Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1220535
CIRCUIT BOARD coNNEcrroR ASSEMBLY
HAVING INDEPENDENT CONTACT SEGMENTS
BACKGROUND OF THE [NVENTION
The invention herein relates to a circuit
board connector system. It is particularly suited for
use in computer systems wherein a series of daughter
boards are connected to a mother board. The connector
system of this invention enables the daughter boards to
be inserted into the connector system readily by the com-
puter user.
Reference is hereby made to my copending Canadian
patent application entitled "Low Insertion Force Circuit
Board Connector Assembly", Serial No. 469,824, filed
December 11, 1984.
It is known to make connections between daughter and
mother boards by using pin connectors which are soldered to the
respective boards. Alternatively, the pins may be electrically
i2Z053~
interconnected by a wrap-type connection. It i~ also
known in a general sense to make high density
connections between the daughter and mother boards.
There are also a number of schemes which are
5 known to provide zero or low insertion force
connections. Typical low insertion force connector~
a;e illustrated in U.S. Patent Numbers 3,553,630 to
Scheingold et al; 4,179,177 to Lapraik; 4,047,782 to
Yeager; 3,899,234 to Yeager et al; 3,130,351 to Giel;
3,022,481 to Stepoway; and 3,683,317 to Walkup.
Similar devices are also disclosed in UR Patent
Applications 2,028,015A to Oht6uki and 2,022,329A to
Leather.
In the variou6 prior art patents and patent
15 applications noted above, the connector a~semblie~
include opposing rows of spring-type contacts. The low
or zero insertion force mechanisms vary to some degree
but generally include some mechanism for deflectinq the
spring contact~ to space them apart to allow easy
20 insertion of a printed wiring board to the connector.
Thereafter, the contacts are put into engagemen'c with
corresponding pads on the printed wiring board to make
the de~ired electrical connections. In some c~ses, the
spring contacts are normally biased towards engagement
1220S35
with the printed circuit board and the low in~ert~on
force mechanism spreads them apart to allow entry of
the printed wiring board to the connector. In other
approaches, the contact members are normally spaced
apart and are deflected by the low insertion force
mechanism into engagement with the printed wiring
board. It is also known to employ cam and follower
arrangements as the low insertion force connector
meckanism. The cam member i~ actuable to move the
follower member to deflect or close the spring contacts
as desired.
The invention described herein provides an
electrical connector system which i8 divided up into a
plurality of segment~ which can be self-aligned to a
circuit board. The connector system can be mounted on
the circuit board and, with the ~elf-alignment of each
6egment, be less suseptible to shorting due to
tolerance build up.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTI~
In accordance with this invention, an
electrical connector ~ystem compri~es a receptacle
which includes a body shell member and a plurality of
l~Z(~S~5
independent segment~ supported therein with the ~egment
including a multiple of electrical contact~ arranged in
opposing IOWS- The segments are ~upported in the body
~ hell in an independent floating arrangement~ The
electrical contact~ in each ~egments comprise
spring-type member~. First contact portions of the
spring-type members at one end thereof are adapted to
engage a plug member which can comprise a portion of an
electronic module or circuit board. Second contact
portions of the spring-type members at the opposing
ends thereof are adapted to engage and electrically
connect the receptacle to a circuit board such a~ a
mother board. Each segment include~ an alignment means
which serves to align each segment independently on the
mother board so that the appropriate contacts of the
connector are electrically connected to desired
contacts of the mother board.
Preferably, the alignment means for each
6egment comprise~ a projection extending outwazdly from
the bottom thereof which i8 adapted to be inserted in
an alignment hole in the mother board. The body 6hell,
preferably, al~o includes an alignment projectJon for
lnsertion ~n the corresponding ~lignment hole of the
mother board.
122(~5~5
The floating ~upport arrangement, preferably,
compri~es at least one support project;on extending
from a fir~t and an opposing ~ide of each segment in
corresponding ~upport holes for receiving the support
projections in a fir~t side and an opposing side of the
body ~hell member. The support holes are larger in
size than the respective support projections ~o that
the support projections can be moved around within the
support holes to provide the desired floating
arrangement.
