William Stewart Calvert

US Patent:

45867631, May 6, 1986

Filed:

Mar 25, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/715966

Inventors:

David C. Paulsen - Santa Clara CA
William L. Calvert - Sunnyvale CA
Dennis R. Mitchell - San Jose CA
Larry D. Gravelle - Mountain View CA

Assignee:

Grid Systems Corporation - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

H01R 3902

US Classification:

339 6R

Abstract:

A connector component for computer units and peripheral units is secured to the back of each unit and enables the units to be stacked together in direct electrical connection, without the need for cables between them. Each connector component includes a pair of swivel mounts which rotate through 90 degrees and support a multi-contact pin connector, so that each connector can be oriented either vertically or horizontally, toward the rear of the unit. The pin connectors are internally connected to the operable portions of each unit by an internal cable bus. For direct interconnection between units, the adjacent swivel mounts are rotated to the vertical position and mated. At the top and bottom of a vertical stack of units, the extreme upper and lower swivel mounts may be rotated to the horizontal, rearward-facing position for connection to a cable leading to other computer or peripheral units remote from the stack.