Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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57
This invention relates to an electrical plug
receptacle connector and to a method of
manufacturing such a connector.
There is known an electrical plug
receptacle connector comprising an insulating
housing having a plug-receiving end and a
rearward end, a plug-receiving opening extending
into the plug-receiving end, such opening having
~pposed internal side walls and opposed
internal end walls, the housing having opposed
external side walls and opposed external end
walls, a plurality of electrical contacts
arrangèd in juxtaposed spaced relatlonship, -
. each comprising a contact spring portion
15 extending from one of the internal side -;
walls at a position adjacent to the plug-
: receiving end, obliquely into the opening and
towards the opposite internal side wall, and each
contact having a portion extending from the
plug-receiving end through the housing between
the one internal side wall and the adjacent
external side wall and towards the rearward end
of the housing, the plug-receiving opening being
dimensioned to receive an electrical plug
connector having spaced contact members therein
for engaging the contact spring portions of the
contacts of the receptacle connector.
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The plug connector is described in
- detail in United States Patent Specification
No. 3,860,316, for example.
Although this known receptacle connector
is widely used in the telephone industry, it
is being used to an increasing extent on
equipment other than telephone equipment, for
example, data processing equipment which may be
installed adjacent to a telephone exchange,
small computers and similar equipment.
It is a disadvantage of the known-
receptacle connector that the contacts are
ln the form of circular cross-se'ction wire
springs constituting the contact spring portions
of the contacts and being connected to lead
wires by means of ferrules crimped to the leads
and to the wire springs to splice them together,
the ferrules being lodged in indlvidual
bores formed in the housing between the one
internal side wall and the adjacent external
side wall. The manufacture of the known
receptacle connector must therefore include
; the steps of crimping the ferrules to the wire
springs and the lead wires, and of then
inser~ing the individual ~errules into the bores.
It is another disadvantage of the known
receptacle connector that it is unadapted for mounting
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on a printed circuit panel as would be desirable
for example where the receptacle connector is to
be used in data processing equipment. Although
the wire springs, which make only line contact
with the contact members of the plug connector,
are suitable for the transmission of audio
frequency signals, larger areas of contact
~ between the contact portions of the
I xeceptacle connector contacts and the contact
¦ 10 members of the plug connector would be
desirable in the case of the more recent
applications, mentioned above, of the receptacle
connector.
The present invention is intended to
lS provide a plug receptacle connector which is easier
and thus more economical to manufacture than
the known receptacle connector described above
and which is also more versatile in refpect
of its fields of use.
According to one aspect of the present invention,
in an electrical receptacle plug connector as defined
in the second paragraph of this specification,
1 each of the contacts has been formed from a single
;l elongate, flat, strip of metal, an intermediate
.,~1
portion of such strip being disposed in a contact-
receiving channel extending from the plug-receiving
end of the housing towards the rearward end thereof, a
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portion of the strip extending from one end of
the intermediate portion, having been bent back
over a portion of the plug-receiving end between
, the one internal side wall and the adjacent
external side wall, to provide the contact
spring portlon, a tail portion of the strip
extending from the other end of the intermediate
portion and beyond the housing, projections
extending laterally from the strip providing
10 mechanical interference connections between the
contacts and the housing to malntain the contacts
ln assembled relationship to the housing.
According to another aspec,t of the present
invention, a method of manufacturing an electrical
~, 15 plug receptacle connector as defined in the second
paragraph of this specification, comprises the
" steps of arranging a series of elongate metal
'~ strips connected together in juxtaposed
relationship, so that an intermediate portion
20 of each strip is disposed in a contact-recelving
channel extending from the plug-receiving end of
the housing towards the rearward end thereof,
I with one end portion of each strip projecting
:' beyond the plug-receiving end of the housing and
, 25 the opposite end portion of each strip projec~ing
beyond the rearward end of the housing, and
employing tooling to bend, in co-operation
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57with a first edge portion sf the plug-receiving
end between the one internal side wall and the
- . adjacent external side wall, the one end portion
of each strip back from the plug-receiving end of
the housing to cause such portion to extend obliquely
into the plug-receiving opening and to bend the
Opposite end portion of the strip, so that at
least one extremity of such portion projects
outwardly of the housing, the method also including
the steps of severing the connections between
the metal strips and producing an interference
mechan$cal connection between a lateral projection
on each strip, and the housing, to retain the
strips in assembled relationship to the housing.
According to embodiments of the
present invention, which are described in detail
below, the receptacle connector is adapted
specifically for domestic use in that it is
80 arranged that the plug connector cannot
easily be extracted from the plug-receiving
opening, for example by a small child, and in
that it is so arranged that a small child's
finger cannot be impaled upon the free ends of
the contact portions of the contact springs.
For a better understanding of the invention,
embodiments thereof will now be described by way
,
of example, with reference to the accompanying
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drawings, in which~
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an
electrical plug receptacle connector according
to a first embodiment of the invention, mounted
on a printed circuit panel, in association with
a mating electrical plug connector and a cover
panel;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the
receptacle connector as seen in cross-section
lOf through the panel;
; Figure 3 is a view taken on the lines
. III - III of Figure l;
Figure 4 is an underplan view of the housing
` of the receptacle connector;
Figure S is a fragmentary underplan view
;:~ of a printed circuit panel;
:..;
Figure 6 is a front elevatlonal view,
~:1 sho~wn partly in section and showing the plug
,. ..
connector mated with the receptacle connector;
Figure 7 is a plan view of a metal blank
illustrating steps in the manufacture of electrical
. contacts of the receptacle connector;
Figure 8 is an enlarged view taken on
the lines VIII - VIII of Figure 7;
: 25 Figures 9 to 11 are sectional views
illustrating successive stages in the use of
tooling for the application of a section of
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-: . .. ..
