EP1571733B1

EP1571733B1 - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: EP1571733B1
Application number: EP05002013A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mark A. Richmond; Armando Jaquez
Original assignee: Cinch Connectors Inc
Current assignee: Cinch Connectors Inc
Priority date: 2004-03-03
Filing date: 2005-02-01
Publication date: 2007-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2025-02-01
Also published as: DE602005000763T2; DE602005000763D1; ATE358343T1; EP1571733A1

Abstract

An electrical connector (100) for connecting contact areas on two circuit carrying elements (402,406) is disclosed. The electrical connector includes a male housing (102) including a projection (120) and female housing (104) including a receptacle (200) configured to mate with the projection. Protectively located in apertures disposed through the projection is a plurality of twist pins (110) while extending into the receptacle is a plurality of sockets (210). When the projection and receptacle are mated, the twist pins and sockets connect together. A contact face (162,242) is also included on each of the male and female housings while protruding through each contact face are secondary contacts in electrical communication with either the twist pins or sockets of the respective housing. For connecting the contact area, the contact faces of the two housings are attached to the two circuit carrying elements so that the secondary contacts connect with the contact area and the projection is then mated with the receptacle. <IMAGE>

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to releasably matable electrical connector assemblies configured to provide multiple electrical contacts between printed circuit boards, flexible cables, and other components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electrical contacts of the twist pin-and-socket type are well known in the art. For example, contacts of this type are available from Cinch Connectors, Inc. of Lombard, IL, under the trademark Dura-Con(R). These contacts are composed of a pin and a tubular socket configured to receive and make an electrical connection with the pin. The pin is formed of a plurality of wire strands loosely wound or twisted together to form a helix. To join the wire strands together at their distal ends, the distal ends are melted together or encased in solder. To generate an interference fit when the pin is inserted into the socket, a bulge is provided midway along the length of the pin by forcing the helix at that location to expand outward. Accordingly, the bulge should be larger than the cross section of the corresponding socket. Because the pin is made from wire strands, the bulge has a resilient quality and can substantially recover its original diameter when removed from the socket. This allows the pin and socket to be releasably connected many times over.
For binding the pin to a printed circuit board, a shaft is integrally affixed to the helical portion of the pin opposite the distal end of the joined wires. A similar shaft is also provided on the socket. The shaft is received through a hole disposed through an electrical trace on the printed circuit board and soldered thereto so as to provide an electrical connection. For binding the pin or socket to a wire, a ferrule is provided in place of the shaft that can receive the wire and be crimped or soldered thereto.
To solder a large number of pins or sockets to a printed circuit board, each shaft of the individual pins and sockets must be inserted into the appropriate holes. The soldering must then proceed by hand or by a solder re-flow technique. Binding a number of pins or sockets to a flexible cable or flexible circuit containing multiple wires or conductors is likewise a complex and time consuming operation. Additionally, once attached, the individual pins and sockets are openly exposed and can be easily damaged when, for example, attempting to insert the mating contact.
Furthermore, since soldering and crimping are relatively permanent binding techniques, it is difficult to remove and replace an individual pin or socket that has become damaged.
Thus, there is a need to better facilitate the process of attaching a number of twist pins and sockets to circuit carrying elements such as printed circuit boards, cables, and the like. There also exists a need to protect the attached twist pins and sockets from damage. There is also a need to simplify the replacement of damaged pins and sockets.
US-A-4108525 discloses an electrical connector comprising two hermaphroditic housings mated together. Each housing includes both twisted wire terminations and sockets connected to a wire.
US-A-5382169 discloses an electrical connector comprising a single housing. The housing includes resilient contacts connected to conductor prongs via conductor strips.
US-A-6135815 discloses an EMI shield for an electrical connector with a single housing which includes a plurality of apertures.
US-A-5831815 discloses a programmable backshell for an electrical connector with a trapezoidal projection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an electrical connector that can establish multiple electrical connections between circuit carrying elements such as printed circuit boards and flexible cables via a plurality of twist pin-and-socket contacts. The electrical connector is specified in claim 1. When the contact surface is placed adjacent a printed circuit board or other component, the protruding secondary contacts are able to contact exposed electrical traces located thereon. By holding the contact surface adjacent to the printed circuit board, the need to solder or otherwise permanently fix individual contacts to the printed circuit board is eliminated.
Thus, an advantage of the present invention is that it simplifies attaching a large number of pins and/or sockets to a printed circuit board or other components. Another advantage is that the present invention provides for simultaneously connecting or disconnecting a large number of individual pin-and-socket type contacts. Another advantage of the present invention is that it protects the pins and sockets by placing them within protective housings. Another advantage is that the removal and replacement of the pins and sockets from a printed circuit board and other components is greatly simplified. Another advantage is that the resilient contacts are more reliable than rigid surface contacts when exposed to vibration or cold temperature extremes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view showing one application of the electrical connector showing the male and female housings of the electrical connector attached to a printed circuit board and flexible cable respectively.
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the male housing showing the projection and plurality of apertures.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the male housing showing the components of the male housing.
FIG. 4 is a sectional perspective view of the assembled male housing.
FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the assembled male housing showing the arrangement of the contacts within the aperture.
FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the female housing of the electrical connector showing the receptacle.
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the female housing showing the components of the female housing.
FIG. 8 is a sectional perspective view of the assembled female housing.
FIG. 9 is a sectional side view of the assembled female housing showing the arrangement of the contacts within the aperture.
FIG. 10 is a sectional perspective view showing the male and female housings opposing each other.
FIG. 11 is a sectional perspective view showing the male and female housings mated together.
FIG. 12 is a top perspective view showing an application of the electrical connector showing the male housing and female housing attached to a printed circuit board and flexible cable respectively.
FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of the application of FIG. 12 showing the male and female housings mated together.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the male housing pressed against the printed circuit board.
FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of another application of the electrical connector showing the male and female housings each attached to a printed circuit board and opposing each other.
FIG. 16 is a top perspective view of the application of FIG. 15 showing the male and female housings mated together.
FIG. 17 is a sectional exploded view showing the male housing of another embodiment of the electrical connector.
FIG. 18 is a sectional front view of the assembled male housing of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17.
FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view showing the male housing of another embodiment of the electrical connector configured to provide a right-angled connection.
FIG. 20 is an exploded view of the male housing of FIG. 19 showing the components of the male housing.
FIG. 21 is a front elevational view of the male housing of FIG. 19.
FIG. 22 is a sectional side view of the male housing of FIG. 19 showing the arrangement of the contacts within the aperture.
FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the male housing of FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Now referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an embodiment of an electrical connector 100 designed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The electrical connector is configured to provide, via a plurality of twist pins and socket connectors, the mechanical and electrical connection between two circuit-carrying elements, for instance, a printed circuit board 106 and a flexible cable 108. To accommodate the plurality of twist pins, a male housing 102 is provided which is shown attached to the printed circuit board while to accommodate the corresponding sockets, a female housing 104 is provided which is shown attached to the flexible cable. The female housing is configured to releasably mate with the male housing in a manner that aligns and connects the pins and sockets in their intended fashion.
As better illustrated in FIG. 2, the particular embodiment of the male housing 102 is formed as a rectangular body having a projection 120 with a trapezoidal profile extending from one side. The components of the male housing, which are illustrated in FIG. 3, include a front shell 122 that includes the projection 120, a rear shell 124, and, of course, a plurality of pins 110. The pin 110 may include a helix 132 that is formed with a bulged center 134 that tapers to a soldered or welded point 136. Each pin 110 may also include a shaft 138 that extends in the direction opposite the helix to a distal end 130. The front and rear shells are preferably made from non-conductive, molded thermoplastic such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).
For accommodating the pins 110 within the male housing, a plurality of apertures 140 is disposed through the front shell 122. Specifically, referring to FIG. 4, the apertures 140 are cylindrically shaped and extend perpendicularly from a projection face 142 defined by the projection 120. Importantly, the apertures are arranged in a pattern that is coordinated with and dependent upon the geometry of the projection. In the illustrated embodiment, this pattern includes multiple rows of apertures. One pin 110 is inserted into each aperture 140 and oriented so that the helix 132 is coextensively located within the projection 120 while the shaft 138 protrudes from the opposite side of the front shell. As such, the helical portions of the pins are protectively hidden within the apertures. This prevents the pins from being damaged or bent by collisions with objects in the outside environment. Furthermore, the pins 110 are thereby electrically isolated from each other by the walls of the apertures.
