Data connection device and support device

Abstract

A data connection device of a support device includes a fixed part and a movable part. One of the fixed part and the movable part has a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pads, and the other part has a receptacle for receiving the circuit board, such as when a circuit breaker moves to an installation position within a box of a draw-out switchgear. The data connection device includes a housing, and the receptacle is formed within the housing, wherein the housing has a plurality of electrical contacts within the receptacle. The housing and the circuit board each have a release area in an exemplary form of an inclined surface and an edge, and the release area facilitates receiving the circuit board within the receptacle. In addition, the circuit board and the housing are located on a structure that provides a certain level of flexibility to further facilitate receiving the circuit board within the receptacle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed and claimed concepts generally relate to a data connection device, and more particularly, to a data connection device that can be used in combination with a support device, such as a draw-out switchgear cabinet, and electrical components, such as a circuit breaker. Background Art

[0002] Draw-out switchgear cabinets are well known in the relevant art. A draw-out switchgear cabinet generally includes a cabinet and a plurality of boxes. Each such box holds a circuit breaker removably received therein, where it should be noted that the circuit breaker is capable of moving between a mounted position received in the box and a removed position, where the circuit breaker is partially or fully removed from the box. When the circuit breaker is in its mounted position received in the box, an electrical connector located on the circuit breaker is in electrical contact with a corresponding electrical connector located on the cabinet within the box. Although such draw-out switchgear cabinets are generally effective for their intended purposes, the draw-out switchgear cabinets are not without limitations.

[0003] From an electronic perspective, modern circuit breakers are much more complex than those manufactured in the past few decades. Such electronic devices perform many functions, which include monitoring the conditions of the circuit breaker, monitoring the conditions of the current flowing through the circuit breaker, and monitoring other conditions. These numerous features provided by the circuit breaker require various data connections. When the circuit breaker moves from its removed position to its mounted position, such data connections are completed by detachable electrical connectors in the box. These data connections were previously made by pins received in corresponding sockets when the circuit breaker was fully received in the box of the switchgear cabinet. Such pins and sockets typically have a long pitch, which means they are spaced relatively far apart from each other, which allows the pins to be robust and enables the pins to withstand the circuit breaker being pulled out and inserted back into the box of the switchgear cabinet.

[0004] However, with the large number of data connections required by modern circuit breakers and the limited space available within a draw-out switchgear cabinet, it has gradually become necessary to have a shorter pitch between the pins forming the electrical connections, which means the distance between such pins is relatively smaller. It has also been necessary to make such pins with a relatively short pitch relatively thin and less robust in order to accommodate all the required electrical connections between the circuit breaker and the switchgear cabinet. Such relatively small and less robust pins sometimes become bent during the misaligned insertion of the circuit breaker into the box, which has led to damage to the draw-out switchgear cabinet, which is not desirable. Therefore, improvements are preferred. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An improved data connection device capable of being used as part of a support device includes a fixed component and a movable component. One of the fixed component and the movable component has a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pads, and the other component has a receptacle for receiving the circuit board, such as when the circuit breaker is moved to a mounting position for receiving in a box of a withdrawable switch cabinet. The data connection device includes a housing, the receptacle is formed within the housing, wherein the housing has a plurality of electrical contacts located within the receptacle. The housing and the circuit board each have a release area in the exemplary form of an inclined surface and an edge, which facilitates receiving the circuit board in the receptacle. In addition, the circuit board and the housing are located on a structure that provides a certain level of flexibility to further facilitate receiving the circuit board in the receptacle.

[0006] Therefore, one aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide an improved data connection device having a circuit board that is removably received in a receiver to form a plurality of electrical connections between the circuit board and the receiver. As used herein, the expression "plurality" and variations thereof shall broadly refer to any non-zero quantity, including the quantity of "one".

[0007] Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide an improved support device having such a data connection device and comprising a fixed part and a movable part, wherein the movable part is movable relative to the stationary part, such as can be used in a withdrawable switch cabinet or any other type of device that can make and break an electrical connection when the movable part is moved relative to the fixed part.

[0008] Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide a data connection device including a circuit board having a plurality of conductive pads and a housing having a receiver capable of receiving the circuit board, wherein the housing has a plurality of electrical contacts within the receiver and electrically connect with the pads when the circuit board is received in the receiver.

[0009] Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide such improved data connection devices that provide high density data connections and enable megabit speeds to be sustained because the data connection devices emulate proper transmission lines and provide common mode noise immunity.

