Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (2) comprises blade connector (4) and a receptacle connector (6) mating with the blade connector. The blade connector (4) comprises an insulating housing (8) containing power or signal blade contacts having contact blades (70) and a ground blade contact having a contact blade (42). A tab (64) projects in the mating direction from the forward edge (66) of the ground contact blade (42). The receptacle connector (6) has an insulating housing (72) with receptacle contacts (96) disposed in respective cavities (82, 84) in the housing (72). Each receptacle contact (96) has contact springs (108, 114) having contact surfaces (110, 120). The receptacle contact (96) in the center cavity (82) is a ground receptacle contact, whilst the receptacle contacts (96) in the remaining cavities are power or signal contacts.

Abstract: A board mounted connector for interconnecting the conductors of the non-terminated end of a flexible circuit or flexible cable to conductive traces on a printed circuit board. The connector includes a two part intermatable housing. The first part of the housing is attached to the circuit board while the second part, having end flanges that slidingly engage the ends of the first part, is movable with respect to the first part between a closed position where the conductors of the flexible circuit are held in contacting engagement with the contacts of the connector and an open position where the flexible circuit is free to be inserted into or removed from the connector. A positive stop is associated with each end of the connector, adjacent diagonally opposite corners, to render the second parts captive to the first part. A detent mechanism is associated with each end of the connector to bias the second part in both its open and closed positions.

Abstract: A contact (10) has an intermediate body portion (11) provided with respective side edges (14, 15) formed with a protruding convex portion (16) and a recessed concave portion (17), respectively. The contacts (10) are slidably inserted into respective channels (22) in the insulated housing (21) of an electrical connector (20), the channels (22) being separated by respective walls (23). When the contacts (10) are thus inserted into the channels (22), the convex portion (16) of one contact (10) cooperates with the concave portion (17) of an adjacent contact (10) to trap and deform the wall (23) therebetween, thereby exerting a resilient biasing force for retaining each contact (10) in its respective channel (22).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a ZIF card edge connector utilizing flexible film circuitry, where a daughter board, for example, may be electrically connected to a mother board upon which the connector is surface mounted. The connector preferably comprises an elongated housing consisting of a base, a pair of spaced apart side walls upstanding therefrom, and a pair of end walls to define the elongated slot. Placed therewithin is a U-shaped spring member where its arms upstand near the side walls. To effect opening and closing of the connector, a card release slide member is disposed within the U-shaped spring member in contact with the spring member arms, where the card release slide member is adapted to shift longitudinally to effect a lateral movement of the spring member arms. At least one release member is mounted in an end wall to effect the shifting of the card release slide member. However, a pair of cooperating slide members, one in each end wall, may be provided.

Abstract: A multicontact electrical connector (2) comprises an insulating housing (4) defining a plurality of pairs of adjacent rows of contact receiving cavities (18 and 20). In the upper cavity (18) of the middle row of superposed pairs of cavities (18 and 20) is a shorter contact element (38), a longer contact element (36) being supported in the cavity (20) immediately therebelow. Each longer contact element (36) has a bowed contact surface (42) which is nearer to the mating face (12) the housing (4) than the bowed contact surface (42) of the shorter contact element (38). The contact surfaces (42) of the contact elements (36 and 38) lie in slots (6,8,10) for receiving respective contact members (74,76,78) of a mating connector (66).

Abstract: An electrical connector (20) is disclosed which includes a dielectric housing (24) having first and second contact receiving channels (40) with each channel defining a pair of side walls (154,156). A rib (158) on the housing separates the first and second channels (40) and extends between respective side walls (154,156) thereof. A first contact (22) is received in the first channel (40) with the first contact defining an axis (112) and having first and second side edges (100,102) on opposite sides of the axis. The first side edge (100) has a barb (108) extending therefrom away from the axis (112). The second side edge (102) has a barb (110) extending therefrom away from the axis (112) at a location spaced along the axis (112) a distance (122) from the barb (108) extending from the first side edge (100). The barb (108) extending from the first side edge (100) engages a side wall of the channel that forms the rib (158).

Abstract: An electrical connector 10 for mating blade-shaped members 114,130 includes a pair of subassemblies 12, each subassembly 12 comprising a housing member 14 and at least one first terminal element 50 secured to the inner surface of respective housing members 14, and means for securing subassemblies 12 together. Each first terminal element 50 includes body portion 52 and first and second arrays of contact arms 66,72 extending outwardly from opposite ends 62,64 thereof. In the assembled connector 10, the free ends 68,74 of contact arms 66,72 of respective terminal elements 50 extend inwardly toward each other defining first and second receptacles 110,112 for receiving first and second blade-shaped members respectively.

Abstract: An electrical connector 10 for mating two blade-shaped members, each having opposed first and second sides and an edge-proximate portion extending outwardly intermediate the first and second sides thereof includes first and second opposed dielectric housing members 14,14; first and second outer terminal elements 50,70 secured to the inner major surface of each of the first and second housing members 14,14 defining associated pairs of opposed spaced first and second outer terminal elements 50,70; a pair of opposed inner terminal elements 86 disposed between respective and electrically isolated from first and second outer elements 50,70; means 38 securing the pair of opposed inner terminal elements 86 to and between the first and second housing members 14,14; and means 46 securing the first and second housing members 14,14 together. Each outer and inner terminal element 50,70,86 includes respective arrays of contact arms extending outwardly from opposed edges thereof.