Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~ s ~IIV~ iO~I t-elCl~ C 5 l o ~ 5S Xt~ n
o]~ce px:l.n~ed c~:l.rc~ board ed.~f~ conllecl:or.
~c~ord:ln~ tc~ one a~pect o'l khe :lnventiorl/ a
zero insertiorl fo.rce pri.nted circu~t board edye
connectox, compri.seC an insulating housiny havi.ng
a channel therein fo~ receiv:irlg a printed
clrcuit boar.d a.lonc3 a boal-d in~ertl.on path, a
row of electrlcal contacts positioned heside
the channel each having a cc~ntact surface for
engaging the prin~ed clrcui~ boa.rd Wh~rl such
has been inserted into ~he chann~l, and a cam
memher movable to displace a contact driving
member normally of the channel to move ~ach
contact between a ~oard receiving ~lxst position
in which the contact surface of the contact is
withdrawn from the koard insertion path and a
board engaging second position in which such
contact surEace intersects the board insertion
pathr the con~act driving member bei.ng formed with
~elatively stepped surfaces succeedln~ one another
in the long.itudinal direction of the channel :Eor
se~uential enga~ement with the contacts of the
~ow, to move them se~uentiaLLy between thei.r first
al~.d second positions, in response to ~he movement
of the cam me~ber.
Ac~ording to allotlle.r aspect o the inventi.on,
a zero insert.ion orce pxirlted ci.rc~u:Lk boal-d edge
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~o.tllte~ CC~ L hc~us:Ln~J ~ vir;~f c~ J~:e
pr1n~,c~ c.~.rc~ hc~ d 3~c~ incf ~I?e.rtur~
p~ a~ y c)~ e.~ec~ .ci~L co~ c~ Ct~ J ~CC~r~ >
.in parallel spacetl apart rel..ltion~,lnip e~;:er.lcliny
5 ~lo.nq a-t 1 ea~ :: one~ elonga~:e si.de o~ said apertu.re,
a lilce plural.i~y of cort'cact pa~;sa~3ewa~, E; al:7.gned.
W:i th xespectlve :recesses and e:~'cenà:ing throucfh
a ka~;e por1:ion of the housiny, anc~ a cam
rece:iv:Lng gxoove extending lorlyitudi.nally o~
~o and central.ly in the bottom of the apertl.lre
and opening there into; cam mearts mounted for
~otational movement in the groove; a contact
dxi.ving member mv~rably mourlted in the elongate
aperl:llre of the housing and adapted to be driven
~5 }~y the cam means in a direc_ion normal to the
cam recei ving groove, t:he con~act driving Tnember . .
having a longitudinal].y s~epped profile, and a
. plurality of electrioa]. contacts each having a
resl.Llerl~ ~oard iengaging por~ion and a texminal ~-
20 portion formed integrally therewith, ~he con~acts
being fi.xedly mowlted in parall~l spaced
relatlon along at least one elongate sid~ o
the housing apert.ure wl~h the terminal portio~s
thereo~ extenAi.ns ~hrough th~ passageways and
~lth tlle board engacJin~ po.rtions thereof
positioned so as ~o be e.ngaged by the contact
d~ivlnc~ means, whe.rieby scl.id contaots are se~u&ntially
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engaged by the driving means and driven between a first normal position, in
which they engage a circuit board positi.oned in the board receiving aperture
and a second position in which they are disengaged from the board.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a zero insertion orce printed circuit board edge connector, com- :
prising an insulating housing having a channel therein for receiving a print-
ed circuit board along a board insertion path, a row of electrical contacts
positioned on each side of the channel and extending in the longitudinal
directions thereo$J each contact having a contact surface for engaging the
printed circuit board when such has been inserted into the channel, and con-
tact operating means comprising a cam means movable to displace a contact
driving means in the direction in which the board insertion path extends, to
move each contact between a board receiving first position in which the con-
tact surface of the contact is withdrawn from the board insertion path and
a board engaging second position in which such contact surface intersects
the board insertion path~ the contact operating means being formed with
relatively stepped surfaces succeeding one another in the longitudinal direc-
tion of the channel so that the contacts are moved sequentially between their
first and second p~sitions, in response to the movement of the cam means,
the relatively stepped surfaces being provided on the contact driving means
and serving sequentially to engage the contacts of the row, the contact
driving means being in the form of a single contact driving member which
comprises a base from opposite edges of which extend side walls, the stepped
surfaces being ormed in the free longitudinal edges of the side walls, so
~that the height of each side wall increases in one longitudinal direction of
the channel.
For a better understanding of the invention reference will now be
made by way o example to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
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Figure 1 is a perspective view o:f a sequentially actuable zero
insertion force printed circuit board edge connector which embodies the
invention, the connector being shown in a board engaging condition;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the connec~or
of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the connector shown partly in
horizon~al section, the connector being shown in an intermediate condition;
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section through the connector
with contacts thereof in a closed, position;
Figure 5 is a partial transverse vertical section, through the
connector with the contacts in an open, board receiving position; and
Figure 6 is a foreshortened perspective view of a contact driving
member of the connector.
