Patent Description:
Draw-out switch gear cabinetry is well known in the relevant art. A draw-out switchgear cabinet typically includes a cabinet and a number of cassettes. Each such cassette holds a circuit interrupter that is removably received in the cassette, it being noted that the circuit interrupter is movable between an installed position received in the cassette and a removed position wherein the circuit interrupter is partially or fully withdrawn from the cassette. When the circuit interrupter is in its installed position received in the cassette, electrical connectors that are situated on the circuit interrupter make electrical contact with corresponding electrical connectors that are situated on the cabinet within the cassette. While such draw-out switchgear cabinetry has been generally effective for its intended purposes, it has not been without limitation.

Modern circuit interrupters are far more complex from an electronic perspective than circuit interrupters that were manufactured in past decades. Such electronics perform numerous functions including monitoring conditions of the circuit interrupter, monitoring conditions of the current flowing through the circuit interrupter, and monitoring other conditions. Various data connections are required for these numerous features that are provided by the circuit interrupter. Examples of known data connections are shown in <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>. Such data connections are completed by detachable electrical connectors in the cassette when the circuit interrupter is moved from its removed position to its installed position. These data connections had previously been made by pins that were received in corresponding sockets when the circuit interrupter was fully received in cassette of the switchgear cabinet. Such pins and sockets have typically had a long pitch, meaning that they were spaced apart from one another a relatively long distance that enabled the pins to be robust and to enable the pins to withstand repeated withdrawals and insertions of the circuit interrupter out of and back into the cassette of the switchgear cabinet.

However, with the large number of data connections that are required with modern circuit interrupters, and with the limited spaced available within draw-out switchgear cabinetry, the pins that form the electrical connections have progressively been made to have a shorter pitch between them, meaning that the distance between such pins was relatively smaller. Such pins with relatively shorter pitch were also made relatively thinner and less robust in order to accommodate all of the needed electrical connections between a circuit interrupter and the switchgear cabinet. Such pins, being relatively smaller and less robust, have sometimes become bent during a misaligned insertion of a circuit breaker into a cassette, which has caused damage to the draw-out switchgear cabinetry, which is undesirable. Improvements thus would be preferred.

An improved data connection apparatus that is usable as part of a supporting apparatus includes a stationary part and a movable part. One of the stationary part and the movable part has a circuit board having a number of pads that are electrically conductive, and the other has a receptacle within which the circuit board is received, such as when a circuit interrupter is moved to an installed position received within a cassette of a draw-out switchgear cabinet. The data connection apparatus includes a housing within which the receptacle is formed, with the housing having a plurality of electrical contacts that are situated within the receptacle. The housing and the circuit board each have relieved regions in the exemplary form of ramped surfaces and edges that facilitate reception of the circuit board in the receptacle. Moreover, the circuit board and the housing are situated on structures that afford a certain level of flexibility to further facilitate reception of the circuit board in the receptacle.

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved data connection apparatus having a circuit board that is removably received in a receptacle to form a number of electrical connections between the circuit board and the receptacle. As employed herein, the expression "a number of" and variations thereof shall refer broadly to any non-zero quantity, including a quantity of one.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved supporting apparatus having such a data connection apparatus and including a stationary part and a movable part, with the movable part being movable with respect to the stationary part, such as may be employed in a draw-out switchgear cabinet or in any other type of device that makes and breaks electrical connections when a movable part is moved with respect to a stationary part.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide such a data connection apparatus that includes a circuit board having a plurality of pads that are electrically conductive and a housing having a receptacle within which the circuit board is receivable, with the housing having a number of electrical contacts that are situated within the receptacle and that make electrical connections with the pads when the circuit board is received in the receptacle.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide such an improved data connection apparatus that provides a high density of data connections and that enables megabit speeds to be maintained because the data connection apparatus mimics a proper transmission line and provides common mode noise immunity.

The present invention is a combination as it is defined in claim <NUM>.

