MULTIPLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A multiple connector assembly includes a metal back panel (10) and a plurality of eletrical connectors (40, 42) of different sizes mounted on the panel (10), the connectors each being provided with an electrically conductive mounting flange (50). The panel (10) has formed therein a plurality of parallel elongated openings (12) for receiving the connectors (40, 42). The connectors (40, 42) are fastened to the panel (10) by means of clamping bars (14), each clamping bar being removably attached to the panel by screws (16). Opposite edge portions of the mounting flange (50) of each connector (40, 42) are respectively held against portions of the panel (10) disposed on opposite sides of an elongated opening (12) by means of two clamping bars (14). The assembly has a high degree of versatility in that the connectors can be readily changed. Also, metal plates (55) are provided to fill any openings not filled by the connectors (40, 42) or flanges (50) so as to provide total electrical shielding.

Description: MULTIPLE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY Technical Field This invention relates to multiple connector assemblies. Background Art Certain classes of electronic equipment have an expandable feature which in turn necessitates the use of additional connectors for bringing in signals and additional power. These needs can be satisfied in a variety of ways, one of which is to build the basic system with all of the possible connectors that can be used fitted onto the system at the time of manufacture. The cost associated with doing this make this a highly undesirable option. It is more desirable to have a system wherein the customer can add connectors of the particular type and quantity desired at any time and or rearrange the connectors without the need of special tools and fabrication techniques. An additional problem arises when the back panel of the electronic equipment has to remain electrically secure from radio frequency emissions, that is when the back panel has to be a shield with no openings through which radio frequency emissions can pass. Furthermore, there is the problem that is associated with grounding in that it is advantageous from an electrical point of view to have the connector and its housing grounded to the potential of the back panel. From U.S. Patent No. 4,131,330 there is known a mounting device for electrical connectors including electrically insulating mounting panels in which there are formed slots each adapted to house a plurality of electrical connectors. This known " e ice provides some flexibility in that a user can insert connectors and specific wiring of his own choosing. However, the degree of reconfiguration is restricted since only connectors of a certain size can be inserted, in the slots. Also, this known device does not provide shielding in respect of radio frequency emissions. Disclosure of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a multiple connector assembly which is highly versatile as regards reconfiguration of its connectors, and which can be reconfigured without the use of special tools and complicated techniques. It is another object of the invention to provide a multiple connector assembly which can be arranged to be electrically shielded. According to the invention, there is provided a multiple connector assembly, characterized by a plurality of electrical connectors respectively provided with electrically conductive mounting flanges, a panel formed of electrically conductive material and having a plurality of elongated openings formed therein for receiving said electrical connectors, said openings extending generally parallel to each other, a plurality of clamping bars, and fastening means for removably fastening said clamping bars to said panel so as to secure said connectors to said panel with opposite edge portions of the mounting flange of each connector being respectively held by means of two clamping bars against portions of said panel disposed on opposite sides of an elongated opening in said panel. Brief Description of the Drawings One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a connector panel with a variety of connectors shown fixed in place;. Fig. 2 is a sectioned view taken along the section lines 2-2 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectioned view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 taken along the section line 3-3; Fig. 4 illustrates in a perspective view a clamping member used in the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is an exploded view illustrating the relationship between a mounting flange and a connector of the type shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 illustrates in perspective view a metallic plate which may be used as a filler in the panel shown in Fig. 1. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to Fig. 1 in conjunction with Figs. 2 and 3, a back panel 10 of the present invention is fabricated from sheet metal having parallel elongated openings 12 defined therein. Each opening is separated from the next by a rectangular portion 13. The back panel is configured in height and width to a • size which will fill the opening appearing in the back portion of an electrical equipment cabinet. Electrical connectors 42, having differing number of pins but substantially the same physical width, are shown positioned within the openings 12 in different , configurations. For example, in the fifth row from i the left there is shown a 9 pin configuration wherein five such 9 pin connectors are shown positioned so as to fill the elongated opening. In a like manner four 15 pin connectors, because of their increased length, can accomplish the same filling or utilization of the ϊ space. The 25 pin connectors fill the space with only , three being insertable. The 37 pin connectors permit two to be inserted into an opening 12. In the sixth row, a 37 pin connector is combined with a 15 pin connector, while in the eleventh row there is illustrated the filling of the longitudinal opening with a metal plate 55. An electrically conductive mounting flange 50 (shown in Fig. 5) is provided for each of the connectors, such mounting flange being of a width slightly greater than the width of the openings 12 so that the mounting flange laps on the adjacent rectangular portions 13, preventing the connector from passing through the relevant opening 12 and providing an electrical contact between an electrically conductive housing of the connector and the back panel 10 (which in operation is electrically grounded). Clamping bars 14, having threaded holes 19 therein (shown in Fig. . 