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the blank of Figure 7 to the housing of the
receptacle connector to provide the housing with
the contacts;
Figure 12 is a plan view shown partly in
~ection illustrating the stage of Figure 9;
Figure 13 is a sectional view taken on the
11nes XIII - XIII of Figure 12;
. Figure 14 is a sectional side view of an ~~
electrical receptacle connector according to a
lo second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 15 is a perspective view of an
electrical plug receptacle connector according
to a third embodiment of the invention mounted
on a printed circuit panel and in association
with a mating electrical plug connector;
Figure 16 is a view taken on the lines
XVI - XUI of Figure 15;
F~gure 17 is a top plan view of the
xeceptacle connector of the thlrd embodimen~;
Figure 18 is a ~ront elevational view of
the receptacle connector of the third embodiment;
Figure 19 is a view taken on the lines XIX -
XIX of Figure 16;
Figure 20 is a front elevational view shown
partly in section and showing the receptacle
connector of the third embodiment mated with the
plug connector;
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Figure 21 is a plan view of a metal
progression strip, illustrating steps in the
manufacture of electrical contacts of the
receptacle connector of the third embodiment;
Figure 22 is an end view of a partially
formed contact;
Figure 23 is a view similar to that of
: Figure 16 but illustrating a step in the assembly
of the contacts to the receptacle connector of
lo the third embodiment; r
~, Figure 24 is a fragmentary plan view
$11ustrating a modification of the receptacle
. connector according to the third embodiment;
., Figure 25 is a view taken on the lines
~ 15 XXV - XXV of Flgure 24;
,J Figure 26 is a view similar to that of
Figure 1 but showing an electrical plug receptacle
connector according to a fourth embodiment of
the invention;
Figures 27 and 28 are front elevational,
and top plan views, respectively, of the receptacle
connector according to the fourth embodiment;
Figure 29 is a view taken on the lines
XXIX - XXIX of Figure 28;
. 25 Figure 30 is a sectional view showing a
receptacle connector according to the first
embodiment and a receptacle connector according
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to the fourth embodiment, mounted on a common
printed circuit board;
Figure 31 is a fragmentary underplan
view of the printed circuit board;
Figure 32 is a plan view of a metal ..
blank illustrating steps in the manufacture of
electrical contacts of the receptacle connector
according to the fourth embodlment;
Figures 33 and 34 are sectional views
' 10 illustrating the manner in which the receptacle
connector of the fourth embodiment is provided
~ with the electrical contacts;
; Figure 35 is a view similar to those of .
.Figures 1 and 26 but showing an electrical plug
receptacle connector according to a fifth
i .
,, embodiment of the invention;
Figure 36 ~s a view of the receptacle
connector taken on the lines XXXVI - XXXVI o
Figure 35;
Figure 37 is a top plan view of the
receptacle connector of the fifth embodiment;
Figure 38 is a view taken on the lines
XXXVIII - XXXVIII of Figure 36;
Figure 39 is a fragmentary underplan view
of a printed circuit board;
Figure 40 is an enlarged perspective view
wi~h parts omitted, illustrating the manner in
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which electrical contacts of the receptacle
connector of the fifth embodiment are inserted
into holes in the printed circuit board;
Figure 41 is a view taken on the lines
XXXXI - XXXXI of Figure 36;
Figure 42 is an enlarged plan view of a
:~ metal blank;
Figures 43 and 44 are sectional views
illustrating the assembly of electrical contacts
, 10 to the housing of the receptacle connector of the
fifth embodiment; and
Flgure 45 is a view taken on the lines
XXXXV - XXXXV of Figure 44.
Reference will now be made to Figures 1
to 13.
As shown in Figure 1 an electrical plug
. receptacle connector 2 is mounted on a printed
:' circuit board 4, an electrical.plug connector
' 68 being adapted to be mated with the receptacle
connector 2. The receptacle connector 2 comprises
an insulating housing 6 having a plug-receiving
openin.g 12 extending through the housing 6 and
between the ends 8 and 10. The opening 12 has
opposed upper and lower internal side walls 14 and
16 (as seen in Figure 3) and opposed internal
end walls 18 and 20, as best seen in Figure 2.
. The housing 6 has external side walls 22 and 24
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and external end walls 26 and 28 which are
adjacent to the internal side walls 14 and 16.
The end walls 26 and 28 have extensions 30, which
. extend beyond the plug-receiving end 8, outwardly
.,
projecting flanges 32 being provided on the ends ~ :
; of the extensions 30. The housing 6 is mounted on
~- . the board 4 by means of locating pins 34 adjacent
, to the rearward end 10 of the housing 6, and which
..,
are received in circular openings 80 (Figure 5)
' 10 in the board 4, and by latch arms 36 having enlarged
.~; ends 39 which are recelved ln notches 78 (best
seen ln Flgure 5) in an edge of the board 4.
:;
, A cover panel 38 has an opening 40 shaped to
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: . receive the housing 6 when the panel 38 is moved
;j 15 downwardly from the position in which it is shown
in Figure 1. The flanges 32 then extend laterally
beyond the edges of the opening 40 and support
the housing 6.
A plurality of spaced recesses 42 defining
between them barriers 43, are provided in the
plug-receiving end 8 of the housing 6, between the
side walls 16 and 24, as best seen in Figure 3,
each recess 42 merging with a slot 44 which extends
partially along the side wall 16 from the plug-
receiving end 8 of the housing 6. Each recess42 also communicates with a narrow channel 46a
or 46b in the external side wall 24. Each such
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channel has an inner closed end 48a or 48b the
opposed sides of each channel having V-shaped
recesses 50a or 50b, as best seen in Figure 4,
. the ends of the channels 4 6a being remote from
,~
the rearward end 10 of the housing 6 relati~e to
- ends 48b of the channels 46b and the recesses
50a being adajcent to the ends 48a. The ends of
the channels 46b are proximate to the rearward
end 10 of the housing 6, the recesses 50b being
; 10 immediately adjacent to the ends of the channels
46b. The recesses 50a and 50b and the ends 48a
and 48b are accordingly staggered with respect to
; . .
