The Whitaker Corporation

Scott Stuart Smith

Robert Neil Whiteman, Jr

Karen Elizabeth Benjamin

Robert Thomas Hirsbrunner

Connector 10 mountable to a mother board for mating with a daughter card (80,90) at a card-receiving slot (14). Connector (10) includes at least two key-receiving sites (30a,30b) along the length of the card-receiving slot (14), and a pair of switching contacts (40) at each site that are normally in engagement with each other, completing an indicator circuit of the mother board. A key member (50) is affixable to the connector at a selected one of the key-receiving sites (30a,30b) and includes an actuator arm (58) that disengages the switching contacts (40), breaking the circuit. The key member (50) prevents insertion of a daughter card (90) that is not programmed by having a notch (82) at the corresponding location.

Card edge connector with movable key

An electrical connector (10) having an array of contacts (14) in housing (12), and including a conductive member (50) affixed to the housing to be nonengagingly adjacent the contacts and define spark gaps (80) therebetween such as at protrusions (58) along body section (52) of the conductive member (50). Board-mounting sections (56) extend from the conductive member and be received into mounting holes (36) of a circuit element (30) to establish a chassis ground connection, thereby establishing a continuing ESD arrangement for protection of circuits and components of an electronic apparatus when connected to another apparatus at an input/output port, and even when unmated.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Scott Stuart Smith