US3922051A

US3922051A - Connector for alphanumeric display panels

Info

Publication number: US3922051A
Application number: US426748A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles Edward Reynolds
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1973-12-20
Filing date: 1973-12-20
Publication date: 1975-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-25

Abstract

A dual purpose connector for both securely holding a visual display panel of the LED or liquid crystal type, and for making electrical contact therewith. The connector is a generally flat, plate-like element with a protruding ledge running along the lower edge thereof and a protruding shoulder extending at right angles to the ledge. The display panel is mounted on the connector with its lower edge resting on the housing ledge, and one end thereof abutting against the shoulder. The ledge is comprised of a series of short, parallel ribs which form grooves therebetween. Contacts are pressed into these grooves. When the panel is mounted on the connector these contacts enter a slot formed in the bottom edge of the display panel and mate with display panel contacts formed in said slot. A panel locking means including a wedge is provided. The wedge is forced in between an overhanging inclined-plane portion of the housing and the top edge of the display panel to thereby press the panel down upon the connector ledge. The wedge is oriented so that any movement of the panel away from the shoulder functions only to tighten the wedge.

Description

ass ss 1 SR vnlQwv Vin Reynolds CONNECTOR FOR ALPHANUMERIC DISPLAY PANELS [75] Inventor: Charles Edward Reynolds, Camp Hill, Pa.

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

22 Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 [21]- Appl. N0.: 426,748

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.881.404 4/1959 Kamm 339/75 MP 2.976.510 3/1961 Blain 339/17 LM 3.017.232 l/l962 Schwab ct a1.... 317/101 DH 3,131,017 4/1964 Mittlcr 339/17 L 3,476,258 11/1969 Dorsctt 339/17 M 3.476.982 11/1969 Bell et a1. 339/17 M 3,656,093 4/1972 Kinkaid 339/217 S 3.744.005 3/1973 Sitzlcr 339/75 MP 3,772,634 11/1973 'Hcnnessey et a1. 339/176 MP 3.794.959 2/1974 Kamolz 339/217 S 3.813.644 5/1974 Shlesinger 339/17 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1.174.063 3/1959 Francc 339/75 MP 1 Nov. 25, 1975 535,610 4/1941 United Kingdom 339/258 F Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn Assistant E.\'anzilzerCraig R. Feinberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmWil1iam J. Keating, Esq.; Donald W. Phillion, Esq.

[57] ABSTRACT A dual purpose connector for both securely holding a visual display panel of the LED or liquid crystal type, and for making electrical contact therewith. The connector is a generally flat, plate-like element with a protruding ledge running along the lower edge thereof and a protruding shoulder extending at right angles to the ledge. The display panel is mounted on the connector with its lower edge resting on the housing ledge, and one end thereof abutting against the shoulder. The ledge is comprised of a series of short, parallel ribs which form grooves therebetween. Contacts are pressed into these grooves. When the panel is mounted on the connector these contacts enter a slot formed in the bottom edge of the display panel and mate with display panel contacts formed in said slot. A panel locking means including a wedge is provided. The wedge is forced in between an overhanging inclined-plane portion of the housing and the top edge of the display panel to thereby press the panel down upon the connector ledge. The wedge is oriented so that any movement of the panel away from the shoulder functions only to tighten the wedge.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures QR m- 339111? US. Patent N0v.25, 1975 Sheet10f4 3,922,051

US. Patent. Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet2of4 3,922,051

Sheet 3 0f 4 3,922,051

US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 CONNECTOR FOR ALPI-IANUMERIC DISPLAY PANELS I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to connector means for retaining a display panel of the liquid crystal or light emitting diode types and for making electrical connections many other types of equipment. With the increasing digitilization of many equipments and analog measurements, such as motor vehicle velocities, meter readings, etc. the need for visually displaying the digitilized results is finding broad application.

In many applications visual display panels are subject to physical shock andvibration, such as for example, when used in hand calculators, speedometers in automobiles and in general any application where a visual display panel is used in a moving vehicle.

