion adapted to contact the contact pad, and an intermediate portion joining the proximal portion and the contact portion, the intermediate portion being formed to generally follow a contour of the protruding non-target structure when the contact portion contacts the contact pad.
A printing mechanism, comprising:
- an ink delivery system configured to positionally expel ink onto print media;
- a control circuit configured to regulate the ink delivery system, the control circuit including plural circuit portions, one of the plural circuit portions being a target circuit, the target circuit including a circuit component, a substrate, a non-target structure mounting the circuit component on the substrate and protruding from the substrate, and a conductive contact pad formed on the substrate in conductive connection with the circuit component;
- and
- an electrical connector for conductive connection between the target circuit and at least one of the plural circuit portions other than the target circuit, the electrical connector including
- a housing adapted to position the connector for conductive contact with the target circuit;
- and
- an electrically conductive contact filament mounted on the housing, the contact filament including a proximal portion extending from the housing, a contact portion adapted to contact the contact pad, and an intermediate portion joining the proximal and contact portions, the intermediate portion being formed to generally follow a contour of the protruding non-target structure when the contact portion contacts the contact pad.
A method of placing a connector in conductive contact with a target circuit while minimizing contact with a protruding non-target structure of the target circuit, comprising:
- positioning the connector by mating with a receptacle, the connector including
- a housing adapted to position the connector for conductive contact with the target circuit, and
- an electrically conductive contact filament mounted on the housing, the contact filament including a proximal portion extending from the housing, a contact portion adapted to contact the target circuit,
- and an intermediate portion joining the proximal and contact portions, the intermediate portion being formed to generally follow a contour of the protruding non-target structure when the contact portion contacts the contact pad;
- and
- contacting the target circuit conductively with the contact filament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.