~a the rearward end 10 of the housing. Barriers 51
of the housing material are defined between
adjacent channels 46a and 46b.
`I A plurality of stamped and formed electrical
contacts 52a and 52b are mounted in the housing 6,
each such contact having an lnt.ermediate portion
54a or 54b which is located in one of the channels
46a or 46b, as the case may be, a bight 56 adjacent
to the end 8 of the housing 6, and being located
in the corresponding recess 42, and a contact
spring portion 58 which extends obliquely into
the opening 12 of the housing 6. A tail portion
60a or 60b of each contact extends normally of the
portion 54a or 54b from its end remote from that
from which the portion 58 extends, and downwardly,
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57
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as seen in Figure 3, beyond the wall 24. The
. extremities 53 of these taii portions are dimensioned
to be inserted into staggered holes 83 (Figure
5) in the board 4 to be soldered to conductors ~:
(not shown) on the underside of the board 4. Each
contact 52a or 52b has outwardly extending barbs
~: 62a or 62b which are force fitted into the recesses
;. 50a and 50b, respectively, to retain the contacts
~ 52a and 52b in the housing 6.
: 10 The plug connector 68 which is described
; ~n detail in United States Patent Specification
No. 3,954,320, comprises an insulating housing
having a recess therein which receives the end
portion of an eight wire cable 70. The wires
of the cable 70 are connected by means of
insulation piercing connections (not shown) to
blade-like terminals 74 (Figure 6) contained in
the housing of the plug 68, edge portions of which
terminals 74 are adjacent to the underside 72
of the plug housing. The edge portions of the
terminals 74 thus engage the contact spring portions
58 when the p~ug 68 is inserted into the opening
12, as shown in Figure 6. The plug 68 is
retained in the opening 12 by means of a latch
arm 76 which extends from the upper (as seen in
Figures 1 and 6) surface of the plug housing and
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which has shoulders 79 for engagement behind
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~1957
shoulders 66 (Figure 3) adjacent to the internal
side wall 14, the opening 12 having an
enlargement 64 to acGommodate the latch arm 76.
~ In the course of their manufacture, the
'~ 5 contacts 52a and 52b are stamped from a continuous
length of metal sheet, for example of brass or
beryllium copper in the form of strips 52a' and
52b', to provide a blank 84 as shown in Figure 7,
each such strip being integral with spaced
carrier strips 86 and 88. As shown on the
right hand side of Figure 7, each strip 52a'
and 52b' has outward projections 62a' and 62b',
which are coplanar with the remainder of the blank
84, the projections 62a' being nearer to the
carrier strip 86 than the projections 62b'. The
strips 52b' are connected to the carrier strip
86 by neck portions 90 which are nearer to the
carrier strip 86, than neck portions 92 which
connect the strips 52a' to the carrier strip 86.
As will be explained below, the individual strips
52a' and 52b' are sheared from the carrier strip 86
at the respective neck portions 90 and 92.
Prior to shearing the neck portions 90 and 92,
the projections 62a' and 62b' are deformed
upwardly very slightly (as seen in Figure 8),
to provide the barbs 62a and 62b, such deformation
serving to facilitate the engagément of the barbs
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62a and 62b with the walls of the recesses 50a
, and 50b.
The strips 52a' and 52b' can be assembled
:~ to the housing 6 and formed to provide the contacts
52a and 52b by means of insertion tooling, in
~; the manner illustrated in Figures 9 to 13. The
tooling comprises a fixed shearing member 190 in
: the form of a shearing block, a movable shearing
. , member 192 in the form of a shearing blade, an
insertion and forming ram assembly 94 whichcomprises two ram parts 96 and 98, and an additional
shearing member 99 (Figure 10), in the form of
a shearing blade. The shearing members 190 and
192 serve to sever the strips 52a' and 52b' from
the carrier strip 86 and, as shown in Figure 12,
. shearing edges 100 and 102 of the member 192
are offset from each other so that the strips
52a' are sheared from the carrier strip 86 as
the neck portions 92 and the strips 52b' are
20 severed at the neck portions 90, the member 190
having shearing edges (not shown) which are
complementary with the edges 100 and 102.
The ram part 96 has spaced-apart support
surfaces 104 for the strips 52a' and 52b' and
, 25 recesses 106 on each side of each support
sur'face 104 to permit the support surfaces 104
to insert the strips 52a' and 52bl into the
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; channels 46a and 46b on the underside of the
. housing 6, the barriers 51 being received in the
recesses 106. As shown in Figure 12, the support
~ . surfaces 104 for the strips 52b' extend beyond
; 5 the support surfaces 104 for the strips 52a'
because the channels 46b are longer than the
channels 46a. The working surface 112 of the ram
part 98 is coplanar with the support surfaces
104 when the ram parts 96 and 98 are in their
lo position of Figure 9, however, spaced openings
110 extend vertically through the ram part 98
between a~jacent surfaces 104 as shown in Figure
12. The openings 110 provide clearance for the
barriers 43 between adjacent recesses 42 in the
housing 6.
With the housing 6 supported in an upper
tooling member (not shown), the required number
of strips 52a' and 52b', which are to be formed
into the contacts 52a and 52b for the housing 6,
are assembled to the housing 6 by positioning a
section (see the left hand side of Figure 7) of the
blank 84 on the tooling 96, 98, 190 as shown in
Figure 9, with the housing 6 supported above the
tooling and with the strips 52a' and 52b' in
alignment with respective channels 46a and 46b
of the housing 6. During the insertion of the
strips 52a' and 52b', the shearing member 192
ls first depressed from the position of Figure 9
` to sever the strips 52a` and 52b' from the carrier
strip 86. These strips may be held on the ram
assembly 94 by the shearing member 99 or by
other hold down means ~not shown)~ The shearing
member 192 is then raised from the position of
- Figure 9 and the ram assembly 94 is raised as a
unit from the position of Figure 9 to that of
- . Figure 10~ .
