Abstract:
An electrical connector has a first and second connector body. A tool fits over the first connector body to assist in demating the two connector bodies from one another. Compressing the tool compresses spring fingers in one of the connector bodies, allowing the connector bodies to be easily demated from one another without excessive force and damaging printed circuit boards to which the connector may be connected.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to gentle disconnect connectors and a tool therefor, and particularly to push-pull connectors that more gently disconnect from printed circuit boards and only when the unmating of the connector from the printed circuit board is desired. 
         [0003]    2. Technical Background 
         [0004]    Coaxial connectors are used to connect with electrical connectors on printed circuit boards (PCBs). The electrical connectors on the PCBs are soldered to metallic traces on the PCBs, which in turn are laminated to the board material. Typical electrical connections between the PCB connector and coaxial connectors are of the push-pull type. These connections are known to cause a delamination of the soldered connections and the metallic traces on the PCBs themselves when the connectors are unmated due to the typically higher resistance required to unmate them. 
         [0005]    Prior coaxial connectors used on PCBs have attempted to solve this problem by making the connection between the coaxial cable and the electrical connector easier to unmate (easier to pull), but that allowed the coaxial cable to become unmated when it was not desired, causing an unwanted interruption of the electrical systems. Other attempts to provide a stable connection have been to secure the connectors after they have been assembled. One such attempt includes use of an epoxy to encase the mated connector pair. This procedure can be costly as well as time consuming. Additionally use of epoxy encasement makes disconnection for repair and/or replacement difficult if not impossible rendering the whole interconnect system virtually useless. 
         [0006]    It would be desirable therefore to provide an electrical connector and a tool that can be used on PCBs that allows for gently unmating of the push-pull electrical connector only at desired times. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Disclosed herein is a tool for releasing a first connector body from a second connector body that is connected to a printed circuit board that includes a generally circular first portion having a front end and rear end and an opening therebetween for receiving a portion of the first connector body, the front end having a first diameter and the rear end having a second diameter, the first diameter being smaller than the second diameter and at least two extensions connected to the rear end of the first portion and extending generally away from the front end of the first portion, wherein pressing on the at least two extensions causes the first diameter to become smaller. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the tool includes an opening extending along a side of the first portion between the front end and the rear end. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, the tool includes a projection radially extending from the rear end of the first portion to connect each of the at least two extensions to the first portion, the projections being sized to extend beyond the first connector body. 
         [0010]    In other embodiments, the tool is disposed over a portion of the first connector body, the first connector body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion, and having at least two spring fingers between the front end and the middle portion, the front end of the tool engaging the at least two spring fingers, and at least a portion of the first connector body and a portion of the tool fit into an opening in a front end of the second connector body. 
         [0011]    In another aspect, an electrical connector is disclosed for connecting a printed circuit board and a coaxial cable that includes a first connector body having a front end, a back end, and a middle portion, and having at least two spring fingers between the front end and the middle portion, a tool to release the first connector body having a first portion to engage the at least two spring fingers and at least two extensions connected to the first portion and extending beyond the first connector body, wherein pressing on the at least two extensions compresses the at least two spring fingers, and a second connector body having an opening therein to receive at least a portion of the tool and at least a portion of the first connector body. 
         [0012]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0013]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present embodiments of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a tool according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a left side elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a right side elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the tool of  FIG. 1 , the bottom view being the same; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the tool mounted on an electrical connector according to the present invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of the tool being compressed and the two connector bodies of the electrical connector being separated from one another; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the tool mounted on a first connector body of the electrical connector according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a tool  20  has a generally circular first portion  22  having a front end  24  and the rear end  26  with an opening  28  extending therebetween to receive a portion of an electrical connector, as discussed below. The front end  24  has a first diameter D 1  and the rear end  26  has a second diameter D 2 , with the first diameter D 1  being smaller than the second diameter D 2 . The generally circular first portion  22  also includes an opening  30  along the side and between the front end  24  and the rear end of  26 . While the opening  30  is illustrated to be generally rectangular, the opening  30  could be of any shape and/or configuration and still fall within the scope of the present invention. Additionally, while the opening  30  is illustrated to be on the right side of the tool  20 , it could also be on the left side as well. 
         [0025]    The tool  20  also has two extensions  32 , 34  connected to the rear end  26  of the generally circular first portion  22 . The two extensions  32 , 34  extend generally away from the front end  24  of the generally circular first portion  22 . The extensions  32 , 34  are preferably connected to the rear end  26  of the generally circular first portion  22  by a projection  36 , 38  extending radially from the rear end  26  of the tool  20 . As discussed in more detail below, the extensions  32 , 34  and the projections  36 , 38  extent radially beyond the body of the electrical connector. Also as illustrated in the figures, the extensions  32 , 34  are preferably on opposite sides of generally circular first portion  22  (i.e., 180° apart from one another). 
         [0026]    When a user presses on the extensions  32 , 34 , the generally circular first portion  22 , and in particular first diameter D 1  of the front end  24 , becomes smaller and presses on the connector on which the tool  20  has been mounted. The generally circular first portion  22  becomes smaller in diameter as a result of the narrowing of the opening  30  extending along one side of first portion  22 . Similarly, the rear end  26  (and diameter D 2 ) become smaller, but rear end  26  does not necessarily engage any portion of the electrical connector on which it has been mounted. 
         [0027]    The operation of tool  20  in connection with electrical connector  50  will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The electrical connector  50  has a first connector body  52  and a second connector body  54 . The first connector body  52  has a front end  56 , a back end  58 , and a middle portion  60 . The first connector body  52  also has at least two spring fingers  62  (and six are illustrated in  FIG. 9 ) extending between the front and  56  in the middle portion  60 . As is known in the art, the spring fingers  62  allow for compression and expansion of the first connector body  52 . Prior to assembly of electrical connector  50 , the tool  20  is placed over the front end  56  of the first connector body  52 . See  FIG. 9 . The first connector body  52  with the tool  20  is then inserted into an opening  64  of second connector body  54 . Projections  66  at the front end  56  of the first connector body  52  (and on the spring fingers  62 ) engage an annular groove  68  in the opening  64  of the second connector body  54 . The engagement of the projection  66  in the annular groove  68  prevents the first connector body  52  from being demated from the second connector body  54 . However, by pressing on extensions  32 , 34 , the front end  24  of tool  20  becomes smaller and presses on the spring fingers  62 , withdrawing the projections  66  from the annular groove  68  and allowing the first connector body  52  to be removed axially from second connector body  54 . 
         [0028]    As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , the tool  20  fits between the first connector body  52  and the second connector body  54 . The projections  36 , 38  extend radially outward beyond the outer surfaces of the first connector body  52  and the second connector body  54  so that the user can easily grasp the extensions  32 , 34  and have enough space to compress them (and the front end  24 ) and compress the spring fingers  62  to allow for demating of the first connector body  52  and the second connector body  54 . The tool  20  also provides for some additional anti-rocking of the two connector bodies and, if made from appropriate materials, additional RF leakage protection. 
         [0029]    It should be noted that the tool  20  can be used with any sized electrical connector and with any configuration of electrical connector. The electrical connector illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8  is a right-angled GPPO brand connector available from the assignee containing the first connector body  52  and the second connector body  54  (a male coplanar surface mount) for connection to a PCB board. However, the tool  20  could work with many other configurations and sizes of electrical connectors, provided one portion has spring fingers  62  that engage an annular groove (such as groove  68 ) to assist in coupling of the two connector bodies. 
         [0030]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.