Referring to FIG. 3, to join the front shell 122 to the rear shell 124, the front shell includes a rectangular flange 144 located at and acting as the base of the projection 120. The rear shell 124 is formed as a similarly sized rectangle that defines a top surface 160 and a corresponding bottom surface 162. When actually joined, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the abutment face 160 abuts against the flange 144. To interlock the joined shells, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a pair of holes 150, 152 is disposed through the front shell on each side of the projection 120 while two corresponding holes 170, 172 are disposed through the rear shell 124. When the shells are joined, the two sets of holes align with one another and two tubular bushings 190, 192 are press fitted or otherwise fixed into the aligned holes.
To complete the electrical connections across the male housing, as seen in FIG. 3, a plurality of cylindrical apertures 164 is disposed through the rear shell 124 in a pattern that corresponds to the plurality of apertures 140 disposed through the front shell 122. Each aperture in the rear housing can accommodate secondary contacts such as a plunger 180 and a resilient contact. The resilient contact is a wadded wire contact 188. In other embodiments, the resilient contact may be an electrically conductive elastomeric contact or a helical spring contact.
Preferably, the plunger in the illustrated embodiment is solid and substantially shaped like a bullet with a tapered point 182 such as those described in U.S. Patent 5,704,795. Such plungers are typically made from oxygen-free copper, berylium copper, brass or other electrically conductive material. By way of example, such plungers are available from Cinch Connectors, Inc. of Lombard, IL. Alternatively, the plunger can be of the type having an enlarged cylindrical base portion with a terminal portion of lesser diameter, such as those described in U.S. Patent 5,127,837. The wadded wire contact is typically formed as a cylindrical element made from resiliently and randomly wadded thin gauge electrically conductive wire. Therefore, the wadded wire contact has a spring quality and can recover its original shape after compression. By way of example, such wadded wire contacts are commercially available from Cinch Connectors, Inc. of Lombard, IL under the trademark CIN::ASPE(R).
Referring to FIG. 5, the plunger 180 is inserted point first into the aperture 164 followed by the axial insertion of the wadded wire contact 188. Accordingly, the diameter of the aperture should be slightly larger than the diameter of either the plunger or wadded wire contact, both of which are preferably similar in diameter. To enable the plunger to protrude from the male housing, the aperture tapers inward like a cone 174 nearest the point where the aperture is disposed through the contact face 162 of the rear housing 124. As such, the bullet-shaped plunger 180 sits in the cone 174 with its tapered point 182 protruding beyond contact face 162. The apertures 164 physically and electrically isolate each set of plungers and wadded wire contacts. Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to facilitate the insertion of the plungers and wadded wire contacts into the apertures 164, the entrances 166 to the apertures are countersunk.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the front shell 122 and rear shell 124 are joined, the front shell apertures 140 become axially aligned with the rear shell apertures 164. This causes the protruding shafts 138 of the pins to contact and compress the wadded wire contacts 188 against the plungers 180. As illustrated in FIG. 5, to prevent the pin 110 from being pushed through the aperture 140 and out of the projection, a shoulder 146 is formed within the aperture against which an annular edge 139 formed on the pin can abut. Thus, the pins and secondary contacts are entrapped within the aligned apertures between the front and rear shells. Of course, to enable the shaft to compress the wadded wire contact, the shaft must be sufficiently long to reach the apertures of the rear housing. Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the shaft is partially inserted into the aperture 164 to compress the wadded wire contact 188. To allow the shaft to enter the aperture, the distal end 130 of the shaft 138 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is of a reduced diameter compared to the rest of the shaft. Countersinking the entrances 166 to the apertures, as illustrated in FIG. 3, also facilitates the insertion of the distal end 130.
Referring to FIG. 3, for aligning the two pluralities of apertures when the front and rear shells are joined, the rear shell includes a recess formed into the abutment face 160 which thereby defines a recessed face 168. The shape and size of the recess corresponds to a step 148 extending from the flange 144 of the front shell opposite the protrusion 120. As will be readily understood by those of skill in the art, the step and the recess allow the apertures to align when the step and recess engage. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of rear shell apertures 164 are all disposed through the recessed face 168 while the plurality of front shell apertures 140 are all disposed through the step 148.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a cavity is formed into the outer-most surface of the step 148 which is defined by a cavity sidewall 154 and the recessed face 168 when the front and rear shells are joined. In order to prevent the pins from being pulled from the male housing, the cavity is filled with epoxy where it envelops the shafts 138 of the pins. The epoxy also serves an additional environmental benefit by sealing the inside of the male housing. The epoxy should be non-conductive and capable of binding to the front housing, for example, a two part epoxy with product No. EE4198/HD3561 available from Henkel-Loctite of 211 W. Franklin St., Olean, New York, U.S.A.. Importantly, to enable electrical communication through the male housing, none of the epoxy should coat the distal ends 130 of the shafts 138.