There are circuits within the display panels having terminals extending therefrom, which terminals usually constitute simply a strip of conductive metal (usually plated) leading from within the panel to the edge of the panel. In many panels a slot is formed along one edge thereof, and the plated contact strips are formed on the walls of this slot extending from within the display panel and being parallel with each other.

Such contacts are quite fragile and are subject to damage in the event that the display panel moves in the connector which holds it. More specifically, the external contacts which make contact with the strip contacts of the display panel are usually contained within the same plastic housing or connector which holds the display panel. Unless said display panel is held very securely in said connector, movement between the connector and the display panel can occur which in turn will cause movement between the display panel terminals and the external terminals making contact therewith, thereby causing damage to the contacting surfaces with resultant possible failure of operation.

BRIEF STATEMENTOF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a connector housing for holding the display panel very securely so that virtually no movement can occur between the housing and the display panel, even in the presence of severe vibration or shock.

It is a second primary purpose of the invention to provide a plastic holder for a visual type display panel which will in fact hold the display panel therein in such a manner that external vibration or shock will only tend to more securely hold said display panel in a fixed position with respect to said housing.

It is a third aim of the'invention to provide a plastic 2 eliminating damaging motion between the display panel terminals and the mating external terminals.

A fourth purpose of the invention is the improvement of holding means for holding visual display panels securely therein to prevent damage to the display panel itself or to the electrical connection between the display panel terminals and the mating external terminals.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a plate-like plastic holder, generally rectangular in shape and with holes at appropriate locations thereon for securing the holder to a larger framework and further having a ledge running along the base of the main plane of the plate-like holder and extending perpendicularly thereto. The slotted edge of the visual display panel which contains the panel terminals rests upon said ledge. The ledge is formed of a series of parallel rib-like elements which are perpendicular to the direction of the ledge and which form a series of slots therebetween with each slot constructed to hold an external terminal which can be pressed down into the slot. When the display panel is placed in said holder the slot along the edge thereof, which contains the panel terminals, is caused to mate with the external terminals which arev individually contained and held in the slots of the ledge on the plastic holder.

The plastic holder also comprises a shoulder type arrangement positioned substantially perpendicular to the base extension and arranged to be aligned with and abut up against one of the end edges of the display panel, thereby precisely determining, with the cooperation of said ledge, the position of the display panel on the plastic holder.

At the top edge of the plastic holder, that opposite the lower edge to which the ledge is attached, there is provided an element which extends out over the top edge of the display panel and which contains a slotted track. Such slotted track faces the top edge of the display panel and is constructed to receive a wedge-like element which, when inserted therein, functions as an inclined plane to exert a force between the slotted track and the top of the display panel, to thereby force the panel down upon the said connector ledge and cause the panel terminals to mate with the external terminals in the ledge very securely.

The orientation of the inclined plane of the wedge is such that if the display panel tends to move away from the shoulder at the end edge thereof, the wedging action will be increased, thereby preventing such movement of the display panel away from said shoulder and holding it securely in its predetermined position on the plastic holder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 7 from the following detailed description thereof when holder for a visual type display p'aneland containing exin such a manner that vibration of the entire assembly only tends to more firmly entrench the wedge between said holder and said display panel, thereby virtually read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire assembly, including the plastic holder, and showing one external terminal attached within a slot in the ledge thereof, the display panel positioned on the holder and the wedge in position between the slotted track and the panel;

FIGS. 2 and 2a are respectively a plan view and an end view of the wedge;

FIG. 3 is a figure very similar to that of FIG. 1 except that the wedge has not yet been moved into position to lock the display panel into the connector holder;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagram of a portion of the panel and the holder and illustrating how the external DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 a display panel, denoted generally by reference character 10, is shown mounted on the plastic combination holder-connector denoted generally by reference character 11. The base extension or ledge 16 of holder 11 extends generally at right angles from the general plane of holder 1 1 and is comprised of a series of parallel ribs denoted generally by

reference characters

17, 18 and 19 which are parallel with each other and which are generally perpendicular to the direction of the base extension 16.