As a result of such movement of the
.~ assembly 94 the tail portions 60a and 60b of
the contacts 52a and 52b are formed by bending
the corresponding end portions of the strips
52a' and 52b', as such end portions are pushed
lS by the part 96 past rounded corners 101 at the
closed ends of the channels 46a and 46b. The
shearing member 99 then des.cends from the posltion
o~ Figure 10, and in co-operation wlth the right
hand (as seen in Figure 10) edge of the ram part
98 shears the carrier strip 88 from the strips
52a' and 52b'. The part 98 is then moved upwardly
relative to the part 96, which remains stationary,
partially to form the contact spring portions 58
of the contacts, as shown in Figure 11. The
housing 6 is then removed from the tooling and
the partially formed portions 58 are fully formed
by bending them lnwardly to their final positions
.
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(Figure 3), by inserting a gauging tool (not
; shown) into the opening 12 of the housing 6.
In the embodiment of Figure 14, i.e. the
second embodiment, the extremities 53c of the
tail portions of the contacts extend through shallow
extensions 125 of the channels 46a and 46b, beyond
the rearward end 10 of the housing. The housing
of Figure 14 is intended to be mounted on a printed
circuit board (not shown) with the rearward end
10 on the surface of the board. If desired,
the extremities 53c may be offset from each
other for insertion into holes in the printed
circuit board arranged according to the pattern
~ of the holes 83 of Figure 5.
; 15 A receptacle connector as described above
can be readily mounted on the printed circuit
boa-rd and its contacts soldered to conductors on
the board without the use of intervening connecting
devices or conductors. The tail portions of the
contacts may otherwise be shaped, for example, so
that their extremities can be mated with terminal
receptacles (not shown) crimped to the ends of
wires, or such extremities can be formed each
with a slot (not shown) for receiving an
insulated wire upon movement of the wire laterally
of lts axis and into the slot.
It is advantageous that the receptacle
19
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connector can be produced by injection moulding
a on~-piece housing, stamping the individual
. contacts, and inserting all of them into the
. housing in a single insertion operation.
The fact that the contacts of the receptacle
connector are stamped and formed and have a
substantial width, as illustrated in Figure 6,
results in improved electrical characteristi~s
in that the edge portions of each terminal of the
plug connector bear against a flat surface of a
contact member of the receptacle connector. It
will be apparent from Figure 6 that slight
misalignment of the terminals of the plug
connector relative to the contacts of the
receptacle connector will not affect the quality
of the electrical connections, which always
consist of two flat surfaces disposed against
each other.
Reference will now be made to Figures
15 to 23.
The receptacle connector 202 according to
the third embodiment is intended to be mated
with a plug connector 68' (identical with the
connector 68 described above excepting that it is
for a four wire cable 70' instead of for an
eight wire cable~, to connect the wires 70' to
conductors 207 (Figures 16 and 20) on the underside
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of a printed circuit board 210. As shown in
Figures 15 and 16, the connector 202 comprises
' . an insulating housing 212 of plastics material,
:~ . for example a filled nylon, having a rearward:
: 5 end 214, a plug-receiving end 216, and a plug-
1 receiving opening 218 extending through the
housing 212 and between the ends 214 and 216. The
opening 218 has upper and lower (as seen in
Figure 16) internal side walls 220 and 222 and
~nternal end walls 224 and 226 (Figure 18), the
housing 212 having external side walls 228 and
330, external end walls 232 and 234 and support
feet 236 which extend outwardly from the external
: ' end walls 232 and 234. The feet 236 are provided '~
~' 15 with locking lugs 237 on their undersides, which
, lugs are dimensioned to be received in holes in
~i .
the board 210 to retain the housing 212 on the
board 210 prior to soldering the electrical
. contacts 260 in the housing 212 to the conductors
207 of the board 210. The external side wall 230
: is supported above the board 210 by the feet 236
to facilitate the soldering operation. The
feet 236 merge with a rearward apron 238 of the
housing 212.
: 25 A contact-receiving opening 240 extends
through the housing 212 parallel to, and adjacent
to, the opening 218 and between,the internal
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side wall 222 and the adjacent external side wall
: 230, as best seen in Figure 16. This opening 240
extends rearwardly through a recessed surface
242 below the portion 241 of the plug-receiving
end 216 which is adjacent to the internal side
wall 222. As best seen in Figuré 19, the entrance
to the opening 240 in the surface 242 is of
restricted width and the sides of the opening 240 .
diverge rearwardly as shown at 244. This
divergent portion of the opening 240 merges with
a wlder portion 246 which extends to the
rearward end 214 of the. housing 212. An entrance
248 at such rearward end is flared, as shown in
Figure 16, to facilitate assembly of the contacts
15 260 to the housing 212, as described below.
A ramp 250 extends down from the entrance
248 of the opening 240 to the upper surface 252
of the apron 238, spaced barriers 254 being
provided on the ramp 250 and on the surface 252
to define a separate stall for each contact 260.
Additionally, spaced V-shaped notches 256 extend
inwardly from the reaxward edge 258 of the apron
238 to receive the contacts 260 with an
interference fit, also as described below.
The contacts 260 each comprise, as shown
in Figure 16, an .intermediate portion 262 which
is contained in the opening 240 with a force fit
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afforded by dimples 264 on the portion 262.
Adjacent to the end 216 of the housing 212, each
contact 260 has a bight 266 received in one of
a plurality of spaced notches 270, defining
barriers 241 at the end 216 of the housing 212.
Contact spring portions 268 of the contacts 260
- which extend obliquely from the wall 222 into the
opening 218, are deflected by the edge portions
of the terminals 74' of the plug connector 68'
when it is inserted into the opening 218 (Figure
20).