Turning to FIG. 6, the female housing 104 is also formed as a generally rectangular body but has a receptacle 200 extending from one side. Like the projection 120, in the present embodiment the receptacle 200 has a generally trapezoidal shape and extends perpendicularly from the rectangular female housing. The other components of the female housing, which are illustrated in FIG. 7, include a front shell 202 that includes the receptacle 200, a rear shell 204, and the plurality of sockets 210. The sockets 210 are elongated connectors having a tubular socket portion 214 for receiving the twist pin at one end and a shaft 212 at the other. Like the front and rear shells of the male housing, the front and rear shell of the female housing are preferably made from molded polyphenylene sulfide.
The design of the receptacle is better illustrated in FIG. 8, which shows a thin wall 220 protruding from a flange portion 222 of the front shell 202. The inner surface of the wall encloses and defines an empty space above the flange that has a similar, slightly larger, trapezoidal shape as the projection 120 of the male housing. The sockets 210 extend from the flange 222 into the empty space. To accommodate the sockets 210, a plurality of cylindrical apertures 224 is disposed perpendicularly through the flange 222. The arrangement of the apertures 224 corresponds to the apertures disposed through the male housing. The sockets are individually oriented in each aperture 224 such that the tubular portion 214 extends into the empty space defined by the receptacle while the shaft 212 extends from the other side of the front shell. As such, the thin wall 220 envelops and protects the tubular portions of the sockets. Referring to FIG. 9, to retain the socket 210 within the aperture, a shoulder 226 is provided in the aperture against which the socket can abut.
The other components of the female housing are similar to those of the male housing and function in the same way. For instance, referring to FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, the rear shell 204 is formed as a rectangle having a abutment face 240 and a contact face 242 with a plurality of cylindrical apertures 244 disposed therebetween. Those apertures each accommodate a plunger 260 and a wadded wire contact 262 of the type described above. The plungers sit within the apertures in such a manner as to protrude partially from the contact face 242 of the rear shell. To join the shells together, the abutment face 240 of the rear shell 204 is abutted against the flange 222 of the front shell 202. To ensure that the front shell apertures 224 correctly align with the rear shell apertures 244, a recessed face 246 is formed into the rear shell that mates with a step 228 extending from the flange 222 of the front shell. The step also includes a cavity defined by cavity sidewall 236 and recessed face 246 that can be filled with an epoxy. To permanently join the front and rear shells, two holes 230, 232 are disposed through the flange 222 which correspond to two holes 250, 252 disposed through the rear shell. When the shells are joined, the holes align and bushings 270, 272 are press-fitted into the holes.
Referring to FIG. 10, to mate the male 102 and female housings 104 together, the two housings are oriented so that the projection 120 is directed towards the receptacle 200. The projection is then inserted and pushed into the empty space defined by the receptacle. Because the aperture arrangements are dependent upon the geometries of the projection and receptacle as well as on each other, insertion of the projection into the receptacle functions to align the plurality of pins 110 with the plurality of sockets 210. To facilitate insertion of the projection, preferably the inner rim 234 of the receptacle wall 220 is chamfered. It will also be appreciated that by utilizing trapezoidal shapes which can only be mated together in one orientation, the correct polarity between the connectors is ensured. Of course, as will be understood by those of skill in the art, many other geometries will accomplish one or more of the above-described functions and the present invention is not intended to be limited to a trapezoidal embodiments.
As illustrated in FIG. 11, the electrical connection between the housings is established when the sockets 210 are received in the apertures 140 containing the pins 110 so as to mate with the helix portions of the pins. As is apparent in FIG. 11, the multiple pin-and-socket connections are formed simultaneously and hence the electrical connector is said to be "mass-terminated." Accordirigly, to allow for the pin-and-socket connections, the diameter of each pin-containing aperture 140 must be sufficiently sized to receive the tubular portions 214 of the sockets 210. Furthermore, to ensure that the pins are fully inserted into the sockets, the empty space defined by the thin wall 220 of the receptacle must be sufficiently deep to accommodate the projection 120.