A further understanding of the present invention can be gained from the following Description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

An improved data connection apparatus <NUM> is depicted generally in <FIG> and <FIG>. The data connection apparatus <NUM> is part of an improved combination <NUM> that is in accordance with the present invention. The combination <NUM> includes a supporting apparatus <NUM> and an electrical component <NUM>, with the electrical component <NUM> being movable with respect to the supporting apparatus <NUM> between a first position, such as is depicted generally in <FIG>, and a second position, such as is depicted generally in <FIG>. In the depicted exemplary embodiment of the combination <NUM>, the supporting apparatus <NUM> may be, for example and without limitation, a draw-out cassette, and the electrical component <NUM> may be, for example and without limitation, a circuit interrupter that is movable with respect to the exemplary cassette that forms the supporting apparatus <NUM>.

The data connection apparatus <NUM> includes a first component <NUM> which is situated on the electrical component <NUM>. The data connection apparatus <NUM> further includes a second component <NUM> which is situated on the supporting apparatus <NUM>. It is further understood that the first component <NUM> is situated on the electrical component <NUM> and is movable with the electrical component <NUM> between the first and second positions that are depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>, respectively, by way of example. It is also understood that the combination <NUM> can be any of a wide variety of other types of devices other than draw-out cassettes and circuit interrupters that provide a movable component, such as the exemplary first component <NUM>, and a stationary component, such as the exemplary second component <NUM>, that make and break electrical connections depending upon the position of the movable component with respect to the stationary component.

As can be understood from <FIG>, the first component <NUM> includes a support <NUM> that is situated on the electrical component <NUM> and a circuit board <NUM> that is situated on the support <NUM>. The circuit board <NUM> includes an exterior surface <NUM> and a plurality of pads <NUM> that are situated on the exterior surface and that are electrically conductive. The circuit board <NUM> can be any of a wide variety of electrical boards that are relatively rigid, such as printed circuit boards and other boards. The exemplary first component <NUM> that is depicted in <FIG> includes both the circuit board <NUM> and another circuit board that is identical to circuit board <NUM> but that is situated behind circuit board <NUM> and thus cannot be seen from the angle of the first component <NUM> that is depicted in <FIG>. The pads <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM> and of the other circuit board that is not visible in <FIG> are each electrically connected with a plurality of sockets that are indicated at the numeral <NUM> and that receive therein pins of electrical leads that are connectable with the circuit interrupter <NUM>.

As can further be seen in <FIG>, the second component <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> that is situated on the supporting apparatus <NUM> and that has a plurality of electrical contacts <NUM> situated thereon. The housing has a receptacle <NUM> formed therein. The electrical contacts <NUM> are, as a general matter, situated within the receptacle <NUM>, such as is depicted generally in <FIG>. As can further be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the housing <NUM> includes another receptacle <NUM> that is structured to receive therein the circuit board that is not visible from <FIG> but that is similar to the circuit board <NUM>. The second component <NUM> likewise includes a plurality of electrical contacts similar to the electrical contacts <NUM> and that are situated within the receptacle <NUM>. When the circuit board <NUM> is received in the receptacle <NUM>, the electrical contacts <NUM> are biased toward the circuit board <NUM> and are engaged with and form with the pads <NUM> a number of electrical connections, some of which are indicated at the numeral <NUM> in <FIG>.

That is, the first component <NUM>, being disposed on the electrical component <NUM>, can be situated in a first position that is depicted generally in <FIG> wherein the circuit board <NUM> is received in the receptacle <NUM> and the electrical contacts <NUM> form the electrical connections <NUM> with the pads <NUM> to thereby electrically connect together the first and second components <NUM> and <NUM>. This occurs in an installed position of the combination <NUM> which, as noted hereinbefore, is in the exemplary but non-limiting form of a circuit interrupter installed in a draw-out cassette, and which can be any of a wide variety of other types of electrical devices. The data connection apparatus <NUM> is movable between the first position of <FIG> and a second position of <FIG> wherein the circuit board <NUM> is removed from the receptacle <NUM>, thus breaking the electrical connections <NUM> that had been formed between the electrical contacts <NUM> and the pads <NUM>. This occurs when the electrical component <NUM> is partially or fully removed from the supporting apparatus <NUM>. Such movement between the first and second positions of <FIG> and <FIG>, respectively, can be performed without a meaningful concern of damage to the data connection apparatus <NUM> since the circuit board <NUM> is itself relatively robust and is resistant to bending and breakage, which is advantageous. Moreover, the circuit board <NUM> and the housing <NUM> in the vicinity of the receptacle <NUM> both have relieved regions that facilitate self-alignment between the circuit board <NUM> and the receptacle <NUM> in order to facilitate reception of the circuit board <NUM> in the receptacle <NUM> and to facilitate the electrical connections <NUM> being formed therebetween. Further advantageously, the structures upon which the support <NUM> and the housing <NUM> are situated afford a certain amount of physical flexibility for the circuit board <NUM> and the housing <NUM> which further permits self-alignment therebetween.