The connector comprises four primary components, namely, an
elongate insulating housing 12, a cam :
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me~nber 1~1, a cc)rltar.~t drivlng In~mbex :L6, and c-A
pl.uralit~ o spring el.2ctri~al contact:, 18~
The housing 12 has moun~i.ng flanges 20 and 22
a~ the opposi~.e ends thereo~ or secur:ing the conn~ctor
to a mother prl.llted cixcuit ~o.lrd ~4 by means o~
fa.stenexs 26 (Figure 2)~ The housing 12 has
. formed therein an ~longa~e celltral guide channel 28
for receiving a daughter circu.i.t board 30, ~he
longitudinal side walls 2 of the housing 12 belng
lQ formed w.ith spaced .rlbs 22 projecting inwardly from
: the side walls 2 and defining recesse~. 34. Each
recess 34, which commu.nicates with the channel 28,
receives a respective contact 18. A passage 36
extend~ from the lower (as seen in Figure 4) end
: 15 of each recess 34 through a base 38 of the housing
12. The base o~ the channel 2~ is formed with a
central lonqitudinal yroove 43 which comrnunicates
t:L~h a slor. 41 in one end o~ the housing 12 and with
an opening 39 in the other end thereof, opposed
xecesses 42 being formed in ~he uppe.r (as seen in
Fiyure 1) portions of the side walls of the slot
41 and opening into the upper surfae of the housin~
12.
; :The contact drivlng m~mber 16, which lles i~ the
channel 28 ls, as best seen in Figure 6, channel
~;~haped, havin~ a ~ase 44 and parallel side walls 46 and
48, the ~ree longitudlnal edyes of the .side ~all.s 46 and
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4 ~ h~ c)~ e(l~ ac; ~."~-,J~ .i.r~ r~ 6, wiil
5tep~ 49 se that thri helgl-l~ o', t:he r:ree long:L~Ild:i.n.
~dges o~ these s~l~de wal.ls :i.ncrease~r-; ~om .r~ ht to
left, as s~en in Fiyures 2 alld 60 These ~ree
longitudiQal edt3es ha~e cham:Eered ou~er ~aces 47
cons~citut-ing at leaLst two xela~ively stepped
surfaces succ~ed.ing on~ another ln the longitudlnal
di.rection of the channe:L 28. The end.s o the base
~4 have hevel.led .suraces $0 and 52. ~s shown i.n `~
Figures 2~ 4 and 5, the outer or lower surface of
the base ~4 faces the mouth of the groove ~0.
The cam memb~r 14 compri.ses an elongate cam
portion 60 and a res.ilient, loop-shaped, handle 62.
The cam portioll 6~t which is slidahl~ and ro~atably
received in the groove 40, is shaped, as seen in
cross-sectlon (Figures 4 and 5), as an elongats
quadrilat~ral having parallel sides joined by radli.
The handle 62, which has a ~ree end portion 64, extends
from the cam portion 60 externally of the housin~
2C) 12, or rotating the cam portion 60 about its
longi.tudinal axis and for sl.iding the carn
portion 60 lon~itudinally of the groove
40. .
T~le con.tacts I8 may he 0rm2d Ior example by
s~amping and forming metal strips, or by rolling
ana forming ~ire D ~ach contact 1~ has a resilient~
inwardly bowed, hoard engayins, con~act surface 54
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~ c~ o~ti.~n 5~ w~ tl~, 'C~lrOII~ On{'
0~ pd';E;~S 36 ~0:.' ITIC~ lr~ ,c~ 1. clJl~! t~ (,t:~lc~
conilec i:.:l.on to a pr:i..n'ccd corlduci:or 5~ i':~ gurl3 ;~ ) on the
inother boaxd 24 and to further condu.ctors ~no'c sho~,7n)
and thus t.o elec..rical clrcui.ts inot show~l) by ~7:Lre wrap
conneccioils ~not shown), for: ~xarllpleO Each cont~ct
18 is, re'cained agains~. withdrawal. from the hous:Lng
by mearls, or exampl.e; of a locking lance (not
~hown) or by the flc~w of the houslng materlal during
LO mantlfac~ttre of the conllector, lnto an aperttlre (not
shown) ln the contac~ 18.
The free end por~ion 6~ of the h~ndle 62 .is
xeceivable i.n the recesses 42 of the housing, for the
avoidance unlntended rotatlon o, and removal, in the
dlrection of the arxow B in i~igure 1, from ~he
connector of, the cam member 14.
; The connector is assembled by inserting tlle carn
porti.on 60 of the memhex 14 into the groc~ve 40 and the
contact driving member 16 lnto the chan~el 2~, ald~d by
~0 ~h~ be~elled sur~ac~s S0 ox 52.
