Patent ID: 7540766

Claim:
A printed circuit board supporting connector, comprising: a housing defining designated first, second, and third portions thereof, each of said designated portions being configured to respectively receive and physically support a printed circuit board in an edge card type configuration; a first plurality of electrical conductors extending in electrically isolated, parallel alignment in said housing and among predetermined of said designated first, second, and third portions; and a first plurality of electrical contacts positioned in predetermined of said designated first, second, and third portions, and electrically coupled to selected of said first plurality of electrical conductors; whereby electrical circuits associated with printed circuit boards supported by selected of said designated first, second, and third portions may be selectively electrically coupled for electrical communications therebetween; said printed circuit board supporting connector further comprising a second plurality of electrical conductors extending in electrically isolated, parallel alignment in said housing and between a predetermined first and second of said designated first, second, and third portions; and a second plurality of electrical contacts positioned in said predetermined first and second portions, and electrically coupled to predetermined of said second plurality of electrical conductors, whereby pairs of electrical contacts corresponding to one of said first plurality of electrical contacts and one of said second plurality of electrical contacts are positioned in selected portions of said predetermined first portion of said housing; wherein said electrical communications include at least one of digital data signals, analog data signals, power signals, analog sensor generated signals, digital signals derived from any analog signals, processed signals, control signals, and data signals of all types; whereby electrical circuits associated with printed circuit boards supported in said designated third portion of said housing may be electrically coupled for selective electrical communications with electrical circuits associated with printed circuit boards supported in said designated second portion of said housing by way of electrical circuits associated with printed circuit boards supported in said designated first portion of said housing, for selected combined power and signal couplings among such supported printed circuit boards.