Zero-insertion force electrical connector

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the connector 20 of this invention includes the female member designated generally as 22 (FIGS.
1-5) having a slot 24 therein to receive a complementary member such as the male member designated generally as 26 and shown in FIGS.
6-9.
The female member 22 is made of an insulating, conventional, tough, plastic material such as glass-filled nylon and includes a plurality of cells 28 which are arranged in opposed relationship as shown in FIG.
1.
First and second groups 30 and 32 of contacts are located within the cells 28, with each contact 34 and 36 forming an opposed pair of contacts within each of the groups 30 and 32.
Each of the contacts 34, 36 is made of a conventional tough, conductor material such as a beryllium-copper alloy and is conventionally press fitted into an appropriate slot (not shown) in the respective cell 28, and thereafter, the bottom end 38 of each contact 34 is bent over towards the slot 24, as is best shown in FIG.
16, and the bottom end 40 of each contact 36 is similarly bent over.
The contacts 34 and 36 are biased towards the center of the slot 24 when in the restored or relaxed state shown in FIG.
16.
The female member 22 has a recess 42 into which the metal reinforcing bar 44 is inserted as is best shown in FIG.
16.
The bar 44 has threaded holes 46, 48, and 50 therein which are aligned with semi-circular, tubular extensions 52, 54, and 56, respectively, which depend from the female member 22; these extensions facilitate locating the female member 22 with respect to matching locating holes (such as hole 58 in FIG.
17) which are present in a cooperating member such as the printed circuit board 60.
When the female member 22 is secured to the board 60 by fasteners, such as a fastener (not shown) passing through the hole 58 in board 60 to the threaded hole 48 in the bar 44, the contacts 40 engage the associated contacts 62 on the board 60, and the contacts 38 engage the contacts 64 (FIG.
17) to provide an electrical connection therebetween