As can be understood from the accompanying drawings, the housing <NUM> can be said to include a plurality of walls that are indicated at the numerals 52A, 52B, 52C, and 52D, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral <NUM>, that are each situated adjacent the receptacle <NUM>. The walls <NUM> together form a mouth <NUM> of the receptacle <NUM> that is in the form of a widened mouth that comprises a relieved surface on each of the walls <NUM> in the vicinity of the mouth <NUM>. More specifically, <FIG> depicts a relieved surface 60A on the wall 52A, and it can be understood from <FIG> that the relieved surface 60A is a ramped insertion surface that is an interior surface of the receptacle <NUM>. Similarly, <FIG> depicts the walls 52B and 52D each having a relieved surface indicated at the numerals 60B and 60D, respectively, that likewise are ramped insertion surfaces that are interior surfaces of the receptacle <NUM>. It is understood that the wall 52C likewise has a relieved surface in the form of a ramped insertion surface that is an interior surface of the receptacle <NUM> and that is a mirror image of the relieved surface 60A in <FIG>.

The exemplary relieved surfaces 60A, 60B, and 60D are described herein as being ramped insertion surfaces, meaning that they each are of flat surface that is oriented oblique to, for instance, an insertion direction that is indicated at the numeral <NUM> in <FIG>. It is understood, however, that the various relieved surfaces could be of other configurations without departing from the spirit of the instant disclosure. For instance, the relieved surfaces could be of an arcuate profile, whether of fixed radius or varying radius. Furthermore, the relieved surfaces could be of a ramped profile but at angles other than what are depicted in the accompanying drawings with respect to the insertion direction <NUM>. Still alternatively, and by way of example, the relieved surfaces could be combinations of arcuate and ramped profiles, without limitation, and by way of example, and they need not all be of the same profile and rather could each be of different profiles depending upon the needs of the application. The widened mouth <NUM> that is afforded by the relieved surfaces 60A, 60B, and 60D (and the relieved surface of the wall 52C) together facilitate reception of the circuit board <NUM> in the receptacle <NUM> when the electrical component <NUM> is in the first position.

It can further be understood that the exterior surface <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM> actually is a plurality of surfaces that are generally indicated at the numeral <NUM> and that include an end surface <NUM> at the free end of the circuit board <NUM>, a pair of edge surfaces 72A and 72C, and a pair of main surfaces 76B and 76D. It is noted that the aforementioned plurality of surfaces <NUM>, i.e., the end surface <NUM>, the edge surfaces 72A and 72C, and the main surfaces 76B and 76D, are situated generally adjacent one another. Furthermore, it is noted that the pads <NUM> are situated on the main surfaces 76B and 76D but could be situated on other of the plurality of surfaces <NUM> depending upon the needs of the application.

The circuit board <NUM> can be said to include an end <NUM> opposite the support <NUM> that is in the form of a narrowed end that comprises a number of relieved regions that are situated adjacent at least a subset of the surfaces among the plurality of surfaces <NUM>. For instance, the number of relieved regions can be indicated at the numeral <NUM> and can be said to be situated generally at the free end of the circuit board <NUM> opposite the support <NUM> and generally in the vicinity of the end surface <NUM>. The depicted exemplary embodiment, the relieved regions <NUM> can be said to include a plurality of exemplary ramped insertion regions that are in the exemplary form of angled surfaces that are indicated at the numerals 86A, 86B, 86C, and 86D, and which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral <NUM>. The ramped insertion regions 86A and 86C are situated adjacent the edge surfaces 72A and 72C, respectively. In a like fashion, the ramped insertion regions 86B and 86D are situated adjacent the main surfaces 76B and 76D, respectively.