Each adjacent pair of these ribs define a slot therebetween. For example, the slot 34, which incidentally is shown holding a contact 20 therein, is defined by the two adjacent rib-

like elements

32 and 33, which are formed in ledge 16.

The elongated slot 22 which extends along the bottom edge of display panel contains a large number of strip-like plated contacts which extend from within the panel 10 outwardly on the walls of slot 22 towards the external terminals such as terminal in FIG. 1. These display panel contact strips within slot 22 are not shown in FIG. 1. Some of them are, however, shown in FIG. 4, which will be discussed later herein.

Returning again to FIG. 1 one of the end edges 35 of display panel 10 can be seen to be positioned against shoulder 15, which is an integral part of the plastic holder 11. It can be seen that the shoulder 15 and the ledge 16 function together to precisely position the panel 10 upon holder 11. In the assembly of the entire unit, the panel 10 is slid down along the shoulder 15 to enable the slot 22 to receive the various contacts, such as contact 20, contained in the ledge 16 of holder 11. Once the panel is in its proper position a wedge 14 is inserted under element 12, which contains a grooved track 13 constructed to receive the wedge 14. The wedge 14 is constructed so that its top edge and also the flange-like extension 39 are inclined planes which form an acute angle with the top surface 41 of display panel 10. Thus, when wedge 14 is moved to the left in the direction of arrow 43 in FIG. 1, said wedge 14 will exert a spreading force between the grooved track 13 of element 12 and the top surface 41 of panel 10. Such force can be made to be quite considerable simply by increasing the force with which the wedge 14 is moved to the left in the grooved track 13.

It is apparent that once installed, the display panel 10 cannot easily move within the holder 11. More specifically, the panel 10 cannot move to the right in FIG. 1 because it is already abutted against shoulder 15. It, the display panel, cannot movein either an upward or a downward direction because of the force exerted by wedge 14 upon the top surface 41 thereof.

Should a vibration or shock tend to cause thedisplay panel 10 to tend to move to the left in FIG. 1, with respect to holder 11, such movement would only tend to further tighten the wedge 14, thereby preventing such movement to the left. It is to be noted that the bottom surface of the wedge can be designed to have a substantial coefficient-of friction with respect to the top surface 41 of display 10 so that slippage therebetween is extremely difficult.

While only one contact 20, having a post extension 21, is shown in FIG. 1, it is to be understood that each slot defined by adjacent ribs, such as

ribs

17 and 18, contain a similar contact.

The

elements

25, 26, 27, 28, 29, shown on thedisplay panel 10, represent the configurations of the light emit ting or radiating sections employed to form various numerals or letters. The two

holes

23 and 24 are provided for securing the holder. 1 1 to some suitable frame, such as, for example, the main frame of a hand calculator, or the dashboard of an automobile in an application where it is used to show velocity in a digital manner.

FIGS. 2 and 2a show a side-view and an end view respectively of the wedge 14. In FIG. 2 the angle d) be tween the bottom surface 43 of the wedge and the top surface 40 of the wedge and also the top surface of the flange-like element 39 can be seen. Such angle 4: can be designed to provide the desired wedging action between the holder 11 of FIG. 1 and the display panel 10.

F163 is almost identical to FIG. 1 with the exception that the wedge 14 has not yet been inserted in the grooved track 15 of element 12 of the holder. To insert the wedge into'such grooved track 13 it is only necessary to slide the wedge 14 to the left in FIG. 1 (in the direction of the arrow 43) by an amount necessary to produce the desired force between the wedge 14 and the top of the display panel 10.

In FIG. 4 there is shown an enlarged partial view of two

contacts

50 and 51 held in the ledge 16 of holder 11 and about to be mated with the strip terminals 52 and 53 within slot 22 of display panel 10.