Tail portions 272 of the contacts 260
extend over the ramp 250 as shown in Figure 16,
across the adjacent surface 252 of the apron
238 and through the notches 256, offset parts
274 of the portions 272 abutting the surface
252. The notches 256 are dimensioned to recelve
the portions 272 with an interference fit securely
to anchor the ends of the portions 272 to the
housing 212, the barriers 254 serving to restrain
lateral movement of the contacts 260 towards or
away from each other. Extremities 281 of the
tail portions 272 extend downwardly beyond the
wall 230 and are soldered at 280 to the conductors
207. Enlarged arcuate parts 278 of the tail
portions 272, beneath the apron 238 provide the
interference fit mentioned above and contribute
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to the stability of the contacts 260 with respect
to the housing 212.
Shoulders 290 (Figures 16 and 23) in the
opening 218 serve to engage the shoulder 79'
of the latch arm 76' of the plug connector 68'
to retain the latter in the housing 212.
The contacts 260 are manufactured from
a progression strip 294 of spring metal (Figure
21). The strip 294 is prepared by punching
lo suitable pilot holes 300 (for locating the
strip) in the edge of the strip 294 and blanking
the strip 294 to produce groups 309 of four
contact blank strips 260'. The parts of each
strip 260' are identified in Figure 21 by the same
reference numerals, differentiated by "prime"
symbols, as those used in the above description
of the contacts 260. The strips 260' extend
between, and are formed integrally with, spaced
carrier strips 302 and 304. Sections 306 of the
strips 304 between adjacent groups 309 of strips
260' at end portions 268' thereof, are first
removed as shown in Figure 21. A forming operation
can then be carried out to produce the offset
parts 274 of the contact 260 and to produce the
dimples 264, (Figure 22). A finished group of
strips 260' then comprises a section 310 of the
carrier strip 302 with groups of four partially
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formed contacts 260 extending there from and with
the ends of the portions 268' of each such group
connected by a remanent 308 of the carrier strip
304. Each of these groups 309 i5 assembled to a
housing 212 after severing the section 310 of
the carrier strip 296 from the strip 294 while
leaving the remanents 308 of the carrier strip
304 and section 310 of the carrier strip 302, still
connected to the strips 260'. The group 309
is then inserted into the rearward entrance 248,
with the remanent 308 leading, to extend.beyond
the plug-receiving end 216 of the housing 212,
as shown in Figure 23, diverging portions 243
of the blanks 260' being received in the enlarged
lS portion 246 of the opening 240. Thereafter, the
remanent 308 and section 310 of the carrier strips
are severed from the strips 260' and final
forming of these blanks is car.ried out by bending
the portions 268' so as to extend obliquely into
the opening 218, and bending down the portions
272' of the strips 260' so as to extend over the
ramp 250, across the sur~ace 252 and through the
notches 256. The enlarged parts 278' are now
located adjacent to the lower surface of the
apron 238 as shown in Figures 18 and 20 in which
the enlarged portions are referenced 278 as
being parts of the finished contacts. The parts
- 25 -
,~
, :: ~,. , , ~ , :
. . : .
~: :,, , :
, :. . :
278 thereby assist ïn stabilizing the contacts
260 in the housing 212 and also restrain the
portions 272 against upward movement through the
notches 256 when ~he extremities 281 are inserted
into the openings in the board 210 prior to
the soldering operation.
According to the modification of Figures
24 and 25 extremities 322 and 324 of the tail
portions of the contacts 260a and 260b are
offset from each other so that the width of
the housing at the rearward end thereof can be
substantially reduced. It will be appreciated
that in this case it is unnecessary for the
intermediate portions of the contacts to be
divergent, the contact-receiving opening 240a
being of uniform width. Slots 316 and 318 extend
inwardly from the rearward edge of the apron
238a, the slots 316 which receive the end portions
of the contacts 260a being relatively deeper than
the slots 318 which receive the end portions of
the contacts 260b. All of the slots 316 and
318 have bases formed by ramps 250a which
slope downwardly from the upper surface of the
apron 238a, as shown in Figure 25, the contacts
260a and 260b extending across the ramps 250a
and downwardly beyond the lower surface of the
apron 238a, as seen in Figure 25. The contacts
. - ~
' ~ ~ : .' -' '
are also provided with outwardly extending barbs
326 which gouge into the side walls of the slots
316 and 318 when the contacts 260a and 260b
are assembled to the housing and assist in
retaining the contacts in assembled relationship.
The modification of Figures 24 to 25 can thus be
used under circumstances where it is desired
to have a housing of reduced width and where the
printed circuit board has staggered holes
o therein for reception of the extremities 324
and 322.
As in the case of the first and second
embodiments, the receptacle connector of the
third embodiment can be produced at a minimum
f cost by automatic assembly tooling, as
will be apparent from Figures 2} to 23 and the
description relating thereto. The contacts 260
can be produced at very low cost by virtue
of their simplified construction and the
absence of a requirement for crimped connections
in the housing, as described in United States
Patent Specification No. 3,850,497. Moreover,
the assembly of the contacts to the housing is
carried out by inserting all of the strips
260' in a single insertion operation. The
forming of the strips 260' after their insertion
can also be carried out with simple assembly
- 27 -
.. . .
9~
tooling ~not shown) and at a very low production
cost.
Although the receptacle connector 202 is
intended to be mounted on a printed circuit
board with the openings 218 and 240 extending
parallel to the surface of the board, it will be
apparent that the housing could be adapted to be
mounted on the board with these openings extending
normally of the surface of the board. For
~ example, extensions could be provided on the
rearward end 214 for supporting that end of the
housing above the surface of the board, the tail
portions of the contacts being formed so as to
extend into opçnings in the board.
