IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,955,122
Granted Patent B2
US 7,955,122 · App. 12/224,444 · Granted Jun 7, 2011

Conductive contact unit

Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,955,122
App. No.
12/224,444
Granted
Jun 7, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A conductive contact unit includes a conductive contact holder, a conductive contact, and an aligning unit. The conductive contact holder includes a first guiding grooves and a second guiding groove opposite to the first guiding groove, each slidably engaging one edge of the conductive contact. The conductive contact has a plate-like shape, and includes a first contacting element and a second contacting element that are brought into contact with different circuitries, a resilient element that is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction between the first contacting element and the second contacting element, a first connecting element that connects the resilient element and the first contacting element, and a second connecting element that connects the resilient element and the second contacting element. The aligning unit aligns the conductive contacts.

Claims (74)

1. A conductive contact unit that establishes an electrical connection between different circuitries, and includes a plurality of conductive contacts for receiving and outputting an electrical signal from and to the circuitries, the conductive contact unit comprising:

a conductive contact holder that includes

a plurality of first guiding grooves each slidably engaging one edge in a width direction of one of the conductive contacts to hold the conductive contact; and

a plurality of second guiding grooves each located opposite to corresponding one of the first guiding grooves, and slidably engaging another edge of the conductive contact than the one the corresponding first guiding groove engages to hold the conductive contact;

the conductive contacts, each of which has a plate-like shape, and includes

a first contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries;

a second contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries other than the one the first contacting element is brought into contact with;

a resilient element that is interposed between the first contacting element and the second contacting element, and is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction;

a first connecting element that connects the resilient element and the first contacting element; and

a second connecting element that connects the resilient element and the second contacting element; and

an aligning unit configured to bring each of the conductive contacts accommodated in the conductive contact holder into contact with an inner surface of at least one of the first guiding groove and the second guiding groove so as to align the plurality of conductive contacts in the width direction.

2. The conductive contact unit according to claim 1 , wherein, one edge in the width direction of the conductive contacts aligned by the aligning unit is in contact with corresponding one of the first guiding grooves or corresponding one of the second guiding grooves.

3. The conductive contact unit according to claim 1 , wherein

at least one of the first connecting element and the second connecting element includes an opening penetrating therethrough in a through-thickness direction, and

the aligning unit includes a bar-shaped member that penetrates through the opening of each of the conductive contacts held in the conductive contact holder, and that moves the conductive contacts together relative to the conductive contact holder at one time.

4. The conductive contact unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second contacting element projects from an external surface of the conductive contact holder, inside which the guiding grooves are formed, in a normal direction of the external surface.

5. A conductive contact unit that establishes an electrical connection between different circuitries, and includes a plurality of conductive contacts for receiving and outputting an electrical signal from and to the circuitries, the conductive contact unit comprising:

a conductive contact holder that includes

a plurality of first guiding grooves each slidably engaging one edge in a width direction of one of the conductive contacts to hold the conductive contact; and

a plurality of second guiding grooves each located opposite to corresponding one of the first guiding grooves, and slidably engaging another edge of the conductive contact than the one the corresponding first guiding groove engages to hold the conductive contact;

the conductive contacts, each of which has a plate-like shape, and includes

a first contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries;

a second contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries other than the one the first contacting element is brought into contact with;

a resilient element that is interposed between the first contacting element and the second contacting element, and is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction;

a first connecting element that connects the resilient element and the first contacting element; and

a second connecting element that connects the resilient element and the second contacting element; and

an aligning unit that aligns the conductive contacts, wherein, one edge in the width direction of the conductive contacts aligned by the aligning unit is in contact with neither corresponding one of the first guiding grooves nor corresponding one of the second guiding grooves.

6. The conductive contact unit according to claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the second contacting element projects from an external surface of the conductive contact holder, inside which the guiding grooves are formed, in a normal direction of the external surface.