It is to be understood that only a few of the contacts in the ledge 16 are shown and only a small portion of the display panel 10 is shown. In many present day constructions of visual display panels, contact areas, such as contact strips 52, 53, 54 and 55, exist not only on the bottom exposed surface of the slot 22, but also exist on the upper surface of slot 22, which cannot be seen in FIG. 4. Accordingly the

contacts

50 and 51 are designed to make contact both with pads on the lower and also the upper surfaces of slot 22. More specifically, looking at contact 50 in detail, it can be seen that the contact head, i.e., the part of the contact that makes electrical contact with the terminal 52 in slot 22, comprises a first portion 76 which extends downwardly and will make contact with contact strip 52 in slot 22. Such contact head also comprises the two

legs

74 and 75 of contact 50 which extend upwardly and will make contact with a contact pad which might exist on the upper surface of slot 22, which upper contact pad is not shown in FIG. 4 but would be positioned opposite the lower contact 52.

The contact head, when viewed from the side, i.e., in a plane normal to both the length of slot 22 and the plane'of panel 10, has a generally spear-tip shaped configuration, with the tip thereof entering the slot 22 first. The outwardly bowed section forms one side of the spear tip and the

elements

74 and 75 form the other side.

Each of the two

contacts

50 and 51 are held in slots between adjacent pairs of ribs. More specifically, contact 51 is held in the slot formed between rib-

like elements

64 and 65, and contact 50 is held between

riblike elements

65 and 66. The rib-like'elements 65 and 66 are both broken away so that the holding

portions

63 and 62 of

contacts

51 and 50 can be seen.

While it cannot be clearly seen in FIG. 4, the holding

portions

63 and 62 of

contacts

51 and 50 lock within notched areas provided therefor in the walls of the

adjacent ribs

64, 65 and 66. Such notching and the locking action therewith by the

semi-cylindrical portions

63 and 62 can be seen more clearly in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, for example, the edges of the cylindrical section 63 are locked into

notches

88 and 89 which are formed on the wall of the two

rib elements

64 and 65. Similarly, the holding element 62 is held in similar notches located on the inner surfaces of

ribs

65 and 66. The cavity 88 in rib 64 is shown in specific detail in FIG. 9.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a sectional view of contact 51 positioned in and extending through the base extension or ledge 16 of panel holder 11. The cavity 80 shown in FIG. 6 is provided primarily for purposes of ease of manufacturing the plastic holder 11.

In FIG. 8 there is shown still another view of contact 51 positioned in the ledge 16 and shows the top configuration and relation of the

leg portions

90 and 91 of the terminal head with respect to the other portion 92 thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 5 therev is shown a plan view of the plastic holder. In FIG. 5 a ribbing effect, identified generally by reference character 100, is shown. This ribbing is simply to provide structural support for the holder and cannot be clearly seen in the views of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 since they are covered by the display panel 10. The edges of the ribbing 100 all lie in a single plane preferably, so that the display panel will lie flat thereon. In most display panels there is a protruding glass formation on the back thereof which is a result of manufacturing techniques and the bringing out of leads to which voltages are sometimes applied. To accommodate this glass protuberance there is provided an aperture 105 which extends through holder 1 1. Also shown in FIG. 5 are two typical

external contacts

102 and 20, and a plan view of the ribs, such as rib 103.

It is to be noted the form of the invention shown and described herein is but a preferred embodiment thereof and that various modifications may be made in the detailed design of the holder and the external terminals secured therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of a display panel, a connector for holding said display panel, and contact means between said connector and said display panel, and comprising:

said display panel having substantially rectangular major surfaces and bounded by edges of a finite thickness, with contacts being positioned along a first edge thereof;

said connector having one major surface configuration comprising first and second rib-like extensions extending outwardly therefrom and alignable with at least two adjoining edges of said display panel, and upon which said one major surface said panel display can be mounted and precisely positioned by being abutting against said two rib-like extensions;

said connector further comprising an inclined plane surface constructed to face that particular edge of said panel display which is opposite one of said adjoining edges of said display panel; and

wedge-like means insertable between said inclined plane surface and the said particular edge to force said display panel against said opposite adjoining edge.

