Electrical Multicontact Connector

Abstract

An electrical multicontact connector of zipper style is characterized in that there are spatially attached a plurality of engaging members to each of parallel-disposed, flexible supporting sheets or strips, and all or some of the engaging members of one strip are coupled with the corresponding ones of the other strip so as to form a plurality of disengageable electric conducting units, each of which is insulated from the adjacent ones by suitable means.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical multicontact connector mainly used in the printed circuit plate of an integrated electronic circuit device, and is intended to provide an improved multiconnector in which electric conducting units are formed from a plurality of engaging members like those used in a fastener or zipper as popularly called.

Said multiconnector of zipper style is of handy, compact and simple construction as compared with the prior art multiconnectors.

In an aspect of this invention, said multiconnector consists of one or more assemblies, each of said assemblies comprising a pair of parallel-disposed, flexible supporting sheets or strips of electric insulating material, a plurality of engaging members spatially disposed along the facing edge of each of said strips in such a manner that the engaging members along the facing edge of one of said strips are positioned in corresponding relationship with those of the other strip with each of the engaging members of one strip interposed between every two adjacent ones of the engaging members of the other strip, each engaging member of both strips having a concave portion formed at one side thereof and a convex portion formed at the opposite side thereof so as to allow the convex portion of each engaging member of one strip to be fitted into the concave portion of the corresponding one of the other strip, all or some of the engaging members of one strip being coupled with the corresponding ones of the other strip so as to form a plurality of disengageable electric conducting units, each of which is insulated from the adjacent ones, and a device movable along the facing side edges of both strips for causing the convex portions of the engaging members to be successively engaged with or disengaged from the concave portions thereof.

The features and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electrical multicontact connector embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view in enlargement of part of the connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of part of an electrical multicontact connector modified from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of part of an electrical multicontact connector further modified from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an electrical multicontact connector modified from the embodiment of FIG. 5 wherein said connector is partly illustrated;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross section of an electrical multicontact connector having mutually superposed assemblies further embodying the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross section of a connector modified from the embodiment of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cross section of part of the connector of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the cross section of part of a connector modified from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a unique electrical contact multiconnector of the present invention hereinafter referred to as a multiconnector. Said multiconnector consists of one or more assemblies, each of which comprises a pair of parallel-disposed, flexible supporting sheets or strips 1 and 2 of electric insulating material such as soft synthetic resin, a plurality of engaging members which are separated into two groups represented by corresponding characters 3a, 3b, 3c ...and 4a, 4b, 4c ..., and a device 5 movable along the facing side edges 1a and 2a of said supporting strips 1 and 2 for causing the engaging members 3a, 3b, 3c ...of one group to be successively engaged with or disengaged from the engaging members 4a, 4b, 4c...of the other group. Said device 5 is shaped like a zipper slider generally used, and is preferably made of electric insulating material such as rigid synthetic resin.

The engaging members of each of the groups are spatially disposed along the facing edge of each of said strips 1 and 2 in such a manner that the engaging members 3a, 3b, 3c ...are positioned in corresponding relationship with those 4a, 4b, 4c ...with each of the former members interposed between every two adjacent ones of the latter members. Each of said engaging members has a concave portion 6 integrally formed at one side thereof and a convex portion 7 formed at the opposite side thereof so as to allow the convex portion of each engaging member of one group to be fitted into the concave portion of the corresponding one of the other group.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, alternate ones 10a, 10b and 10c ...of the engaging members of one group are made of electrically conductive material and are coupled with the corresponding ones 11a, 11b, 11c ...of the other group which are also made of electrically conductive material, so as to form disengageable electric conducting units A, B, C,...,the remaining engaging members 12 of both groups are made of electrically insulating material and separate said electrically conducting units individually for their mutual insulation.

FIG. 3 indicates a specific arrangement of engaging members, wherein the engaging members 20a, 20b, ...of each of groups are made of electrically insulating material and arranged with two other engaging members of the same group interposed between said engaging members 20a, 20b, ..., said latter members being referred to as 21a, 21b,...and also made of electrically conductive material. Accordingly, disengageable electrically conducting units A', B', C',...are mutually insulated by said engaging members 20a, 20b, ...of both groups.