4), are affixed to the rear surface of the back panel by means of fasteners such as screws 16. The clamping bars are formed from conductive material such that they form a continual conductive surface with the connector housings and the mounting flanges in conjunction with the conductive back panel. In some instances, for example with a 50 pin electrical conductor connector identified as element 40 in Fig. 1, the use of a separate connector flange 50 may not be required. In that instance, the con¬ nector may be held in place directly by the use of clamping bars 14 which clamp an electrically conductive flange formed integral with the housing of the connector. Any openings at the ends of the connectors 40 and 42 can be filled with segments of metal plate material taken from a blank filler plate 55, shown in Fig. 6. Referring now specifically to Fig. 4, the clamping bar 14, made of conductive material, is shown having a recessed surface 20, milled from each of its opposing sides to receive a mounting flange and/or a blank metal plate 55 (shown in Fig. 6). The clamping bar receives the screws 16 that pass through the screw holes 18 in the relevant back panel rectangular portion 13 to clamp the bar to the back panel 10. The screws 16 are removable so as to enable easy removal of each clamping bar 14 from the panel 10. Referring now to Fig. 5, a typical connector 42 having a wiring lead 60 is shown connectable to the conductive mounting flange 50, rectangular in shape, and having fastener openings 53, corresponding to openings 54 in the connector body, for receiving fasteners 52 which for example may be a bolt and nut assembly. Fig. 6 illustrates the metallic plate 55 which is insertable into an opening 12 for electrically closing the opening. The plate has a plurality of transverse dimples 58 which give the relatively thin plate a total displacement thickness equivalent to- that normally achieved by the mounting flanges 50 so as to provide a contacting thickness between the clamping bar 14 and the back panel 10 such that tightening of the clamping bar into position with the screws 16 will ensure electrical contact between the clamping bar, the dimpled plate and the back panel. Any opening 12 or part thereof not closed by the connectors 40, 42 and flanges 50 is closed by a plate 55 or by a portion cut therefrom so that total electrical shielding is provided by the panel. Once the customer has assembled the con¬ nectors in the configuration desired, it is obvious that the configuration may be changed by adding addi¬ tional connectors where desired and/or deleting con¬ nectors that are no longer needed. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the invention permits a high degree of versatility in the configuring of a back panel wherein various sizes of connectors may be positioned without the need for specialized tools. In addition, although the disclo- - 6 - sure has been directed to connectors of a rectangular configuration, it would be obvious that connectors having, for example, either square, round or hexagon, or any other shape can be used by adjusting the openings in the back panel and configuring the mounting flanges to fill the openings that would appear between the outlines of the connector bodies and the openings through the connector panel.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A multiple connector assembly, characterized by a plurality of electrical connectors (40, 42) respectively provided with electrically conductive mounting flanges (50), a panel (10) formed of electrically conductive material and having a plurality of elongated openings (12) formed therein for receiving said electrical connectors (40, 42), said openings extending generally parallel to each other, a plurality of clamping bars (14), and fastening means (16) for removably fastening said clamping bars (14) to said panel (12) so as to secure said connectors (40, 42) to said panel with opposite edge portions of the mounting flange (50) of each connector being respectively held by means of two clamping bars (14) against portions of said panel' (10) disposed on opposite sides of an elongated opening (12) in said panel. 2. A multiple connector panel according to claim 1, characterized in that each clamping bar (14) is of electrically conductive material. 3. A multiple connector panel according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said clamping bars (14) extend along the whole length of said elongated openings (12) in said panel (10). 4. A multiple connector panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said clamping bars (14) has a width substantially equal to the spacing between adjacent elongated openings (12) in said panel (10). 5. A multiple connector panel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a plurality of electrically conductive blank plates (55) adapted to close elongated openings (12) or portions of elongated openings (12) in said panel (10) not spanned by said mounting flanges (50), opposite edge portions of each blank plate (55) being respectively held by means of two clamping bars (14) against portions (13) of said panel disposed on opposite sides of an elongated opening (12) in said panel. 6. A multiple connector assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that each of said blank plates (55) is of sheet material having a thickness less than that of said flanges (50) and is provided with at least one traverse dimple (58) so as to increase the effective thickness of the blank plate to correspond to the thickness of said flanges. 7. A multiple connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some- of said mounting flanges (50) are each in the form of a plate which has a central aperture in which the respective connector is inserted and which is removably fastened to the respective connector. 8. A multiple connector assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each clamping bar (14) has longitudinal recessed portions (20) extending along opposite sides thereof, each recessed portion (20) being adapted to receive an edge portion of a mounting flange (50) when holding the flange against the panel (10).

Inventors: PORTER WARREN WESLEY, THIES LOUIS WILLIAM, PORTER, WARREN, WESLEY, THIES, LOUIS, WILLIAM
Applicants: NCR CO, NCR CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13, H05K7