Because of the interference fit between the pins and sockets, the mated housings do not readily separate. Instead, to un-mate the housings shown in FIG. 11, the housings must be pulled apart with a force necessary to overcome the firm connections between the pins and sockets. Preferably, to facilitate the releasably matable function, the pulling force should not be in excess of such an amount as to make separation of the housings beyond that of a reasonable human capacity. Advantageously, because the housings are not readily separable, the electrical connector resists separation due to mechanical vibrations from the environment or accidentally imparted pulling forces. The pulling force is approximately 10 ounces maximum for each contact.
Since connection of the pins and sockets occurs entirely within the apertures, each contact combination is physically and electrically isolated from the others and from the outside environment. This protects the contacts from possible damage or corrosion from elements in the environment. To protect the electrical connections against RF interference, in some embodiments, the male and female housings may be encased in metal shieldings as is commonly understood in the art. Importantly, to prevent shorting the electrical connector, the shieldings should not come into contact with any part of the contact combinations.
While the foregoing embodiment has been described and illustrated with the twist pins accommodated inside the male housing and the sockets accommodated inside the female housing, it will be readily appreciated that this arrangement can be reversed.
Accordingly, embodiments in which the twist pins are accommodated within the female housing and the sockets are accommodated in the male housing, or combinations thereof are all contemplated.
Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, there is illustrated one application of the above-described electrical connector being used to establish electrical communication between two circuit carrying elements, particularly a flexible cable 108 and a printed circuit board 106. As is well known in the art, located across the top of the printed circuit board 106 are a plurality of electrically conductive traces 300. The conductive traces typically terminate at an exposed contact area where the trace can connect to an electrical contact. Typically, the contact areas are concentrated in the same small area of the printed circuit board in a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern corresponds to the pattern of apertures disposed through the contact face of the male housing. Likewise, a number of similar traces 310 are formed on the flexible cable 108 and are terminated together near the end of cable.
As illustrated in FIG. 12, the male housing 102 is attached to the printed circuit board 106 at a location corresponding to the location of the contact areas. Specifically, the male housing 102 is attached so that the projection 120 is directed away from the printed circuit board 106 and the contact surface of the rear shell is adjacent to the printed circuit board. To fasten the male connector 102 to the printed circuit board 106, two threaded bolts 304, 306 are passed through the press-fitted bushings and threaded into the printed circuit board or, alternatively, to jack posts or nuts provided on the opposite side of the printed circuit board. Of course, other fastening methods may suffice to attach the male housing 102 to the printed circuit board 106 and the present invention is not limited to the disclosed fasteners.
Referring to FIG. 12, the female housing 104 is similarly attached to the flexible cable 108 at a location corresponding to the location of the contact areas. The female housing 104 is attached so that the receptacle 200 is directed away from the flexible cable 108 and the contact face is adjacent to the flexible cable. To hold the female housing in contact with the flexible cable, a backer plate 314 is provided that sandwiches the cable between itself and the female housing. In the illustrated embodiment, two threaded bolts 316, 318 are inserted through the backer plate and the flexible cable and pass through the press-fitted bushings to protrude parallel with the receptacle.
Referring to FIG. 14, to establish electrical connection from the printed circuit board 106 through the male housing 102, the contact areas 308 contact the protruding tapered points 182 of the plungers 180 contained in the male housing. Specifically, it will be appreciated that when the male housing 102 is pressed against the printed circuit board, the contact area will contact and displace the protruding plunger 180 into the aperture 164. The displaced plunger in turn compresses the wadded wired contact 188 against the distal end 130 of the pin 110. Due to its resilient nature, the wadded wire contact 188 urges the plunger 180 back against the contact area maintaining a solid electrical connection. Similar electrical connections occur between the flexible cable and the female housing.
Referring to FIG 13, to complete the electrical connection between the printed circuit board 106 and the flexible cable 108, the male housing 102 and female housing 104 are mated in the above-described manner. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, to fasten the male and female housings together, the bolts 316, 318 protruding from the female housing 104 threadably engage the heads of the bolts 304, 306 fastening down the male housing 102. Because of the firm connection between the twist pins and sockets though, threadably engaging the bolts is generally unnecessary and serves as an additional precautionary measure. To disconnect the printed circuit board and flexible circuit, the bolts 316, 318 are simply unthreaded and the housings pulled apart. Thus, large numbers of electrical connections can be made and disconnected quickly and easily. Also because of the fasteners, the housings can be easily removed from the printed circuit board or flexible cable without needing to unsolder the connections. This facilitates the replacement of a damaged connector 102 or connector 104 with a new connector.
Illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 is another application of the above-described electrical connector being used to establish an electrical connection between two printed circuit boards 402, 406. In this application, the male housing 102 is attached to the printed circuit board 402 so as to make contact with a plurality of contact areas. Similarly, the female housing 104 is attached to another printed circuit board 406 so as to contact a plurality of contact areas. Threaded fasteners or other fastening methods can be used to attach the housings to the printed circuit boards. The two printed circuit boards are oriented so that the housings are aligned and then, as illustrated in FIG. 16, brought together so that the housings mate in the above-described fashion. To break the connection, the printed circuit boards are simply pulled apart with sufficient force thereby separating the male and female housings.
Illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 is another embodiment of the electrical connector in which the plungers have been eliminated. An advantage of such an electrical connector is that a contact is eliminated from the assembled connector while still providing a solid electrical connection. Illustrated in FIG. 17 are the components of the male housing 502 of the present embodiment, which include the front shell 520 having a projection 522, a rear shell 540, and a plurality of twist pin contacts 510. To accommodate the twist pin contacts 510, a plurality of cylindrical apertures 524 are disposed through the front shell 520. The pins are oriented within the apertures so that the helixes 512 are co-extensively located within the projection 522. To facilitate this orientation of the pins, a shoulder 526 is provided partway along the aperture 524. The shoulder engages an annular edge 514 formed on the pin 510 where the helix 512 meets the shaft 516 to act as a stop and prevent the pin from sliding through the aperture.
The rear shell 540 also has a plurality of apertures 542 disposed through it that correspond to and can be aligned with the apertures 524 disposed through the front shell. Each aperture can accommodate one of a plurality of cylindrical wadded wire contacts 560. Specifically, the wadded wire contacts are inserted axially into the apertures so that the respective ends of the wadded wire contacts protrude beyond a recessed face 544 and a contact face 546 of the rear shell. To prevent the wadded wire contacts from sliding out of the apertures, the apertures are narrower at their midpoints than at either end thereby forming a neck 548 and giving the apertures an hourglass shape. The hourglass shape functions to compress the middle of an inserted wadded wire contact thereby retaining the wadded wire contact inside the aperture. The details of such shaped apertures and their functions are described in U.S. Patent 4,988,306, herein incorporated by reference.
The rear shell and front shell are joined as illustrated in FIG. 18 and held together by two press fit bushings 580, 582 inserted through front shell holes 530, 532 and rear shell holes 550, 552. When so joined, the pin shafts 516 protruding from the front shell contact and compress the ends of the wadded wire contacts 560 protruding from the recessed surface 544. As will be appreciated from FIG. 16, when the contact face 564 of the male housing is placed against a printed circuit board or the like having a pattern of contact areas, the protruding ends of the wadded wire contacts are compressed by the contact areas. Due to the resiliency of the wadded wire contact, the respective ends of the contact are urged against the contact areas thereby creating a solid electrical connection.
To provide a complete electrical connector, a corresponding female housing containing socket contacts and wadded wire contacts but no plungers is manufactured in a similar fashion. The male and female housings can be mated in the above-described fashion.
Referring to FIGS. 19 through 23, there is illustrated a male housing 602 of another embodiment of the electrical connector configured to provide a right angle connection. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 21, the orientation of the twist pins and/or sockets, and the apertures 674 in which they are accommodated, are arranged at a 90 degree angle to a contact surface 644 configured to connect to contact areas on a printed circuit board or other component. This configuration allows the female housing to be placed parallel to the printed circuit board when mated to the male housing. One advantage of such an electrical connector is the reduced clearance required above a printed circuit board to which the electrical connector is attached.
