Keying apparatus for interconnecting electrical components

Claim 2

In combination, an electrical component presenting a keying plate on at least one side, said plate having a first and an opposite, second face and a leading edge, and a connector block adapted to engage an array of backplane terminal pins said block having a surface abutting said first keying plate face, said plate having a first and a second notch formed inwardly from said leading edge, said notches being spaced and located at predetermined locations on said plate selected from a plurality of possible fixed locations on said plate, said notches being dimensioned to admit a first and a second dowel correspondingly spaced associated with said array of terminal pins, said surface of said connector block having flutings formed therein dimensioned to admit said dowels, said flutings being spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible fixed locations on said plate.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which said electrical component comprises an electrical circuit board.

Claim 4

Electrical interconnection apparatus comprising an array of terminal pins (15), a connector block (34) adapted to fit over said pins (15), and an electrical component (11) presenting a plate leading edge characterized in a keying member (12, 13, 14) associated with said array of terminal pins (15), said member (14) having a pair of dowels (26, 27) extending outwardly therefrom having a predetermined spacing uniquely selected from a plurality of possible spacings, in that said plate leading edge of said component (11) has a pair of notches (40, 42) formed therein spaced apart to correspond to said predetermined spacing of said pair of dowels (26, 27) and dimensioned to admit said last-mentioned dowels when said connector block (34) is fitted over said array of terminal pins (15), and in that said connector block (34) is formed to present a face in contact with one side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (43) in said face dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings.

Claim 5

Electrical interconnection apparatus comprising an array of terminal pins (15), a connector block (34) adapted to fit over said pins (15), and an electrical component (11) presenting a plate leading edge characterized in a keying member (12, 13, 14) associated with said array of terminal pins (15), said member (14) having a pair of dowels (26, 27) extending outwardly therefrom having a predetermined spacing uniquely selected from a plurality of possible spacings, in that said plate leading edge of said component (11) has a pair of notches (40, 42) formed therein spaced apart to correspond to said predetermined spacing of said pair of dowels (26, 27) and dimensioned to admit said last-mentioned dowels when said connector block (34) is fitted over said array of terminal pins (15), and in that said connector block (34) is formed to present a face in contact with one side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (43) in said face dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings.

Claim 6

Electrical interconnection apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further characterized in a flat stiffener member (38) having a face in contact with the other side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (44) dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings.

Claim 7

Electrical interconnection apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized in that said electrical component (11) comprises an electrical circuit board.

Claim 8

Electrical interconnection apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized in that said keying member (12, 13, 14) has an electrically conductive, third dowel (32) extending outwardly therefrom and connected to an additional terminal pin, said face of said connector block (34) has a fluting (47) dimensioned to admit said third dowel (32) and located to correspond to the position of said third dowel (32) and in an electrical contact spring (48) positioned in said last-mentioned fluting (47) to make electrical contact with said third dowel (32) when said connector block (34) is fitted over said array of terminal pins (15).

Claim 9

Electrical interconnection apparatus comprising an array of terminal pins (15), a connector block (34) adapted to fit over said pins (15), and an electrical component (11) presenting a plate leading edge characterized in a keying member (12, 13, 14) associated with said array of terminal pins (15), said member (14) having a pair of dowels (26, 27) extending outwardly therefrom having a predetermined spacing uniquely selected from a plurality of possible spacings and in that said plate leading edge of said component (11) has a pair of notches (40, 42) formed therein spaced apart to correspond to said predetermined spacing of said pair of dowels (26, 27) and dimensioned to admit said last mentioned dowels when said connector block (34) is fitted over said array of terminal pins (15), and in that said connector block (34) is formed to present a face in contact with one side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (43) in said face dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings, and further characterized in a flat stiffener member (38) having a face in contact with the other side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (44) dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings.

Claim 10

Electrical interconnection apparatus comprising an array of terminal pins (15), a connector block (34) adapted to fit over said pins (15), and an electrical component (11) presenting a plate leading edge characterized in a keying member (12, 13, 14) associated with said array of terminal pins (15), said member (14) having a pair of dowels (26, 27) extending outwardly therefrom having a predetermined spacing uniquely selected from a plurality of possible spacings and in that said plate leading edge of said component (11) has a pair of notches (40, 42) formed therein spaced apart to correspond to said predetermined spacing of said pair of dowels (26, 27) and dimensioned to admit said last mentioned dowels when said connector block (34) is fitted over said array of terminal pins (15), and in that said connector block (34) is formed to present a face in contact with one side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (43) in said face dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings, and further characterized in a flat stiffener member (38) having a face in contact with the other side of said component (11) plate and having a plurality of flutings (44) dimensioned to admit said dowels (26, 27) and spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible spacings.

Claim 11

Electrical interconnection apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further characterized in that said electrical component (11) comprises an electrical circuit board.

Claim 12

Electrical interconnection apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further characterized in that said keying member (12, 13, 14) has an electrically conductive, third dowel (32) extending outwardly therefrom and connected to an additional terminal pin, said face of said connector block (34) has a fluting (47) dimensioned to admit said third dowel (32) and located to correspond to the position of said third dowel (32) and in an electrical contact spring (48) positioned in said last-mentioned fluting (47) to make electrical contact with said third dowel (32) when said connector block (34) is fitted over said array of terminal pins (15).

Claim 13

In combination, an electrical component presenting a keying plate on at least one side, said plate having a first and an opposite, second face and leading edge, a connector block adapted to engage an array of backplane terminal pins, said block having a surface abutting said first keying plate face, and a stiffener plate having a surface abutting said opposite second face of said keying plate, said keying plate having a first and a second notch formed inwardly from said leading edge, said notches being spaced and located at predetermined locations on said keying plate selected from a plurality of possible fixed locations of said keying plate, said notches being dimensioned to admit a first and a second dowel correspondingly spaced associated with said array of terminal pins, said surface of said connector block having flutings formed therein dimensioned to admit said dowels, said flutings being spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible fixed locations on said keying plate, said surface of said stiffener plate having flutings formed therein dimensioned to admit said dowels and spaced to correspond to the spacings of said flutings on said surface of said connector block.

Claim 14

In combination, an electrical component presenting a keying plate on at least one side, said plate having a first and an opposite, second face and leading edge, a connector block adapted to engage an array of backplane terminal pins, said block having a surface abutting said first keying plate face, and a stiffener plate having a surface abutting said opposite second face of said keying plate, said keying plate having a first and a second notch formed inwardly from said leading edge, said notches being spaced and located at predetermined locations on said keying plate selected from a plurality of possible fixed locations of said keying plate, said notches being dimensioned to admit a first and a second dowel correspondingly spaced associated with said array of terminal pins, said surface of said connector block having flutings formed therein dimensioned to admit said dowels, said flutings being spaced to correspond to said plurality of possible fixed locations on said keying plate, said surface of said stiffener plate having flutings formed therein dimensioned to admit said dowels and spaced to correspond to the spacings of said flutings on said surface of said connector block.

Claim 15

The combination as claimed in claim 10 in which said electrical component comprises an electrical circuit board.