GB2187603A

GB2187603A - Conductive mounting of electrical connectors on circuit boards

Info

Publication number: GB2187603A
Application number: GB08704906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Kenneth Peter Blake
Original assignee: BICC PLC
Current assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Priority date: 1986-03-04
Filing date: 1987-03-03
Publication date: 1987-09-09
Also published as: GB2187603B; GB8605315D0; GB8704906D0

Abstract

A two part electrical coupling comprises a male connector (8) and a female connector (2) having contact elements (7), (12) making an electrical connection with a backplane (1) and a daughter board (9) respectively. In addition to the contact elements, means (4), (10) is provided for physically securing the male and the female connectors to their respective circuit boards. Conductive elements (13), (14) are arranged such that when the male and female connectors are mated together to cause the engagement of the contact elements (7), (12), an additional electrical connection is formed between the circuit board via the securing means (4), (10). The additional electrical connection can be employed to provide a further earth or power connection to the circuit boards. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical connectors This invention relates to electrical connectors and in particular to a two part coupling for connecting circuit boards one to another. Such connectors are commonly used to connect several circuit boards (daughter boards) to a single backplane (or mother board).

Known connectors such as DIN standard connectors employ a plurality of contact elements in the form of pins, usually 64 or 96 in number, which are received in plated through holes in the circuit board. In attempting to achieve the miniaturisation of systems, the area occupied by given number of conductors tracks on a circuit board is reduced to a minimum. In addition, to achieve the most effective use of the circuit board, nearly all of the 64 or 96 contact pins carry data signals, rather than ground or DC voltages to power the circuit boards. This, however, causes some problems in that it is often difficult to route effectively ground or power lines on a congested circuit board such as a backplane.

The present invention provides a connector which allows, in addition to the contact pins, a connection between circuit boards which can be used to provide additional ground or power supplies to a circuit board such as a backplane.

Accordingly there is provided a two part electrical coupling comprising a male connector and a female connector each having a housing and a plurality of contact elements disposed on or in the housing, the male and female connectors being adapted to be mated one with the other such that the contact elements of the male and female connectors form electrical connections therebetween, the contact elements of the male and female connectors being adapted to make an electrical connection with conductive portions of first and second circuit boards respectively, the housing of the male and female connectors each having means, additional to the plurality of contact elements, for physically securing the connector to a printed circuit board, there being provided one or more conductive elements arranged such that when the male and female connectors are in their mated position an electrical connection is made between one or more conductive portions of the First and second circuit boards via the additional securing means.

Preferably the means for physically securing one or both of the male and female connectors to its respective circuit board comprises one or more nut and bolt arrangements, the or each bolt being adapted to be received in a plated through hole in the or each circuit board. Each of the male and female connectors conveniently includes at least two nut and bolt arrangements, one at or towards each end of the connector, and thereby provides at least two additional connections between the mother and daughter circuit boards suitable for ground or power connections.

There is preferably provided at least two conductive elements, a first element being mounted on the housing of the male connector and a second element being mounted on housing of the female connector, the first and second conductive elements being arranged such that they are brought into engagement one with the other when the male and female connectors are mated one with the other.

Conveniently one of the first and second conductive elements is in the form of a strip contact against which the other conductive element is arranged to abut, when the connectors are mated one with the other. In one convenient arrangement the other conductive element is in the form of a solid contact having a shaped face adapted to contact the strip contact. This shaped face is conveniently curved to produce a point contact between the first and second conductive elements. Alternatively the shaped face is substantially flat to produce a planar contact between the first and second conductive elements.

In an alternative arrangement the other conductive element is itself in the form of a strip contact, the two contacts being arranged such that a substantially flat face of each abuts the other when the connectors are mated one with the other. In whichever arrangement, the natural resilience of the one or more strip contacts ensures a good electrical connection.

In yet another arrangement one of the first and second conductive elements is in the form of a male contact, and the other conductive element is in the form of a female contact in which the male contact is received when the connectors are mated one with the other.

Convenientiy the female contact comprises a sprung eyelet adapted to be frictionally retained in a plated through hole in a circuit board.