Preferably, the body shell member includes an
entry slot which i~ open at one end 80 that the plug
portion of the circuit board or electronic module can
be inserted transversely or longitudinally of a
direction defined by the electrical contacts of the
receptacle. Any desired number of segments can be
included within the body shell and any number of
receptacle~, each including a plurality of segments,
can be mounted on the mother board. Because the
connector system contains n body shell with multiple
segments therein, each segment can be cu~tomized ~8 to
its function in the ~ystem. For example, some of the
segments can be configured to carry ~ignals whlle
others can be configured to be power carrying.
~2~0S35
PIRIEF l)ESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWIN~;S
Figure 1 i~ a per~pective view of a side
entry card housing employing a plurality of connector
S systems in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a
~traight-in or top entry card housing employing a
plurality of connector 6ystemfi in accordance with this
invention.
Figure 3 and 3a are exploded per6pective
views of a connector system in accordance with thi~
invention including a plurality of contact segmentsD
Figure 4 i8 a perspective view of a connector
system in accordance with this invention mounted to a
back plane or mother board with a low insertion force
mechani~m in it~ open position for insertion of
module board or daughter board.
Figure 5 is ~ perspective view of the
connector system as in Figure 3 which ha~ been
partially cut away to show the locking and alignment
feature thereof with respect to a module bo~rd in~erted
therein.
Figure 6 i8 an end Yiew and cro~s-section of
two adiacent connector ~y6temc ln accordance wlth thl~
~2Z()S35
invention with the low in~ertion force mechani~m ln
respectively opened and closeld positions.
Figure 7 i~ an exploded perspective view of a
connectOr sy~tem in accordance with thi~ invention
illustrating the locking and aligning mechanism.
Figure 8 iB a top view of one end of a
connector system in accordance with this invention.
Figure 9 iB a ~ide view of the end of the
connector ~ystem shown in Figure 8.
lo Figure 10 iB an end view of the end portion
of the connector system 6hown in Figure 8.
Figure 11 i~ a front view of the locking and
aligning lever arranged in the end of the connector
system shown in Figure~ 8-10.
Figure 12 is an exploded perspective of the
opposing end of the connector system in accordance with
this invention.
Figure 13 i~ an end view of the oppo~ing end
of the connector system shown in Figure 12.
Figure 14 i~ a top view partially cut away to
reveal the locking and align~ng lever in the opposing
end of the connector syGtem of F~gure 12.
Figure 1~ i8 ~ 6ide view of the opposing end
of the connector ~y~tem of Figure 12.
lZZ~Ci35
- -Figure I6 is a bottom view of the opposing
end of the connector system as in Figure 12~
DETAILE~ ~Esc~L~TIoN OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figures 1-4, the invention
will be described in greater detail. The circuit board
connector system 10 of thi~ invention i~ adapted to
provide a high density of individual connection~ which
permits increased speed of signals in the system. User
_ serviceability is a particularly important concern in
the personal computer field in addition to the
maintenance aspect. The circuit board connector system
10 of this invention allows the computer owner to add
addit~onal features by buying additional mother or
daughter boards 11 which can be readily inserted in the
circuit board connector sy~tems 10 of thi6 ~nvention.
The connector system can be mounted on a mother circuit
board or backplane thereby adding increased features to
the computer.
The circuit board connector sy~tems 10 of
thi~ invention can be arranged on the mother circuit
board 12 in one plane. In~Figure 1, card housing 13
and mother circuit board 12 are arranged to receive
12Z0~35
daughter circuit board 11 by ~liding the daughter board
in from the side of the moth~er board in a direction
parallel to the plane of the mother board. The circuit
board connector system 10 of thi~ invention act6 as the
bottom guide for the mother board 11. The card housing
13 also includes top U-shaped eyes or guide~ 14 which,
with the circuit board connector system 10, ~erve~ to
provide alignment for the daughter board 11 as it is
slid from the ~ide into the card bousing 13.
