Electrical connector assembly having a separable mating interface
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsRichard Elof Hamner, Scott Stephen Duesterhoeft, Robert Neil Mulfinger, Jason M'Cheyne Reisinger, Attalee Snarr Taylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical connector assembly includes a connector having a connector housing and contacts held by the connector housing, where the contacts defining a separable mating interface for mating with a mating component. An actuator engages the contacts and is movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position. The contacts are deflected relative to the connector housing when the actuator is moved to the actuated position. An actuation device is configured to move the actuator between the actuated position and the unactuated position.
Claims20
An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a connector having a connector housing and contacts held by the connector housing, the housing having a front, the contacts extending out of the housing forward from the front to define a separable mating interface exterior of the housing for mating with a mating component;
- an actuator engaging the contacts, the actuator being movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position, the contacts being deflected relative to the connector housing when the actuator is moved to the actuated position, the actuator being movably coupled to the connector housing such that the actuator generally slides along the front between the actuated position and the unactuated position;
- and
- an actuation device configured to move the actuator between the actuated position and the unactuated position.
An electrical connector assembly for electrically connecting a first circuit board to a second circuit board, the electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a connector having a connector housing having a front oriented parallel to and spaced apart from the second circuit board, the connector having contacts held by the connector housing and extending from the front to a mating interface, each contact being terminated to the first circuit board, each contact being configured to engage the second circuit board at the mating interface to make electrical contact with the second circuit board;
- an actuator engaging the contacts proximate to the mating interface, the actuator being movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position, the actuator moving the mating interface of each of the contacts between open and closed positions as the actuator is moved between the actuated and unactuated positions, respectively, wherein the mating interface is configured to engage the second circuit board in the closed position and wherein the mating interface is positioned away from the second circuit board in the open position;
- and
- an actuation device configured to move the actuator between the actuated position and the unactuated position.
An electrical system comprising:
- a circuit board having contact pads;
- and
- an electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a connector having a connector housing and contacts held by the connector housing, the connector housing having a front facing the circuit board and spaced apart from the circuit board, the contacts extending out of the housing forward from the front to define a separable mating interface exterior of the housing for mating with corresponding contact pads of the circuit board, the contacts being arranged in columns;
- an actuator movably coupled to the connector housing, the actuator having a frame comprising a plurality of crosspieces, each of the crosspieces engaging a corresponding one of the columns of contacts, the actuator being movable between an actuated position and an unactuated position, the contacts being deflected by the crosspieces relative to the connector housing when the actuator is moved to the actuated position, the contacts engaging the contact pads when the actuator is in the unactuated position, the contacts being held away from the contact pads by the actuator when the actuator is in the actuated position;
- and
- an actuation device configured to move the actuator between the actuated position and the unactuated position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.