[0010] Accordingly, one aspect of the disclosed and claimed concepts is to provide an improved data connection device that can be used to connect to a support device and an electrical component, where the support device is configured to support the electrical component, and the electrical component can move between a first position and a second position relative to the support device. The data connection device can generally be described as including a first component configured to be located on one of the support device and the electrical component. The first component can generally be described as including a support member and a circuit board located on the support member. The circuit board has an outer surface and further has a plurality of conductive pads located on the outer surface. And a second component configured to be located on the other of the support device and the electrical component. The second component can generally be described as including a housing and a plurality of electrical contacts located on the housing. The housing has a receptacle that is configured to receive at least a portion of the circuit board and at least a subset of the electrical contacts among the plurality of electrical contacts in the first position. The electrical contacts are engaged with and electrically connected to at least a subset of the pads among the plurality of pads. The receptacle is configured to remove at least a portion of the circuit board therefrom in the second position.

[0011] Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concepts is to provide an improved combined device that can generally be described as including a support device; an electrical component that can move between a first position and a second position relative to the support device; and a data connection device that can generally be described as including a first component and a second component. The first component is located on one of the support device and the electrical component. The first component can generally be described as including a support member and a circuit board located on the support member. The circuit board has an outer surface and further has a plurality of conductive pads located on the outer surface. And the second component is located on the other of the support device and the electrical component. The second component can generally be described as including a housing and a plurality of electrical contacts located on the housing. The housing has a receptacle that is configured to receive at least a portion of the circuit board and at least a subset of the electrical contacts among the plurality of electrical contacts in the first position. The electrical contacts are engaged with and electrically connected to at least a subset of the pads among the plurality of pads. The receptacle is configured to remove at least a portion of the circuit board therefrom in the second position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A further understanding of the concepts disclosed and claimed herein can be obtained from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1Perspective view of an improved data connection device and an improved combined device according to the disclosed and claimed concepts, the improved combined device having support means and electrical components in one position, wherein a first component and a second component of the data connection device are electrically disconnected from each other;

[0014] Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 in view, except that the first component and the second component are in another position, wherein the first component and the second component are electrically connected together;

[0015] Figure 3 is Figure 2 a side view of a part of the data connection device;

[0016] Figure 4 is Figure 2 a top view of a part of the data connection device; and

[0017] Figure 5 is Figure 1 an enlarged view of an indicating part.

[0018] Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] In Figure 1 and Figure 2 is generally depicted an improved data connection device 4 according to the disclosed and claimed concepts. The data connection device 4 is part of an improved combined device 6 also according to the disclosed and claimed concepts. It can be said that the combined device 6 includes support means 10 and electrical components 12, wherein the electrical components 12 are capable of moving relative to the support means 10 between a first position generally depicted in Figure 2 and a second position generally depicted in Figure 1 . In the depicted exemplary embodiment of the combined device 6, the support means 10 can be, for example but not limited to, a drawer-type cassette, and the electrical components 12 can be, for example but not limited to, a circuit breaker capable of moving relative to the exemplary cassette forming the support means 10.

[0020] It can be said that the data connection device 4 includes a first component 16 which, in the depicted exemplary embodiment, is located on the electrical components 12. The data connection device 4 further includes a second component 18 which, in the depicted exemplary embodiment, is located on the support means 10. It should be further understood that the first component 16 is located on the electrical components 12 and, by way of example, is capable of moving with the electrical components 12 respectively in Figure 2 and Figure 1moves between the first position and the second position depicted. It should also be understood that the combination device 6 can be any of a variety of other types of devices other than the draw-out cassette and the circuit breaker, which device provides a movable component such as the exemplary first component 16 and a fixed component such as the exemplary second component 18, and which device establishes and breaks an electrical connection based on the position of the movable component relative to the fixed component.

[0021] from Figure 1 It can be understood that the first component 16 can be said to include a support 22 located on the electrical component 12 and further includes a circuit board 24 located on the support 22. The circuit board 24 includes an outer surface 28 and a plurality of pads 32 located on the outer surface and being conductive. The circuit board 24 can be any of a variety of relatively rigid circuit boards, such as a printed circuit board and other boards. Figure 1 The exemplary first component 16 depicted in includes both the circuit board 24 and another circuit board that is the same as the circuit board 24 but located behind the circuit board 24, and thus cannot be seen from Figure 1 the perspective of the first component 16 depicted in. The pads 32 of the circuit board 24 and Figure 1 the other circuit boards that are not visible therein are each electrically connected to a plurality of sockets indicated by the numeral 34 and in which the pins of the electrical leads capable of being connected to the circuit breaker 14 are received.