It i8 a feature of the circuit board
connector ~ystem 10 of this invention that the daughter
board can be inserted from the ~ide as in Figure 1 or
from the top a6 in Figure. 2. In the embodiment of
Figure 2, a card housing lS include~ a plurality of
lS circuit board connector sy~tems 10 arranged in parallel
and mounted to the mother circuit board 12. The card
hou~ing 15 includes U-shaped side guide~ 16 arranged in
corre~pondence with the circuit board connector systems
along each of the ~ides 17 and 18 of the card
housing 15. In this embodiment, the daughter board 11
i8 inserted into the circuit board connector syRtem 10
by sliding it down the side guides 16 and through the
top of the circuit board connector ~ystem 10.
The circuit board connector sy~tem 10 o thls
~Z20S35
invention requires no ~oldering to the mother circuit
board 12. The connector system 10 includes no pins
which can be easily damaged or bent in making
connection~ to the mother circuit board 12.
Preferably, the connector system 10 is o the low or
zero insertion force type 80 that the daughter boards
11 are ea6ily removed or inserted as desired.
In accordance with an embodiment of the
invention which is best illustrated by reference to
lo Figure 3, the connector system 10 is comprised of a
body shell 19 which is adapted to support, in a
floating fashion, a plurality of contact segments 20.
Each segment 20 can be customized as to its function in
the circuit board connector sy6tem 10. For instance,
some of the segments 20 can be configured to carry
signals, while others can be configured to be power
carrying. Thu6, different 6egments 20 can serve
totally different function~. Since the segments 20 are
supported in a floating arrangement within the body
shell 19 they can be independently ~elf-aligned
relative to the mother circuit board 12. Thi6 can be
achieved becau~e the various segments 20 are able to
slide within the body shell 19 80 that they-can be
precieely located on the contact pad~ 21 of ~he mother
~ZZOS~5
circuit board 12. This allows the circuit designer to
concentrate on closer tolerances for the contact pads
21 relative to one another on the mother board 12 while
allowing looser tolerances within the connector system
10 itself.
In accordance with another aspect of the
present invention, a system 22 for aligning and locking
the daughter board 11 within the connector system 10 iB
provided. The system is briefly illustrated by
referriny to Figures 4 and 5. Aligning and locking
levers 23 and 24 are pivotally 6upported in oppo~ing
ends of the body shell 19. The daughter boards 11
include a corresponding pair of alignment holes 25 and
26 in Figure 4. The connector system 10 is shown in
its open position adapted for receipt and insertion of
the daughter board 11.
In Figure 5, the connector system 10 i~ shown
with the daughter board 11 fully inserted and with the
aligning and locking system 22 in its closed position.
In th~s po6ition, projections 27 of the respective
locklng levers 23 and 24 are in~erted within the holes
25 and 26 to align and lock the daughter boArd 11 in a
de~ired relationship relative to the plane of the
mother board 12. Projection 27 on locking lever 23
~Z2~3S
- serves to align the daughter board in a lateral sense
within the connector system 10. Projection 29 on
locking lever 23 abstracts one end of cord slot 40 when
connector 15 is in the closed position, assuring that
daughter board 11 cannot be inserted in either the
horizontal or the vertical direction until the
connector is opened. A notch 28 in the daughter board
provides clearance for projection 29 when lever 23 ~5
in the closed position with the daughter board properly
in place.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the
pre6ent invention, the connector ~ystem 10 employs a
zero or low insertion force system 30 having spring
contact~ 31 and 32 and a cam 33 and follower 34
arrangement. The cam and follower act upon the spring
contacts 31 and 32 to provide, in an open po~ition as
shown in the left-hand sy6tem 10, a low or zero
insertion force for the daughter board into the 6y~tem.
Conversely, when in a closed position, as ~hown in the
right-hand system 10 of Figure 6, an electrically
contacting engagement i6 made between the spring
contacts and respective contact pads 35 on the daughter
board 11.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the
12Z05;~5
present invention, the respective spring contacts are
arranged in an alternating high and low fashion to
allow an increased density of electrical contacts.
In accordance with yet anotber a~pect of the
present invention, an actuating sy~tem 36, as best
illustrated in Figures 7-16, i6 provided which is
adapted to serially actuate the respective aligning and
locking system 22 and low insertion force 6y~tem 30.
The actuating system 36 includes an actuating lever 37
which includes a pad 38 which is adapted to operate a8
an actuating cam. It al~o lnclude~ a follower portion
39 on each of the locking lever~ 22 and 23. Upon
pivoting the actuating lever 37, the pad 38 and
follower portions 39 cooperate to provide the desired
serial actuation of the respective aligning and locking
system 22 and low insertion force ~ystem 30.
