Patent ID: 6244883
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A board-to-board electrical connector assembly, comprising:a plug connector adapted for mounting on a first circuit board and includinga dielectric housing having a generally rigid mating plug portion, anda plurality of conductive terminals mounted on the housing and having flexible contact portions located at said mating plug portion; anda receptacle connector adapted for mounting on a second circuit board and includinga dielectric housing having a generally rigid mating receptacle portion for receiving the plug portion of the plug connector in a mating direction, anda plurality of conductive terminals mounted on the housing and having contact portions located in the receptacle portion for engaging the flexible terminals of the plug connector,said receptacle portion being larger than said plug portion in ""x"" and ""y"" directions transverse to said mating direction to provide sufficient clearance between the receptacle portion and the plug portion to provide floating movement between the connectors and, thereby, the circuit boards in said ""x"" and ""y"" directions,an open end of said receptacle portion being spaced from an abutment wall of the housing of the plug connector when the connectors are in mated positions to provide floating movement between the connectors and, thereby, the circuit boards in said mating direction and,at least one of the terminals of the plug connector including a cantilevered spring beam extending generally in the mating direction of the plug connector toward the receptacle connector and a contact beam extending obliquely from a distal end of the cantilevered spring beam back over the spring beam, the contact beam extending at an angle to said mating direction such that a force vector from the contact beam against a terminal of the receptacle connector opposite the mating direction automatically causes the open end of said receptacle portion to be spaced from the abutment wall of the plug connector.