[0022] As further visible in Figure 1 it can be said that the second component 18 includes a housing 36 located on the support means 10 and having a plurality of electrical contacts 40 located thereon. The housing has a receptacle 44 formed therein. The electrical contacts 40 are located within the receptacle 44 as a general matter, as generally depicted in Figure 3 and Figure 4 As further visible in Figure 1 and Figure 2 the housing 36 includes another receptacle 48 that is configured to receive therein a circuit board that is not visible from Figure 1 but is similar to the circuit board 24. The second component 18 also includes a plurality of electrical contacts that are similar to the electrical contacts 40 and are located within the receptacle 48. When the circuit board 24 is received within the receptacle 44, the electrical contacts 40 are biased towards the circuit board 24 and engage the pads 32 and form a plurality of electrical connections with the pads, some of which electrical connections are indicated by the numeral 50 in Figure 3

[0023] That is to say, the first component 16 disposed on the electrical component 12 can be located at Figure 24, wherein the circuit board 24 is received in the receiver 44 and the electrical contacts 40 form an electrical connection 50 with the pads 32, thereby electrically connecting the first component 16 and the second component 18 together. This occurs in the installed position of the combined device 6, which, as described above, is an exemplary but non-limiting form of a circuit interrupter installed in a draw-out box and can be any of a variety of other types of electrical devices. The data connection device 4 is capable of Figure 2 The first position of Figure 1 The circuit board 24 is moved between the second position in which the circuit board 24 is removed from the receiver 44, thereby disconnecting the electrical connection 50 formed between the electrical contacts 40 and the pads 32. This occurs when the electrical component 12 is partially or completely removed from the support device 10. In the case where there is no significant concern about damage to the data connection device 4, Figure 2 and Figure 1 Such movement between the first position and the second position can be performed separately because the circuit board 24 itself is relatively strong and resistant to bending and breaking, which is advantageous. In addition, the circuit board 24 and the housing 36 near the receiver 44 each have a release area that promotes self-alignment between the circuit board 24 and the receiver 44 to facilitate receiving the circuit board 24 in the receiver 44 and to facilitate forming an electrical connection 50 therebetween. Further advantageously, the structure on which the support 22 and the housing 36 are located provides a certain amount of physical flexibility to the circuit board 24 and the housing 36, which further allows self-alignment therebetween.

[0024] As can be understood from the drawings, the housing 36 can be said to include a plurality of walls indicated by the numerals 52A, 52B, 52C, and 52D, which walls may be collectively or individually referred to herein by the numeral 52, each of which is positioned adjacent to the receiver 44. The walls 52 together form a mouth 56 of the receiver 44, which is in the form of a widened mouth that includes a relief surface on each of the walls 52 near the mouth 56. More specifically, Figure 3 A relief surface 60A is depicted on the wall 52A, and from Figure 3 It will be appreciated that the release surface 60A is an inclined insertion surface that is the inner surface of the receiver 48. Similarly, Figure 4 Walls 52B and 52D are depicted each having a relief surface indicated by numerals 60B and 60D, respectively, which relief surface is also an inclined insertion surface as the inner surface of the receiver 44. It should be understood that wall 52C also has a relief surface in the form of an inclined insertion surface, which relief surface is the inner surface of the receiver 44 and is Figure 3 A mirror image of release surface 60A in .

[0025] The exemplary release surfaces 60A, 60B, and 60D are described herein as angled insertion surfaces, which means that each has a flat surface that is oriented at an angle to the insertion direction indicated, for example, by numeral 64 in Figure 1 However, it should be understood that various release surfaces may have other configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the release surface can be an arcuate profile, whether a fixed radius or a varying radius. Additionally, the release surface can have an angled profile, but at an angle relative to the insertion direction 64 that is different from the angle depicted in the figures. Still alternatively and by way of example, the release surface can be a combination of an arcuate profile and an angled profile, without limitation and by way of example, and the release surfaces need not all have the same profile but can each have a different profile depending on the needs of the application. When the electrical component 12 is in the first position, the widened mouth 56 provided by the release surfaces 60A, 60B, and 60D (and the release surface of the wall 52C) together facilitates receiving the circuit board 24 in the receptacle 44.