2. A combination for electrically communicating with a visual display panel comprising:

a panel display having front and rear major surfaces, upper and lower edges, and first and second end edges, with contacts arranged along said lower edge;

connector means for holding said panel display and having ledge-like means extending outwardly from the surface of said connector and. positioned to abut against the lower edge of said panel display and means for positioning one of said end edges when said panel display is mounted properly on said connector means;

said connector means having a plurality of external contacts positioned along said ledge-like means and arranged to mate with predetermined contacts on the lower edge of said display panel when said display panel is mounted in its proper position on said connector means;

said connector means further comprising an inclined surface with respect to, and positioned opposite the top edge of said display panel; and

wedge-like means constructed to be inserted between said inclined surface and the top edge of said display panel to force the bottom edge of said display panel down upon the ledge-like means of said connector means;

said inclined surface and said wedge-like means being oriented to increase the force upon said display panel if the first edge of said display panel should tend to move away from said ledge-like means.

3. A combination in accordance with claim 2 in which said ledge-like means comprises:

a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements;

each wall of said rib-like elements having a shoulder formed therein which faces the bottom of the adjacent groove;

and in which said plurality of external contacts arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner in said grooves;

each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering portion having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will snap in behind said shoulders on the walls of the adjacent rib-like elements to become locked in said groove;

said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves by means of a carrier strip connected thereto;

said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said common elongated base while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

4. A connector for holding a visual display panel,

such as an LED or aliquid crystal visual display panel,

7 in a predetermined fixed position resistant to physical shock, vibration, and comprising:

a plurality of external contacts; an insulative plate substantially rectangular in shape and having a first surface substantially mateable with the back surface of said panel and having a base extension ledge which extends perpendicularly along one major edge of said plate and constructed to hold a plurality of external contacts and also to define the position of a first major surface of said panel; said plate further comprising movement restricting means constructed to restrain the displacement of said panel along its major and minor directional axes along the contacting first surface of said plate; said movement restricting means comprising:

shoulder-like means substantially perpendicular to the major axis of said plate to restrict the movement of said panel along the direction of its major axis on the first surface of said plate; and

wedge-like means comprising a wedge-like element and constructed to restrict the movement of said panel along its minor axis along the first surface of said plate;

said wedge-like means comprising wedge receiving means secured to said plate and constructed to receive said wedge-like element between the wedge receiving means and the second major edge surface of said panel, and having an inclined plane surface oriented to resist movement of said panel along the direction of its minor axis and also along its major axis in that direction opposite to that restricted by said shoulder-like means;

said panel comprising an array of receiving contacts along the edge thereof resting on said ledge;

said receiving contacts and said external contacts being configured and positioned to mate with 1 each other in predetermined relationship when said display panel is mounted on said plate in said predetermined fixed position.

5. A connector in accordance with claim 4 in which said baseextension ledge comprises:

a connector assembly comprising:

and in which said plurality of external contact elements arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner, and connected to a common carrier strip and spaced apart predetermined distances in registry with the spacing between said grooves;

each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering position having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will snap in behind said shoulders on the walls of the adjacent rib-like elements to become locked in said groove;

said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves with the said carrier strip being connected thereto;

said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direc- 8 tion of said grooves and to the long direction of said base extension ledge while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

6. In a connector containing external contacts for making electrical connections with the terminals of a visual display panel;

a housing for holding said display panel;

an elongated slot extending along one edge of said display panel and containing there within a plural ity of electrically conductive terminals;

a plurality of contacts for making individual contact with individual terminals in said slot in said display panel, and held in said housing in a position to enter said slot and make contact with the terminals therein when said display panel is mounted on said housing in a proper, predetermined position;

each of said external contacts having a housing engaging portion and further having a contact head portion which comprises:

a first portion bowed outwardly in a convex manner with respect to the general axis of said terminal; and

a second portion secured to the free end of said first portion and comprised of two legs extending back towards said housing engaging portion along either side of said first portion, and bowed outwardly from the general axis of said terminal in a direction opposite to the bowing of said first portion to form a generally spear-tip shaped configuration when viewed from the side.