The circuit board connector ~ystem 10, and
the variou~ aspect~ of the invention embodied therein,
i~ now described in greater detail to define the
preferred embodiments thereof. Referring now to
Figures 3, 4, 7 and 12, there is shown an electrical
connector system which comprises an electrical
connector receptacle for attachment to a circ-uit board
; 12 ~uch a~ a mother board or backpl~ne. The receptacle
. .
~220~35
10 is adapted to receive an eLectrical plug member 11
which can comprise part of an electronic module or a
circuit board such as a daughter board.
Receptacle 10 is compri~ed of a body shell 19
and contact segment6 20 as previou~ly described. The
body ~hell 19 comprises an elongated ~lot 40 defined by
oppo~ing ~ide walls 41 and 42 and end wall 43. Region
44 of the slot opposing the end wall 43 i~ open. The
circuit board 11 can therefore be inserted into the
receptacle 10 from the top or from the ~ide in the
direction shown by the arrows 45 and 46.
A~ shown in Pigure 7 and 12, the segments 20
are inserted into the body shell 19 from the bottom.
The body shell 19 include~ internal dividing walls 47
lS which divide the shell into a plurality of chambers 4B.
The number of chambers 48 correspond~ to the number of
Eegment~ 20 to be supported by the body shell 19~ A
series of depres~ions 49 in the ~ide wall 41 and 42
mark the respective location~ of the internal walls 47,
Generally centrally of each of the ~ide walls 41 and 42
of each respective chamber 48 there iB located a
rectangular hole 50. Thi6 comprises part of ~ system
for supporting the segments 20 within the body-~hell 19
in an independent floating zrrangement 80 that e~ch
- 6egment 20 can be independently aligned to the circuit
board 12.
The other element6 of the floating ~upport
~ystem 51 are a projection 52 correspondingly centrally
located on each segment 20 side wall 53 and 54. The
projection~ 52 have a pyramid shape 60 that when the
~egment~ 20 are inserted into the chamber 48, the
projections 52 spread apart the respective 6ide walls
41 and 42 until the projection6 52 ~nap into the hole~
lo 50. The holes 50 are larger in width and height than
the corresponding width and height of the projection 52
thereby allowing the ~egment~ to have a limited degree
of freedom within the chamber 48 both vertically and
from ~ide to side and back to back. A step 55 in each
of the side wall~ 41 and 42 provides a corresponding
internal step surface 56 limiting vertical movement o~
_ the segment 20 when the receptacle 10 i~ mounted to the
circuit board 12. This provides an effective means ~or
clamping the segment~ down on the circuit board 12.
Each segment 20 include~ a longitudinal ledge
57 in each of the respective ~ide walls 53 and 54 which
~ adapted to engage the re~pective stop Lurfaces 56.
The body shell 19 further includes an alignment
- projection 58 at one end 44 which i~ adapted to ~ate
1220~35
16
with a correspon~ing alignment hole in the circuit
board 12. The segment6 20 include at one end an
alignment projection 61 adapted to ~eat in
corresponding alignment holes 62 of the circuit board
12 ~hen the segment~ 20 are inserted in the cavatie~ 48
of the shell 19. The alignment projections 58 and 61
extend in a ~paced apart arrangement acro~s the entire
receptacle 10 and provide an effective means for
aligning the receptacle on the circuit board 12 when
the projections 6eat in the alignment holes 59 and 62.
The segment~ 20 can float particularly from ~ide to
~ide within the body ~hell 19 tola limited extent ~ince
each ~egment include~ its own alignment projection
Bystem 6 l .
1~ Very accurate alignment of each Begment i
achieved to the circuit board 12 and there i~ no
buildup of any tolerance mi~match over the length of
the receptacle 10. Thi6 i8 a higly Rignificant feature
~ince lt i6 de~ired to pack a~ many contacts as
possible into each segment. It i6 a unique fe~ture of
the present invention that a very high density of
electrlcal contacts can be employed in the receptacle
while maintaining adequate alignment with the
corre~ponding cont~ct pads 21 of the circult bo~rd 12.
