Abstract:
An electrical connector comprises four conductor elements each having a surface portion which is spaced from, but presented towards, a first axis. The surface portions are equiangularly distributed about the first axis and are substantially equidistant from the first axis. Each conductor element extends at least partly between first and second planes which are perpendicular to the first axis. A rod structure has a central axis, the rod structure comprises four elongate bodies of conductive material which are supported in mutually electrically insulated relationship. The bodies of conductive material are substantially parallel to each other and substantially equiangularly distributed about the central axis of the rod structure and substantially equidistant therefrom. The rod structure and the conductor elements are positionable so that the central axis of the rod structure substantially coincides with the first axis, and are such that when they are so positioned and the rod structure extends through the first and second planes, the bodies of conductive material engage the surface portions of the conductor elements respectively.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part of copending Patent Application Ser. No. 06/921,764 filed Oct. 21, 1986, now Pat. No. 4,726,774 issued Feb. 23, 1988. 
     This invention relates to an electrical connector. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electrical connectors that are currently used for connecting conductor runs of a circuit board to other electrical apparatus, e.g., by way of electrical conductor runs of other circuit boards or a ribbon cable, are generally composed of a plug component and a socket component. Each component comprises a body of dielectric material which carries a multiplicity of conductor elements. When the two components are brought into mating relationship, the conductor elements of the plug component engage respective conductor elements of the socket component. 
     It has hitherto been conventional to mount electronic devices in so-called duel in-line packages. The dual in-line package, or DIP, has connection pins that are connected to the electronic device and are used for mounting the DIP to a circuit board. In particular, holes are drilled in the board and the pins are fitted in the holes. The physical properties of the board material and the limitations of drilling machines have made it conventional for the holes to be drilled at 1.27 mm (0.050 inch) centers. The spacing between the pins imposes a limit on the number of DIPs that can be accommodated by a circuit board of a given size, and consequently limits the number of connections required between the circuit board and other electrical apparatus. 
     The demand for connection capacity to a circuit board carrying DIPs can generally be met using connectors having conductor elements at 1.27 mm centers: the number of connections is not so large that the space required for the connector limits to a significant extent the area available for DIPs. However, surface mounted devices do not have connection pins that require drilling of circuit boards, and therefore the connection pads of an SMD can be at less than 1.27 mm centers and it is conventional for the connection pads to be at 0.635 mm (0.025 inch) centers. Proposals have been made to place the pads of SMDs even closer, at 0.58 mm (0.020 inch) centers. Such close spacing of the connection pads means that more SMDs than DIPs can be accommodated by a board of a given size, and therefore the demand for connection capacity is much greater for SMDs than for DIPs. It is in fact being found increasingly that the space required for connectors is limiting the area available for SMDs. 
     It has been proposed that the conventional plug/socket connector be modified so that the spacing between the conductor elements is reduced, e.g., to 0.635 mm. However, in order to maintain adequate space between the conductor elements, it becomes necessary to reduce the width of the conductor elements, and the conductor elements are then liable to be bent or damaged through handling and bringing the connector components into mating relationship. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 840,537 (Weir) discloses a switchboard composed of a pair of parallel boards, each of which is formed with a square array of apertures. The two arrays are aligned, and each aperture contains a metal ring. The ring of one board is connected to the corresponding ring of the other board by inserting a conductive plug through the rings. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,956 (Dufendach et al) discloses an instruction apparatus that is somewhat similar to the switchboard of Patent No. 840,537, except that it comprises four boards, and a detent is associated with each set of four aligned apertures for establishing two possible insertion positions of the plug or pin that is fitted in the aligned apertures. The pin comprises a core of dielectric material having four equiangularly spaced longitudinal grooves, and metallic spring contacts fitted in these grooves. In one insertion position of the pin, one pair of spring contacts provides electrical connection between two of the boards, and in the other insertion position the other pair of contacts provides electrical connection between the other two boards. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,208 (Lex et al) discloses a programming pin board comprising a group of parallel input strips and a group of parallel output strips. The input strips and output strips carry conductor runs. The two groups of strips are arranged in a criss-cross array, and at each crossing point a connection between an input strip and an output strip may be provided by means of a plug having four prongs. The plug is applied to the input and output strips so that one prong is received in each quadrant defined at the crossing point of the input strip and the output strip. Selected prongs have a conductive coating, while the surface layers of the other prongs are electrically insulating. Thus, the conductor runs that are interconnected at the crossing point depend on which prongs have conductive coatings. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,730 (Husband et al) discloses a switch block comprising an encapsulating body of dielectric material in which conductive bars are embedded. Holes pass through the dielectric block and the bars so that terminal pins may be inserted to make selective contact between the bars. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,361 (Cartelli) discloses a matrix switch in which each deck comprises a board of dielectric material formed with apertures that are partially aligned with apertures in another board, and metal strips that pass through the apertures. Connection between the decks is provided by inserting a metal pin through two partially aligned apertures so as to contact the strips that cross those apertures. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,358 (Ballard et al) discloses a connecting matrix structure in which an elongate pin shank carries a plurality of longitudinally spaced leaf-spring contacts. 
