Abstract:
Disclosed is a tool for use in disengaging elements of an electrical connector comprising an elongated axial handle having a griping end and a forward distal end; first and second opposed arms extending laterally from the elongated axial handle adjacent said forward distal end; and laterally spaced first and second fingers ending forward respectively from said first and second opposed arms to be engageable with the electrical connector. A combination of this tool and an electrical connector and a method of using this tool are also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to tools for manipulating electrical connectors. 
     2. Brief Description of Prior Developments 
     Various applications may present situations in which the disengagement of electrical headers and receptacles may be difficult. For example, it has been suggested that PCMCIA headers may be connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) by means of a flex cable having a terminal header which mates with a receptacle mounted on the PCB. The advantage to such an arrangement is that the PCMCIA assembly may be placed in a system essentially without regard to PCB location. At some locations on the PCB, however, the connector may be awkwardly positioned for the purpose of disengaging the header from the receptacle. Consequently, in such cases the disengagement of the header and receptacle may be accomplished only with difficulty. Furthermore, when attempts are made to disengage a combination receptacle and flex cable from a board mounted receptacle, it is found that the flex cable may be inadvertently torn or removed from the header. 
     A need, therefore, exists for means of quickly, easily and efficiently unmating an unshrouded header from a receptacle mounted on a PCB. A need also exists for a means for unmating a header which is attached to a flex cable from a receptacle so that neither the connector itself or the flex cable is likely to be damaged during the unmating procedure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a tool for use in disengaging elements of an electrical connector. This tool includes an elongated axial handle having a griping end and a forward distal end. First and second opposed arms extend laterally from the elongated axial handle adjacent the forward distal end of the handle. Laterally spaced first and second fingers extend forward respectively from said first and second opposed arms to be engageable with the electrical connector. 
     The present invention also includes a combination of an electrical connector and a hand tool. The electrical connector includes an elongated receptacle having an insulative base with first and second ends and an insulative peripheral wall recessed from said first and second ends projecting from said insulative base to form a central opening. The connector also includes an elongated shroudless header having an insulative base with first and second ends. An insulative projection is spaced from said first and second ends and depends from the insulative base to engage the central opening of the receptacle. The first and second ends are therefore superimposed, respectively, over the first and second ends of the receptacle so as to form, respectively, first and second lateral recesses between said first and second ends of the insulative bases of the receptacle and the header. The tool described above is positioned relative to this connector so that the first and second fingers engage, respectively, the first and second lateral recesses of the connector. 
     Also encompassed within the invention is a method of disengaging a header from a receptacle in which, in the combination described above, the tool is pivoted on the longitudinal axis of its elongated handle. One of the fingers bears against the receptacle and easily lifts it from the header. Preferably, the finger will bear against a metallic hold down adjacent one of the ends of the header so that the danger of damaging the connector by using the tool on the insulation is avoided. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The tool, combination and method of use of the present invention are further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment the tool of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the tool shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a front end view of the tool shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the area which Circle V in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the area within Circle VI in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmented top plan view of the tool shown in FIG. 1 engaged with a connector; 
     FIG. 8 a  is a side elevational view of a connector with which the tool of the present invention may be used; 
     FIG. 8 b  is a side elevational view of the connector shown in FIG. 8 a  which is engaged by the terminal finger elements of the tool shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 c  is a view similar to FIG. 8 d  showing a further step in the disengagement of the elements of the connector with the tool shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 d  shows still a further step of the disengagement of the elements of the connector shown in FIG. 8 c;    
     FIG. 9 is a detailed view of the area within Circle IX in FIG. 8 a;    
     FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the area within Circle X in FIG. 8 b ; and 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmented top plan view of a tool essentially similar to the tool shown in FIG. 1 showing an alternate means of engaging a connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the tool is shown generally at numeral  10 . This tool has an elongated axial handle  12  which has a griping end  14  on which a plastic hand grip  16  is attached by means of a pin  18 . The handle also has a forward distal end  20  at which there is an upper terminal fork  22  and a spaced lower terminal fork  24  where a U-shaped structure shown generally at numeral  26  is attached to the handle by means of a screw  28 . This U-shaped structure  26  includes opposed lateral arms  30  and  32  which extend away from the handle adjacent the distal end  20 . The U-shaped structure  26  also includes spaced fingers  34  and  36  which extend perpendicularly respectively from lateral arms  30  and  32 . At the terminal ends of these fingers  34  and  36  are, respectively, tips  38  and  40 . Between the tip  38  and the finger  34  there is a vertical step  42 . Similarly, between the tip  40  and the finger  36  there is a vertical step  44 . It will also be observed that the thickness of the lateral arm t 1  is greater than the thickness of the finger t 2  and the thickness of the finger is greater than the thickness of the tips t 3 . It will be appreciated that the U-shaped structure  26  may be removed from the handle  12  so that a differently sized U-shaped structure may be substituted so that the tool may be used with differently sized connectors. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7-9, a connector with which this tool may be used is shown generally at numeral  46 . This connector includes a receptacle shown generally at numeral  48  which includes an insulative base  50  having opposed ends  52  and  54 . A peripheral wall  56  projects upwardly from the base and, as is conventional, forms an elongated opening  58  exposing conductive contacts (not shown). This receptacle is mounted on a PCB  60 , also by conventional means. A header shown generally at  62  includes an insulative base  64  having opposed ends  66  and  68 . An elongated projection is inwardly spaced from the opposed ends of the insulative base. As is conventional, this projection supports conductive contacts which connect to the contacts in the receptacle. Between the elongated projection and the opposed ends of the insulative base there are metallic hold downs  72  and  74 . As is conventional, a flex cable  76  (FIG. 7) is soldered to conductive pads (not shown) on the base  64  of the header  62  and a backer board  77  is attached to the upper side of the flex cable by adhesive. Since the peripheral wall  56  of the receptacle  48  and the elongated projection  70  of the header  62  are spaced from the opposed ends of their respective insulative bases, lateral recesses  78  and  80  (FIG. 8 a ) are formed between the insulative base  50  of the receptacle and insulative base  64  of the header. Referring particularly to FIGS. 8 a - 8   d , it will be seen that the tips  38  and  40  are, respectively, positioned in these recesses  80  and  78  so that when the tool is pivoted on the longitudinal axis of the handle tip  40  pushes against the receptacle to “banana peel” the receptacle from the header. Referring particularly to FIG. 8 d , after such initial disengagement, the tip  38  also presses against the receptacle to assist in lifting the entire receptacle from the header. It will, in particular, be observed from FIG.  10  that the tip  40  bears against the metallic hold down  72  so as to avoid damaging the insulative base of the header. Similarly tip  38  bears against the metallic hold down  74 . Referring particularly to FIG. 7, it will also be appreciated that the steps  42  and  44 , respectively, between fingers  34  and  36  and tips  38  and  40  come to rest on the insulative base  64  of the header  62  so as to prevent over insertion of the tool. It will also be understood that the backer board  77  will partially overlap tips  38  and  40 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the connector shown is a CONAN electrical connector which is commercially available from Berg Electronics Group, Inc. located at St. Louis, Mo. It will, however, be understood that the tool of this invention may readily be adapted for use with many other types of commercially available electrical connectors. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, it will be seen that the tool  110  having handle  12  attached by screw  128  may also be used to engage a connector  146  from the direction of the flexible ribbon cable. Here the connector  146  is comprised of a header  162  which is superimposed over a receptacle  148  that is mounted on a PCB  160 , and as was described above, the header  162  is connected to a flex cable  176 . In this embodiment the lateral arms  130  and  132  and the fingers  134  and  136  of the tool overlap the flex cable  176  to allow the connector to be engaged by the tips  138  and  140  when approached from such an angle may be more convenient. It will be appreciated that in this embodiment the steps  142  and  144  will also come to rest against the insulative base  164  of the header  162  so as to prevent over insertion of the tool. It will also be understood that the backer board  177  will partially overlap tips  138  and  140 . 
     It will be appreciated that a simple, easy and an inexpensive means of disengaging a header from a receptacle without damaging adjacent flex cables has been described. It will also be appreciated that an additional advantage of this tool is that damage to the insulative sections of the connector may be avoided by engagement of the metallic hold downs with this tool. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims.