Electrical connector
AssigneeMethode Electronics, Inc.
InventorMatthew Sweetland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrical connectors are adapted to provide a reliable electrical connection to mating elements of a mating connector. The connector can have sockets that accept mating elements of the mating connector. Conductors of the connector are associated with each socket and make electrical contact with mating elements received therein. A loading band of the connector is tensioned to provide a contact force between the conductor and the mating element when the mating connector is in the socket. Electrical connectors constructed in this manner can provide increased current density and/or a more reliable connection between the conductors and the mating element.
Claims58
A multi-socket electrical connector comprising:
- an insulating base having
- a plurality of non-conductive sockets on a first side of the base, each socket constructed and arranged to receive a corresponding mating element of a mating connector;
- a first conductor disposed within each non-conductive socket, the first conductor of each socket adapted to contact a first lateral side of the corresponding mating element;
- and
- a first loading band adapted to be tensioned to provide a contact force between the first conductor of each socket and the corresponding mating element.
An electrical connector comprising:
- an insulating base;
- a first socket on a first side of the base and extending inwards of the base, the first socket constructed and arranged to receive a first mating element of a mating connector from the first side;
- a second socket on a second side of the base and extending inward of the base from the second side, the second socket constructed and arranged to receive a second mating element of a mating connector from the second side;
- a first conductor associated with the socket, the first conductor adapted to contact the first mating element when present in the socket and to contact the second mating element when present in the socket;
- a first loading band in the base adapted to be tensioned to provide a contact force between the first conductor and the first mating element when present in the socket;
- and
- a second loading band in the base adapted to be tensioned to provide a contact force between the first conductor and the second mating element when present in the socket.
A method for engaging a multi-socket electrical connector with a plurality of mating elements, the method comprising:
- providing an electrical connector having a plurality of non-conductive sockets;
- inserting each of a plurality of mating elements of a mating connector into a corresponding socket of the electrical connector;
- contacting a lateral side of each of the plurality of mating elements of the mating connector to a first conductor of the corresponding socket of the electrical connector;
- and
- displacing a first loading band in the electrical connector to provide a contact force between each of the plurality of mating elements and the first conductor of the corresponding socket.
A method for engaging a first and a second male electrical elements, the method comprising:
- inserting the first male element into a first socket of an electrical connector;
- displacing a first loading band in the electrical connector to provide a first contact force between the first element and a conductor of the socket;
- inserting the second male element into a second socket of the electrical connector;
- and
- displacing a second loading band in the electrical connector to provide a second contact force between the second element and the conductor of the socket.
A multi-socket electrical connector comprising:
- an insulative base;
- a plurality of sockets disposed substantially in a linear row on a first side of the base and extending inwardly of the base in a first direction, each socket constructed and arranged to receive a corresponding mating element of a mating connector;
- a plurality of wire conductors disposed in each socket, at least some of the plurality of wire conductors adapted to contact the corresponding mating element;
- a plurality of tensioned loading bands engaging at least some of the plurality of wire conductors in each socket, each loading band anchored to the insulative base and adapted to be tensioned upon the corresponding mating element being received in each socket, whereby the loading band provides multiple points of contact between the at least some of the plurality of wire conductors and the corresponding mating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.