     British Pat. No. 953,225 (Longford) discloses a switching matrix in which the plug is made of dielectric material and has ferrules spaced apart along its length and internally connected to conductors that project from the plug. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is an electrical connector comprising means defining a passageway, a conductor element having a surface portion that is spaced from, but presented towards, the central axis of the passageway, and a composite rod of dielectric material and conductive material. The rod comprises an elongate core of dielectric material and an elongate body of conductive material secured to and extending lengthwise of the core. The rod can be inserted into the passageway along the central axis of the passageway. When the rod is fitted in the passageway, the body of conductive material engages the surface portion of the conductor element, so that electrically-conductive contact is established between the conductor element and the body of conductive material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial side view of a connector embodying the present invention, being used to connect printed circuit boards, 
     FIG. 2 is an end view, partially in section, of a major component of the FIG. 1 connector, 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the component shown in FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an interconnect component of the FIG. 1 connector, 
     FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation, partly cut away, of the FIG. 4 component, 
     FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate schematically different use environments for the FIG. 1 connector, 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate, partly in section, end views of respective modifications of the FIG. 4 connector, 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modified form of the FIG. 1 connector, 
     FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line XII--XII of FIG. 11, 
     FIG. 13 is a sectional view of two parts of a three-part connector embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 14 is a plan view of one of the parts shown in FIG. 13, 
     FIG. 15 is a plan view of the third part of the three-part connector, 
     FIG. 15A is a plan view of a part that may be used with one of the parts shown in FIG. 13 to provide a two-part connector, and 
     FIGS. 16 and 16A are sectional views taken on three lines 16--16 and 16A--16A of FIGS. 15 and 15A respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates first and second circuit boards 2 and 3 carrying respective connector components 4 and 5. The connector components 4 and 5 are connected to conductor runs of the circuit boards 2 and 3 respectively. Composite rods 6, of which only one is shown in FIG. 1, extend through the connector components and provide electrical connection between the connector components. Consequently, the conductor runs of the two circuit boards are interconnected. 
     Each connector component shown in FIG. 1, for example the connector component 4, comprises a pair of connector assemblies 10a and 10b (FIG. 2). Each connector assembly comprises a channel section body 12 of dielectric material, having a base 14 and two side walls 16 and 18. Square holes 20 are formed in the base 14. Metal blades 22 extend diagonally across the channel defined between the side walls 16 and 18. Each blade has one end anchored in the side wall 16 and its other end extending through the side wall 18 and connected to a leg 30. The leg extends adjacent the side wall 18, perpendicular to the general plane of the base 14, and terminates in a connector pad 24. The spacing between the blades 22, in the longitudinal direction of the channel, is equal to half the spacing between the centers of the holes 20. The length of the diagonal of each hole 20 is slightly greater than the perpendicular distance between adjacent blades 22. 
     The assemblies 10a and 10b are essentially identical, except that the leg 30a is longer than the leg 30b, and the legs 30a and 30b extend in opposite directions relative to the bases 14a and 14b of the respective channel section bodies 12a and 12b. Consequently, when the two assemblies 10a and 10b are positioned as shown in FIG. 2, with the channel bases 14 in confronting relationship, the connection pads of the two assemblies lie at essentially the same level. In this position, the two sets of blades are in crossing relationship, as shown in FIG. 3, and the holes 20a of the body 12a are aligned with the holes 20b of the body 12b. Each pair of aligned holes 20a and 20b defines a square-section passageway through the connector component 4. Two blades 22a encroach on diagonally opposite corners of the passageway within the channel defined by the body 12a, and two blades 22b encroach on the other two corners of the passageway within the channel defined by the body 12b. 
     The composite rod 6 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This rod comprises a core 42 of dielectric material, for example the polyethylene terephthalate that is sold under the registered trademark Rynite, and four pins 44 of electrically conductive wire, e.g., beryllium copper, that are bonded to the core and are equiangularly distributed about the central axis of the core structure. The rod 6 is sized to fit snugly in two aligned holes 20a and 20b, so that it cannot rotate within the holes, and is somewhat pointed in order to facilitate insertion in the holes. When the rod is fitted in the holes, the four pins 44 respectively engage the four blades 22 that encroach on the corners of the passageway defined by the aligned holes 20 and deflect the blades from the planar form illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a firm, electrically-conductive pressure contact between the blades and the pins results. When two connector components 4 and 5 are used in conjunction and the rod 6 extends through a pair of holes of each component, the blades 22 of the component 4 are connected to respective blades of the component 5. 
     Because the pins 44 cause the blades 22 to be deflected from their planar form, the contact between a pin and the associated blade is not confined to a line parallel to the rod 6 but is a strip that extends partly about the periphery of the pin. The contact area may be further enlarged by giving each pin a zone of increased radius of curvature, as shown by the dashed line 48 in FIG. 4. 
     By using each rod 6 to provide connections between four pairs of blades 22, and by dividing the blades of each connector component 4 and 5 between two connector assemblies, it is possible to provide the connector pads at an effective pitch of 0.635 mm with respect to the longitudinal direction of the channel-section bodies yet maintain the actual pitch of the rods 6 at 2.54 mm. The composite structure of the rod 6 ensures that the pins 44 are adequately supported. If additional stiffness is needed, a steel pin 50 (FIG. 4) may be provided at the center of the core. The rod may be manufactured by extrusion of dielectric material through a die in which the pins 44 (and the pin 50 if provided) are supported at their desired respective positions. 
     The boards 2 and 3 shown in FIG. 1 are mounted face-to-face and are spaced at double the height of a single connector component. FIG. 6 shows an arrangement, using longer rods, in which the boards are mounted at a greater distance by use of a dielectric stand-off structure 52. FIG. 7 shows a further arrangement in which two pairs of connector components as shown in FIG. 2 are used for connecting the conductor runs of two circuit boards. In the case of FIG. 7, the legs 30 of each connector component are provided on the same side of that component instead of on opposite sides as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 8 shows two arrangements in which a connector of the kind shown in FIG. 1 is used to connect the conductor runs of a circuit board to ribbon cable(s). In FIG. 8(a), the legs 30 and pads 24 of the connector component 5 are replaced by tabs 52. The tabs are in two groups, carried by the bodies 12a and 12b respectively, and the tabs in each group are at a pitch of 1.27 mm. Two ribbon cables 54a and 54b, each having their conductors at 1.27 mm centers, are connected to the two groups of tabs respectively. In FIG. 8(b), the two groups of tabs are at the same side of the component 5 and a single ribbon cable having its conductors at 0.635 mm centers is connected to both groups of tabs. 
     In the case of the connector shown in FIG. 1, the rods 6 are not physically attached to either circuit board. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate two modifications of the FIG. 1 connector in which the rods 6&#39; are attached to a circuit board. In the case of FIG. 9, the rod 6&#39; is attached to a surface mount block 56 having contact pads 58. The pins 44 are electrically connected to the pads 58, for example through conductors that extend through channels in the block 56. The surface mount block 56 is attached to a circuit board 2&#39; by soldering the pads 58 to conductor runs of the circuit board. The rod 6&#39; then projects through the board and is received in a connector component 5&#39;, which is attached to a second circuit board 3&#39;. In the case of FIG. 10, the surface mount block 56 is configured so that it is not necessary for the rod 6&#39; to extend through the circuit board 2&#39;. In FIG. 10 also, the pins 44 are connected to the pads 58 by means of conductors that lie in channels extending through the surface mount block 56. The conductors may cross within the block 56, so that the relative positions of the pads 58 need not correspond to those of the pins 44. 
     FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrates a connector allowing selective connection between a blade of the connector assembly 10a&#39; and a blade of the connector assembly 10b.&#39; The blades of the connector assembly 10b&#39; are parallel to the blades of the connector assembly 10a&#39;, instead of being in crossing relationship therewith, and the holes 20&#39; are round and are sufficiently large to allow the rod 6&#39; to rotate. The rod 6&#39; is cut away over part of its length, as shown at 60&#39; so as to interrupt the pins 44b and 44c. The rod is provided with a screw head 62, for rotating the rod. The rod 6&#39; is also provided with two peripheral grooves 64 and 66, and the connector assembly 10a&#39; carries a resilient detent element 68 that engages one or other of these grooves depending on the longitudinal position of the rod relative to the connector assemblies. If the detent element is in engagement with the groove 64, it can be caused to engage the groove 66 by pressing the rod longitudinally; and the detent element can be brought back into engagement with the groove 64 by pulling the rod in the opposite longitudinal direction. 
     The blades of the two connector assemblies 10a&#39; and 10b&#39; and the pins of the rod 6&#39; establish a pair of switches. When the rod 6&#39; is in its upper center position (detent element engaging the groove 64 and the plane 70 in which the axes of the pins 44a and 44c lie parallel to the side walls), the pins 44 do not contact any of the blades of either of the connector assemblies, and therefore the pad 24a is electrically isolated from the pad 24b and the pad 24c is electrically isolated from the pad 24d. If the rod is then rotated 45 degrees in the clockwise sense seen in FIG. 11, the pin 44b provides electrical contact between the pads 24a and 24b and the pin 44d provides electrical contact between the pads 24c and 24d. Similarily, if the rod had been rotated 45 degrees in the counter-clockwise sense, the pins 44a and 44c would have provided electrical contact between, respectively, the pads 24a and 24b and the pads 24c and 24d. If the rod 6&#39; is placed in its lower center position, the pads 24a and 24c are again isolated from the pads 24b and 24d respectively. If the rod is rotated 45 degrees in the clockwise sense, the pin 44d connects the pads 24c and 24d but the pads 24a and 24b remain isolated because the cutaway 60 in the rod results in no contact being made between the pin 44b and the blade connected to the pad 24a. If the rod had been rotated 45 degrees in the counterclockwise sense, the pin 44a would have connected the pads 24a and 24b and the pads 24c and 24d would have remained isolated. Thus, the modified connector functions as a switch, allowing the connection between the pads 24a and 24b to be established and broken independently of the establishing and breaking of the connection between the pads 24c and 24d. 
     The three-pad connector shown in FIGS. 13-16 comprises two housings 102 and 140 made of dielectric material, such as injection-molded synthetic polymer material. Each of the housings 102, 140 has a base 104 and walls 106. The base 104 and the walls 106 define a cavity 108 which is generally rectangular in section. Pins 110 (FIG. 14) are embedded in the base 104 of each housing 102, 140. The pins 110 are made of metal and each has a foot 112 and a leg 114. The legs 114 extend parallel to one another in the cavity 108. In the illustrated embodiment, there are sixteen pins arranged in two spaced parallel rows of eight pins each. The legs of the pins are uniformly spaced within each row, and the space between the rows is equal to the space between the legs in each row. Accordingly, four groups of four legs are formed, with the centers of the legs in each group being at the corners of a square. The four groups are at a pitch of 2.54 mm. 
     Each pin extends through the base 104 and its foot 112 extends perpendicular to the leg 114 and lies on the opposite side of the base from the cavity 108. The feet of each set of eight pins extend parallel to each other. The housing 102 is shown in FIG. 13 as being mounted on a circuit board with the feet 112 soldered to conductor runs of the circuit board. Ribs 118 are provided on the lower surface of the base 104 to prevent solder bridging. 
     The three-part connector further comprises an interconnect assembly 120 (FIG. 15). The interconnect assembly comprises a plate 122 which is made of dielectric material, such as injection-molded synthetic polymer material, and is sized and shaped to fit in the cavity 108 above the legs 114. Eight posts 124 project from the plate 122 in two sets of four, at opposite sides of the plate respectively. The posts 124 are integral with the plate 122. Each set of four posts in in a linear array at a pitch of 2.54 mm. 