~OS35
17
Each ~egment 20 is composed of a segment body
63 which i~ arranged to ~upport two opposing row~ of
~pring contact member~ 64. One end 65 of each ~pring
contact member COmprieS a contact portion for engaging
a corresponding contact pad 5 of a daughter board 11.
The oppo~ing end 66 of the ~pring contact member 64
comprise~ a lever-type contact portion for engaging and
contacting the contact pads 21 of the mother board 12.
The use of lever-type contact 66 and contact pads 21
provides a ga~-tight, high pressure connection. The
end of the contact portion 66 i~ forced into the
-- contact pad 21 and, by digging into it, makes a good
electrical connection because it breaks throu~h the
o~ides on the ~urface of the pad. With thi~ type of
contact arrangement, it i8 not nece~sary to provide
gold contact pads or gold plating of the portion 66. A
tin-to-tin connection, which is much less expensive, i~
thereby possible. The contact pads 35 on the daughter
. board, however, ~re normally gold plated.
The contact members 64 can be ~elected to be
sign~l carrying, such a~ the narrow cont~ct members 32,
or they can be power or current carrying 6uch a8 the
relat~vely wider contact member 68. The segments 20
can therefore have their functlons tallored as desired
12~0~35
18
for handling ~ignal~ or power or any other function
which might be required.
It iB a preferred feature of the present
invention to provide the highefit density of contact
member~ 64 in the ~egment 20. Thi~ i~ partially
accompli~hed by providing alternating high 32 and low
31 contact members in each respective row of contact~.
Further, respective high contact~ 32 in one row are
arranged in opposition to respective low contacts 31 in
the opposing row of contact members 64.
Correspondingly, a low contact 31 in the one row of
contact~ is an opposition to a high contact $n the
oppo~ing row of contacts. These high and low contact6
32 and 31 are adapted to engage two staggered row~ of
contact pads 35 as illustrated in ~igure 1 by
~taggering the contact pads 35 in two rows as shuwn~
It is possible to provide a higher density of
contact~ with a greater tolerance concerning the
alignment of the contact portion 65 of each segment
with the pads 35. Thi~ minimize~ the risk of a
misregi~tratlon between the contact portion 65 of the
re~pective high and low cont~cts 32 and 31 of each
~eqment with the contact pad~ 35. It also en~bles a
reduced chance of shorting in the event ~hat the
lZZ0~35
19
contact portions ~5 are ~lightly bent since there iB
quite a large di6tance between high contact~ in any
particular row. This is also true of the low contacts.
This ~cheme permits the size of the pads 35 to be
increased and minimizes the criticality of a spacing
between the pads.
A series of connector sy~tems 10 can be
placed on a mother circuit board 12 with any type of
conventional hold down or clamping device 70 such as
10 the one illustrated in Figure 6. The clamping members
71 or 72 are arranged to engage the step 55 in the side
wall~ 41 or 42. The clamping members 71 or 72 are
secured to the circuit board or mother board 12 by
bolts 73 or otherwi~e fastened to the circuit board 12
15 80 as to enable the contact~ 66 of the sprinq contact
members 64 to engage the pad~ 35 on the mother board
12. As previously described, the 8top 6urface 56
engages the ledge 57 of the ~egment 20 to hold the
segment 20 ~o that the contacts 66 make good electrical
20 connection to the contact pads 35. The clamping member
71 i8 adapted to be employed between adjacent
receptacles 10 whereas the clamping member 72 i~
adapted to clamp a free side 41 of the recept~cle 10. ~-
? A gre8t deal of flexlbility in con~tructing a
~Z20~35
computer circuit board system is possible with a design
of this electrical connector ~y~tem. The receptacle 10
can have any multiple of ~egments 20; for exampler 5,
7, 11, etc., a~ desired. A plurality of receptacles 10
can be a;ranged on the mother board in adjacent
parallel relationship a~ shown in Figure~ 1 and 6.
If desired, the receptacle can extend beyond
the mother board 12 ~o that additional connector
~egment~ 20 in the receptacle 10 can be c~nnected to
other type6 of plug portion~ and circuit connectors or
element~. For example, the receptacle 10 can encompa~s
the mother board a~ well as accommodate other totally
different type~ of connections located completely off
the mother board.
