Device for connecting and disconnecting an electrical connector

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for connecting and disconnecting electrical connectors. The device consists of latches (9) which are pivotably arranged in the lower and upper corner regions of a protection housing (6) and a card (3), respectively, and flexible elements (15), in particular springs, which are fixed to an inflexible catch bar (13) or to housing (1) directly. The flexible elements are provided with cams (30). The latches (9) are associated with the flexible elements (15), comprising the cams (30), such that latches (9) are capable of engaging the cams only after an electrical connection has been made. The position of the cams (30) determines the magnitude of the insertion force for the connector. After connection has been establised, the pressure occurring between the connector elements is largely reduced by the flexibly retreating element (15) with the cams (30). As a result, the device according to the invention allows linking connectors with a very large number of contacts, without connector elements and in particular the board or card being damaged by the insertion force.

Description: The present invention concerns a device for connecting and disconnecting an electrical connector according to the preamble of claim 1. In practice, electrical connectors have to meet special requirements. They must be designed such that their contacts do not become disconnected when subjected to different loads and stresses, such as those imposed by vibration, temperature differences, etc. In addition they must be user friendly, i.e. the must be easy to connect and disconnect. To meet such requirements, connectors must comprise latch means for connection and disconnection. Such means ensure that contacts are reliably closed and prevented from automatically opening during operation. European patent application 0 369 025 describes a device by which cards can be connected to and disconnected from a board. This device comprises a resilient latch member which is connected to the card and has a movable end portion, and an operating lever which is pivotably arranged on the card. Operating lever and latch member are positioned relative to each other such that when the operating lever is actuated, its curved surface causes the latch member to perform a translatory movement, so that card and board are electrically connected. The movable end portion then drops into a groove provided on the operating lever where it remains so that the card is fixed in that position. This prior art device has the disadvantage that the insertion force is permanently exerted on the board, so that, while the card is connected, the board is subject to considerable stress. In addition, it cannot avoided that the great number of contacts to be made by the connector increases the insertion force such that it bends the board. A board permanently bent in that way develops cracks which damage the printed conductor circuits. Another disadvantage is that for the previously described reasons the connector is only suitable for a limited number of contacts, so that large cards with very many contacts cannot be latched by the prior art device. As a result, the functions involved have to be distributed over several cards, which in turn necessitates larger housings. Another device for latching and disconnecting an electrical connector is described by the applicant on page 6 of a catalogue "System Support: Parts Catalogue 9404" for "IBM System AS/400" under the heading "Card Enclosure Assembly". This device consists of latches, arranged in the upper and lower corners of the card or the protection housing, and of catch means fixed to the housing. A catch means is functionally associated with each latch such that the latch is capable of engaging the catch means only after card and board have been electrically connected. A primary disadvantage of this device is that the pressure required for connecting card and board is exerted on the connector components during their entire operation. A further device of the same kind is described in EP-A-0 333 614. In addition, the afore-mentioned devices have the same disadvantages. Therefore, it is the object of the invention to provide a device for connecting and disconnecting an electrical connector, which allows linking connectors with a maximum number of contacts and in which the force required therefor is not permanently exerted on the connector components but is largely eliminated. This object is basically accomplished by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1. Special embodiments of the device according to the invention may be seen from the subclaims. The advantages obtained by the invention are in particular that the device constituting its subject matter allows linking connectors with a very large