Illustrated in FIG. 20 are the components of the male housing 602, including a front shell 610, a top shell, 630, and a bottom shell 640. The bottom shell includes a plurality of apertures 642 disposed through it in a pattern that corresponds to the configuration of contact on a printed circuit board or other component. Each aperture 642 accommodates a plunger 660 and a wadded wire contact 662. The apertures are designed so that the plunger tips can protrude beyond the contact face 644 on one side of the bottom shell 640 while the wadded wire contacts protrude beyond an opposing abutment face 646. Also included as part of the male housing is a plurality of twist pins 604. To accommodate the pins, a trapezoidal-shaped, front insulator 672 is provided that includes a plurality of cylindrical apertures 674 disposed therethrough that are parallel to one another and organized in multiple rows. Each aperture can accommodate one twist pin.
When assembled, as illustrated in FIG. 22, the top shell 630 is placed on top of the abutment face 646 of the bottom shell 640 while the front shell 610 and front insulator 672 are placed adjacent to a shared side face 694 formed by top and bottom shells. Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, to accommodate the front insulator within the front shell, a trapezoidal-shaped protrusion 612 extends from a base portion 614 of the front shell. Disposed through the protrusion is a corresponding trapezoidal-shaped opening into which the front insulator 672 can be inserted such that access to the apertures 674 is unobstructed. To hold the assembled male housing together, a plurality of threaded fasteners 692 is inserted through fastener holes 616 disposed through the front shell. At least one of the threaded fasteners threadably engages a hole 634 in the top shell 630 while another threadably engages a hole 652 in the bottom shell 640. Additionally, a pair of holes 636, 638 is disposed through the top shell, each of which aligns with a complementary hole 648, 650 disposed through the bottom shell. Bushings 664, 666 are then press-fitted through both of the aligned sets of holes.
Referring to FIG. 22, to retain the pin within the front insulator, the apertures include a shoulder 676 against which an annular ring 606 formed on the pin can abut. Additionally, epoxy can be provided that envelops and holds the shafts of the pins. Specifically, the pin shaft 698 passes through a cavity defined between a cavity sidewall 618 formed in the rear of front shell 610 and the shared side face 694. The epoxy is inserted into the cavity to prevent the pin from being pulled through the aperture.
To establish electrical communication between the contacts in the two sets of apertures, as shown in FIG. 22, a plurality of passageways 696 is formed between the top 630 and bottom 640 shells when the two are joined. Specifically, the passageways extend from the shared side face 694 through to the openings of the apertures in the abutment surface 646. The shaft 698 of the twist pin extends through the passageway proximate to the aperture opening through the abutment face where the shaft contacts the wadded wire contact 662 thereby completing the electrical connection between the twist pin and the plunger 660. To accommodate multiple rows of twist pins, as will be apparent to those of skill in the art, the specific lengths of the shafts, wadded wire contacts, and the plungers can be accordingly adjusted.
Referring to FIGS. 19 and 23, for attaching the male housing to a printed circuit board, threaded fasteners can be inserted through the press-fitted bushings 664, 666 and threaded into the printed circuit board placed adjacent to the contact face. In another embodiment, the treaded fasteners can engage a threaded nut on the opposite side of the printed circuit board so as to sandwich the printed circuit board between the nuts and the contact face. To complete the electrical connection, the receptacle of a female housing can receive and mate with the trapezoidal projection and twist pins located therein. To secure the housings together, a pair of threaded bushings 668, 670 are provided that extend from the front shell on either side of the projection that can engage a pair of fasteners accompanying the female housing.
Thus, the present invention discloses an electrical connector that provides electrical communication between one plurality of contact areas located on a circuit carrying element and a corresponding plurality of contact areas located elsewhere. The electric connector utilizes a plurality of twist pins and sockets to provide isolated electrical communication between individual contact areas. The twist pins and sockets are partially enclosed in separate respective housings that provides both protection for the individual contacts and enables the simultaneous contacts or disconnection of the entire plurality.
