Multi-terminal connector strip

Abstract

A multi-terminal connector strip comprising a plurality of socket contacts mounted in parallel spaced cavities formed in an elongated insulator. The cavities open at opposite sides of the insulator. Each socket contact is provided with two generally overlapping spring members arranged in opposite directions of orientation so that a pin contact may be inserted from either side of the insulator into the socket contact. The insulator is formed with breaking grooves so that the strip can be broken into required lengths by the user. The connector strip may be fixed in several different mounting positions, thus allowing a large range of application of the connector.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a multi-terminal connector strip and, more particularly, to such a connector strip containing socket contacts which may receive pin contacts from either end thereof.

Connector strips with contact elements held in position in their cavities are known in various forms. In German Petty Pat. No. 7003857, for example, there is shown and described a female connector strip with through cavities disposed transversely in relation to the longitudinal axis of the strip. Contact elements are arranged in these cavities. Each contact element embodies spring members for engagement with mating pin contacts. However, due to the configuration of the socket contact, the pin contact may be inserted thereinto from only one end. U.S. Pat. No. RE. 26,837 discloses a so-called box-type contact which may be either free standing on a mounting board or inserted in cavities in an insulator. This socket contact has a through passage which allows a pin contact to be inserted completely thereto. However, the pin contact may be inserted from only one end of the socket.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector strip which can be easily and inexpensively manufactured and in which pin contacts are capable of being inserted from more than only one side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the principal aspects of the present invention, there is provided a multi-terminal connector strip comprising an elongated insulator having a plurality of contact cavities extending therethrough transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulator. A socket contact is mounted in each cavity. Each contact is formed with a mounting leg which is adapted to be secured within a hole in a mounting board for attachment of the strip thereto. Each contact has an open end section adjacent to its opposite ends each defining an entrance hole. The socket contact has a pair of spring members each connected to an opposite one of the end sections. The spring members extend in opposite directions along the other end section. Due to this arrangement, a mating pin contact may be optionally inserted into either entrance hole at the opposite ends of the socket contact. No matter into which entrance hole a pin contact is inserted, there will always result the same electrical values, such as contact resistance, capacitance, or inductance. This arrangement also allows versatile mounting of pin contact strips or other printed circuit components with respect to the connector strip of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the socket contact of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another form of the socket contact of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the bottom part and cover strip of the connector strip of the present invention shown before being assembled together;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the connector strip of the present invention fully assembled with contacts mounted therein;

FIG. 5 shows the connector strip of the present invention mounted on a printed circuit board with various forms of connector pins and electronic circuit components which are capable of being inserted into the connector strip, in perspective representation; and

FIG. 6 shows the connector strip of the present invention mounted on a printed circuit board in a different orientation than that illustrated in FIG. 5 with various forms of pin connector strips and electronic components which are capable of being inserted thereinto, in perspective representation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1 in detail, there is illustrated one form of the socket contact of the present invention, generally designated 1. The contact is punched out from sheet metal in one piece, and is completed after having been subjected to necessary stamping and bending processes, which are well known to those skilled in the art. The contact therefore is of one-piece unitary construction.

The contact includes a pair of U-shaped end sections 2 each having a pair of parallel legs 3 and a base 4. The bases 4 of the two end sections 2 are joined by a longitudinal bridge member 5. Each U-shaped end section forms an entrance opening 6 at each end of the socket contact. The longitudinal bridge member 5 extends beyond the base 4 of each end section 2 and continues as a shank or leg 7 which, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is bent at a right angle with respect to the bridge member 5. The leg terminates in a reduced cross-sectional mounting section 8 which is adapted to be mounted within a hole in a printed circuit board.

The socket contact is provided with a pair of spring members 9. Each spring member has a base which is integrally joined to a leg 3 on opposite end sections 2 and on opposite sides of the bridge member 5. The spring members therefore extend in opposite directions, yet face one another. The spring members are inclined inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the bridge member 5. The end portions 11 of the spring members are reversely bent back in an outward direction. The end surfaces 10 of the spring members are normally positioned so as to be spaced from the plane in which the outer surface of its respective mounting end section leg 3 is disposed so that the spring members are free to spread upon insertion of a pin contact member into the socket contact.

It is seen that the spring members extend along opposite longitudinal sides of the bridge member 5 and are generally normal thereto, thereby defining the contact receptacle 12 of the socket contact. Thus, the U-shaped parts 2 at opposite ends of the contact member 1 define open end sections either one of which may receive a mating pin contact which will frictionally engage the spring members 9 when inserted into the receptacle 12.