FIG. 4 illustrates a further specific arrangement of engaging members wherein all the engaging members 30a, 30b, ...of one group which are made of electrically conductive material are coupled with the corresponding ones 31a, 31b, ...of the other group which are also made of electrically conductive material. In this case, the engaging members 30a, 30b, ...are respectively provided with an electrically insulating member or layer 33 preferably involving mainly a convex portion, integrally attached to the forward side thereof, so that electrically conducting units A", B", C",...formed by coupling two corresponding engaging members 30a and 31a (30b and 31b, ...) are mutually insulated.

FIG. 5 illustrates a covering plate 40 of electrically insulating material such as soft synthetic resin. Said covering plate 40 is attached to the movable device 5 for engagement and disengagement of the engaging members so as to cover that part of the arranged engaging members of both groups, which is brought to a conducted state when said device 5 travels along the facing edges of the strips.

In FIG. 6, there is provided a covering plate 50 of electrically insulating material for covering the arranged engaging members of both strips mutually detachably engaged by said device 5. Said covering plate 50 preferably has two parallel flat portions which are adapted to shield the facing edges of the strips on the upper and lower surfaces.

FIG. 7 illustrates a covering plate 60 of electrically insulating material integrally formed with each strip in a manner to be positioned under the engaging members thereof. Such a construction is useful for the case where two or more assemblies of the multiconnector are used in a superposed state.

In FIG. 8, there are shown the assemblies of the multiconnector, each of which has a pair of flexible supporting strips, one 71 of the strips of one assembly being stepwise superposed on the corresponding strip 72 of the adjacent assembly in a manner to insulate the engaging members 73 of the latter strip, and the other strip of the former assembly being also superposed in the same manner as the first mentioned strip 71.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a lead member 8 for each of the electrically conducting units is attached to the upper surface of each of the strips 1 and 2. Said lead member 8 may be embedded in each of said strips as shown in FIG. 9, or interwoven, as shown in FIG. 10, into the cloth from which is fabricated each of said strips.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical multicontact connector including at least one assembly comprising:

a pair of flexible supporting sheets of insulating material having facing edges;

a plurality of engaging members disposed at predetermined intervals along the facing edges of said supporting sheets and each provided with a convex portion on one side thereof and a concave portion on the other side thereof, selected engaging members being comprised of electrically conductive material having an insulating layer formed thereon, an engaging member of one of said supporting sheets and at least one engaging member of the other of said supporting sheets in mutual engagement forming a detachable electrically conducting unit having a layer of insulating material integrally formed on at least one outer side of said conducting unit;

lead members connected to said engaging members; and

a device movable longitudinally between the facing edges of both of said supporting sheets for causing the convex portions of the engaging members to be successively engaged with and disengaged from the concave portion of corresponding engaging members.

2. The electrical multicontact connector according to claim 1 wherein the engaging members on one of said supporting sheets comprise electrically conductive material and an insulating layer on one side thereof, and the engaging members on the other of said supporting sheets are all comprised of electrically conductive material.

3. The electrical multicontact connector according to claim 1 wherein said lead members are embedded in each of said supporting sheets.

4. The electrical multicontact connector according to claim 1 wherein said supporting sheets are made of woven material and said lead members are interwoven into each of said respective supporting sheets.

5. The electrical multicontact connector according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of said assemblies, said assemblies being superposed in a staggered fashion for the prevention of mutual contact therebetween.

6. The electrical multicontact connector according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said supporting sheets of the assembly extends to cover the engaging members of the other of said supporting sheets.

7. The electrical multicontact connector according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of said engaging members having an integral insulating layer thereon, a plurality of conducting units being formed when said engaging members are in engagement, adjacent conducting units being insulated from each other by at least one of said integral insulating layers.

8. An electrical multicontact connector including at least one assembly comprising:

a pair of flexible supporting sheets formed of a woven insulating material and having facing edges;

a plurality of engaging members disposed at predetermined intervals along the facing edges of said supporting sheets and each provided with a convex portion on one side thereof and a concave portion on the other side thereof, at least selected engaging members being comprised of electrically conductive material, an engaging member of one of said supporting sheets and at least one engaging member of the other of said supporting sheets in mutual engagement forming a detachable electrically conducting unit;

means insulating adjacent conducting units from each other;

lead members interwoven in said woven supporting sheets and connected to said engaging members; and

a device movable longitudinally between the facing edges of both of said supporting sheets for causing the convex portions of the engaging members to be successively engaged with and disengaged from the concave portion of corresponding engaging members.