[0026] It can be further understood that the outer surface 28 of the circuit board 24 is actually a plurality of surfaces, which are generally indicated by numeral 78 and include an end surface 68 at the free end of the circuit board 24, a pair of edge surfaces 72A and 72C, and a pair of major surfaces 76B and 76D. It should be noted that the foregoing plurality of surfaces 78, namely the end surface 68, the edge surfaces 72A and 72C, and the major surfaces 76B and 76D, are generally adjacent to each other. Additionally, it should be noted that the pads 32 are located on the major surfaces 76B and 76D, but can be located on other surfaces of the plurality of surfaces 78 depending on the needs of the application.

[0027] It can be said that the circuit board 24 includes an end 80 opposite the support 22, which is in the form of a narrow end that includes a plurality of release regions positioned adjacent to at least a subset of the surfaces of the plurality of surfaces 78. For example, the number of release regions can be indicated by numeral 84 and can be said to be generally located at the free end of the circuit board 24 opposite the support 22 and generally near the end surface 68. It can be said that the depicted exemplary embodiment release regions 84 include a plurality of exemplary angled insertion regions, which are in the exemplary form of angled surfaces indicated by numerals 86A, 86B, 86C, and 86D and can be referred to herein collectively or individually by numeral 86. The angled insertion regions 86A and 86C are respectively positioned adjacent to the edge surfaces 72A and 72C. In a similar manner, the angled insertion regions 86B and 86D are respectively positioned adjacent to the major surfaces 76B and 76D.

[0028] While the release regions 84 are each depicted in the exemplary form of an angled surface represented by the angled insertion regions 86, it should be understood that, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure, the release regions 84 may alternatively have an arcuate profile, an angled profile of a different angle, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the release regions 84 need not all have the same profile. Thus, it is understood that the angled insertion regions 86, as an exemplary form of the release regions 84 at the narrow end of the circuit board 24, facilitate the insertion of the circuit board 24 into the receptacle 44, and such insertion is further assisted by the release surface of the widened mouth 56 of the receptacle 44.

[0029] It should also be understood that the receiving of the circuit board 24 in the receptacle 44 is assisted by the flexibility inherently present in the first component 16 and the second component 18. For example, Figure 3 and Figure 4 a support 22 of the first component 16 mounted to a platform indicated by the numeral 83 is depicted. Figure 3 An angular deviation between the support 22 and the platform 83 in a first plane is depicted by the numeral 88. Figure 4 Similarly, another angular deviation between the support 22 and the platform 83 in a different plane orthogonal to the Figure 3 plane is depicted by the numeral 90. Such angles 88 and 90 are greatly exaggerated and are intended to show and illustrate that the circuit board 24 is located on the electrical component 12 with at least a nominal level of flexibility such that the circuit board 24 can pivot slightly when it is received in the receptacle 44. While the angles 88 and 90 depict the flexibility between the circuit board 24 and the platform 83, it should be understood that the angles 88 and 90 are more specifically intended to depict the elastic deformation of all the structures between the electrical component 12 and the circuit board 24, which enables such pivotal movement of the circuit board 24. Additionally, it should be understood that the housing 36 is located on a base indicated by the numeral 85, and it should be understood that the base 85 similarly provides a similar level of flexibility to the housing 36 such that when the circuit board 24 is received in the receptacle 44, the housing 36 can move at least one nominal amount in multiple planes relative to the support device 10.

[0030] The flexibility of the circuit board 24 relative to the electrical component 12 and the flexibility of the housing 36 relative to the support device 10 further facilitate the receiving of the circuit board 24 in the receptacle 44 without damaging such components due to the slight movement of such components relative to the support device 10 and the electrical component 12 when the first component 16 is moved along the insertion direction 64 and received in the mouth 56. Such flexibility promotes the self - alignment between the circuit board 24 and the housing 36, which helps to avoid damaging the data connection device 4 when the combined device 6 moves between Figure 1 its removal position and Figure 2 its installation position.