Each of the segments 20 includes a low or
zero insertion force mechanism for ~y~tem 30. The
contact members 64 in the embodiment shown in Figure 6
are bia~ed towards the contact members of the opposing
row 80 that lf they were in their free state, they
would take the positions shown in phantom in the
right-hand receptacle 10 of Figure 6. The low
in~ertion force mechanism thereby employs a cam 33 and
follower 34~ ~
When the cam 33 i8 rotated to ~ po~it~on
12Z0~3~i
21
shown in the left-hand receptacle 10 of Figure 6,
follower 34 moves upwardly to deflect the ~pring member
64 in one row away from the ~pring members 64 in the
opposing row. This allow~ the circuit board 11 to be
inserted in the slot 40 with a low or zero insertion
force. When the cam 33 i~ rotated to the positions
~hown in the right-hand receptacle 10 of Figure 6, the
follower 34 is lowered to release the contact member 64
~o that the contact portion 65 engage the re6pective
contact pads 35 of the daughter board 11. Preferably,
each segment includes it6 own separate follower member
34. ~owever, the cam member 33 preferably comprise~ a
unitary member or metal rod extending through all the
6egment~ 20 in the receptacle 10. The cam member 33
preferably has an oblong or oval cross-section.
The top surface 74 o$ the follower member i8
arranged to engage the spring contact 64 to deflect
them to ~pace them apart or relea~e them BO that they
: can engage the daughter board 11. The follower member
34 has a ~-shaped cross-section for its upper portlon.
When it i8 positioned ~8 in the left-hand receptacle 10
in Figure 6 for receipt of the circuit board 11, the
bottom of the ~-shaped, 75, serves as A 8top ~urf~ce
; for align~ng the circult board 11 during insertion.
~2205,35
22
The lower portion of the follower member 34,
cross-~ection 76, has a hook-like ~hape ~o that when
the follower member i~ withdrawn a~ ln the right-hand
receptacle lO in Figure 6, it i8 held down in the
withdrawn po~ition by engagement between the cam 33 and
the hook-portion 76.
The segment body 63 includes an outer ~egment
support member 77 and an inner ~egment ~upport segment
78. The spring contacts 64 are held in place between
the respective support members 77 and 78. The inner
support member 78 also serves to support the cam and
follower member~ 33 and 34.
Wh~le the low or zero insertion force
mechanism 30 ha~ been described by reference to the
embodiment particularly shown in Figure 6, ~ny desired
low insertion force mechanism can be employed as
illu~trated by the numerous patent~ noted in the
background of thi~ application. While it iB preferred,
in accordance with this invention, for the spring
contact members 64 $n one row to be bia~ed tcw~rdR the
spring contact member6 64 in the opposing row lf
desired, a~ illustrated in the background of this
invent~on, the opposite approach can be employed. In
~uch an opposite approach, the follower member ~erves
~Z20~35
23
to deflect the spring contact~ 64 to have the contact
portion~ 65 engage the contact pads 35 or release the
spring contact~ ~o that they are spaced apart in their
free 6tate.
A~ illustrated in Figure 7, actuating lever
38 i~ secured to the cam 33. Thi~ enable~ the operator
to rotate the cam 33 by moving the lever 38 between its
re~pective open and closed po~ition~ illustrated in
Figures 4 and 5. Alternatively, if desired, the length
of the lever 38 can be made much longer 80 that an
operator need only reach to the top of the circuit
board area in order to turn it. Thi~ embodiment also
provide~ greater leverage on the cam 33 for easier
operation. Yet ano~her ~pproach adapted for remote
actuation i6 to ~ubstitute a lever 79, which by the use
of a suitable linkage 80 pivotally connected to the end
81 of the lever 79, can be remotely actuated. For
example, the linkage 80 can be brought out through a
hole, not shown, in the top of the card hous~ng 13
shown in Figure 1. By pulling up on the linknge 80,
the cam 33 i8 pi~oted to open the receptacle for
in~ertlon of the circuit board 11. ~y pu~hing down on
the linkage 80, the reverse of the operation take~
place .