number of contacts. The surface areas of the connector components are subject to pressure only during connection. Once electrical connection has been made, the pressure exerted on the connector largely disappears. This permits increasing the functional density of cards used, for example, in data processing. The advantage of this is that the space required for card storage is reduced and that smaller size boards may be used. In addition, particular functions on the board are rendered superfluous, as fewer cards are required. This, in turn, simplifies in particular the production of the cards. The device according to the invention will be described in detail below by way of a data processing application, in particular for connecting cards to a board, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the housing accommodating the board and the cards, with cards and board being connected by the device according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the device according to the invention, Fig. 3 is a partly cross-sectional side view of the device according to the invention in a phase during which the pressure required for electrically connecting card and board is exerted on the board, Fig. 4 is a partly cross-sectional side view of the device according to the invention in a phase during which the pressure required for establishing contact between card and board is largely eliminated by the device according to the invention, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a partial region of the device according to the invention, which serves to reduce the pressure between board and card, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention with several cards arranged in parallel. Fig. 1 shows one or several cards 3 inserted in parallel in a housing 1 where they are connected to a board 5. The cards 3, in particular electronic cards, are generally accommodated in a protection housing 6 shielding them against electromagnetic radiation. Protection housing 6 has an aperture from which a contact connector part 4, linked with a contact connector part 7 of the board 5, protrudes. The top and the bottom corner on one side of the protection housing 6 are fitted with one latch 9 each which is pivotably supported on housing 6. If the protection housing 6 for shielding the card 3 is dispensed with for technical reasons, latch 9 may be fixed to the card 3 directly. The upper and the lower region of the housing 1 are provided with catch bars 11 which are engaged by latches 9 only after the contact connector part 7 of the board 5 and the contact connector part 4 of the card 3 have been electrically connected. Latch bars 11 may be arranged on housing 1 individually or jointly. Fig. 2 shows how the individual parts of the device according to the invention are associated. Catch bar 11 consists of an inflexible catch element 13 and a flexible catch element 15 which may be a U-shaped spring. The inflexible catch element 13 is fixed to housing 1. The flexible catch element 15 is designed as an independent element and arranged on the inflexible catch element 13. The inflexible catch element 13 has two legs 17, 18 extending orthogonally to each other, the inflexible catch element 13 being positioned on housing 1 such that one leg 18 is arranged parallel to housing 1 whereas the other leg 17 extends orthogonally to leg 18. The upper region of leg 17 is provided with a recess 19 so that two bars 21, 22, extending parallel to each other and the surface of leg 18, connected to housing 1, are formed on either side. The two bars 21, 22 are interrupted by a further recess 24, 25. The U-shaped spring 15 is fixed to the inflexible catch element 13 such that the two legs of spring 15 enclose bar 22 so that the bent portion of the spring 15 rests against the inside of bar 22. For spring 15, bar 22 acts as a stop. One leg 26 of the spring 15 is provided on its movable end with a tongue 28 projecting from spring 15 and which is positioned orthogonally to leg 26 of the spring 15. On this tongue 28, a cam 30 is arranged. Spring 15 is positoned on bar 22 such that the projecting tongue 28 is reciprocally movable parallel to the base of the recess 24 between bars 21, 22. Bar 21 is ramp-shaped so that latch 9 may be readily moved across bar 21. Cam 30 determines the point up to which latch 9 has to be moved for electrical connection. Having reached that point, latch 9 snaps into place behind cam 30. As cam 30 is suspended from a spring 15, latch 9 along with the associated card 3 moves back in the direction of arrow A opposite that of the insertion force up to a point at which the pressure on the connector is almost zero. Disconnection of the connector is also prevented by the fact that the width of latch 9 enclosing cam 30 exceeds the size of the recess 24 in bar 21, so that the return movement of latch 9 with the card 3 is stopped on the inside of the bar 21. Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention as card 3 and board 5 are being connected. Latches 9 are arranged in the upper and lower corners of the protection housing 6. If the protection housing is omitted for technical reasons, latches 9 may be arranged on the card 3 directly. Latches 9 are pivotably positioned on housing 6. They are pivotable about an axis C such that they are subdivided into two lever arms 35 and 36 of different length, which are arranged in S-shape relative to each other. The longer lever arm 36 of latch 9 is moved by hand or other means in the direction of arrow B. The short lever 35 of latch 9 engages a recess 37 on housing 1 as soon as the protection housing 6 with the card 3 arranged thereon is in engagement. A latch pawl 40, whose end is provided with a perpendicular latch nose 38, is arranged on the longer lever arm 36. The short lever arm 35 acts as a toggle lever, i.e. when the longer lever arm 36 with the latch pawl 40 for engaging cam 30 is moved in the direction of arrow D, the short lever arm 35 engages the recess 37 in housing 1, leading to an additional insertion force being exerted on the card and the protection housing 6. This additional force electrically connects the contact connector part 4 of the card to the contact connector part 7 of the board 5. Then, latch pawl 40 engages cam 30 with its latch nose 38. The magnitude of the force required for connecting card 3 and board 5 is determined by the position of cam 30, i.e. the position of cam 30 determines the additional distance Y by which the card has to be moved before the latch nose 38 of the pawl 40 is capable of engaging cam 30. The insertion force must at least exceed the sum of the spring and frictional forces of the connector contacts. The load the insertion force exerts on the card 3 and the board 5 disappears immediately after the spring forces of the connector contacts have been overcome. To this end, the movable cam 30 is used which balances the pressure between card 3 and board 5. The insertion force required depends upon the number of contacts to be made when card 3 and board 5 are connected and the position of cam 30 on the inflexible catch element 13. Thus, the device according to the invention is adaptable to connectors with varying numbers of contacts. Fig. 4 shows the device according to the invention in the unloaded state, i.e. after card 3 and board 5 have been electrically connnected. The movable cam 30 balances the pressure between card 3 and board 5. As a result of this and the change in the position of cam 30 in the direction of arrow A, the spring 15, supporting cam 30, is tensioned. Spring 15 is designed such that contacts are not inadvertently opened. For this purpose, the force required for further tensioning the spring 15 must exceed the sum of the frictional forces opening the contacts. Fig. 5 shows in particular the function of recesses 24, 25 on the inflexible catch element 13. Recess 24 allows cam 30 to move on the inflexible catch element 13 such that the pressure between card 3 and board 5 is balanced. The device according to the invention renders an inflexible catch element 13 superfluous, so that spring 15 and cam 30 may be fixed to housing 1, for example. It is also technically feasible for the inflexible catch element 13 to consist of a flat plate which is directly connected to housing 1. In this case, spring 15 would surround the plate such that it is self-supporting thereon. Fig. 6 shows in particular the design of the spring 15 and the inflexible catch element 13 for several cards 3 arranged in parallel. Spring 15 consists of one part 15a, its legs being separated from each other by a recess 42 so that one movable spring leg is associated with each card 3 or latch 9. Each spring leg is fitted with a tongue 28 and a cam 30 positioned thereon. The inflexible catch element also consists of one part 13a and has an elongated recess 19 forming two bars 21, 22, arranged parallel to each other, over the entire length of the inflexible catch part 13a. Each spring leg is also associated with a further recess 24, 25 which allows cam 30 to move for reducing the pressure between card 3 and board 5. Recess 24 is positioned such that the two bars 21, 22 are interrupted. The size of the interruption allows cam 30 to pass. In summary, the advantages of the device according to the present invention are that in particular for connector contacts connected by applying a predetermined force, the packing density of the card is almost insignificant. The present invention allows the connection of cards of maximum packing density without the board to which they are connected being damaged by the insertion force. Further advantages are that the device according to the invention is easy and inexpensive to produce.