While the relieved regions <NUM> are each depicted in the exemplary form of the angled surfaces represented by the ramped insertion regions <NUM>, it is understood that the relieved regions <NUM> could alternatively be of arcuate profiles, ramped profiles of different angles, or combinations thereof, without departing from the spirit of the instant disclosure. Moreover, the relieved regions <NUM> need not all be of the same profile. It thus can be understood that the ramped insertion regions <NUM> that are the exemplary form of the relieved regions <NUM> that are at the narrowed end of the circuit board <NUM> facilitate insertion of the circuit board <NUM> into the receptacle <NUM>, and such insertion is further aided by the relieved surfaces of the widened mouth <NUM> of the receptacle <NUM>.

It is additionally understood that the reception of the circuit board <NUM> in the receptacle <NUM> is further aided by flexibility that inherently exists in the first and second components <NUM> and <NUM>. For instance, <FIG> depict the support <NUM> of the first component <NUM> being mounted to a platform that is indicated at the numeral <NUM>. <FIG> depicts at the numeral <NUM> an angular departure between the support <NUM> and the platform <NUM> in a first plane. <FIG> similarly depicts at the numeral <NUM> another angular departure between the support <NUM> and the platform <NUM> in a different plane, orthogonal to the plane of <FIG>. Such angles <NUM> and <NUM> are greatly exaggerated and are intended to demonstrate and exemplify that the circuit board <NUM> is situated on the electrical component <NUM> with at least a nominal level of flexibility that enables the circuit board <NUM> to pivot slightly when it is being received in the receptacle <NUM>. While the angles <NUM> and <NUM> depict flexibility between the circuit board <NUM> and the platform <NUM>, it is understood that the angles <NUM> and <NUM> are more specifically intended to depict elastic deformation of all structures between the electrical component <NUM> and the circuit board <NUM> that enable such pivoting movement of the circuit board <NUM>. Furthermore, it is understood that the housing <NUM> is situated on a base that is indicated at the numeral <NUM>, and it is understood that the base <NUM> likewise affords to the housing <NUM> a similar level of flexibility such that the housing <NUM> is movable by at least a nominal amount in a number of planes with respect to the supporting apparatus <NUM> when the circuit board <NUM> is being received in the receptacle <NUM>.

The flexibility of the circuit board <NUM> with respect to the electrical component <NUM> and the flexibility of the housing <NUM> with regard to the supporting apparatus <NUM> together further facilitate reception of the circuit board <NUM> in the receptacle <NUM> without damage to either such component due to the slight movement of such components with respect to the supporting apparatus <NUM> and the electrical component <NUM> when the first component <NUM> is moved along the insertion direction <NUM> and is received in the mouth <NUM>. Such flexibility promote self-alignment between the circuit board <NUM> and the housing <NUM> which contributes to the avoidance of damage to the data connection apparatus <NUM> when the combination <NUM> is moving between its removed position of <FIG> and its installed position of <FIG>.

As can be understood from <FIG>, the electrical contacts <NUM> are arranged in sets of opposed pairs, with one opposed pair of the electrical contacts <NUM> being depicted in <FIG> at the numerals 92A and 92B. The opposed pair 92A and 92B of the electrical contacts <NUM> are biased toward one another when the circuit board <NUM> is received in the receptacle <NUM>. The opposed pair of electrical contacts <NUM> furthermore are engaged with a pair of the pads <NUM> and are electrically connected therewith when the circuit board <NUM> is received in the receptacle <NUM>. Such arrangement of the electrical contacts <NUM> in the sets of opposed pairs facilitates formations of the electrical connections <NUM> between the electrical contacts <NUM> and the pads <NUM> of the circuit board <NUM> when the circuit board <NUM> is received in the receptacle <NUM>.

