Electrical connector having guidance for mating
AssigneeFCI Americas Technology, Inc.
InventorSteven E. Minich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an electrical connector assembly adapted to isolate shock forces during mating. Such an electrical connector assembly may include a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, and a first guide module. The second electrical connector may be adapted to mate with the first electrical connector. The first guide module may be located adjacent to the first electrical connector and may include an opening for receiving a first guide post. There may be no direct mechanical attachment between the first electrical connector and the first guide module. Such an arrangement, may isolate the first electrical connector from any forces created by the mating of the guide post with the opening of the guide module.
Claims24
An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- first and second connector modules configured to be mounted on a circuit board, each of the connector modules comprising a connector housing, a leadframe assembly received in the connector housing, each leadframe assembly comprising a leadframe housing and an electrically-conductive contact extending through the leadframe housing, and an organizer that extends along a top surface of the leadframe assemblies, wherein the first and second connector modules are separated from each other by a gap that is sized to receive a first guide module;
- wherein the organizer extends over the gap and covers the first guide module when the first guide module is disposed in the gap, and there is no direct mechanical attachment between the first connector module and the first guide module.
An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a first electrical connector configured to be mounted on a first circuit board such that the first electrical connector extends from the first circuit board to a first height;
- a second electrical connector configured to be mounted on a second circuit board, the second electrical connector being adapted to mate with the first electrical connector;
- a guide post configured to be mounted on the second circuit board at a location adjacent to the second electrical connector;
- and
- a first guide module configured to be mounted on the first circuit board, at a location adjacent to the first electrical connector on the first circuit board, such that the first guide module extends from the first circuit board to a second height that is less than the first height, the first guide module defining an opening configured to receive the guide post.
An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a first electrical connector configured to be mounted on a first circuit board;
- a second electrical connector configured to be mounted on a second circuit board, the second electrical connector being adapted to mate with the first electrical connector;
- a guide post configured to be mounted on the second circuit board at a location adjacent to the second electrical connector;
- and
- a guide module configured to be mounted on the first circuit board at a location adjacent to the first electrical connector, the guide module defining a first bottom surface that faces the first circuit board when the guide module is mounted on the first circuit board, a front portion that protrudes past the edge of the first circuit board when the guide module is mounted on the first circuit board, the front portion having a bottom portion that defines a second bottom surface that is disposed below the first bottom surface, and an opening configured to receive the guide post,
- wherein a spatial relationship between the first electrical connector and the guide module enables a force created by mating the guide post with the opening of the guide module to be isolated from the first electrical connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.