ELECTRICAL EDGE CONNECTORS

1280105 Two-part couplings PLESSEY CO Ltd 19 April 1971 [4 May 1970] 21246/70 Heading H2E A printed circuit board edge connector (Fig. 1), comprises an insulating U-shaped housing 1 having hollow 0-shaped resilient pad 10, secured to its walls by dovetails, which bias the contacts 2 toward the centre of the connector. The housing may be of glass-filled polycarbonate: the D pads of polyurethane elastomer, and the contacts of phosphor bronze, copper, brass or nickel silver, non tarnish contact pads 9 e.g. of gold being provided on the contact faces. The contact is retained in the housing by detent 5, stop 4 and the action of the end of the contact 2a, 2b abutting the step in the wall of the aperture 8, Fig. 3. When the circuit board is inserted the contact end is pushed out of engagement with the step allowing a switch action to be created between contacts by inserting electrical bridging member 14 (Fig. 1) in the slots 13 so that in the unused position, the part 2b engages the portion 14a, of the strip 14, projecting into the aperture 8, non-tarnish pad being provided on contacting portions. Strengthening ribs 12 may be provided and also leakage paths lengthened by such ribs and the portions 16. The contacts on opposite sides of the connector are staggered (Fig. 2, not shown). The housing may be injection moulded and the resilient D's may be solid.