[0031] It is understood that the electrical contacts 44 are arranged in sets of pairs, where one pair of electrical contacts 40 is depicted in Figure 4 as numbers 92A and 92B. When the circuit board 24 is received in the receptacle 44, the pairs of electrical contacts 40, 92A and 92B, are biased towards each other. The pairs of electrical contacts 40 are also engaged with a pair of pads 32 and are electrically connected thereto when the circuit board 24 is received in the receptacle 44. Such an arrangement of the electrical contacts 40 in the set of pairs facilitates the formation of the electrical connection 50 between the electrical contacts 40 and the pads 32 of the circuit board 24 when the circuit board 24 is received in the receptacle 44. Figure 4 It is understood that the pads 32 are spaced apart from each other by a spacing dimension indicated by the number 94 in

[0032] as measured along the direction 96. It is also seen from Figure 5 that the pads 32 have a physical dimension along the direction 96, where the dimension of the pads 32 is indicated by the number 98. It is seen that the dimension of the pads 98 is greater than the dimension of the space 94 therebetween. In fact, the pad dimension 98 is several times the magnitude of the spacing 94 between the pads 32. The result is that the pads 32 are very densely concentrated in a relatively small area, reiterating that in the depicted exemplary embodiment the pads 32 are formed on both the main surfaces 76B and 76D, and the pads 32 are formed on the circuit board 24 as well as on additional circuit boards received in the receptacle 48 but not shown in Figure 5 It is understood that the pads 32 are spaced apart from each other by a spacing dimension indicated by the number 94 in Figure 5 as measured along the direction 96. It is also seen from Figure 1 that the pads 32 have a physical dimension along the direction 96, where the dimension of the pads 32 is indicated by the number 98. It is seen that the dimension of the pads 98 is greater than the dimension of the space 94 therebetween. In fact, the pad dimension 98 is several times the magnitude of the spacing 94 between the pads 32. The result is that the pads 32 are very densely concentrated in a relatively small area, reiterating that in the depicted exemplary embodiment the pads 32 are formed on both the main surfaces 76B and 76D, and the pads 32 are formed on the circuit board 24 as well as on additional circuit boards received in the receptacle 48 but not shown in

[0033] The overall result is a large number of electrical connections 50 as shown in Figure 3 formed between the first component 16 and the second component 18 in the first position of the data connection device 4, as generally depicted in Figure 2 as described above, the release surface 60 and the release area 84 facilitate the receipt of the circuit board 24 in the receptacle 44, and such receipt is assisted by at least a nominal flexibility of the circuit board 24 and the receptacle 44 relative to the movable part 12 and the fixed part 10, respectively. As a result, the data connection device 4 is robust and capable of many insertions and removals of the circuit board 24 in the receptacle 44 to establish and disconnect, by way of example, the electrical connection 50 between, for example, the circuit breaker 14 and the combined device 6. It should further be noted that the relatively close spacing of the pads 32 advantageously facilitates the control of common mode noise and enables the pads 32 and the electrical contacts 40 to simulate a proper transmission line. It is understood that a proper transmission line has an impedance that appears like 100 ohms to an AC signal, regardless of the actual circuit trace resistance value. Such proper transmission line behavior advantageously enables digital pulses to be transmitted through the data connection device 4 at extremely high speeds such as megabit speeds, which is highly advantageous. Other advantages will be apparent.

[0034] Although specific embodiments of the concepts disclosed in this invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications and substitutions of those details can be developed in accordance with the general teachings of this disclosure. Therefore, the specific arrangements disclosed are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of the concepts disclosed in this invention, which is given by the full scope of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A data connection device, which can be used to connect to a support device and an electrical component, the support device being configured to support the electrical component, the electrical component being movable relative to the support device between a first position and a second position, the data connection device comprising: A first component, which is configured to be located on one of the support device and the electrical component, the first component comprising a support member and a circuit board, the circuit board being located on the support member, the circuit board having an outer surface and further having a plurality of pads that are conductive and located on the outer surface; And A second component, which is configured to be located on the other of the support device and the electrical component, the second component comprising a housing and a plurality of electrical contacts, the plurality of electrical contacts being located on the housing, the housing having a receptacle, the receptacle being configured to receive at least a portion of the circuit board and at least a subset of the electrical contacts among the plurality of electrical contacts therein in the first position, the electrical contacts being engaged with and electrically connected to at least a subset of the pads among the plurality of pads, the receptacle being configured to remove the at least portion of the circuit board therefrom in the second position, wherein the support member of the first component is mounted to a platform, with an angular deviation between the support member and the platform in a first plane, such that the circuit board is located on the flexible electrical component, so that the circuit board can pivot when it is received in the receptacle.

2. The data connection device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a plurality of walls, the receptacle is adjacent to the plurality of walls, the receptacle has a widened mouth, and the widened mouth includes release surfaces formed on each of at least a subset of the walls.

3. The data connection device according to claim 2, wherein the release surfaces formed on each of at least some of the walls in the at least subset of the walls are inclined insertion surfaces.