     Each post is generally square in cross-section, but is formed in each side with a channel-shaped recess 126. The sides of each post 124 are at 45° to the line joining the central axes of the post. Each post 124 is axially aligned with a corresponding post on the opposite side of the plate 122, and the recesses in each two corresponding posts are mutually aligned. The plate 122 is formed with rectangular holes 128 which provide communication between respective pairs of aligned recesses 126. Metal blades 130 (FIG. 16) extend through the holes 128 respectively. Each blade 130 has a major portion 132 which lies in the recesses that communicate by way of the hole 128, and two end portions 136 which are folded forward over the major portion 132. The free ends 134 of the two end portions 136 are spaced apart by a distance which is slightly greater than the thickness of the plate 122. The blades are folded in the manner described above before insertion through the holes 128. The metal of the blades is resilient, and therefore the free ends 134 of the end portions 136 spring away from the major portion 132 after the blades are inserted. Accordingly engagement of the free ends 134 with the plate 122 presents inadvertent removal of the blade from its hole 128. 
     The plate 122 is fitted in the cavity 108 of the connector housing 102 with each post of one set inserted among the legs 114 of one group of pins. One end portion of each blade then engages a corresponding pin 110. The second connector housing 140, which may have the feet of its connector pins connected to conductor runs of another circuit board or to a multiple-conductor cable, is fitted over the posts of the second set, and the end portions of the blades engage respective pins of the connector housing 140. In this way, electrical connection is established between the pins of the housing 102 and the pins of the second connector housing 140. 
     Preferably, the end portions 136 of the blades 130 are creased longitudinally so as to have a V-shaped cross-section, with the base 137 of the V towards the portion 132, in order to increase the contact area between the blades 130 and the pins 110. In order to facilitate creasing of the portions 136, the portion 132 also may be creased in similar fashion, in which case it is preferred that bases of the recesses 126 and the corresponding surfaces of the holes 128 be V-shaped in order to conform more closely to the shape of the portion 132. 
     The two-part connector comprises just one housing 102 and an interconnect assembly 150 as shown in FIGS. 15A and 16A. The posts 154 that project below the plate 152 and are fitted in the housing 102, in the manner described with reference to FIGS. 13-16, are longer than the posts 154&#39; that project above the plate 152. The posts 154, 154&#39; are formed by the intersections of ribs 157, which are provided in order to minimize the danger of short circuits between the blades 130. Only the lower end portions 136 of the blades 130 shown in FIG. 16A are folded over the major portion 132 of the blade. The upper end portion 162 is bent in order to provide a J-type terminal which may be soldered directly to a terminal of an electrical component or circuit board. Two of the posts 154&#39; are formed with alignment bosses 160 which enter alignment holes in the electrical component. 
     It will be appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to the particular electrical connectors that have been described and illustrated, and that variations may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and equivalents thereof. In particular, the invention is not limited to the rods 6 or the post 124 being at a pitch of 2.54 mm, or to each housing of the connectors of FIGS. 13-16A having four groups of pins. The rod 6 of the FIGS. 1-5 connector might not have four pins. For example, the rod may have eight pins, with the axes of the pins equiangularly spaced about the central axis of the rod. In this case, each connector component would comprise a stack of four connector assemblies, and the rod would be twisted about its central axis through 45 degrees at a location between the blades of one pair of connector assemblies and the blades of the other pair of connector assemblies. Further, the invention is not restricted to the conductive material of the rod being in the form of a pin that is sufficiently siff to be self-supporting. For example, the core of dielectric material may have a surface layer of metal adhered thereto, and portions of the metal may be removed by selective etching in order to provide strips extending longitudinally of the rod. A pair of adjacent blades may be replaced by a block of dielectric material having strips of conductive material adhered to opposite respective sides thereof. It is not essential that the bodies 12 be in base-to-base relationship as shown in FIG. 2, since the relationship between the blades 22a and the blades 22b is preserved if the bodies 12 are in channel-to-channel relationship as shown in FIG. 12.