7. A connector for holding a visual display type panel in a fixed position thereon even in the presence of severe physical shock or vibration and comprising:

an insulative plate having a substantially rectangular first surface upon which said panel is mounted, with a ledge extending in a first direction along said first surface and constructed to hold a plurality of contacts and against which a first edge of said panel is abutted;

said insulative plate further comprising movement restricting means for restraining the movement of said display panel vertically, horizontally and rotationally on said first surface of said plate;

said movement restrictive means comprising shoulder means formed on said first surface substantially perpendicular to said ledge to abut against a second edge of said panel to restrict the movement of said panel in one direction along said ledge; and

wedge-like means for restricting the movement of said display panel on said first surface in a direction perpendicular to said ledge; said wedge-like means comprising guiding track means secured to said insulative plate and constructedto receive a wedge-like element between said track means and a third edge of said panel; said wedge-like element having its inclined plane oriented to resist movement of said display panel in a direction opposite to that direction opposed by said shoulder means. 8. A connector in accordance with claim 7 in which said ledge comprises:

a wall of each rib-like elements having a locking means formed therein;

a plurality of contact elements arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner, and connected to a common carrier strip and spaced apart predetermined distances in registry with the spacing between said grooves;

each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering portion having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will lock with said locking means on the walls of said rib-like elements to become locked in said groove;

said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said base extension ledge while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

9. A combination in accordance with claim 7 in which said ledge comprises a series of partitioning elements placed side-by-side in a parallel manner to each other to form a series of elongated parallel groove there'between, with said grooves lying substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of said ledge;

each of said partitioning elements having a locking means formed therein and constructed to receive and retain a predetermined section of a contact terminal;

each of said contact terminals having said predetermined sections constructed to lock with said locking means when depressed into place in said groove and to be securely held thereby in said groove.

10. In a connector, a contact for making electrical contact with a receiving contact area formed on the substantially parallel walls of a slot in a slotted receptacle, and including connector housing means for holding said contact and said slotted receptacle in a fixed position with respect to each other, and comprising:

LII

10 a connector housing engaging portion; and contact head means for electrical engaging said receiving contact; said contact head means comprising:

a first portion secured at a first end thereof to said connector housing engaging portion and bowed outwardly in a concave manner with respect to the first side of a plane which is substantially parallel with said receiving contact area and which substantially bisects said slot in said slotted receptacle;

a second portion comprising a pair of elements, one of said elements being on each side of said first portion, secured to the free end of said first portion, and extending backwardly towards said connector housing engaging portion,

each of said pair of elements of said second portion being bowed outwardly in a concave manner with respect to said first plane and on the second side of said plane;

said outwardly bowed configurations of said first and second portions of said contact head having a spear tip-shaped configuration in a second plane which is normal to both said first plane and to the walls of said slot in said slotted receptacle;

said connector housing constructed to hold said contact terminal head within said slot in said slotted receptacle and in contact with the receiving contact area contained therein;

said connector housing comprising a grooved portion defined by a pair of facing walls, with shoulders which are formed in said walls and which face the bottom of said groove; and

said connector housing engaging portion of said contact being generally U-shaped so that the open ends of said U snap into a position behind said shoulders in said walls to retain said contact in said groove.

Claims

1. The combination of a display panel, a connector for holding said display panel, and contact means between said connector and said display panel, and comprising: said display panel having substantially rectangular major surfaces and bounded by edges of a finite thickness, with contacts being positioned along a first edge thereof; said connector having one major surface configuration comprising first and second rib-like extensions extending outwardly therefrom and alignable with at least two adjoining edges of said display panel, and upon which said one major surface said panel display can be mounted and precisely positioned by being abutting against said two rib-like extensions; said connector further comprising an inclined plane surface constructed to face that particular edge of said panel display which is opposite one of said adjoining edges of said display panel; and wedge-like means insertable between said inclined plane surface and the said particular edge to force said display panel against said opposite adjoining edge.

2. A combination for electrically communicating with a visual display panel comprising: a panel display having front and rear major surfaces, upper and lower edges, and first and second end edges, with contacts arranged along said lower edge; connector means for holding said panel display and having ledge-like means extending outwardly from the surface of said connector and positioned to abut against the lower edge of said panel display and means for positioning one of said end edges when said panel display is mounted properly on said connector means; said connector means having a plurality of external contacts positioned along said ledge-like means and arranged to mate with predetermined contacts on the lower edge of said display panel when said display panel is mounted in its proper position on said connector means; said connector means further comprising an inclined surface with respect to, and positioned opposite the top edge of said display panel; and wedge-like means constructed to be inserted between said inclined surface and the top edge of said display panel to force the bottom edge of said display panel down upon the ledge-like means of said connector means; said inclined surface and said wedge-like means being oriented to increase the force upon said display panel if the first edge of said display panel should tend to move away from said ledge-like means.

3. A combination in accordance with claim 2 in which said ledge-like means comprises: a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements; each wall of said rib-like elements having a shoulder formed therein which faces the bottom of the adjacent groove; and in which said plurality of external contacts arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner in said grooves; each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering portion having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will snap in behind said shoulders on the walls of the adjacent rib-like elements to become locked in said groove; said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves by means of a carrier strip connected thereto; said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said common elongated base while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

4. A connector for holding a visual display panel, such as an LED or a liquid crystal visual display panel, in a predetermined fixed position resistant to physical shock, vibration, and comprising: a plurality of external contacts; an insulative plate substantially rectangular in shape and having a first surface substantially mateable with the back surface of said panel and having a base extension ledge which extends perpendicularly along one major edge of said plate and constructed to hold a plurality of external contacts and also to define the position of a first major surface of said panel; said plate further comprising movement restricting means constructed to restrain the displacement of said panel along its major and minor directional axes along the contacting first surface of said plate; said movement restricting means comprising: shoulder-like means substantially perpendicular to the major axis of said plate to restrict the movement of said panel along the direction of its major axis on the first surface of said plate; and wedge-like means comprising a wedge-like element and constructed to restrict the movement of said panel along its minor axis along the first surface of said plate; said wedge-like means comprising wedge receiving means secured to said plate and constructed to receive said wedge-like element between the wedge receiving means and the second major edge surface of said panel, and having an inclined plane surface oriented to resist movement of said panel along the direction of its minor axis and also along its major axis in that direction opposite to that restricted by said shoulder-like means; said panel comprising an array of receiving contacts along the edge thereof resting on said ledge; said receiving contacts and said externaL contacts being configured and positioned to mate with each other in predetermined relationship when said display panel is mounted on said plate in said predetermined fixed position.

5. A connector in accordance with claim 4 in which said base extension ledge comprises: a connector assembly comprising: a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements; each wall of said rib-like elements having a shoulder formed therein which faces the bottom of the adjacent groove; and in which said plurality of external contact elements arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner, and connected to a common carrier strip and spaced apart predetermined distances in registry with the spacing between said grooves; each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering position having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will snap in behind said shoulders on the walls of the adjacent rib-like elements to become locked in said groove; said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves with the said carrier strip being connected thereto; said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said base extension ledge while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

6. In a connector containing external contacts for making electrical connections with the terminals of a visual display panel; a housing for holding said display panel; an elongated slot extending along one edge of said display panel and containing there within a plurality of electrically conductive terminals; a plurality of contacts for making individual contact with individual terminals in said slot in said display panel, and held in said housing in a position to enter said slot and make contact with the terminals therein when said display panel is mounted on said housing in a proper, predetermined position; each of said external contacts having a housing engaging portion and further having a contact head portion which comprises: a first portion bowed outwardly in a convex manner with respect to the general axis of said terminal; and a second portion secured to the free end of said first portion and comprised of two legs extending back towards said housing engaging portion along either side of said first portion, and bowed outwardly from the general axis of said terminal in a direction opposite to the bowing of said first portion to form a generally spear-tip shaped configuration when viewed from the side.