Claims: Device for connecting and disconnecting an electrical connector, wherein the connector consists of a movable (3, 6) and a fixed element (5), the movable element (3, 6) being guided in a housing (1) and being moved at a predetermined insertion force until the movable (3, 6) and the fixed element (5) are electrically connected, comprising at least two movably supported latches (9) which are separately supported on the movable element (3, 6), and at least two catch bars (11) which are separately arranged on the housing (1) so that each latch (9) is functionally associated with one catch bar (11), the latches (9) and the catch bars (11) being positioned relative to each other such that the latches are capable of engaging the catch bars only after the movable and the fixed elements are electrically connected, characterized in that at least the element (15) of the catch bar (11) engaged by the latch (9) is flexibly designed to be flexible in the direction of insertion of the movable element. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that catch bar (11) consists of a flexible catch element (15) and an inflexible catch element (13). Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible catch element (15) consists in particular of a U-shaped spring (15), wherein one leg of the spring is rigidly positioned on the housing (1) or the inflexible catch element (13), and the inflexible element (13) is connected to the housing (1), the open end of the other leg (26) being provided with a cam (30) which is engaged by latch (9). Device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the inflexible catch element (13) is shaped in particular in the form of a plate, and that the two legs of the U-shaped spring (15) surround the plate such that the spring (15) is self-supporting thereon. Device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the inflexible catch element (13) is fixed to a surface of the housing (1), one part (17) of the inflexible element (13) extending transversely to and another part (18) resting on the housing surface, the transverse part (17) and the other part (18) being preferably arranged orthogonally to each other, and that the cam (30) is movable in the plane of the transverse part (17). Device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the plane of the transverse part (17) comprises two intersecting recesses (19; 24, 25), the first recess (19) being designed such that two separate bars (21, 22) are formed extending parallel to the other part (18) and which are spaced from each other (X), the second recess (24, 25) extending transversely to the first recess (19) so that the latter interrupts at least the separate bar (21) averted from the other part (18), and that the second recess (24, 25) is dimensioned such that the cam (30) is movable therein. Device as claimed in claim 6, characterized by an additional motional path of the movable element (3, 6), which is necessary for building up a predetermined pressure between the movable (3, 6) and the fixed element (5) for electrical connection. Device as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the part of latch (9) engaging cam (30) is wider than the interruption of bar (21) averted from the other part (18), so that after electrical connection has been made the return movement of the movable element (3, 6) is limited by the separate bar (21). Device as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the bar (22) facing the part (18) serves to accommodate in particular the U-shaped spring (15). Device as claimed in claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the two legs of the U-shaped spring (15) surround a further separate bar (22) such that the bent portion of the spring (15) rests against the further separate bar, and that the spring (15) at the lower movable end of the leg is provided with a tongue (28) which is positioned parallel to the plane of the transverse part (17) and which is movable in the second recess (24, 25), the cam (30) being arranged on the tongue (28). Device as claimed in claim 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the separate bar (21) averted form the other part (18) is in particular ramp-shaped, the sloping surface being positioned on the side averted from the other part (18). Device as claimed in claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the catch bar (11) for several connectors arranged adjacent to each other is designed such that the flexible catch elements (15) are arranged on a common part (15a), and the flexible catch elements (15) for each associated connector are designed according to any one or a combination of claims 3 to 11. Device as claimed in claims 1 to 12, characterized in that for several connectors arranged parallel to each other, one common inflexible catch part (13a) is provided for accommodating the flexible catch part (15a), and the area of the inflexible catch element (13), serving to accommodate the flexible catch element (15), is designed according to any one or a combination of claims 4 to 12. Device as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the flexible catch part (15a) is arranged on the inflexible catch part (13a). Device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the movable element (3) is an electronic card and the fixed element (5) is a board, with the card being plugged onto the latter. Device as claimed in claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the card (3) is surrounded by a protection housing (6), and the latches (9) are fixed to the protection housing (6). Electronic apparatus, in particular a data processing apparatus, comprising at least one card (3) and at least one board (5) which are connected to each other by a device for connecting and disconnecting electrical connectors according to any one or a combination of the claims 1 to 16.

Inventors: KAISER LUTZ DIPL-ING, KIMMERLE EUGEN, MIRBACH ERICH, NOTTER FRANK DIPL-ING, KAISER, LUTZ, DIPL.-ING., KIMMERLE, EUGEN, MIRBACH, ERICH, NOTTER, FRANK, DIPL.-ING.
Applicants: IBM, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13, H05K7