This invention is particularly envisaged as an enhancement of DIN standard connectors which are the commonest methods of connecting backplanes and daughter boards one to another. The invention also resides in an array of two or more circuit boards connected one to another with one or more two part couplings as hereinbefore described. The invention also extends to male and female connectors for use in a two part coupling as hereinbefore described.

In particular, there is provided a connector comprising a housing and a plurality of contact elements disposed on or in the housing, the contact elements being adapted to make an electrical connection with conductive portions of a circuit board, a housing having means, additional to the plurality of contact elements, for physically securing the connector to the circuit board, the connector being adapted to be mated with a corresponding connector of opposite character, there being additionally provided one or more conductive elements adapted to form an electrical connection with one or more conductive portions of the circuit board via the additional securing means, the one or more conductive elements being adapted to engage one or more corresponding conductive elements on the housing of the connector of opposite character when the connector is mated therewith.The invention further resides in a circuit board having attached thereto a connector as hereinbefore described.

The invention will now be further described, by way of exampie only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figures 1 and 2 are end and side views respectively of a portion of a two part connector in accordance with the invention; Figures 3 and 4 are end and side views respectively of an alternative embodiment of connector according to the invention; Figures 5 and 6 are end and side views respectively of another alternative embodiment of connector according to the invention; Figures 7 and 8 are end views of another embodiment of two part connector according to the invention, shown in separated and engaged positions respectively; and Figures 9 and 10 are end and side views respectively of a further alternative embodiment of connector according to the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a backplane 1 having secured thereto a first housing in the form of a receptacle 2 and a bridge moulding 3. Both the receptacle 2 and the bridge moulding 3 are formed of an insulating plastics material, and they are secured on opposite sides of the backplane 1 respectively. A threaded bolt 4 secures the receptacle 2 and the bridge moulding 3 to the backplane 1, the bolt passing through a plated through hole (not shown) in the backplane and being received in corresponding apertures in the receptacle and bridge moulding respectively. A first nut 5 secures the receptacle 2 against the backplane, whilst the second nut 6 holds the bridge moulding against the opposite face thereof. Electric contacts 7 extend from the receptacle, through further plated through holes in the backplane, and are supported by the bridge moulding 3.

A second housing in the form of a moulded plug 8 is attached to a daughter circuit board 9 by means of screw 10 passing through a plated through hole in the board 9 and secured by a nut 11 thereon. Electric contacts 12 extend from the plug 8 and are received in plated through holes in the circuit board 9.

When the plug 8 and receptacle 2 are mated one with the other, with a portion of the receptacle received within the plug, the electric contacts 7 and 12 engage one another and make electrical connections between the daughter board 9 and backplane 1. A first conductive element in the form of a strip contact 13 is provided on the plug 8, secured between the head of the screw 10 and the body of the plug. The head of the threaded bolt 4 constitutes a second conductive element and is shaped into a solid contact 14, having a generally curved upper surface. When the plug and receptacle are mated one with the other, the solid contact 14 engages with strip contact 13 to form an additional electrical connection between the backplane 1 and the daughter board 9. This can be employed for a variety of uses, including the provision of additional earthing or power connections.

Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative design of contacts to give an additional connection, the basic construction of the plug 8 and receptacle 2 being exactly as previously described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

The first conductive element is as before in the form a strip contact 15, but the design of the second conductive element is altered. As before a solid contact is provided on the head of the bolt 4 but this contact 16 is shaped so as to provide, as opposed to a curved upper surface, a longitudially extending flat surface 17. Exactly as described above, the mating of the plug and receptacle causes the strip contact 15 and solid contact 16 to come into engagement one with the other, with the strip contact 15 and the flat surface 17 abutting one another.

Figures 5 and 6 show an arrangement where both the first and second conductive elements are strip contacts. The first strip contact 18 is secured to the plug as before, and has a diagonally extending mating face 19. In this arrangement the bolt 4 is provided with a conventional head 20, which serves to secure a second strip contact 21 to the receptacle 2. The strip contact 21 has a conversely corresponding diagonal mating face 22, which engages with the face 19 to form an electric connection when the plug and receptacle are mated one with the other.

