Hinged electrical connector

A hinged electrical connector comprises connector members (1, 2) mounted onto circuit boards (11a, 11a) and hingedly connected together by shafts (4) and recesses (6). Receptacle contact sections (8a) of receptacle contacts (8) in connector member (2) have low-pressure contact members (22) in electrical engagement with outer ends (13) of tab contact sections (7b) of tab contacts (7) in connector member (1) when the circuit board (11a, 11b) are parallel to one another (FIG. 7A). High-pressure contact members (23) of the receptacle contact sections (8a) are in electrical engagement with inner sections (13') of the tab contact sections (7b) when the circuit boards (11a, 11b) are at a right angle with respect to one another (FIG. 7C).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a hinged electrical connector for electrically 
connecting electronic circuits between circuit boards and to enable the 
circuit boards to be angularly moved and positioned relative to one 
another. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A hinged electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,475. The 
male or tab contact sections of electrical contacts in a first dielectric 
housing are electrically engaged by female or receptacle contact sections 
of electrical contacts in a second dielectric housing. The second 
dielectric housing is pivotally mounted to the first housing so that the 
housings can be moved relative to one another when the electrical contacts 
are electrically connected to respective circuit boards, thereby enabling 
the circuit boards to be angularly positioned relative to each other. Each 
tab contact section has a uniform width therealong with a radiused front 
end which enables the tab contact section to be positioned within a 
respective parallel spaced plate of the receptacle contact section. The 
positioning of the tab contact sections within the receptacle contact 
sections is difficult because the area of contact between these contact 
sections is quite large, as is the coefficient of friction therebetween, 
especially when a large number of contacts are involved. Moreover, the 
pivotal movement of the contact sections is hampered as a result of the 
large area of contact and the large coefficient of friction between the 
sections. If the coefficient of friction is reduced by decreasing the 
forces of engagement of the receptacle contact sections onto the tab 
contact sections, this will enable the tab contact sections to be more 
easily positioned and move with respect to the receptacle contact 
sections. However, the electrical resistance between the contact sections 
will be increased resulting in corrosion problems which are undesirable 
for electronic circuits. Such an arrangement is therefore undesirable. 
Another hinged electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,320 
wherein the recesses of the dielectric housing in which the receptacle 
contact sections are disposed are appropriately dimensioned so as to bias 
the receptacle contact sections into engagement with the tab contact 
sections thereby increasing the coefficient of friction therebetween 
making it difficult to position the tab contact sections within the 
receptacle contact sections and to pivotally move the contact sections 
relative to each other. 
The objective of the present invention is to provide a hinged electrical 
connector that overcomes the problems of the above-described hinged 
electrical connectors. Other objectives are to reduce the contact pressure 
applied by the receptacle contact sections on the tab contact sections 
during insertion and removal therefrom, maintain a high degree of 
reliability during use and meet the needs of increasing density of 
components on the circuit boards. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, a hinged electrical connector for 
electrical connection to the conductive areas of separate circuit boards 
to interconnect the electronic circuits thereof and to enable the circuit 
boards to be angularly moved relative to each other comprises a first 
connector member and a second connector member having pivot means 
pivotally mounting the connector members together, thereby enabling the 
connector members to be angularly movable relative to each other and tab 
electrical contacts in the first connector member are electrically and 
movably disposed in receptacle electrical contacts in the second connector 
member. Tab contact sections of the tab contacts have outer segments in 
electrical engagement between first opposed contact members of receptacle 
contact sections of the receptacle contacts when the connector members are 
at a first position and the tab contact sections have inner segments in 
electrical engagement between second opposed contact members of the 
receptacle contact sections when the connector members are at a second 
position. 
The receptacle contact sections have low-pressure and high-pressure contact 
members. The low-pressure contact members enable outer segments of the tab 
contact sections to be inserted into the receptacle contact sections with 
a low insertion force when the connector members are being hinged together 
and they apply low contact pressure on the outer ends of the tab contact 
sections when the connector members are in a first position. The 
high-pressure contact members electrically engage the inner sections of 
the tab contact sections and apply high contact pressure on the inner 
parts of the tab contact sections when the connector members are in a 
second position with the low-pressure contact members still electrically 
engaging the outer segments of the tab contact sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As shown in FIG. 1, electrical tab connector member 1 and electrical 
receptacle connector 2 are shown prior to being hingedly connected 
together to form a hinged electrical connector HEC as shown in FIGS. 7A-C. 
Connector members 1, 2 are hingedly coupled together by short shafts 4 
extending inwardly from inside surfaces of side walls 3 of dielectric 
housing 1a. Shafts 4 are disposed in recesses 6 in outside surfaces of 
side walls 5 of dielectric housing 2a. This enables connector members 1, 2 
to be angularly movable relative to one another. 
Electrical tab contacts 7 are secured in spaced slots 12 of housing 1a by 
barbs 7a. Electrical receptacle contacts 8, corresponding to the same 
number of tab contacts 7, have receptacle contact sections 8a disposed in 
spaced slots 2b of housing 2a and posts 10 extend through holes 19 and 
outwardly from housing 2a while legs 18 are pressed-fitted into holes 20 
of housing 2a thereby securing receptacle contacts 8 therein. Posts 9 of 
tab contacts 7 extend outwardly from housing 1a. Thus, posts 9, 10 are 
disposed in holes of circuit boards 11a, 11b and electrically connected to 
respective conductive paths thereof. Mounting members (not shown) are 
provided on connector members 1, 2 to mount them on boards 11a, 11b before 
posts 9, 10 are soldered to the conductive paths. 
FIG. 2 more clearly shows the tab contact section 7b of the tab contact 7 
which is in the form of a plate. The outer end 13 of tab contact section 
7b has a straight surface 15, a tapered surface 16 and a radiussed surface 
17. The inner section or part 13' of the tab contact section 7b has 
parallel surfaces 14, 14' with surface 14 connecting with surface 16 and 
being parallel with surface 15. Surfaces 14, 14', 15, 16 and 17 are edges 
of the tab contact section 7b and they are beveled therealong on both 
sides (FIG. 2). The area of outer end 13 is less than the area of inner 
section 13'. 
FIGS. 3-6 more clearly show the receptacle contact section 8a of the 
receptacle contact 8 and it includes spaced opposed plates 21 that are 
connected at their bottom ends to section 8b (FIG. 4). Plates 21 are 
parallel at their inner ends from post 10 to leg 18; from post 10 they 
taper toward one another to low pressure contact members 22 and high 
pressure contact members 23; and, from the contact members 22, 23, plates 
21 taper outwardly as best shown in FIG. 6. Contact members 22 are 
positioned opposite each other in a lower part of plates 21 and they are 
spaced slightly inwardly from contact members 23 which are also opposite 
each other in an upper part of plates 21. Contact members 22, 23 are 
elongate, inwardly-directed, arcuate projections and their inner ends are 
located at a center of plates 21. 
A shown in FIG. 6, the spacing S.sub.1, between contact members 22 is 
greater than the spacing S.sub.2 between contact members 23. Thus, contact 
members 22 are low-pressure contact members whereas contact members 23 are 
high-pressure contact members. 
FIG. 7A shows the position of connector members 1, 2 when they have been 
hingedly and electrically connected together with short shafts 4 
positioned in recesses 6 and outer ends 13 of tab contact sections 7a 
disposed between plates 21 of the receptacle contact sections 8a in 
electrical engagement between only the low-pressure contact members 22. 
Thus, prior to the connector members 1, 2 being hingedly and electrically 
connected together, they are positioned as shown in FIG. 7A but spaced 
from each other; they are then connected together as described above with 
circuit boards 11a, 11b parallel to one another. The fact that outer ends 
13 of tab contact sections 7b are only connected with low-pressure contact 
members 22 when connector members 1, 2 are hingedly connected together 
results in a low insertion force making it easier to insert outer ends 13 
between the low-pressure contact members 22 and to hingedly and 
electrically connect the connector members 1, 2 together. In this position 
(FIG. 7A), inner sections 13' of tab contact sections 7b are not 
positioned between high-pressure contact members 23, but tapered surfaces 
16 can be in engagement with contact members 23; and contact members 22 
are located within the circumference of shafts 4. Surface 1c of housing 1a 
engages surface 2d of housing 2a to maintain boards 11a, 11b parallel to 
each other. 
As shown in FIG. 7B, board 11a and connector member 1 are moved clockwise 
relative to board 11b and connector member 2 via shafts 4 which causes the 
tapered surfaces 16 to cam contact members 23 outwardly so that inner 
sections 13' of tab contact sections 7b can be electrically engaged by 
high-pressure contact members 23 during the clockwise movement of outer 
sections 13' relative to contact members 23 until surface 1b of housing 1a 
engages surface 2c of housing 2a when the connector members 1,2 reach 
ninety degrees as shown in FIG. 7C. Thus, contact members 23 electrically 
engage inner sections 13' of tab contact sections 7b from about ten 
degrees to ninety degrees. The contact pressure of high-pressure contact 
members 23 on tab contact sections 7b is therefore increased resulting in 
a high degree of contact reliability therebetween. Contact members 22 are 
always in engagement with outer ends 13 of the tab contact sections 7b. If 
it is desired to disconnect connector members 1, 2, they are positioned as 
in FIG. 7A because of the low-pressure contact members 22 on outer ends 13 
of tab contact sections 7b thereby making it less difficult to remove the 
tab contact sectons 7b from the the receptacle contact sections 8a. The 
movement of tab contact sections 7b along contact members 22, 23 also 
cleans the surfaces therebetween resulting in a much better electrical 
connection. 
As disclosed, a hinged electrical connector comprises electrical connector 
members hingedly connected together by shafts of one connector member 
disposed in recesses in the other connector member and tab contact 
sections of electrical tab contacts of the14ne connector member 
electrically are engaged within receptacle contact sections of electrical 
receptacle contacts of the other connector member. Posts of the tab 
contacts and the receptacle contacts are electrically connected to 
respective circuit boards so that the circuit boards are parallel or in 
one position relative to each other when the one connector member is 
hingedly connected to the other connector member and the outer ends of the 
tab contact sections are electrically engaged between low-pressure contact 
members of the receptacle contact sections. The circuit boards and 
connector members thereon are movable relative to one another so that the 
circuit boards are at a right angle or a second position and inner 
sections of the tab contact sections are electrically engaged between 
high-pressure contact members of the receptacle contact sections.