Contact spring assembly
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
InventorsKaj Tommy Näsström, Stig Arvidsson, Carl Rutger Bladh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of securing a reliable electrical contact between two adjacent surfaces by means of a contact spring (30) of a contact spring assembly (1). The secure and reliable contact is achieved by providing excellent conditions for maintaining the contact spring fully operable at all times and is accomplished by providing a shelter (12) for the contact spring (30) on a carrier (10) therefore, thereby protecting the contact spring by eliminating the possibility of the contact spring being overloaded and plastically deformed during installation.
Claims25
A method of providing an effective shielding or grounding of electronic equipment by securing a reliable contact between two adjacent surfaces of the electronic equipment, comprising the steps of:
- providing a contact spring assembly comprising a carrier forming a plurality of recesses and a contact spring comprising a plurality of transverse elements extending between two longitudinal side portions;
- mounting the carrier to a first surface of the two adjacent surfaces;
- and
- disposing the contact spring peripherally about the carrier such that the longitudinal side portions contact the first surface and the plurality of transverse elements contact a second surface of the two adjacent surfaces;
- wherein the transverse spring elements are aligned to be received into the carrier recesses, if necessary, when elastically deformed under a load produced when the two surfaces are brought into an adjacent relationship, sheltering the contact spring against overloading or permanent deformation.
A contact spring assembly for positioning between electronic equipment components to provide a conductive interface, said contact spring assembly comprising:
- an elongated contact spring carrier having on opposite sides a first face and a second face, the first face forming a plurality of pockets for receiving loaded contact spring transverse elements;
- and
- a contact spring comprising a plurality of transverse elements extending between longitudinal side portions, the contact spring disposed about the carrier to form a first contact area adjacent to the first carrier face and a second contact area adjacent to the second carrier face, wherein each of at least a portion of the plurality of transverse elements are aligned with a pocket.
A contact spring, comprising:
- a first longitudinal side portion;
- a second longitudinal side portion space apart from and substantially parallel to the first longitudinal side portion;
- and
- a plurality of spaced apart lateral spring elements extending between the first and the second longitudinal side portions;
- wherein the plurality of lateral spring elements are each deformed at a first area about a first longitudinal axis in a first direction, forming a first contact area, the first contact area comprising the intersections of the lateral spring elements and the first longitudinal side portion;
- wherein the plurality of lateral spring elements are each deformed at a second area in the opposite direction about a second longitudinal axis, forming a second contact area, the second contact area comprising the respective intersections of the lateral spring elements and the second longitudinal side portion;
- and
- wherein the plurality of lateral spring elements are each further deformed at a third area, the third area disposed between the first area and the second area, about a third longitudinal axis to form a third contact area extending away from the plane of the first and second contact areas.
A carrier for supporting a contact spring in a contact spring assembly interposed between two electrical component surfaces, said carrier comprising:
- a first elongated member forming a series of substantially rectangular apertures, the apertures being oriented transversely and extending across the entire width of the first elongated member;
- a second elongated member disposed directly adjacent to the first elongated member, the first elongated member and the second elongated member being integrally formed at a common edge defining a first carrier edge;
- and
- a third elongated member disposed directly adjacent to the first elongated member, the first elongated member and the third elongated member being integrally formed at a common edge defining a second carrier edge;
- wherein the second elongated member and the third elongated member each form a series of apertures that communicate with the substantially rectangular apertures of the first elongated member at a respective one of the first and second carrier edges.
A method of forming a carrier for a contact spring assembly, comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongate blank of sheet material;
- forming a plurality of transverse apertures in the blank, leaving respective side edge portions exterior to the plurality of apertures, and
- folding each side edge portion of the blank approximately 180 degrees along a respective longitudinal folding line until the side edge portions are positioned immediately adjacent the apertures such that the blank material remaining between the apertures forms raised lands on one side of the carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.