: When the cam portion fiO is positioned as ShGW~
Ll~ Figures 1, 2 and 4 so tha~ it5 broader s:ides 61 l.ie
parallel to the base of the groove ~ and to the base ~-
~4 o~ the driving memb2r 16, the drlvlng member 1~ ta]ces
up a retxa~ed po~.itlon so that all the surfaces 54 c:~
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the cont~ct~ l& are in a board eng~glng position, in
whlch they pro}e~t into the lrlsertion path o the
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] ~U~ C~ 3~ o ~ cl~.1r)3~.e.~ 2 r~ .s ~ rl in T?icJllxc ~ .
r~r~ .3 ~c~rl(~ d :Irl 1:.}~ d~ c'c.; c
o:E ~he a.r^rG~ i.n ~ Jw~e 3, tlle cam portlcJn 60 ls
Æotat.ed about i~:~; lon~ltl;a~.lal a~:Ls ~owards the~
5 pos:i t:i.on of :~'.iyure 5 i.n wh.ich t;he broader sides 61
of the portiorl 6(: ex'cend no.rmaï:Ly of the base o:f
the groove 40 a.nd of '~he ou~.er .~urface o the bas,e
4~ ~
Durin~ such r~taki.on. of t:hc handle 62,
10 the drivir.~ meml)er 16 is pro~re~;sively forced by
the cam porti.on 6Q Ln a direction normal to khe
base of t~he groove 40 ~nd thus of the hase of the
channe] 28, and away ther~from, so that the cha~fered
faces 47 of the fr~e lon~itudinal edges of the
side walls 46 and 48 of the driving member 16
se~uenti.ally enyage respective ~Jroups of th~ contacts
18 to mo~e th.e con~act surfaces 54 thereof ou~wardly
lnto the recesses ~4 and thus illtO theix hoard
reeelving positlons shown in Figure 5, in whic~l ~he
~0 con~.act surfa~es 54 are withdxaw~ from the
; ins~.rtion pa~h of the ~oard 30~ ~s shown in Fiyur~
3 t the let~ard group of contact surfaces, 54a, are
f.irst dri~e~ into their board rec~iviny positions
;~ ollowed ~y th~ next adjacent group of contac~
suxEaces, 54b, and so on ln predetermilled sequenc~.
When all the groups of contact surfaces 54
have thus heen moved into thelr board recelving
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.i.~::it~n5~ 2 ~ u~.JI~ x ~a~d 3~ n~
the ~hannel 2~ alld ~he handle ~,2 is rot.lted ~ack
to iks posiki.on of Fi~urf~ 1~ to rrlove kh~ grollp~ of
sura.cec; 54 seqtlen~lc~ back into the.i.r hoard
erlcJag:lny poCitionsO The handle 6~ ~.s the~n pushed
xigh~tJardly, i.e~ :l.n ~h.e oppos:lte di~ect:i.on ko that
of ~he arro~ owarc~.s l~s po.si~ n of F:i.yure Z and
thQ free encl por~ion 6~ of the handle 62 i5 resil.~.ently
introduced ln ~he recesses 42 so ~..ha~ the colltact
sur~aC'es 5~ are secured ln thel.r engagement with the
daughter board 30. The dauyhter hoarcd 2~0 can be
~ubsequently released from the connec~or by again - -
xotating the handle 62 in the direction indlcated by
the arrc>w A, after removing the free end portlon 64 OL
the handle 62 from the recess~s 42 and withdrawillcJ the
handle 62 in the direction of the axrow B in Fi.gure 1.
The ~3rot.lps of ~ontacts 18 axe thereby released
~equentlally .50 that dalnage to the circlllts to wh.; cn the
contacts 18 are con3lected and which might axise if the
conkacts 18 were simulkaneously disoonn~cted frcJr(- the
; : conduc~ors of ~he boaxd 30, can be avoided.
; There are many cases in which it is either
desirable or necessaxy, or both, for power, ground
and signal circuits to be broken seque~ntially, for
mechani.cal or elec~rlcal reasc)ns~ For e~ample,
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: ~there hl-polar logic devices, whlch have both
po.~.itive and negatlve power supplies are employed, ;:~
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1.at~.e~ b~ rr Y:~:E~-e~lC~C1 t:O ~37. 0~1r,~1 r '! m;ly ~CC'U~
il~ the (7rOUIld CirCUi.t iS f:ir5t brQke21/ i~.hai: !3uprJly
VO1t:ageS ~i11 "at3d~' aCrO~;'; an 1ndi.v:idllal g~lte eïeinent
and so des~:roy ~. In diyi.~al ele~ctron:lc .~ystems,
or exclmple~ the genera~ion, by remova1 o the
daughter board, o~ spurious trans:Lents leading ko
da~a ~a1si~ica~10n can be avoided by arrangi.n~
~or the power clrcuit ~.o be first broken.
T~ conn~ctor ~ay have but a sin~le~ row of
con~acts 18 for engaging printed conductors on
only one side of a daugh~er board, in which case
: only one side wa11 o the contact drivlng member
need be stepped.
The term printed circuit board is us~d
herei.n in its most genera1 aspect and is intended
to include any circuit boards, cards or substra~es
on which e1ectrica1 conductors have been provided
by pri.nting or by any othar suitab]e means.
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