7. A conductive contact unit that establishes an electrical connection between different circuitries, and includes a plurality of conductive contacts for receiving and outputting an electrical signal from and to the circuitries, the conductive contact unit comprising:

a conductive contact holder that includes

a plurality of first guiding grooves each slidably engaging one edge in a width direction of one of the conductive contacts to hold the conductive contact; and

a plurality of second guiding grooves each located opposite to corresponding one of the first guiding grooves, and slidably engaging another edge of the conductive contact than the one the corresponding first guiding groove engages to hold the conductive contact;

the conductive contacts, each of which has a plate-like shape, and includes

a first contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries;

a second contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries other than the one the first contacting element is brought into contact with;

a resilient element that is interposed between the first contacting element and the second contacting element, and is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction;

a first connecting element that connects the resilient element and the first contacting element; and

a second connecting element that connects the resilient element and the second contacting element; and

an aligning unit that aligns the conductive contacts, wherein

the conductive contacts include a magnetic material, and

the aligning unit includes a magnet attached to a side wall of the conductive contact holder.

8. The conductive contact unit according to claim 7 , wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

9. The conductive contact unit according to claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the second contacting element projects from an external surface of the conductive contact holder, inside which the guiding grooves are formed, in a normal direction of the external surface.

10. A conductive contact unit that establishes an electrical connection between different circuitries, and includes a plurality of conductive contacts for receiving and outputting an electrical signal from and to the circuitries, the conductive contact unit comprising:

a conductive contact holder that includes

a plurality of first guiding grooves each slidably engaging one edge in a width direction of one of the conductive contacts to hold the conductive contact; and

a plurality of second guiding grooves each located opposite to corresponding one of the first guiding grooves, and slidably engaging another edge of the conductive contact than the one the corresponding first guiding groove engages to hold the conductive contact;

the conductive contacts, each of which has a plate-like shape, and includes

a first contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries;

a second contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries other than the one the first contacting element is brought into contact with;

a resilient element that is interposed between the first contacting element and the second contacting element, and is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction;

a first connecting element that connects the resilient element and the first contacting element; and

a second connecting element that connects the resilient element and the second contacting element; and

an aligning unit that aligns the conductive contacts, wherein

the conductive contacts include a magnetic material, and

the aligning unit includes

a supporting element that supports the first guide grooves and the second guide grooves; and

a magnet that is embedded in the supporting element, and that constitutes a magnetic circuit with the conductive contact holder.

11. The conductive contact unit according to claim 10 , wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

12. The conductive contact unit according to claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the second contacting element projects from an external surface of the conductive contact holder, inside which the guiding grooves are formed, in a normal direction of the external surface.

13. A conductive contact unit that establishes an electrical connection between different circuitries, and includes a plurality of conductive contacts for receiving and outputting an electrical signal from and to the circuitries, the conductive contact unit comprising:

a conductive contact holder that includes

a plurality of first guiding grooves each slidably engaging one edge in a width direction of one of the conductive contacts to hold the conductive contact; and

a plurality of second guiding grooves each located opposite to corresponding one of the first guiding grooves, and slidably engaging another edge of the conductive contact than the one the corresponding first guiding groove engages to hold the conductive contact;

the conductive contacts, each of which has a plate-like shape, and includes

a first contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries;

a second contacting element that is brought into physical contact with one of the different circuitries other than the one the first contacting element is brought into contact with;

a resilient element that is interposed between the first contacting element and the second contacting element, and is expandable and contractible in a longitudinal direction;

a first connecting element that connects the resilient element and the first contacting element; and

a second connecting element that connects the resilient element and the second contacting element; and

an aligning unit that aligns the conductive contacts, wherein

the conductive contact holder includes holes communicating from bottom surfaces of the first guiding grooves or the second guiding grooves to outside of the conductive contact holder, and

the aligning unit includes a sucking section that sucks air inside the conductive contact holder through the holes.

14. The conductive contact unit according to claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the second contacting element projects from an external surface of the conductive contact holder, inside which the guiding grooves are formed, in a normal direction of the external surface.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTED DATES OF THE ASSIGNORS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 021480 FRAME 0746. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST. Recorded Sep 22, 2008
From: TOMINAGA, JUN; ISHIKAWA, KOJI; RIKIMARU, TAIICHI
To: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021565/0073 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2008
From: TOMINAGA, JUN; ISHIKAWA, KOJI; RIKIMARU, TAIICHI
To: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021480/0746 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-058643 · Mar 3, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090026050A1 · Jan 29, 2009