The socket contact illustrated in FIG. 2 is identical to that illustrated in FIG. 1 except that the shank or leg portions 7, 8 lie in the same plane as the bridge member 5.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which illustrates the connector strip of the present invention, generally designated 13. The connector strip comprises an insulator 16 and the socket contacts 1. As best in FIG. 3, the insulator consists of a bottom part 14 and a cover strip 15. These halves are made from a plastic material in separate molds. The top side of the bottom part 14 is formed with a plurality of indents 17 which extend transversely in relation to the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to each other. The indents extend over the entire width of the bottom part, dividing the upper surface into support surfaces 18 for the socket contacts 1. Moreover, small upstanding posts 19 are arranged in the four corners of each support surface 18. The two longitudinal sides 20 of the bottom part 14 are provided with vertically extending grooves 21 each terminating between two posts 19 and thus in alignment with a corresponding contact support surface 18.

The cover strip 15 has a plurality of parallel longitudinally spaced recesses 23 therein which define separating partition walls 22. The three wall surfaces of each recess 23 are closed on the face sides 20 of the strip by a three-sided frame 25 provided with insertion bevels 24 forming a closed entryway. Each closed entryway leaves space adequate for insertion of a mating pin contact, without engaging the U-shaped sections 2 at opposite ends of the socket contact. A plurality of slots 26 are arranged in parallel spaced relationship along the top surface of the cover strip 15. Each slot has a wedge shaped design at its bottom. The slots are located centrally over each recess 23.

When assembling the connector strip 13, the socket contacts 1, which are provided with, for example, the angled legs 7, are placed on the support surfaces 18 with the legs extending into the grooves 21, thus restricting axial play of the socket contacts. Subsequently thereto, the cover strip 15 is placed over the bottom part 14. The lower ends of the frames 25 will then rest on the upper ends of the posts 19 while at the same time the somewhat longer partition walls 22 extend into the indents 17 in the bottom part 14. The insulator 16 assembled in this way thereby provides a plurality of spaced transversely extending contact cavities each containing a socket contact 1. The two parts 14 and 15 may be joined to form one unit by subjecting the parts thereof to gluing or ultrasonic welding.

The slots 26 formed on the cover strip 15 represent a nominal breaking point weakening the cross section of the insulator 16. The bottom part 14 of the insulator is provided with a hollow space below each support surface 18 in the shape of a pocket 27 which opens at the lower surface of the bottom part as seen in FIG. 4. The insulator 16 of the connector strip is normally manufactured in excessive lengths. It can be divided into shorter connector strips by breaking off the required lengths of the point of the slots 26 and pockets 27, which reduce the cross section of the inset allowing it to be easily broken.

Mounting arrangements for the versatile connector strip of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. However, first referring to FIG. 4, it is seen that the reduced cross section end 8 of a leg 7 may be bent at a right angle with respect to a longitudinal side 20 of the insulator strip, as shown in phantom lines. With one leg of each socket contact so bent, it is possible to fix the connector strip 13 on a printed circuit board 28 so that the socket contacts 1 will assume a perpendicular position in relation to the board. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this arrangement one longitudinal side 20 of the insulator constitutes a mounting plane, and the ends 8 of legs 7 on that side extend through the plane, and project into aligned holes (not shown) in the board 28. The other row of legs 7 may then be separated from the other ends of the contacts. This mounting arrangement allows another PC board 30 provided with a corresponding male contact strip 29 to be mounted at a right angle in relation to the PC board 28 carrying the connector strip 13. FIG. 5 also illustrates a strip of pin contacts 31 mounted on a PC board 32 so that the pin contacts 31' are positioned at right angles with respect to the boards. The board 32 may be arranged parallel with the board 28 with the pin contacts 31' inserted into the connector strip 13.

A plurality of holes 33 may be provided in the PC board 28 aligned with the socket contacts 1 in the connector strip 13. By this arrangement, it is possible to insert in the bottom side of the connector strip 13 either one of the previously described PC boards 30 or 32, or to insert a test plug 33', for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 6, both rows of legs 7 of the socket contacts 1 are shown set into the grooves 21 of the sides of the insulator 16. The reduced cross section ends 8 of the legs extend through holes 28' provided in the PC board 28. The ends of the legs 8 may be soldered to traces, not shown, on the board. Alternatively, the holes 28' may be plated through holes and the leg ends 8 press fit into such holes. In this mounting example of the connector strip 13, the socket contacts assume a position which is parallel with respect to the board 28. If, as already described hereinbefore, either the PC board 30 provided with the male contact strip 29 or the test plug 33' is inserted into the connector strip 10, then these components, just like the socket contacts 1, are in a mounting position which is parallel with the board 28. When the PC board 32 carrying the strip of pin contacts 31 is inserted into the connector strip 13, the board 32 will be perpendicular to the PC board 28.

