Circuit board housing with zero insertion force connector

摘要

The invention is a circuit board housing for electrically coupling at least one circuit board 14 to a mother board 20 mounted within the housing 10, the circuit board 14 having a plurality of first electrical terminals 90 mounted along an edge portion thereof. The housing has at least one zero insertion force socket 12 wherein a plurality of second electrical terminals 18 are mounted therein. An electrical connector 16 is provided to couple the printed circuit board 14 to the mother board 20. The electrical connector 16 comprises a circuit board support member 26 slideably engageable with the socket 12. A pair of jaws 40a and 40b are attached to the support member 26 which are adapted to releaseably engage the edge portion of the circuit board 14. The electrical connector further comprises first and second resilient pads 62 and 63 mounted within the jaws. A resilient member 66 is rotatably mounted to the support member 26 moveable from a first position out of engagement with the plurality of second electrical terminals 18 to a second position in engagement therewith. A flexible conductor element 60 is provided having first and second ends incorporating a plurality of first electrical contacts 80 and a middle portion having a plurality of second electrical contacts 84 with the plurality of first and second contacts electrically joined by insulated electrical conductors 82. The first and second ends are wrapped about and joined to the first and second pads 62 and 63, respectively, and the middle portion is wrapped about and joined to the resilient member 66. Thus, when the circuit board 14 is in place and the electrical connector 16 installed in the socket 12 rotation of the resilient member 66 from the first position to the second position makes electrical contact between the plurality of first and second electrical terminals 90 and 18.