As can be understood from Fig. <NUM>, the pads <NUM> are spaced apart from one another by a spacing dimension that is indicated at the numeral <NUM> in Fig. <NUM> as measured along a direction <NUM>. It can also be seen from Fig. <NUM> that the pads <NUM> are of a physical dimension along the direction <NUM>, with the dimension of the pad <NUM> being indicated at the numeral <NUM>. It can be seen that the dimension of the pad <NUM> is greater than the dimension of the space <NUM> therebetween. In fact, the pad dimension <NUM> is several times the size of the spacing <NUM> between the pads <NUM>. The result is a very dense concentration of the pads <NUM> in a relatively small area, it being reiterated that pads <NUM> are formed on both of the main surfaces 76B and 76D in the depicted exemplary embodiment, and that the pads <NUM> are formed both on the circuit board <NUM> as well as the additional circuit board that is received in the receptacle <NUM> but that is not shown in <FIG>.

The overall result is a large number of the electrical connections <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, being formed between the first and second components <NUM> and <NUM> in the first position of the data connection apparatus <NUM>, such as is depicted generally in <FIG>. As noted hereinbefore, the relieved surfaces <NUM> and the relieved regions <NUM> facilitate reception of the circuit board <NUM> in the receptacle <NUM>, and such reception is aided by the at least nominal flexibility of the circuit board <NUM> and the receptacle <NUM> with respect to the movable and stationary parts <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. The result is that the data connection apparatus <NUM> is robust and is capable of numerous receptions and removals of the circuit board <NUM> in the receptacle <NUM> to make and break the electrical connections <NUM> between, for instance, the circuit interrupter <NUM> and the combination <NUM>, by way of example. It is further noted that the relatively tight spacing of the pads <NUM> advantageously promotes control of common mode noise and enables the pads <NUM> and the electrical contacts <NUM> to mimic a proper transmission line. It is understood that a proper transmission line has an impedance that appears like <NUM> Ohms to an AC signal regardless of what the actual circuit trace resistance value is. Such proper transmission line behavior advantageously enables digital pulses to be communicated across the data connection apparatus <NUM> at extremely high speeds, such as at megabit speeds, which is highly advantageous. Other advantages will be apparent.

Claim 1:
A combination (<NUM>) comprising:
a supporting apparatus (<NUM>);
an electrical component (<NUM>) that is movable with respect to the supporting apparatus between a first position and a second position, the supporting apparatus (<NUM>) being structured to support the electrical component (<NUM>); and
a data connection apparatus (<NUM>) comprising a first component (<NUM>) and a second component (<NUM>);
the first component (<NUM>) being situated on the electrical component (<NUM>), the first component comprising a support (<NUM>) and a circuit board (<NUM>), the circuit board being situated on the support (<NUM>), the circuit board having an exterior surface (<NUM>) and
further having a plurality of pads (<NUM>) that are electrically conductive and are situated on the exterior surface (<NUM>); and
the second component (<NUM>) being situated on the supporting apparatus (<NUM>), the second component comprising a housing (<NUM>) and a plurality of electrical contacts (<NUM>), the plurality of electrical contacts (<NUM>) being situated on the housing (<NUM>), the housing having a receptacle (<NUM>) which, in the first position, receives therein at least a portion of the circuit board (<NUM>) with at least a subset of the electrical contacts (<NUM>) of the plurality of electrical contacts (<NUM>) being engaged with and being electrically connected with at least a subset of the pads (<NUM>) of the plurality of pads, the receptacle (<NUM>) having the at least portion of the circuit board (<NUM>) removed therefrom in the second position,
characterized in that
the support (<NUM>) is mounted to a platform (<NUM>) with an angular departure (<NUM>) between the support (<NUM>) and the platform (<NUM>) in a first plane such that the circuit board (<NUM>) is situated on the electrical component (<NUM>) with flexibility that enables the circuit board (<NUM>) to pivot when it is being received in the receptacle (<NUM>).