Reference will now be made to Figures
26 to 31. As shown in Figure 26, an electrical
plug receptacle connector 403 according to the
fourth embodiment of this ~nv~ntion is mounted
on a printed clrcuit board 404 and serves to
connect the wires of an eight wire cable 70
connected to a plug connector 68 identical with
that described above with reference to the
first embodiment, to conductors 90 (Figure
31) on the underside of the board 404. The
connector 403 comprises a moulded insulating
housing 406 of thermoplastics material, for
example a filled nylon, having a plug-receiving
- 28 -
, .; :,
: :
. :
195~
end 408, a rearward end 410, and a plug-receiving
opening 412 extending into the plug-receiving end
408. The opening 412 has lower and upper (as
seen in Figures 27 and 29) internal side walls
414 and 416, and opposed internal end walls 418
and 420. The external surface of the housing
406 comprises lower and upper external side walls
; 422 and 424, respectively, and external end walls
426 and 428. The end walls 418 and 420 and the
o side wall 414 extend beyond the internal side
wall 416 at the plug-receiving end 408 as shown
at 430 in Figure 26, flanges 432 being provided
on the end walls 426 and 428 and on the side wall
424. Integral.mounting pins 434 which extend
from the side wall 422 are dimensioned to be
received for mechanical mounting purposes, in
openings 488 in the board 404 (see Figures 27,
2~, 31). Additionally, stand.off bosses 436
are provided on the side wall 422 to support it
slightly above the surface of the board 404 when
it is mounted thereon.
. The connector 403 is mounted adjacent
to an edge of the board 404 so that a cover
panel 438 engages this edge, when the connector
: 25 403 has been engaged in an opening 440 in the
panel 438, with the flanges 432 engaging the
rearward surface of the panel 438.
.. ., , . . ~ . ,
- ii~l95~
A plurality of juxtaposed recesses 442
(best seen in Figure 30) provided in the mating
end 408 of the housing 406 between the side
walls 416 and 424 merge wi~h spaced grooves 444
in the side wall 414 and with spaced channels
446 in the side wall 424. Adjacent channels 446
are separated by barriers 448, the channels 446
and the barriers 448 extending downwardly, as
seen in Figure 29, over the rearward end of the
housing 406 to the lower external side wall 422.
As best seen in Figure 29, the upper
portion of the opening 412 extends entirely
through the housing 406 but a web 449 is provided
at the rearward end of the housing 406, which
extends between the lower portions of the internal
end walls 418 and 420, the channels 446 and the
barriers 448 being provided on the external
surface of the web 449. Retaining shoulders
476 are provided in the opening 412.
: - 20 Staggered recesses 450 communicating with
. the channels 446, are provided in the side wall
424, in the web 449 as shown at 463, and in the
lower portion of the rearward end of the housing
406 as shown at 470, (Figure 29). The recesses
450 extend into the barriers 448 on each side
of each channel 446.
The housing 406 is provided with spaced
- 30 -
~ . .
., ~ : ,
. ,: - :
;,. . . . - .
~1~119S~
parallel electrical contacts 452 each having an
elongate intermediate portion 454 extending
across the side wall 424 (see Figure 30) and which
is bent downwardly at 464, and which has a tail
portion 466 extending downwardly across the
rearward end 410 of the housing 406. A contact
. spring portion 458 of each contact 452 extends
from a bight 456 disposed in one of the
: recesses 442 and projects obliquely into the
o opening 412.
The tail portion 466 of each contact 452
; has an extremity 460 projecting beyond the side
wall 422 for soldering to a conductor 490 on .
the board 404. ~etaining barbs 463 on the
contacts 452 are received in the recesses 450,
these barbs being similar to the barbs 62a and
62b described above with reference to the first
embodiment.
A central, downwardly (as seen in Figure
26), inclined recess 474, is provided in the
internal side wall 414 and extends to the mating
end 408 of the housing 406. Spaced shoulders 476
on each side of the recess 474, which shoulders
; face towards the rearward end 410 of the housing
406, are provided for co-operation with the
:, shoulders 79 (Figure 30) on the latch arm 76
of the plug connector 68.
'
, - 31 -
: . : . . .. , -
...
The conductors 490 of the board 404 extend,
as shown in Figure 31, to holes 492 in the board
404, arranged in two rows with the holes of one
row staggered with respect to those of the
other row. The extremities 460 of the contacts
452 are therefore correspondingly staggered
with respect to each other, by making the
channels 446 on the rearward end 410 of the
: housing 406 of different depths; alternate
channels 446 being deeper than the remaining
channels 446 so that the extremities 460 of the
contacts 452 in the deeper channels 446 form one
row and the extremities 460 of the contacts 452
; $n the shallower channels 446 form another row,
the extremities 460 of the one row being offset
from, and staggered with respect to, the
extremities 460 of the other row.
Flgure 32 shows a sheet metal blank 494
comprising spaced strips 452' for assembly to
housing 406, the blank 494 being shown as being
unformed on the right hand side of Figure 32, a
short section of the blank as formed, being
shown on the left hand side of that Figure.
The blank 494 comprises spaced continuous
carrier strips 496 and 498 with the strips 452'
extending there betwesn. Each strip 452' has a
reduced width neck S00 adjacent to the carrier
- 32 -
..
:. .
..
. --
g57
strip 496, which neck 500 is severed from the
carrier strip at the time of the assembly of the
strips 452' to the housing 406. The barbs 463
on the conductors are relatively staggered as
shown in Figure 32.
The formed strips 452' can be assembled
to the housing 406 in a similar manner to that
described above with reference to the first
embodiment. A formed section of the strip 494
lo having the required number of strips 452'
for the housing 406 is severed from the strip
494 and each strip 452' of the severed section
is placed in alignment with one o'f the channels
446 in the external side wall 424 (see Figure
33). The formed section is then moved downwardly
(Figure 34) so that the strips 452' enter the
channels 446. Thereafter, the carrier strip
498 is severed from the section of the strip 494
and the end portions of the strips 452', which
extend beyond the plug-receiving end 408 of the
housing 406 are bent downwardly and into the
plug-receiving opening 412~ The bending of
these end portions may be carried out in two
steps, namely a first step in which such end
portions are bent downwardly so that they extend
normally of the intermediate portions of the
strips 452' and across the plug-receiving opening
- 33 -
- : - .
.. . . .
. .... . .
: . .
412, and a second step in which said end
portions are bent so as to extend obliquely into
the opening 412 to form the contact spring
portions 458.
After the portions 458 have been so
for.med, the carrier strip 496 is severed from the
strips 452' and the ends thereof which project
beyond the rearward end 410 of the housing 406
are bent downwardly, to enter the channels 446
o in the rearward end 410. Tooling for carrying
out these insertion, bending and severing steps
may be of the general type used with the first
embodiment.
. The receptacle connector 403 is mounted
lS on the board 404 merely by aligning the
extremities 460 of the contacts 452 with the
holes 492 and aligning the pins 434 with the
holes 488 and inserting the pins 434 and the
extremities 460 into the respective holes until
the bosses 436 abut the surface of the board 404.
The extremities 460 can then be soldered to the
conductors 490.
Figure 30 shows a connector 403 on the
. right side of the board 404 and a connector 2
in accordance with the first embodiment, on the
left hand side of the board 404. It will be
readily apparent that the latch member 76 of the
- 34 -
': .
.. . : ,. .. . .
, .:, ,., . .:
, ~ .-
1~ 5~
.
plug connector 68 on the left hand side of the
board 404 is readily accessible so that the
connector 68 can be removed from the receptacle
connector 2 with ease. However, the latch member
76 of the plug connector 68 which is mated with
the receptacle connector 403 is on the underside
of the body of that connector 68 so that while
such connector can, if necessary, be withdrawn
rom the connector 403, it cannot readily be so
o withdrawn, for example by a small child.
. As shown in Figures 35 to 39, an electrical
plug receptacle connector 502, in accordance with
the fith embodiment of the invention, serves
to connect the wires of a six wire cable 70''
15 to conductors 506 (Figure 39) on the underside
of a printed circuit board 510, by way of an
electrical plug connector 68 " identical with
the connectors 68 and 68' mentioned above,
excepting that it has six contacts 74 ", instead
of four or eight such contacts as in the case of
the plug connectors described above. The
conductors 506 extend to holes 507 (Figure 39)
in the board 510, which receive extremities
556 and 556' of electrical contacts 544 of the
connector 502 so that the contacts can be
soldered to the conductors 506.
The connector 502 comprises a one-piece
- 35 -
r
.
.:
~'. ., :.: ,. .
. .,
; , : . ~ , . ~.
57
moulded insulating housing 518 made for example
of a filled nylon, and having a plug-receiving
end 520, a rearward end 522, and a plug-receiving
opening 524 extending into the plug-receiving
end 520. The opening 524 has upper and lower
(as seen in Figure 36) internal side walls 526
; and 528 and opposed end walls 530 (Figure 38).
The housing 518 has upper and lower external
side walls 532 and 534 which are proximate to
the internal side walls 526 and 528 respectively,
and oppositely directed external end walls 536.
Mounting feet 538 extending from the lower
external side wall 534 are dimensioned to enter
spaced holes 540 in the circuit board 510, stand
:~ 15 off bosses 542 being prov$ded on the side wall
534 to elevate it above the board 510 when the
housing 518 ~s mounted thereon.
~he contacts 544 are contained ln and
on, the housing 518. As best seen in Figure
20 40, each contact 544 has a contact spring portion
546 having a free end 566 and extending from a
bight 548, an intermediate portion 550 which
extends, as seen in Figure 40, back from the
bight 548, a further bight 552, and downwardly
25 extending tail portions 554 and 554'. The lower
extremities 556 and 556' of the portions 554
and 554' are intended for insertion into the holPs
- 36 -
; `' .
.: .- -~ ., -. . ~ ,
. - . ~ . . ,- .: . . .
~llll~S~
:
507 of the board 510 and are offset from each other
so that they can be received in the holes 507.
The portions 550 are disposed in parallel
juxtaposed channels 558 in the upper external
Side walls 532. The channels 558 extend from
the rearward end 522 of the housing 518 to
spaced apertures 560 which are adjacent to, but
are spaced from, the plug-receiving end 520.
The bights 548 of the contacts 544 extend
lo through the apertures 560 and about conforming
surfaces of the housing 518, as shown in Figure
36. The internal side wall 526 has spaced
recesses 562 dimensioned to receive the contact ..
. spring portions 546 of the contacts 544 when the
: 15 plug connector 68 " is mated with the connector
502. Upon insertion of the plug connector 68''
into the opening 524, the portions 546 are flexed
upwardly as indicated by the arrow "~" in
Figure 36 and resiliently engage the exposed
contacts 74'' of the plug connector 68 ". The
recesses 562 are enlarged at 564 adjacent to
the apertures 560, to permit such flexure.
A plurality of parallel spaced barriers
568 extend downwardly into the opening 524
from the upper side wall 526 adjacent to the
rearward end 522, to define stalls which
receive the free ends 566 of the contact spring
- 37 - .. -
; , ~
:~lQ~9S7
portions 546. Additionally, a backwall 570
extends across the opening 524 as shown in Figure
36, partially enclosing the opening 524 at its
rearward end. The barriers 568 render it
impossible for a small child to insert a finger
into the plug-receiving opening 524 to a point
beyond the free ends 556 of the contact spring
portions 546 in such a way that when the finger
: is withdrawn it is impaled on the ends 566.
o The back wall 570 reinforces the barriers S68
and also serves to prevent shorting circuiting
between the contacts 544, as described below.
As will appear from Figures 37, 41 and
45, channels 572 and 572' are provided in the
outwardly sloping rearward end of the housing
518 adjacent to the external side wall 532',
additional contact-recei~ing channels 576 and
576' ~Figure 41) being provid~d ln the rearward
end of the housing 518 adjacent to the lower
external side wall 534. The channels 576' are
deeper than the channels 576.