7. A connector for holding a visual display type panel in a fixed position thereon even in the presence of severe physical shock or vibration and comprising: an insulative plate having a substantially rectangular first surface upon which said panel is mounted, with a ledge extending in a first direction along said first surface and constructed to hold a plurality of contacts and against which a first edge of said panel is abutted; said insulative plate further comprising movement restricting means for restraining the movement of said display panel vertically, horizontally and rotationally on said first surface of said plate; said movement restrictive means comprising: shoulder means formed on said first surface substantially perpendicular to said ledge to abut against a second edge of said panel to restrict the movement of said panel in one direction along said ledge; and wedge-like means for restricting the movement of said display panel on said first surface in a direction perpendicular to said ledge; said wedge-like means comprising guiding track means secured to said insulative plate and constructed to receive a wedge-like element between said track means and a third edge of said panel; said wedge-like element having its inclIned plane oriented to resist movement of said display panel in a direction opposite to that direction opposed by said shoulder means.

8. A connector in accordance with claim 7 in which said ledge comprises: a row of parallel, rib-like partitioning elements positioned side-by-side to form a plurality of grooves, one groove between each pair of adjacent rib-like elements; a wall of each rib-like elements having a locking means formed therein; a plurality of contact elements arranged side-by-side in a parallel manner, and connected to a common carrier strip and spaced apart predetermined distances in registry with the spacing between said grooves; each of said contacts comprising a groove-entering portion having a configuration to permit easy entry into said groove but which will lock with said locking means on the walls of said rib-like elements to become locked in said groove; said plurality of contacts being gang insertable into said grooves with the said carrier strip being connected thereto; said insertion of said contacts into said grooves being effected by applying a force to said contacts in a direction normal to both the direction of said grooves and to the long direction of said base extension ledge while said contacts are positioned immediately above said grooves.

9. A combination in accordance with claim 7 in which said ledge comprises a series of partitioning elements placed side-by-side in a parallel manner to each other to form a series of elongated parallel groove therebetween, with said grooves lying substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of said ledge; each of said partitioning elements having a locking means formed therein and constructed to receive and retain a predetermined section of a contact terminal; each of said contact terminals having said predetermined sections constructed to lock with said locking means when depressed into place in said groove and to be securely held thereby in said groove.

10. In a connector, a contact for making electrical contact with a receiving contact area formed on the substantially parallel walls of a slot in a slotted receptacle, and including connector housing means for holding said contact and said slotted receptacle in a fixed position with respect to each other, and comprising: a connector housing engaging portion; and contact head means for electrical engaging said receiving contact; said contact head means comprising: a first portion secured at a first end thereof to said connector housing engaging portion and bowed outwardly in a concave manner with respect to the first side of a plane which is substantially parallel with said receiving contact area and which substantially bisects said slot in said slotted receptacle; a second portion comprising a pair of elements, one of said elements being on each side of said first portion, secured to the free end of said first portion, and extending backwardly towards said connector housing engaging portion, each of said pair of elements of said second portion being bowed outwardly in a concave manner with respect to said first plane and on the second side of said plane; said outwardly bowed configurations of said first and second portions of said contact head having a spear tip-shaped configuration in a second plane which is normal to both said first plane and to the walls of said slot in said slotted receptacle; said connector housing constructed to hold said contact terminal head within said slot in said slotted receptacle and in contact with the receiving contact area contained therein; said connector housing comprising a grooved portion defined by a pair of facing walls, with shoulders which are formed in said walls and which face the bottom of said groove; and said connector housing engaging portion of said contact being generally U-shaped so that the open ends of said ''''U'''' snap into a position behind said shoulders in said walls to retain said contact in said groove.