Electrical connector with tension adjusting means

Abstract

This invention relates to a card edge or backplane type electrical connector, where typically two or more planar electronic devices, such as a mother board and one or more daughter boards, are electrically interconnected usually by arranging the daughter board(s) perpendicular to the mother board. The electrical connector of this invention comprises a pair of opposed housing members having a slot defined by opposing facing surfaces extending therebetween to receive a first of the planar electronic devices or daughter board, where housing member consists of first and second members floatably mounted to one another by spring means urging the first and second members away from one another. Force applying means, preferably in the form of a series of elongated canted coil spring is provided in the housing members along the facing surfaces. Further, a flexible circuit film member for each housing member, having spaced apart rows of contact pads on a surface thereof, is wrapped about a respective first and second member and force applying means, where the contact pads are exposed to the slot. By this arrangement, and by ensuring the separating force of the spring means is greater than the insertion or frictional force required to place the daughter board within the slot, localized and damaging flexing of the circuit film is avoided.