~2Z0~3~5
24
Referring now to Figure6 4-5 and 7-16, the
aligning and locking ~y~tem 22 and the actuating sy~tem
36 will be described in greater detail. A~ previously
described, the aligning and locking sy~tem 22 i8
5compri~ed of loc~ing lever~ 23 and 24. The body ~hell
19 includes a support extension 82 at its end 44. The
lever 23 is pivotally supported about an extension ba~e
83 by mean~ of a ~plit cylinder pin 84 inserted through
holes 85 and 86 in the respective lever 23 and base 83.
10A second extension support base 87 includes a
squarish hole 88 through which the cam 33 is inserted.
Prior to insertion of the cam 33, the actuating lever
37, fork-like projection~ 89, i~ positioned with a ba~e
87 between the leg~ of the fork-like projections 89. A
5810t 90 in the fork-like projections 89 closely fit~
the cro~ ection of the cam 33. The cam 33 i8 held
_within the receptacle 10 after in~ertion. Insertion
through each of the respective segments 20 by means of
a split pin 91 in~erted through a hole 92 in the cam 33
20within a 610t 93 i~ best illustrated in Figure 16. The
pin 91 serves to lock the cam in place and the ca~, in
turnr serve~ to lock the actuat~ng lever 37 in place.
Referring now more part~cularly to the
actuating And locking ~ystems 22 and 36 at the end 44
..,
1220~35
of the body shell 19, reference is had to Figures 7-11.
The locking lever 23 include~ a firfit projection 27
which i~ adapted to be inserted in an alignment hole 25
on one side of the circuit board 11. It further
includes a second projection 29 which is adpated to be
inserted in the notch 28 on one side of the circuit
board 11. The locking lever 23 also includes a
follower portion 3g defined by the upper surface of one
of the support legs 95. The follower portion 39
lo includes a notch 96. The actuating lever 37 includes a
tab 38 which acts as a cam. The follower portion 39
al~o include~ a ~top portion 96 in operation when the
lever 37 i8 in its vertical po~ition as ~hown. The cam
33 disengages the Regment follower 34 B0 that the
contacts 31 and 32 close againRt the daughter boards.
In this po~ition, the tab or cam 38 has engaged the
6top portion 96 to pivot the lever 23 against the
circuit board 11 ~o that the projections 27 and 29 seat
in the respective hole 25 and 810t 28.
When the lever 37 i~ pivoted in the opposite
direction to position as shown in Figure 4, the cam tab
38 does not pivot the lever 23 until it engages the
stop portion 97 defined by the lower ~ide of the Blot
96. Therefore, a~ the lever 37 move~ from the stop
~z20~3s
portion 96 to the ~top portion 97, there is no movement
of the lever 23. However, the cam 33 i~ rotated from
its closed actuation po~ition to it~ open actuation
po~ition. The tab 38 engage~ the ~top por.tion 97
before the lever 37 i8 rotated to it~ completely open
position~ After the tab 3B engages the ~top portion
97, continued pivoting in a downwardly direction of the
lever 37 causes the lever 23 to pivot awa~ from the
circuit board, thereby disengaging the projections 27
and 29 from the respective hole 25 and slot 28.
Therefore, when the lever 37 i5 moved from it~ closed
po~ition to it~ open position, the contacts are fir~t
spaced apart under the action of the cam 33 and
follower 34 and then the locking lever is di6engaged in
a serial fashion.
When the lever 37 is moved from its open
position a~ in Figure 4 to its closed position a~ in
Pigure 5, a rever6e series of operation~ occurs. When
the lever 37 is in its full open po~ition, ~he tab 38,
due to the pivoting action o$ the lever 23, moves into
the 610t 96. Therefore~ the upper ~ide wall of t~e
slot 98 i8 engaged by the tab 38 of the lever 37 as it
begins i~s movement in an upwardly direction. Thi
: causes the lever 23 to piyot ~bout pin 84 into lt~
~Z~ 3S
27
locking and aligned position against the circuit board
11 with a small rotation of the lever 37. This small
rotation however is insufficient to rotate the cam 33
sufficiently against the follower 34 to close the
contacts. As the lever 23 pivots under the action of
the pad 38 against the stop portion 98, the tab moves
out of the slot 96 just as the lever 23 fully aligns
and locks against the board 11. The lever 37 is
thereafter free to continue rotation to its upward
position against the stop 96 and thereby release the
contacts for engagement with the circuit board.