All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Of course, variations of those preferred embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. Skilled artisans may employ such variations as appropriate, and the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all embodiments of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

An electrical connector (100) for connecting a plurality of contact areas (308) on a first circuit carrying element (106, 402) to a plurality of contact areas (308) on a second circuit carrying element (108, 406), the electrical connector (100) comprising:
a first housing (102) being a male housing having a projection (120) and

a second housing (104) being a female housing having a receptacle (200) for receiving the projection (120);

said first housing (102) including a first contact face (162) and a first plurality of apertures (140) disposed through the first housing (102) and set in a pattern coordinated with respect to the shape of the projection (120), at least one first aperture (140) retaining a twist pin (110), the twist pin having a helical portion (132), and a first resilient contact (188), the first resilient contact being a wadded wire contact (188), wherein the twist pin (110) and first resilient contact (188) are in contact;

said second housing (104) including a second contact face (242) and a second plurality of apertures (244) disposed through the second housing (104) and set in a pattern coordinated with respect to the shape of the receptacle (200), at least one second aperture (244) retaining a socket (210), the socket having a tubular portion (214), and a second resilient contact (262), the second resilient contact being a wadded wire contact (262), wherein the socket (210) and second resilient contact (262) are in contact;

wherein the first housing (102) and the second housing (104) may be mated together to provide an electrical connection between the first circuit carrying element (106, 402) and the second circuit carrying element (108, 406) via a connection between at least the twist pin (110) and the socket (210).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures (140) in the male housing (102) includes a twist pin (110).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein each of the second plurality of apertures (244) in the female housing (104) includes a socket (210).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the receptacle (200) is formed as a thin wall (220) protruding from the female housing (104), the thin wall (220) enclosing and defining an empty space.
The electrical connector (100) of claim 4, wherein the tubular portion (214) of the socket contact (210) extends from the aperture (244) into the empty space defined by the thin wall (220).
The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the twist pin (110) is oriented in the aperture (140) so that the helical portion (132) of the twist pin (110) is coextensively located within the projection (120).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the receptacle (200) and the projection (120) both have a trapezoidal shape.
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein when the projection (120) is received in the receptacle (200), the first plurality of apertures (140) of the male housing (102) align with the second plurality of apertures (244) of the female housing (104).
The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein a portion of the resilient contacts (188, 262) protrude from the apertures (140, 244).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, further comprising a plunger (180, 260) in at least one aperture (140, 244) with a portion of the plunger (180, 260) protruding from the aperture (140, 244).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the resilient contacts (188, 262), the twist pin contact (110), and socket contact (210) are axially aligned with each other.
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one resilient contact (188, 262) is at a right angle to the twist pin contact (110) and socket contact (210).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the male housing (102) and the female housing (104) are enclosed in metallic RF shielding.
A method for connecting a contact area (308) located on a first circuit carrying element (106, 402) with a contact area (308) located on a second circuit carrying element (108, 406), the method comprising the steps of:
providing a first housing (102) being a male housing having a projection (120) and a second housing (104) being a female housing having a receptacle (200) for receiving the projection (120);
said first housing (102) including a first plurality of apertures (140) disposed therethrough and set in a pattern coordinated with respect to the shape of the projection (120), at least one first aperture (140) at least partially containing a twist pin contact (110), the twist pin contact having a helical portion (132), and a resilient contact (188), the resilient contact being a wadded wire contact (188);

said second housing (104) including a second plurality of apertures (244) disposed therethrough and set in a pattern coordinated with respect to the shape of the receptacle (200), at least one second aperture (244) at least partially containing a socket contact (210), the socket contact having a tubular portion (214), and a resilient contact (262), the resilient contact being a wadded wire contact (262);

placing the first housing (102) adjacent to the first circuit carrying element (106, 402) whereby the resilient contact (188) urges against the contact area (308);

placing the second housing (104) adjacent to the second circuit carrying element (108, 406) whereby the resilient contact (262) urges against the contact area (308); and

adjoining the first housing (102) to the second housing (104) whereby the twist pin contact (110) is inserted into the socket contact (210).
The method of claim 14, wherein the step of adjoining the first housing (102) to the second housing (104) is accomplished by inserting the projection (120) into the receptacle (220).
The method of claim 14, wherein the resilient contact (188) of the first housing (102) urges a plunger (180) against the contact area (308).
The method of claim 14, wherein the resilient contact (262) of the second housing (104) urges a plunger (260) against the contact area (308).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the first aperture (140) retains the twist pin (110) so that the helical portion (132) of the twist pin (110) is coextensively located within the projection (120).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 4, wherein the second aperture (244) retains the socket (210) so that the tubular portion (214) of the socket (210) extends into the empty space.
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the first resilient contact (188) of the first aperture (140) protrudes beyond the first contact face (162) and the second resilient contact (262) of the second aperture (244) protrudes beyond the second contact face (242).
The electrical connector (100) of claim 1, wherein the first aperture (140) further retains a first plunger (180) protruding beyond the first contact face (162) and the second aperture (244) further retains a second plunger (260) protruding beyond the second contact face (242).