4. The data connection device according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including an end surface, a pair of edge surfaces, and a pair of main surfaces adjacent to each other, and the plurality of pads are located on at least one of the pair of main surfaces.

5. The data connection device according to claim 4, wherein the circuit board has a narrow end opposite to the support member, and the narrow end includes a release area formed adjacent to each of at least a subset of the surfaces among the plurality of surfaces.

6. The data connection device according to claim 5, wherein the release area formed adjacent to each of at least some of the surfaces in the at least subset of the surfaces is an inclined insertion area.

7. The data connection device according to claim 6, wherein the housing has a plurality of walls, the receptacle is adjacent to the plurality of walls, the receptacle has a widened mouth, the widened mouth includes a release surface formed on each wall of at least one subset of the walls, and the release surface formed on each wall of at least some of the walls in the at least subset of the walls is an inclined insertion surface.

8. The data connection device according to claim 1, wherein when the circuit board is received in the receptacle, the plurality of electrical contacts are biased towards the circuit board.

9. The data connection device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are arranged in opposing pairs, and when the circuit board is received in the receptacle, the electrical contacts in each opposing pair are biased towards each other.

10. The data connection device according to claim 1, wherein at least one subset of the plurality of pads are spaced apart from each other along a certain direction, and a pair of pads in the at least subset of the plurality of pads are adjacent to each other on the outer surface and are spaced apart by a distance as measured along the direction, and the size of each of the pair of pads is set to have a dimension greater than the distance as measured along the direction.

11. A combined device including a support device, electrical components, and a data connection device, wherein: the electrical components are movable relative to the support device between a first position and a second position; the data connection device includes a first component and a second component; the first component is located on one of the support device and the electrical components, the first component includes a support and a circuit board, the circuit board is located on the support, the circuit board has an outer surface and further has a plurality of pads that are conductive and located on the outer surface; and the second component is located on the other of the support device and the electrical components, the second component includes a housing and a plurality of electrical contacts, the plurality of electrical contacts are located on the housing, the housing has a receptacle, the receptacle receives at least a portion of the circuit board and at least one subset of the electrical contacts among the plurality of electrical contacts in the first position, the electrical contacts are engaged with and electrically connected to at least one subset of the pads among the plurality of pads, and the receptacle removes the at least portion of the circuit board therefrom in the second position, and wherein the support of the first component is mounted to a platform, and there is an angular deviation between the support and the platform in a first plane, such that the circuit board is located on the flexible electrical component, so that the circuit board can pivot when it is received in the receptacle.

12. The combined device according to claim 11, wherein the housing has a plurality of walls, the receptacle is adjacent to the plurality of walls, the receptacle has a widened mouth, and the widened mouth includes a release surface formed on each wall of at least one subset of the walls.

13. The combined device according to claim 12, wherein the release surface formed on each of at least some of the walls in the at least subset of the walls is an inclined insertion surface.

14. The combined device according to claim 11, wherein the outer surface includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including an end surface, a pair of edge surfaces, and a pair of main surfaces adjacent to each other, and the plurality of pads are located on at least one of the pair of main surfaces.

15. The combined device according to claim 14, wherein the circuit board has a narrow end opposite to the support member, and the narrow end includes a release area formed adjacent to each of the surfaces in at least one subset of the plurality of surfaces.

16. The combined device according to claim 15, wherein the release area formed adjacent to each of at least some of the surfaces in the at least subset of the surfaces is an inclined insertion area.

17. The combined device according to claim 16, wherein the housing has a plurality of walls, the receptacle is adjacent to the plurality of walls, the receptacle has a widened mouth, and the widened mouth includes a release surface formed on each of the walls in at least one subset of the walls, and the release surface formed on each of at least some of the walls in the at least subset of the walls is an inclined insertion surface.

18. The combined device according to claim 11, wherein when the circuit board is received in the receptacle, the plurality of electrical contacts are biased towards the circuit board.

19. The combined device according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are arranged in opposing pairs, and when the circuit board is received in the receptacle, the electrical contacts in each opposing pair are biased towards each other.

20. The combined device according to claim 11, wherein at least one subset of the plurality of pads are spaced apart from each other along a certain direction, and a pair of pads in the at least subset of the plurality of pads are adjacent to each other on the outer surface and are spaced apart by a distance as measured along the direction, and the size of each of the pair of pads is set to have a dimension greater than the distance as measured along the direction.

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