Thereforet the action of the cam 38 and follower 39 i6
~uch that when the lever 37 is moved from its open
position to the closed position, ~hown in Figures 4 and
5, respectively the circuit board is first aligned and
locked in place and then the contacts are released to
engage the circuit board.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of
this invention, the aligning and locking 6ystem 22 and
actuating systems 36 include the ~econd aligning and
locking lever 24 and a second actuating lever 99. The
second lever 24 and the 6econd lever 99 are located at
the oppo~ing end 43 of the body shell 19. By means of
a Rupport extension 100, the extension 100 includes ~
~2Z0~35
28
support 101 about which the lever 24 i~ pivotally
~upported by a split pin 102. It extends through hole~
103 in the lever 24 and 104 in the base 101. As
previou~ly described, the cam rod 33 extends through a
slot 93 terminating in a squarish hole 105 in a second
support base 106 in the extension 100.
The second actuating lever 99 includes a slot
90 which has a cross-section closely corresponding to
the cross-~ection of the cam 3~. The lever 99 is
positioned about the cam 33 between the lever 24 and
the support base exten~ion 106. The lever 99 includes
tab 38 corresponding the tab of the lever 37.
Similarly, the lever 24 includes a follower portion 39
corresponding to the follower portion of the lever 23.
The follower portions include a slot S including ~top
portions 97 and 98. It also includes stop portion S.
: T~e operation of lever 99 i~ tled to the
_ operation of lever 37 by the cam 33. The inner action
of lever 99 with the lever 24 via the tab 38 and
20 follower 39 is identical to the inner action previou61y
described with the respect to the levers 37 and 23 ~nd,
therefore, is not described again. When the lever 37
i6 moved between its re~pective open and closed
- po~itlons, the lever 99 moves between corre~ponding
~Z20~35
29
position~ and interacts with the lever 24 in the ~ame
manner as the lever 37 interacts with the lever 23.
The projections 27 which serve to align and
lock the circuit board 11 in the receptacle 10 are
tapered ~o that a slight misalignment of the circuit
board 11 doe~ not prevent alignment and locking of tbe
board into the receptacle. The taper of the
projections ~7 serve to move the board into it~
properly aligned position. It should be apparent that
the contacts 67 of the receptacle 10 cannot be clo~ed
unle~s the circuit board 11 i8 properly locked and
aligned within the receptacle. Any mi~alignment would
prevent the projections 27 and 29 from being inserted
in the respective alignment holes 25 and ~lot 28.
Thi6, in turn, would prevent the pivoting of the lever6
23 and 24 into their fully and aligned position. The
failure of those lever~ to pivot to their fully aligned
and locked positions result~ in the tab 38 of the
lever~ 37 of 99 engaging the stop portion 96 on the
respective followers 39. Thi~ prevents further
pivoting of the lever 37 and the cam 33, thereby
preventing engagement of the contact to the circuit
board 11.
Further, it i8 necesBary that the pro~ectlon~
~2;Z0535
or alignment pin~ 27 and 29 on both side6 of the
receptacle 10 be seated in their re~pective holes 25
and ~lot 28 in order to completely close the contacts
67 of the receptacle 10. Thus, the receptacle lever 37
cannot be fully closed to the position ~hown in Figure
5 unless both corner~ of the circuit board 11 are fully
seated in the connector housing. In the event of a
misalignment, the operator cannot close the handle 37
completely and must readjust the circuit board 11 80
that the alignment can take place. When the lever 37
i~ in the position of Figure 5, the circuit board
cannot be pulled out of the receptacle 10, out the side
of the receptacle 10, unles~ the handle 37 is fir6t
pivoted to its open po~ition as shown in Figure 4.
It should be understood that the foregoing
description i~ only illu~trative of the invention.
Various alternative~ and modifications can be devised
by those skilled in the art without departing from the
invention. Accordingly, the pre~ent invention i~
intended to embrace all ~uch alternatives,
modification~ and variances which fall within the scope
of the appended claims.
