Electrical connector with reduced stack height
AssigneeFCI Americas Technology, Inc.
InventorsDavid C. Horchler, Lewis Robin Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector assembly includes first and second mezzanine electrical connectors that include respective first and second arrays of electrical contacts. The electrical contacts can be receptacle, or one can be a plug and the other can be a receptacle. Each electrical connector can further include at least one alignment member that cooperate to align the first and second arrays of electrical contacts relative to each other. Each electrical connector can further include at least one orientation member that allows the first and second electrical connectors to mate when in a predetermined orientation relative to each other.
Claims18
An electrical connector comprising:
- a connector housing;
- an array of electrical contacts supported by the connector housing, the array of electrical contacts including at least two rows of electrical contacts that are spaced from each other and extend along a first direction, and at least two columns of electrical contacts that are spaced from each other and extend along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of the at least two rows of electrical contacts intersecting each of the at least two columns of electrical contacts, and wherein mating ends of the electrical contacts in the array have curved shapes and are configured to mate with a mating end of another electrical contact having a like curved shape;
- and
- an alignment member that is disposed at substantially a geometric center of the array of electrical contacts such that the alignment member is disposed between the least two rows of electrical contacts and further disposed between the at least two columns of electrical contacts, wherein the alignment member is configured to mate with another alignment member having a like alignment member.
An electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a first electrical connector having a first connector housing including a first monolithic housing body, a first array of electrical contacts supported by the first monolithic housing body, and a first alignment member that defines an outer perimeter, the first alignment member supported by the first monolithic housing body and disposed at substantially a geometric center of the first array of electrical contacts such that the outer perimeter of the first alignment member is substantially surrounded by respective electrical contacts of the first array of electrical contacts;
- and
- a second electrical connector configured to be mated to the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector having a second connector housing including a second monolithic housing body, a second array of electrical contacts supported by the second monolithic housing body, and a second alignment member that defines an outer perimeter, the second alignment member supported by the second monolithic housing body and disposed at substantially a geometric center of the second array of electrical contacts such that the outer perimeter of the second alignment member is substantially surrounded by respective electrical contacts of the second array of electrical contacts, the second alignment member configured to mate with the first alignment member of the first electrical connector so as to substantially align the first and second arrays of electrical contacts relative to each other as the first and second electrical connectors are mated to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.