The contacts 544 extend from the upper
external side wall 532 into the channels 572
and 572' and downwardly beyond the lower
external side wall 534. The downwardly extending
portions of the contacts 544 are spread apart
. in two senses, the centre-to-centre spacing
- 38 -
.
,-
- , .. .
..
.
:~
: . .: : : , : , ...
57
between the contacts 544 (x in Figure 40) is
increased and additionally the extremities 556
are offset from the extremities 556' to enable
all these extremities to be received in the holes
507 which are arranged according to triangular
patterns. The deeper channels 567' receive the
portions 554' which extend across the rearward
surface of the wall 570 while the portions 554
extend outwardly from the wall 570 in the shallower
lo channels 576. ~etaining barbs 578 ~Figure 42)
on the contacts 544 adjacent to their extremities
556 and 556' are received in recesses in the
side walls of the channels 576 and 576' to
retain the contacts 544 in the channels 576
and 576'. The lances 578 ara not shown in
Figure 40.
The centre-to-centre spacing of the
contact spring portion 546 ln the connector 502
are required, according to current specifications,
to be 0.04" (~he spacing in Figure 40). This
spacing of the contacts and thus of the holes
507 i$ close enough to give rise to dielectric
problems in the absence of measures being taken
to avoid this. The provision of the channels
576 and 576' on centres x, which is greater than
the spacing ~, overcomes this problem and improved --
dielectric characterisitcs are achieved when
- 39 -
'' `
.
- .
.. . .
S7
the connector 502 is put to use. As mentioned
above, the back wall 570 prevents short
circuiting between the contacts 544, in that the
ends 566 are separated by an insulating wall
from the portions 554 and 554' of the contacts
544. In the absence of the wall 570, the
insertion of a misdimensioned plug connector
; mlght cause the end 566 of a contact 544 to be
pushed against the portion 544 or S44' of an
adjacent contact 544.
The plug-receiving end 520 of the housing
518 has a continuous frame 580 surrounding the
plug-receLving opening 524, a continuous flange
582 extending from the frame 580. When the
connector 502 is mounted as shown in Figure 35,
on the board 510, a cover panel 594 can be located
against the forward edge of the board 510, with
the frame 580 received in a rectangular opening
596 in the panel 594, the flange 582 hiding the
edges of opening 596.
The opening 524 has an upwardly inclined
ramp 590 at its mating end, which extends to
spaced shoulders 592 which co-operate with the
shoulders of the latch arm 76 " of the plug
connector 68" to retain it in the opening 524.
In the manufacture of the receptacle
connector 502, the contacts 544 are produced
, . .
. - 40 -
~1 '' .
, -
~- . ~ - ., , ~
S~
,
from a continuous blank strip 601, as shown in
Figure 42, by stamping the strip 601 and forming
; it as shown. The barbs 578 on individual strLps
603 from which the contacts 544 and 544' are
to be formed, are offset from each other in view
of the close spacing of the contacts in the
housing 518, and additional barbs 579 are
provided to secure the portions 550 of the
contacts in the channels 558. The strip 601
o comprises a carrier strip 598 at its edge
nearest to the lances 578 and a narrower carrier
: strip 600 at its opposite edge.
- The contacts are assembled to the housing
. .
518, as shown in Figures 43 and 44, after first
removing the carrier strip 600 from a section
of the strip 601, forming a right angle bend 548'
therein, and positioning the section of the strip
. 601 above the housing 518, as shown in Figure
: 43, with the downwardly ~as seen in Figure 43)
extending portions 546' of the strip 601 each in
alignment with one of the apertures 560.
The section of the strip 601 is then moved
downwardly to the position of Figure 44 so that
the portions 550 of the contacts to be formed
lie in the channels 558~ At this stage, the
, free ends of the portions 546l are adjacent to
, ~ , .... .
the shoulders 592,.the opening 524 being
.
- 41 -
. . , , , - .
- : ~ .: - :
.. . - .,
.. ... . .... .
dimensioned so that there is sufficient
clearance between the side wail 528 and the
- . free ends of the portions 546'. The contact
spring portions 546 of the contacts 544 and 544'
can then be formed by bending the portions 546'
inwardly by means of a gauge tool ~not shown). The
poxtions of the strip 603 which extend to the
left (as seen in Figure 44) are moved downwardly
and are moved laterally by varying amounts
to posltion them in the respective channels
572, 572', 576 and 576' in the rearward end of
the housing 518, the carrier strip 598 being
removed before this final step is carried out.
Another advantage of this embodiment is
that the apertures 560 are spaced from the
^ plug-receiving end 520 of the housing 518 by
a distance which is greater than the corresponding
distance ln the case of the other embodiments,
whereby the contact spring portions of the contacts
are shorter, than in the other embodiments. Since
these shorter contact spring portions are stiffer,
the contacts may be made of a thinner gauge
~terial without sacrifice of contact force.
A further advantage of this embodiment,
~- 25 is that notwithstanding the fact that the
extremities 556 of the contacts are offset from
.
the extremities 556' thereof, the contacts
- 42 -
-~ - .
.: . . " - . -
.. ~ ,
themselves can all be of the same length asæhown in Figure 42. In the present embodiment,
the slope of the portions 554 of the contacts 544
is reliatvely gentle, the extremities 556 of the
contacts not being located in the same plains
as the lower extremities 556'. The extremities
556 are, in practice, slightly above the
extremities 556'. Such difference in level is,
however, very slight and all the extremities 556
and 556' extend below the underside of the board
510 so that they can be soldered to the
conductors 506 thereon.
According to a modification of the
present embodiment, the blank for producing
the contacts may be of the same general shape
as the blank shown in Figure 21, the housing
being suitably modified to accommodate the
divergent portions of the contacts.
.
- 43 -
~. ,,. , ~
`- ~ .