Figures 7 and 8 show another arrangement employing strip contacts, but in this instance they are provided, not on the end face of the plug 8 and receptacle 2, but on one side face thereof. Strip contacts 22 and 23, carried on the plug 8 and receptacle 2 respectively, engage one another on mating of the two parts, with the contact 23 being received between the contact 22 and the body of the plug 8.

The contact 22 is provided with an upturned nose portion 24 in order to faciiitate entry of the contact 23. This is the position as depicted in Figure 8.

In Figures 9 and 10 there is shown an arrangement in which the first conductive element is in the form of a die cast male contact 25 and the second conductive element is a sprung eyelet 26, frictionally retained in a plated through hole 27 in the backplane 1.

Although various embodiments have been described and illustrated, it will be appreciated that these are by no means exhaustive, and other variants will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A two part electrical coupling comprising a male connector and a female connector each having a housing and a plurality of contact elements disposed on or in the housing, the male and female connectors being adapted to be mated one with the other such that the contact elements of the male and female connectors form electrical connections therebetween, the contact elements of the male and female connectors being adapted to make an electrical connection with conductive portions of first and second circuit boards respectively, the housing of the male and female connectors each having means, additional to the plurality of contact elements, for physically securing the connector to a printed circuit board, there being provided one or more conductive elements arranged such that when the male and female connectors are in their mated position an electrical connection is made between one or more conductive portions of the first and second circuit boards via the additional securing means.

2. An electrical coupling according to Claim 1 wherein the means for physically securing one or both of the male and female connectors to its respective circuit board comprises one or more nut and bolt arrangements, the or each bolt being adapted to be received in a plated through hole in the or each circuit board.

3. An electrical coupling according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein there is provided at least two conductive elements, a first element being mounted on the housing of the male connector and a second element being mounted on the housing of the female connector, the first and second conductive elements being arranged such that they are brought into engagement one with the other when the male and female connectors are mated one with the other

4. An electrical coupling according to Claim 3 wherein one of the first and second conductive elements is in the form of a strip contact against which the other conductive element is arranged to abut, when the connectors are mated one with the other.

5. An electrical coupling according to Claim 4 wherein the other conductive element is in the form of a solid contact having a shaped face adapted to contact the strip contact.

6. An electrical coupling according to Claim 5 wherein the shape face is curved to produce a point contact between the first and second conductive elements when the connectors are mated one with the other.

7. An electrical coupling according to Claim 5 wherein the shaped face is substantially flat to produce a planar contact between the first and second conductive elements when the connectors are mated one with the other.

8. An electrical coupling according to Claim 4 wherein the other conductive element is itself in the form of a strip contact, the two contacts being arranged such that a substantially flat face of each abuts the other when the connectors are mated one with the other.

9. An electrical coupling according to Claim 3 wherein one of the first and second conductive elements is in the form of a male contact, and the other conductive element is in the form of a female contact in which the male contact is received when the connectors are mated one with the other.

10. An electrical coupling according to Claim 9 wherein the female contact comprises a sprung eyelet adapted to be frictionally retained in a plated through hole in a circuit board.

11. An electrical coupling according to any of Claims 1 to 10 wherein the male and female connectors are DIN standard connectors.

12. An electrical coupling substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. An array of two or more circuit boards connected one to another with one or more two part couplings according to any of Claims 1 to 12.

14. A male connector for use in a two part coupling according to any one of Claims 1 to 12.

15. A female connector for use in a two part coupling according to any one of Claims 1 to 12.

1 6. A connector comprising a housing and a plurality of contact elements disposed on or in the housing, the contact elements being adapted to make an electrical connection with conductive portions of a circuit board, the housing having means, additional to the plurality of contact elements, for physically securing the connector to the circuit board, the connector being adapted to be mated with a corresponding connector of opposite character, there being additionally provided one or more conductive elements adapted to form an electrical connection with one or more conductive portions of the circuit board via the additional securing means, the one or more conductive elements being adapted to engage one or more corresponding conductive elements on the housing of the connector of opposite character when the connector is mated therewith.

17. A connector according to Claim 16 which is a DIN standard connector.

18. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to accompanying drawings.

19. A circuit board having attached thereto a connector according to any one or Claims 16 to 18.