Thus, from the foregoing, it is seen that the connector strip of the present invention permits a variety of mounting arrangements for printed circuit boards and electronic components. In addition, each of the halves 14 and 15 of the connector strip insulator may be manufactured in a separte die-casting tool. In this way it is possible to design the tool configuration in a more simple way, without slides, thus considerably extending the service life of the tools, and also considerably facilitating the mold release of the die-cast parts. Also, because of the configuration of the socket contacts, with the spring members extending in opposite directions, mating pin contacts may be inserted into either side of the contacts. The spring members are protectively arranged in the inside of the socket member. Because the socket contact is of symmetrical design, it is easily assembled in the lower part 14 of the insulator strip since it may be optionally placed in either direction on the supporting surfaces 18. Moreover, when subjecting the socket contact to a galvanic treatment, the symmetrical arrangement provides for good and uniformly distributed coating or plating. It will also be appreciated that the socket contacts 1 may be mounted in free standing relationship on a printed circuit board, without the insulator 16.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-terminal connector strip comprising:

an elongate insulator having a plurality of contact cavities extending therethrough transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulator, said insulator having a mounting plane adapted to engage a mounting board;

a socket contact mounted in each of said cavities and provided with a leg extending through said mounting plane for securement within a hole in said board; and

each said socket contact having open end sections adjacent to the opposite ends of its corresponding contact cavity defining entrance holes for optionally receiving mating pin contacts inserted into either end of said cavity, each said end section of each socket contact having a U-shaped cross-section defining a base and a pair of parallel legs, a generally flat, longitudinal bridge member joining the bases of each said socket contact and being generally coplanar therewith, each said socket contact having a pair of spring members each having a fixed end connected to a leg of an opposite one of said end sections on opposite sides of said bridge member and a free movable end, said spring members extending in opposite directions toward each other.

2. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said longitudinal bridge member extends at an angle beyond at least one of said bases and terminates in said securement leg.

3. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said spring members of each said socket contact are arranged on opposite longitudinal sides of said longitudinal bridge member generally normal thereto and facing one another.

4. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said spring members of each said socket contact are inclined inwardly at an angle toward the longitudinal axis of said bridge member and said free ends are reversely bent.

5. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said insulator comprises a bottom part and a cover strip; and

the top side of said bottom part has transversely extending indents therein in a parallel spaced relation subdividing the top side into a plurality of support surfaces, said socket contacts being positioned on said support surfaces.

6. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 5 including:

an upstanding post in each corner of each said support surface; and

the longitudinal sides of said bottom part having vertically cut grooves therein aligned with said support surfaces.

7. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 6 wherein:

downwardly opening recesses are formed in said cover strip aligned with said support surfaces and separated by partition walls, the wall surfaces of each said recess and support surface defines a contact cavity; and

each said recess is terminated at its open ends by a three-sided frame provided with insertion bevels.

8. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said cover strip is located on said bottom part with said partition walls thereof inserted in said indents in said bottom part; and

said frames rest on said posts.

9. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said cover strip and said bottom part are bonded to one another.

10. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said securement leg extends from an end section of each said socket contact at right angle along the longitudinal side of said insulator.

11. A multi-terminal connector strip as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

the end of said securement leg is bent at a right angle with respect to said longitudinal side of said insulator.

12. A socket contact comprising:

a pair of U-shaped end sections each defining a base and a pair of parallel legs;

a generally flat, longitudinal bridge member joining said bases and being generally coplanar therewith;

a mounting leg joined to at least one of said bases aligned with said bridge member; and

a pair of spring members each having a fixed end connected to a leg of an opposite one of said end sections on opposite sides of said bridge member and a free movable end, said spring members extending in opposite directions toward each other and inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said bridge member.

13. A socket contact as set forth in claim 12 wherein:

said spring members extend along opposite longitudinal sides of said bridge member generally normal thereto and facing one another.

14. A socket contact as set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said free ends of said spring members are reversely bent.

15. A socket contact as set forth in claim 12 being of one-piece unitary construction.